Article
Opinion Vegan-friendly cooking stocks & how to make your own
Kitchen Tips
Author: Maggie Published: March 18, 2024
Most vegetable stocks are naturally vegan – and some chicken and beef-style stocks sold in stores are vegan-friendly too!
Stocks and broths are the unsung heroes of countless delicious dishes, from soups and stews to risotto, gravy, pasta dishes, and more.
They’re perfect for adding depth, richness, and complexity to your cooking, so you’ll definitely want to make sure you have some vegan-friendly stock options in your plant-based pantry.
And the good news is that there are more varieties to choose from in stores than just vegetable stock – some chicken-style and beef-style stocks are actually vegan too!
Stock up on these vegan-friendly broths next time you’re at the shops …
- Campbell’s Real Stock Vegetable Stock Liquid
- Campbell’s Real Stock Mushroom Stock Liquid
- Coles Vegan Chicken-Style Stock Liquid
- Coles Real Stock Vegetable Liquid
- Coles Vegetable Stock Cubes
- Massel Chicken-Style Stock Powder
- Massel Chicken-Style Stock Cubes
- Massel Chicken-Style Stock Liquid
- Massel Beef-Style Stock Powder
- Massel Beef-Style Stock Cubes
- Massel Beef-Style Stock Liquid
- Massel Vegetable Stock Powder
- Massel Vegetable Stock Cubes
- Massel Vegetable Stock Liquid
- Vegeta Real Gourmet Stock & Seasoning
- Vegeta Organic Gourmet Stock & Seasoning
- Woolworths Vegetable Stock Liquid
… or cut down on cost, food waste, and packaging by making your own!
Not only is brewing your own cooking stock a great zero-waste and budget-friendly hack, it’s also super easy and satisfying to do.
Check out our favourite gourmet vegan stock recipe for some inspiration. Aside from the usual ingredients of garlic, onion, carrots, and celery, this recipe also calls for white wine and a rich blend of herbs and spices – guaranteed to make your kitchen smell amazing and your food taste divine.
But guess what? Brewing your own delicious stock can be even simpler than this if you want it to be!
The easiest way to make veggie stock, without having to buy a single thing:
- Set aside any veggie scraps from your food prep and chopping throughout the week (e.g. onion and garlic skin, the tops and bottoms of veggies, and leftover fresh herbs) and pop them in a container in the freezer.
- Once you have enough scraps saved, tip them into a large pot and add just enough water to nearly cover the scraps.
- Bring the water to a boil and then reduce the heat to let it simmer for 30 mins.
- Strain out all the scraps with a sieve or colander, reserving the liquid in a bowl or jar, and voila: Zero-waste vegetable stock, ready for all your plant-based cooking needs!
- Keep your homemade stock in the fridge (for up to 5 days) or freezer (for up to 3 months) depending on how soon you want to use it.
We always get a little kick out of this method! It’s so satisfying to be able to squeeze even more goodness from your veggie scraps before they end up in the compost.
And even though each batch contains a slightly different blend of flavours, the resulting stock is always wholesome, earthy, and rich, not to mention salt-free and often healthier than store-bought options.
You’re ready to get cooking!
Now that you’re all stocked up, it’s time to put these broths to good use! Check out our recipe hub for heaps of delicious plant-based meal ideas. 
Keen to add vegan gravy to your pantry supplies too? Check out all the options here.
Header image: © Massel
Meet Maggie!
Maggie’s passion for fresh, local produce began in the 90s when she first harvested the oranges in her backyard for a glass of fresh-squeezed Florida orange juice — though her Dad may remember the details of labour a little differently. Now she adds berries to her chocolate and sneaks pumpkin into brownies so she can confidently and incorrectly refer to them as health foods.