Vegetable broth is a good item to have if you’re vegan, vegetarian, or simply trying to eat healthy while saving time and money.
It adds taste and depth to a wide range of foods, plus it’s high in nutrients that make you feel better.
However, you may not always have vegetable broth on hand, or you may be too sick to go grocery shopping.
Fortunately, there are several simple vegetable broth substitute options to consider!
You can use vegetable stock, bouillon cubes, vegetable soup, or water as substitutes. The same goes for those who aren’t vegetarians or vegans; chicken broth will do the trick just fine.
In the following sections, we will go through each of these vegetable broth substitutes and how to use them. So keep reading to find out.
1. Chicken Broth
Although chicken broth adds a meaty flavor to the meal, vegetable broth has a somewhat sweet flavor that chicken broth lacks. Otherwise, the flavors and colors of chicken broth and vegetable broth are so similar that utilizing one will not make a noticeable difference in the meal.
It is common practice to include vegetables in the boiling process of chicken used to make chicken broth. This makes sure that the chicken broth you end up with has both the taste of meaty chicken and the taste of vegetables.
How to Substitute:
In most circumstances, chicken broth may be used in place of vegetable broth. Alternatively, if you have some vegetable broth but not enough for the recipe, combining the amount of vegetable broth you have with enough chicken broth to produce the whole amount required is a good way to go.
2. Beef Broth
Beef broth is another wonderful vegetable broth substitute. Again, just like with chicken broth, beef broth will lend a meaty flavor to the food that you are creating. Therefore, the meal that you are cooking will decide whether chicken or beef broth will be a better complement to the other tastes that are present in that specific dish.
How to Substitute:
In the same way that chicken broth can be interchanged for vegetable broth on a one-to-one basis, beef broth can also be used in substitute of vegetable broth. Alternatively, a mix of vegetable broth and beef broth would be an excellent choice.
3. Bouillon
Bouillon, which comes in a variety of tastes, is a wonderful option for vegetable broth. It is available in beef, chicken, vegetable, roasted chicken foundation, roasted beef foundation, seasoned vegetable base, roasted garlic base, sautéed onion, organic seasoned vegetable, and other flavors.
Based on the flavors that are available, it is up to the cook to decide which one to use.
Bouillon is found in most grocery stores, supermarkets, and chain stores such as Wal-Mart and Target, and each store will have its own variety of sorts and brands of bouillon from which to pick.
How to Substitute:
Simply add one bouillon cube per cup of liquid called for in your recipe, or in the case of granulated bouillon, simply follow the label guidelines for the amount needed for your dish.
4. water
If you don’t have any other alternatives and nothing else in your kitchen can be substituted for vegetable broth, or if you’re cooking vegetarian or vegan, you may always substitute water for vegetable broth. If all you have is water, your dish will lack the taste of vegetable broth.
If you only want to use water instead of vegetable broth, we propose chopping up a couple of potatoes and any other vegetables you have on hand, boiling them for 20–30 minutes, and using the water that comes off the vegetables as a replacement for vegetable broth. The flavors will be so identical that no one will be able to tell the difference.
If you’re using water instead of vegetable broth, add some extra herbs like bay leaves, celery seeds, garlic powder, onion powder, rosemary, and thyme to make up for the taste you’re missing.
How to Substitute:
Water can be substituted for vegetable broth 1:1, but by adding some more herbs and spices, the recipe should taste almost identical to the same dish cooked with vegetable broth.
5. Homemade Vegetable Broth
Homemade vegetable broth is one of the simplest broths to prepare since it can be made using vegetables that you already have in your refrigerator or pantry. And, in less than an hour, you could have a pot of tasty vegetable broth ready to add to any dish.
Here’s a simple recipe for vegetable broth:
Ingredients:
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 3 carrots
- 3 stalks celery
- 1 large onion
- 1 bunch of Green Onions
- 8 cloves garlic
- Fresh Herbs
- 3 bay leaves
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 2 quarts water
Directions:
- Chop the vegetables into 1- to 2-inch pieces.
- In a large pot or Dutch oven, heat the oil and sauté the vegetables and herbs until tender and beginning to brown.
- Bring the water and salt to a boil, stirring constantly.
- Reduce the heat to low and cook, uncovered, for 30 to 45 minutes.
- Vegetables should be strained and discarded.
- In the refrigerator, homemade broth can last for 2 to 3 days. To keep homemade broth for a longer period of time, can it using safe canning techniques or freeze it in an airtight container for up to 6 months.
- To keep homemade broth for a longer period of time, can it using safe canning techniques or freeze it in an airtight container for up to 6 months.
- Label your canned or frozen containers with the contents as well as the date they were canned or frozen so that you can rotate your items and use the oldest ones first to avoid losing them due to expiration.
Other substances that could be used in the preparation of vegetable broth
Many more ingredients can be used to make homemade vegetable stock. Here are a few examples:
- Asparagus
- Bell Peppers
- Celery leaves and root
- Chard
- Corn and corn cobs
- Eggplant
- Fennel
- Mushrooms
- Peas and pea pods
- Onion, garlic, and carrot peels
- Potato peels
These and other vegetable trimmings
To have vegetable broth on hand, many people store a freezer bag or other container in the freezer for all the vegetable trimmings they have, and then when they have enough, they make a batch of vegetable broth.
However, while preparing the broth, remember to use a variety of vegetables and/or trimmings so that the broth does not taste overly strongly of one item. Vegetables like cabbage, cauliflower, broccoli, and Brussels sprouts should also be avoided since they provide a bitter flavor to the broth.
How to Substitute:
Homemade vegetable broth can be used in place of purchased vegetable broth in a 1:1 ratio.
