Homemade Vegetable Stock

Last updated on October 12th, 2025

This homemade vegetable stock is a freezer essential for soups and stews, rice dishes, sauces, gravies and stuffing. Ready in about an hour, it’s rich and flavourful and so much better than anything you can buy in a store.

I rely on this vegetarian stock recipe all year long and it’s so much easier to make than you might think. I made this batch today with carrots, onion and fresh herbs from the garden. You can make it with fresh whole vegetables, odds and ends that have been lingering in the fridge or even scraps you’ve stashed away in the freezer. Just use the measurements as a guide and change it up as you like.

Here’s everything you’ll need to make this vegetable stock

• 1 medium yellow onion
• 2 large carrots (or equivalent)
• 2 celery stalks
• 1 large leek
• 1 head garlic
• 4 sprigs fresh parsley
• 4 sprigs fresh thyme
• 2 sprigs fresh tarragon
• 1 bay leaf
• Turmeric
• Kosher salt
• Freshly cracked black pepper
• Water

Do I need to peel the vegetables?

There’s no need to peel the onions and carrots, just wash any of the ingredients as needed, trim the leek and put everything in the pot.

How to freeze vegetable stock

I love these deli quart containers. Make sure to leave a good inch or so between the stock and the lid so there’s room for the stock to expand as it freezes. Alternatively, freeze the stock in airtight freezer bags that lie flat or use your preferred plastic free alternative.

A homemade vegetable stock made with carrots, onions, celery, lots of garlic and fresh herbs, this recipe will give you 3 quarts (about 3 litres) of stock that you can use right away or freeze for future use. Just think of all the soups you’ll make!

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And of course, feel free to leave any questions, comments or reviews. This is the best place to reach me, and I’d love to hear from you!

Homemade Vegetable Stock

A homemade vegetable stock made with carrots, onions, celery, lots of garlic and fresh herbs. Ready in about an hour, this recipe will give you 3 quarts (about 3 litres) of stock that you can use right away or freeze for future use!

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Prep Time:10 minutes mins

Cook Time:45 minutes mins

Total Time:1 hour hr

Keyword: vegetable stock, vegetarian

Servings: 3 quarts or 12 cups (about 3 litres)

Equipment

• Deli storage containers

Ingredients

• 1 medium yellow onion quartered
• 2 large carrots (or equivalent)
• 2 celery stalks, cut into thirds
• 1 large leek, white and light green parts only, halved through the stem
• 1 head garlic sliced in half crosswise
• 4 sprigs fresh parsley
• 4 sprigs fresh thyme
• 2 sprigs fresh tarragon optional
• 1 bay leaf
• ½ teaspoon ground turmeric
• 1 teaspoon kosher salt
• 1 teaspoon freshly cracked black pepper
• 3 quarts (12 cups) cold water

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Instructions

• Add all ingredients to a large Dutch oven or soup pot. Bring to a boil, then turn down heat to medium-low and let simmer for 45 minutes.
• Remove from heat and strain into another pot or large bowl, then transfer stock to deli quart containers. Make sure to leave a good inch or so between the stock and the lid so there’s room for the stock to expand as it freezes. Alternatively, freeze the stock in airtight freezer bags that lie flat or use your preferred plastic free alternative.

Notes

Storage: Vegetable stock will keep well in the fridge for 1-2 weeks or frozen for up to 6 months.