Instant Pot: Vegetable Stock

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What is the difference between Stock and Broth anyway? Stock is unfinished, it has minor seasoning carries and a lighter color. While Broth has a darker color, full of seasoning and perfect to sip. Most stocks and broths are made by putting all the ingredients in a pot, and letting it go. I am admittedly late to the Instant Pot party, but it does make making broth and stock so much easier. I just opened my Instant Pot Ultra, it has 10 functions and I’ve only figured out two of them, Saute and Pressure. Side note, my music playlist for cooking with it includes both “Under Pressure” by Queen and “Ice Ice Baby” by Vanilla Ice.

Carrots, Celery, Onions are the base of almost every stock I make. They are the Holy Trinity of the kitchen. In place of onions, I am using a leek today because I thought I had half an onion in the fridge, but apparently no. Since vegetable stock does not have a strong flavor, it is important to use vegetables that have a little more oomph to them. Radishes add a little of a peppery flavor, mushrooms add an earthiness. Spices and herbs add flavor, but you need to use more then you expect to.

Leeks and onions need to be cooked lightly before everyone else joins the party. This allows the sugars to brighten. The Instant Pot Ultra has a Saute setting which is perfect for this. I put a splash of olive oil and let the vegetables sit and caramelize. Once the onions have browned, everything else can join the party.

Use more herbs and spices then you expect to need in this. The pressure cooker will release a lot of flavor but you will need to use more then you think you need. Water is a blank canvas, use seasoning and vegetables that you love. Go easy on the salt, if you put salt in your stock, then you won’t need to salt the dish it goes into.

I use this in almost every rice dish or soup I make. It is delightful in French Onion Soup.

Instant Pot Vegetable Stock

This vegetable stock can be used in evrything from rice to risotto to soup. The perfect base for everything you cook.

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Prep Time 5 minutes mins

Cook Time 1 hour hr

Course Soup

Cuisine American

Servings 4 quarts

Equipment

• Instant Pot Ultra

Ingredients

  

• Splash of Olive Oil
• 1 Leek or large onion
• 2 Carrot
• 1 Pound Mushrooms
• 2 Bay leafs
• 6 Garlic Cloves crushed
• 3 stalks celery
• 1 teaspoon peppercorns crushed with mortar and pestle
• 1 teaspoon cumin
• 2 teaspoon Italian seasoning
• 12 cups of water

Instructions

 

• With the InstaPot set to Saute, heat splash of Olive oil and place onion and carrots cut side down. Allow vegetables to brown.
• Rough chop vegetables and herbs and put them in the Instant Pot.
• Add all vegetables and herbs to the pot. Do not be afraid of adding more herbs or different herbs. Season to taste.
• Turn off the saute setting, close the pot and set it to Soup/Stock for 35 minutes. The Instant Pot will have to preheat before it pressurizes and the timer start.
• Release Pressure.
• Let cool. Strain vegetables from stock. If you want all herbs out, you can use a fine-mesh strainer or cheesecloth in a strainer- otherwise keep the herbs.
• Put into containers and move them to their new home in the fridge.

Notes

NOTE: You cannot seal/can vegetable stock or broth into a mason jar without a stovetop pressure cooker. Sadly, there is no Instant Pot that will make this shelf-stable. Stocks are considered low acid and require a pressure cooker to safely can but the Instant Pot is not designed to pressure can.

Keyword Broth, Soup, Stock, Vegan, Vegetarian