Vegetable Broth Powder (aka Great All-Purpose Seasoning)
This Vegetable Broth Powder is going to literally knock your socks off (or if your socks don't come off, at least you'll be truly happy). It's incredibly delicious and wholesome with none of the additives of store-bought broth cubes and packets.
Plus it makes a great All-Purpose Homemade Seasoning that tastes great on almost anything.
The Vegetable Broth Powder is literally one of our favorite recipes of all time. It's great as a substitute for any recipe that calls for broth but also doubles as a fantastic all-purpose seasoning.
I love making my own homemade seasonings. By making your own celery salt, curry powder, taco seasoning, and more, you're in control of the ingredients you use while you save money over buying pre-mixed containers at the store.
While I am quite a fan of stock, let's face it--sometimes we just don't have the time to make broth / stock, and buying that boxed quality stock is well--pricey! I do have some in my pantry, but it's hard to lean on that all time.
Enter--this recipe for vegetable broth powder.
In my mother's pantry, there were those terrible little fake orange colored vegetable broth powder cubes with a plethora of ingredients (including MSG and hydrolyzed lot of stuff) that would make any self-respecting person-in-search-of-a-healthier-lifestyle's hair stand on end.
When we moved to Michigan I started purchasing organic vegetable broth cubes and powders by the case in order to save a bit of money while keeping the convenience of the mix.
One day, however, it occurred to me that I could probably make my own vegetable broth powder. In fact, this is how my brain usually works.
I look at a food or personal care item and wonder if there might be a way that I could make it myself. Sometimes I am right and I find a great new project. Sometimes I am able to make something myself, but it isn't worth the time or money. Sometimes I'm just stuck with what I can buy.
The vegetable broth mix attempt was a winner, though I must say that I have another idea in mind to make it better and healthier, but it will be awhile before I try it. I will be sure to share the results once I do.
I spent some time and tried a few recipes until I found one that I really liked on cdkitchen.com. It has been in my pantry ever since and I recommend that you put it in yours as well.
You can use this vegetable broth powder to not only make vegetable broth but also as an all-purpose seasoning. I love it on vegetables, meats, basically anything savory...even on popcorn!
If you would prefer to buy bone broth, here is a great place to buy it (you can also find this brand on Amazon).
I really prefer to make my own seasonings whenever I can. It allows flexibility and control over the ingredient proportions but also has you keeping fewer raw ingredients in your pantry.
You'll also use your spices up more quickly, so they're less likely to go stale.
You can also take advantage of bulk discounts by purchasing your spices in larger quantities, knowing that you will be using them up more quickly. Read my post on Homemade Seasoning Blends to find out more.
What You Will Need
- Celery Salt (see Homemade Celery Salt and How to Use It)
- Dried Parsley Flakes
- Garlic Powder
- Salt
- Ground Savory (use summer savory -- not the winter variety. If necessary, you can substitute thyme, marjoram, or sage)
- Dried Marjoram
- Dried Thyme
- Pepper
- Turmeric
- Ground Sage
Recipe Notes and Substitutions
- Teaspoon: Store a small measuring teaspoon in your container so that you are not continually washing a rewashing the same spoon as I use this mixture so often. (See my post on saving time with tools for more ideas for your spoons!)
- Multiple Batches: Make this in 2-3 batches at a time. Again, saves preparation time.
- Celery Salt: Here's how to make Homemade Celery Salt.
- Savory Substitutes: If you can't find savory, you can try subbing thyme or thyme plus a little rosemary. I haven't tried it but I've read it's a decent substitution.
- Spice Brand: Where do I buy my spices? Most of my spices are Frontier brand.
- AIP: For AIP, try making Homemade Celery Salt using celery leaves instead of seeds and omit the pepper.
Recipe
Vegetable Broth Mix Recipe | All-Purpose Seasoning
Ingredients
- 4 tablespoons celery salt
- 4 tablespoons dried parsley flakes
- 2 tablespoons garlic powder
- 2 tablespoons salt
- 2 tablespoons ground savory (use summer savory -- not the winter variety. If necessary, you can substitute thyme, marjoram, or sage)
- 2 teaspoons dried marjoram
- 2 teaspoons dried thyme
- 1 teaspoon pepper
- 1 teaspoon turmeric
- 1 teaspoon ground sage
Instructions
- Combine all in a small bowl. Store in glass or plastic container with a tight fitting lid. Stir or shake occasionally before use to redistribute ingredients.
- Use 1 teaspoon mix plus one cup of water to make 1 cup of broth in a recipe. You may substitute this for chicken broth/bouillon in recipes as well. 1 teaspoon is the equivalent of 1 bouillon cube.
