Homemade Veggie Stock Cubes (Vegan)(Minimal Waste)

salt

🥗Healthier: sea salt

💰Cheaper: table salt

Sea salt offers a more complex flavor while table salt is often less expensive.

nutritional yeast

🥗Healthier: brewer's yeast

💰Cheaper: dried herbs

Brewer's yeast provides a similar umami flavor, while dried herbs can be more affordable.

Wipe a little coconut oil onto a large oven tray to prevent sticking.

Cut thick vegetables into smaller slices.

Add leftover pepper and mushrooms to the tray.

Add fresh cauliflower leaves and soft chili to the tray.

Cut the chili into smaller bits.

Add smaller garlic cloves and a head of garlic that has started sprouting, keeping the skin on except for the roots.

Add an onion, removing only the root and outer skin.

Add half a tube of tomato paste to the pan and massage it into the veggies.

Put the tray in a preheated oven at 150 degrees Celsius (300 degrees Fahrenheit) for half an hour before stirring.

After half an hour, turn the veggies and give them another half hour in the oven.

Add about two liters of boiling water to the pan, adjusting based on the size of the pan.

Let it roast for another hour, stirring occasionally.

Measure out two tablespoons of agar agar powder, about four grams of xanthan gum, and 10 grams of salt, adjusting salt to taste, and set aside.

After two hours of roasting, use a baster to scoop up as much liquid as possible into a saucepan.

Carefully strain the rest of the liquid into the pan, being cautious as it is hot.

Heat the strained liquid on the stove and strain the remaining liquid from the cooled veggies into the saucepan.

Boil the stock to reduce it down to about half the amount, which can take up to two hours.

Once reduced, take it off the heat and whisk in the agar agar, xanthan gum, and salt mixture, stirring well to thicken.

Pour half of the stock into an ice cube tray and freeze, while the other half is set in the bottom of the saucepan in the fridge overnight.

Wrap each frozen cube in waxed paper after freezing.

For the chilled stock, cut to size and wrap them as well, noting the difficulty in achieving uniform sizes.

Cooking Techniques

Equipment Needed

Spice Level:

Dietary