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If we were to look at all of the recipes in the United States, I wonder which ingredients we use the most. I bet onions would rank pretty high up there since onions are in everything. But I bet stock or broth would be a close second.
What is the difference between broth and stock anyway? Apparently, the main difference comes down to whether or not the liquid contains seasonings. Stocks do not have seasonings and should be used inside of a dish. Broths do have seasonings and can stand alone, such as the base of a soup. To make stock, boil bones and possibly meat, but only use meat to make broth. I think we can just throw those definitions right out the window for vegetable broth – unless we want to consider carrots and celery the backbones of vegetable stock… get it? I crack myself up!
Actually, vegetable stocks and broths stick with the first definition: broth has seasonings, stocks do not.
So what is vegetable bouillon? Used interchangeably with broth, liquid bouillon also includes seasonings. You can find it in dehydrated, compressed or powdered forms.
Unfortunately, vegetable stocks, broths, and bouillon cubes are absolutely riddled with MSG. I never cared about MSG until I realized that it can trigger migraines. (And I had a bangin’ migraine earlier this week, so I’ve got migraines on my mind). Here, it hides under the sneaky name of “Natural Flavors”. Artificial flavors are ok for migraines, but natural ones are not. Go figure. If you want to learn more about the effect of MSG on migraines, I highly recommend Dr. Buchholz’s book Heal Your Headache.
Since so many recipes call for vegetable broth or stock, I wanted to help you replace this kitchen stable with a healthier alternative. This vegetable bouillon recipe is super simple and made from ingredients that you already have at home. You can use it in any recipe that calls for broth (or stock – don’t tell anyone, but I still use them interchangeably). I don’t know if you’ve ever tried to freeze vegetable scraps to make stock, but mine always smells funny. This vegetable bouillon powder is a tastier, less stinky alternative and made from spice rack staples.
Speaking of spice racks, how do you organize your spices?
Ingredients
- 4 Tbs Celery Salt
- 4 Tbs Dried Parsley
- 2 Tbs Garlic Powder
- 2 Tbs Salt
- 2 tsp Thyme
- 2 tsp Dill
- 1 tsp Pepper
- 1 tsp Turmeric
- 1 tsp Sage
- 1 tsp Mustard Powder
- 1 tsp Paprika
- ¼ tsp Cayenne
Instructions
- Mix all ingredients together. If you want a smooth powder, you can run it in batches through a coffee grinder, but I leave it the way it is.
- Stir 1 tsp of the mix per 1 C of water.
I have been looking for a stock/broth seasoning mix for quite some time. I am hyper sensitive to MSG and all those other MSG -like ingredients, like hydrolyzed vegetable protein, yeast extract, flavors, spices, etc. I am making this seasoning tonight. Thank you
I’m so glad you found this recipe! Please let me know how it goes!
I need it to be salt free. Will leaving the salt out ruin it?
How can you make this a low sodium broth? Just leave out the salt?