Homemade Umami Rich Vegetable Stock Makes the Best Soups, Stews, Grains, Sauces and More
Up the savory deliciousness of your soups, stews, grains, sauces and more with umami—the fifth taste of savoriness—when you make Homemade Umami Rich Vegetable Stock. I’ve been making this stock since last September. Using the vegetable trimmings I save in a bag in the freezer 
(i.e., parsley stems, leek greens, celery, garlic scape tops, etc.), along with fresh vegetables and herbs, this stock is very good. The addition of umami-rich dried mushrooms and kombu along with extra spices, transforms it from being a very good stock into a savory, deeply flavorful and delicious umami rich vegetable stock.
Make the stock in advance and freeze it. Or make it just before preparing a pot of soup. In either case, for the best vegetable soup, stew, sauce and grains use your homemade vegetable stock.
A head’s up. Next week’s post features my favorite 
and and very versatile vegetable soup. This is the soup I’ve been making two to three times a month over the past five months. And, of course today’s recipe for Homemade Umami Rich Vegetable Stock makes it even more delicious.
Stock versus broth – an important difference
Although the words stock and broth are often used interchangeably, there is an important difference between them. Culinarily speaking, once a stock has been seasoned it becomes a broth. So, if a recipe calls for stock and you’re using a broth, reduce the salt called for in the recipe. Then, salt to taste at the end.
Homemade Umami Rich Vegetable Stock
The flavor of umami, the fifth taste, is often described as savoriness. The umami-rich dried mushrooms and kombu add a savory depth to vegetable stock. And, then into all the soups, stews, grains, sauces, etc. in which this vegetable stock is the base.
Leaving the skins on the onion and garlic adds a rich brown color to the stock. If you prefer a lighter colored stock, then do remove the skins along with all really dark mushroom pieces. Vegan and naturally gluten-free.
Inspired by and adapted from a recipe from J. Kenji Lopez-Alt.
Makes about 14 cups stock Printer-Friendly Recipe
Active time 10 minutes
Total time 70 minutes
Ingredients
- 1 cup (1 ounce) dried mushroom mix
- 1 large onion, cut into eighths
- 3 large carrots, unpeeled if organic, thickly sliced
- 3 large stalks celery, thickly sliced
- Greens from 2-3 leeks, optional
- 3 large cloves garlic, smashed
- 1-piece dried kombu (edible kelp seaweed)
- 3 bay leaves
- ⅓ teaspoon dried thyme leaves or 3-4 fresh thyme sprigs
- 10 parsley stems
- 1 tablespoon whole black peppercorns
- 1 teaspoon whole fennel seeds
- 1 teaspoon whole coriander seeds
- 16 cups water
Preparation
- Place all the ingredients in a large soup pot. Bring to a boil over high heat. Reduce the heat so the stock gently simmers, partially covered, for 1 hour.
- Strain the stock, discarding the solids.
- Use immediately. Or, refrigerate for a few days or freeze for up to 6 months.