6. Soy Sauce
Soy sauce can be used as a substitute for vegetable broth and has a flavor that is quite close to that of vegetable broth. While soy sauce tastes more like beef broth than vegetable broth, it also complements the flavors of the other components in the dish.
When replacing soy sauce for vegetable broth, keep in mind that soy sauce is rich in sodium, so the amount of salt called for in the recipe should be reduced proportionally so that your meal is not overly salty.
How to Substitute:
Soy sauce can be used as a substitute for vegetable broth by adding 1 tablespoon for every cup of water added to the recipe.
7. Tomatoes
Tomatoes are a good substitute for vegetable broth, particularly in vegetarian and vegan meals. Because tomatoes are vegetables and are frequently used as an ingredient in vegetable broth, the flavor of the meal when tomatoes are used as a substitute for vegetable broth will be quite similar to the same dish when vegetable broth is used.
How to Substitute:
It is advised that tomatoes be combined half and half with water before being substituted for vegetable broth on a one-to-one basis.
Tomatoes can also be used in a variety of ways to substitute vegetable broth. Here are some suggestions:
To meals that require a light taste and texture, add ½ cup of chopped mushrooms and ½ cup of water for every 1 cup of vegetable broth.
To rehydrate dried tomatoes, boil 1 cup in water and use the liquid as a 1:1 substitute for vegetable broth.
Add fresh, chopped tomatoes or dried tomatoes directly to foods that need mixing, such as soups.
8. Potato Broth
Even though we’ve never read or heard of anybody else doing it, we frequently substitute potato broth for any type of broth in several dishes, particularly soups and stews. When freezer space allows, we freeze the liquid drained from the potatoes we cook when preparing mashed potatoes or potato salad and use it to create various varieties of soup, particularly vegetable soup.
So it seems reasonable to us that potato broth would be a decent alternative to vegetable broth in different recipes, such as soups. Potato broth contains the nutrients that are taken out of potatoes when they are cooked, namely carbohydrates, fiber, vitamins B6 and C, potassium, and manganese.
How to Substitute:
We would advocate a one-to-one substitution of potato broth for vegetable broth.
9. Tea
It may surprise you that tea is a fantastic substitute for vegetable broth in your soup recipe.
Tea, of course, is neither soup nor liquor. It could be thought of as a hot water infusion of brewed dry tea leaves. Tea is made by placing tea leaves in a container and pouring boiling water over them.
They are then left for a few minutes to allow the taste to infuse the water.
It is frequently used for internal body cleansing and tastes extremely natural and herbal. However, the flavor may differ from that of vegetable broth, and you may need to experiment with different tea leaves before you find the appropriate combination.
Vegetable broth can be replaced with any sort of tea. On the other hand, understanding the diverse flavors of different teas, on the other hand, will aid in matching the proper tea to the right dish.
- Chamomile, lavender, or lemon verbena tea can be used to flavor dairy-based desserts such as panna cotta or ice cream.
- Add flavor to poached fish by using white or jasmine tea.
- Earl Grey tea enhances the taste of butter-based sauces.
- Add mint tea and green tea to stews to enhance the varied tastes, or black tea for more depth in the flavor.
- Infuse green tea into pasta dough for a greenish-tinted pasta with herby tastes.
- Steep tea in boiling water for 10 to 15 minutes as a 1:1 equivalent to vegetable broth.
10. Dashi
Dashi is a Japanese type of broth that not everyone will experience unless they come from a family that predominantly cooks in the Japanese way.
Dashi is an excellent substitute for vegetable broth because it offers a clear liquid and a strong umami taste that is comparable to that of vegetable broth.
This vegetable broth substitute is not for everyone, and you may have an easier time finding vegetable broth than Dashi. However, if you happen to have this on hand or the ingredients to make it, go ahead and use it!
To prepare Dashi, combine a piece of kombu or seaweed with hot water and top with bonito or dried fish flakes to make a vegetable broth alternative.
Dashi can be used in place of vegetable broth in any recipe that calls for it, including stews, soups, risottos, ramen, sauces, and marinades.
Make your own vegan dashi by substituting shiitake mushrooms for dried fish flakes. This vegan dashi adds flavor and is simple to prepare:
11. Mushroom Broth
Mushroom broth is made by boiling mushrooms in water to extract the umami taste of the mushrooms.
This broth is a great substitute for vegetable broth since it adds liquid as well as a comparable flavor.
Mushroom broth can be purchased at a shop or prepared at home by boiling a handful of mushrooms in 2 cups of water.
Soups, stews, pies, risottos, and sauces may all benefit from using mushroom broth as a substitute for vegetable broth.
What’s The Difference Between Stock And Broth?
Despite the fact that the phrases stock and broth are used interchangeably and that the components are essentially the same, the difference between the two is that broth is created by cooking meat and/or vegetables and filtering the liquid that is named broth. Stock, on the other hand, is prepared by boiling bones and separating the liquid that includes collagen and gelatin from the bones as they simmer.
Another difference between stock and broth is that broth is delicious enough to consume on its own, whereas stock is used as a basis in soups and sauces and serves primarily to provide texture rather than taste.
How Does Vegetable Broth Taste?
Vegetable broth may first taste like water, yet it has a large quantity of flavor. Vegetable broth is best described as salty, seasoned water.
It’s not overpowering and won’t dominate the other components in your dish, but it adds depth to soups and stews.
Is It Possible To Just Drink Vegetable Broth?
Yes! Fresh vegetable broth can be consumed, and a glass of warm vegetable broth is always advised first thing in the morning.
Last Thoughts
If you’re making a special meal and the recipe requires vegetable broth and you don’t have any on hand, this article provides some alternatives that will allow you to continue cooking without having to make a second trip to the store.
So there you have it, the eight best vegetable broth substitutes available. It’s now up to you to experiment with your own recipes until you find the right one.
