When soup season comes around, you want to be prepared! By saving veggie scraps in the freezer for just a few weeks, you could have enough to make your own stock. It tastes so much better than store-bought stock, and it's completely free! Ingredients with an asterisk (*) are available seasonally right here in North Iowa! Click on select ingredients to find them nearby or stop by your local farmer's market.
Cook Time45 minutesmins
Total Time45 minutesmins
Course: Food Waste, Pantry Staple, Soup
Cuisine: American
Keyword: slow cooker, soup, stock
Season: Fall, Spring, Summer, Winter
Diet: Dairy Free, Gluten Free, Vegan, Vegetarian
Servings: 8
Calories: 94kcal
Author: Molly Luzbetak
Equipment
Large Pot
Ingredients
1gallonvegetable scraps*carrot tops, potato skins, onion ends, garlic ends and skins, celery ends, squash peels, beet ends, kale stems, corn cobs, etc.
4½quartswater
salt + pepperto taste
Instructions
Save vegetable scraps in a gallon ziplock bag or gallon container in the freezer. When the bag is full, add them to a large pot or slow cooker and add 4½ quarts of water, salt, and pepper. Bring to a boil, then simmer for 45 minutes.
Remove from heat. After it's cooled down, pour through a strainer or colander into pint or quart sized containers. I recommend saving old yogurt or cottage cheese containers, as they are close to quart sized. Let them cool completely on the counter, then store in the fridge for up to a week or the freezer for up to 6 months. Set in the fridge a few days before using, or soak in hot water to thaw.
For slow cooker, add all veggie scraps, salt and pepper. Add water to slow cooker leaving about 1/2 inch room from top. Cover and cook on low for 8-12 hours.