This vegetable stock paste is not only great for making our own vegetable broth and soups, it also flavours curries or stir-fries! It’s insanely easy to make and doesn’t take all too long for a big batch!
Due to its high salt content and because we’re cooking the vegetables, this vegetable stock paste lasts you for several months! The longest it lasted me once was 7 months—because I used it up, not because it had gone bad.
Since it’s so versatile and almost essential in my kitchen, I never leave for a camping trip without taking it with me! If you travel with a fridge (because it will last you longer when chilled), I highly, highly recommend making this paste!
I use the vegetable stock paste quite a lot in my recipes and every time I do, I note it on the cards so you know when to use it and how much you’ll need.
What can I use this vegetable stock paste for?
Homemade veggie broth 🥣
Generally, you add 1 tablespoon of the paste per 250 ml / 1 cup of water to make vegetable stock. For soups, I sometimes only use 1-2 tablespoons and adjust, if I really need more flavour.
It’s always a good idea to start with one tablespoon, taste it and then add some more. This paste is like a concentrate and very salty!
For flavouring 🧂
I love using this vegetable stock paste to add some extra flavour to my stir-fries and curries (like in my all-time favourite pilaf). Usually, I end up using only one tablespoon. But this depends a little on how many servings you’re cooking.
You don’t need to dilute the paste in water first when you use it for this purpose. Simply add it to your sauce or stir it under the veggies (or whatever you’re cooking).
🍚 For flavouring rice, I use 1 teaspoon of veggie stock paste and mix it with the water before boiling.
After a while, you figure it out, how much you need and want to use. Just keep experimenting!
I’ve recently started to add the paste to my pasta sauces too. Because of all the herbs in the stock paste, I find it adds a nice additional flavour to my tomato sauce!
Why you should make your own vegetable stock paste
Because you know what’s in it. And what you put in your veggie stock is all natural! Most store-bought veggie broths are highly processed!
They contain a lot of ingredients, you absolutely don’t need: sugar (cane sugar or maize maltodextrin), yeast extract (for flavouring), artificial flavours (MSG as well as “natural flavouring”) or filling ingredients (to bulk it up) like potato or tapioca starch.
Sadly, also organic brands aren’t ideal—they often add miso, yeast flakes or filling ingredients (tapioca and brown rice protein). Yes, surely, they aren’t necessarily bad but do we need all this? Nope, we don’t!
In fact, all we actually need to make a long lasting, flavourful veggie paste is: vegetables, herbs and salt. That’s it and no more!
It really doesn’t take that long to make your own veggie broth with this paste, it’s simple and you can use it just like the store-bought version.
Which vegetables should you use
The veggie stock is mainly used for seasoning, meaning salt. But along with it, you add some extra flavours to your dishes which is why it is important to choose the right vegetables.
Very basic and traditional recipes use only celery, carrots and onion. But as we’re making a stock paste, other vegetables can be added.
I always use at least one flavourful vegetable like celery or leek, and one that adds a bit of sweetness like carrot, sweet potato, pumpkin or squash. Carrot, sweet potato, squash and pumpkin also help with the creaminess of the paste.
For your paste, you could technically use all kinds of vegetables. For example leek, celery (sticks as well as root (celeriac)), onion, carrots, zucchini/courgette, tomato, shallots/spring onions, kale, spinach, pumpkin, sweet potato/kumara, capsicum/bell pepper and mushrooms.
The herbs support the flavours and you just add whatever you like, really. Whether you use dried or fresh herbs, is up to you and what you prefer (or have access to).
Thyme, bay leaves, parsley and peppercorns are more traditional but I like adding whatever herbs I have growing in the garden or I can find on the markets.
How to make a vegetable stock paste?
As I already mentioned earlier, I never leave for a camping trip without it. Which means, I make it at home, preferably.
Though when I travel long-term, I try to make it whenever I can on a proper campsite with an equipped kitchen. You’ll need to use a blender or a food processor, meaning you need power points, and a big pot or a wok to make this recipe.
Stick/immersion blender method
- Dice or slice vegetables as small/thin as possible and chop onion, garlic and herbs (except bay leaves).
- Heat olive oil in a large pot, saucepan or frying pan (a wok works well). Once hot, add garlic, onion, bay leaves and herbs (only rosemary, sage or thyme) and fry for 1-2 minutes.
- Now add all veggies, herbs (parsley and basil) and salt. Cook for about 20 minutes until vegetables are soft. You might want to lower the heat after about 5 minutes and cover, if you have a matching lid (but that’s not necessary). Don’t forget to stir occasionally.
- Use a stick (immersion) blender to puree and form a paste.
Food processor method
- Chop all ingredients until smooth.
- Heat olive oil in a large pot, saucepan or frying pan (a wok works well). Once hot, add paste and cover (but that’s not necessary, in case you don’t have a matching lid).
- Let the veggie stock paste simmer over low heat for about 20 minutes. Don’t forget to stir occasionally.
How to store your vegetable stock paste
I keep mine in a 1 litre / 1 quart-sized jar—a reused coconut oil jar. These jars work perfectly fine. Or mason jars are great too! Just any good to high-quality glass because you don’t want it to shatter!
Ideally, you sterilise the jar in advance which means, you slowly pour hot water into it and let it sit for a few minutes. This also warms it up for your paste.
I usually do this half way through cooking the veggies (after 10 minutes or so). Once you’ve filled up your jar, screw the lid on fast immediately. It’ll create a vacuum and you can store your stock paste in the pantry until you need it.
After opening, store it in the fridge. Because we’ve added so much salt, it should last you for months!
Another way to store it is to fill it in ice cube trays or containers and freeze it! It’ll keep much longer then, for sure ;).
Vegetable stock paste Recipe
📖 Recipe
Equipment
- Stick/immersion blender or food processor
Ingredients
- 1 kg / 2 lbs vegetables (see notes)
- 1 big / 2 small brown onion(s)
- 3-4 garlic cloves
- 2 bay leaves
- 3 sprigs basil or 1 tsp dried
- 10 sprigs parsley or 1 tbs dried
- 2-3 sprigs rosemary (leaves only) or 2 tsp dried
- 2-3 sprigs sage and/or thyme (leaves only) or 1 tsp dried each optional
- 180 g / ⅔ cup salt Himalayan, rock or sea salt
- 2 tbs olive oil or oil of choice
Instructions
Stick/immersion blender method
- Dice or slice vegetables as small/thin as possible and chop onion, garlic and herbs (except bay leaves).
- Heat olive oil in a large pot, saucepan or frying pan (a wok works well). Once hot, add garlic, onion, bay leaves and herbs (only rosemary, sage or thyme, if using) and fry for 1-2 minutes.
- Now add all veggies, herbs (parsley and basil) and salt. Cook for about 20 minutes until vegetables are soft. You might want to lower the heat after about 5 minutes and cover, if you have a matching lid (but that’s not necessary). Don’t forget to stir occasionally.
- Use a stick/immersion blender to puree and form a paste.
- Fill in a big jar or container. I used a 1L/1 quart sized jar. You could also fill the veggie stock paste in smaller jars, containers or an ice cube tray to freeze in portions.
Food processor method
- Chop all ingredients until smooth.
- Heat olive oil in a large pot, saucepan or frying pan (a wok works well). Once hot, add paste and cover (but that’s not necessary, in case you don’t have a matching lid).
- Let simmer over low heat for about 20 minutes. Don’t forget to stir occasionally.
- Fill in a big jar or container. I used a 1L/1 quart sized jar. You could also fill the veggie stock paste in smaller jars, containers or an ice cube tray to freeze in portions.