Notes
Nutrition
Nutritional information is provided as a courtesy and is merely an approximation. Optional ingredients are not included and when there is an alternative, the primary ingredient is typically used. We cannot guarantee the accuracy of the nutritional information given for any recipe on this site. Erythritol carbs are not included in carb counts since they have been shown not to impact blood sugar. Net carbs are the total carbs minus fiber.
If you enjoy the thought of making your own seasonings, check out my posts on Chat Masala and Homemade Taco Seasoning too.
Please note that this post was originally published in 2011, but the images were reshot at a later date. Following is the original image for reference.
Do you have a favorite spice you would like me to create recipe for or a recipe that you would like to share?
OK, I've done some more searching and found several websites that either have a homemade bouillon powder or cube recipe.(Most of the liquid ones freeze them in ice cube trays, but there was one recipe that actually took some liquid and made them into little bouillon 'cubes'! The others were a powdered version similar to this recipe.) I kept several to combine and adjust to my taste. Most of them are considered vegetarian, but some actually have dehydrated homemade bone broth as an ingredient, which is basically what I was going to do. But now I'm thinking freeze dried...
The one ingredient that many have in common is nutritional yeast. I have done some research on that, as well. Personally, I'd opt for a non fortified one. The additives can often be synthetic...not for me! It also is considered a complete protein, having amino acids that can't be produced by the human body, minerals and vitamins. It isn't related to the yeast that causes yeast infections, is gluten free and has little salt or fat. So, I might be adding this into my recipe...still not sure.
I tried all of my other bloggers to see if any of them had recipes for this, but none did. And as we all know, search engines don't usually bring up websites like yours and the ones I follow, (even my beloved DuckDuckGo!) so these recipes came from other sources. Some cared about organic, others didn't.
ANYwhoo...just thought you might want to be updated. If you're interested in any of the recipes I found, let me know and I'll email or post a comment with them.
I am very interested in the recipes for sure - email is fine! And YES on the non fortified yeast. Some people say it has excitotoxins in it - that's hard to know but I do like it. Haven't had it in the house for awhile......
FYI: The meat delivery is from Wild Pastures.
it is a relatively new business.
I was purchasing meat from Butcher Box, but the only organic they carry is chicken, not beef or pork. The company is VERY nice, but I do prefer organic when I can get it.
This company, Wild Pastures, is ALL pasture raised and organically grown and processed. Beef, chicken and pork. They have beef bacon! It and regular bacon is sugar free also!
Hi Carol. I appreciate the tip. I saw an interesting price comparison of them compared with Butcher Box and they seem to be a much better value. I'd like to learn more about them. I ended up getting an affiliate link with them - after you mentioned them I realized that I was already an affiliate of a sister company of theirs. :).
Here's my link for anyone else who might like to try them: https://wholenewmom.com/wildpastures. It has a $20 off for life coupon attached to it.
I just purchased a small Freeze Dryer from Prep SOS website for under $2800. Harvest Right as that is all that is available for non commercial charges and sizes. (on sale!, With a kit including oxy absorbers and seal pouches) While that is a LOT of $$$, I feel it will pay for itself in 6 months or sooner.
I plan to FD meat. I did a search, and only found one source for organic freeze dried meat, and that was only chicken: $153. for ONE pound!!!!!
Other, non organic meat was about $80 per pound. It will freeze 4-7# at a time, saying *800+ pounds per year.
I feel at that price I can recoup my cost in just a few months, especially as I found a meat delivery service that has organically grown and processed meats (not certified). AND I can get SOME meats organically grown (certified) from the local grocer
I really need to start freeze drying meat - good decision to get a freeze dryer! But I am bummed you didn't get my link - sadness!! I'm an affiliate for anyone else who wants to get one or at least check them out. I really do like ours! wholenewmom.com/freezedryer. Mostly people say that they are pricey whenever I share anything about ours, but the save a TON over freeze dried food - especially HEALTHY freeze dried food, of which there isn't much at all, as you likely know!
So now I'll be able to make my own soup mixes and even bouillon paste using FD meats!!!
I'm SO excited! Have to wait 8 weeks for it to ship, but I'm ok, as long as I get it.
Last fall I ordered a pressure canner (the EXPENSIVE one), and another appliance using paypal, never got them! Over $300. lost. Can't contact paypal as I don't have an account and I'm NOT going to get one.
DARN!!! I just looked at your link: I could have gotten the medium for about the same price!!!!! I bought the small.
You mix sounds great! Please share how you do it if you don't mind--wait how did you use PP if you don't have an account? I didn't remember you could do that.
Dern on the pricing - -could you cancel since it hasn't shipped and then get the medium this way? I would think so!
I purchased from a company that used PayPal...I had no other option to pay.
I have put in the request to cancel my order...WHEN it goes through, I'll order from your link. Thank you for the heads up!
I haven't actually made the recipe yet, but I have this recipe that I planned to just add the FD chicken/beef to in order to make 'bouillon' powder. I haven't been able to have bouillon cubes forever as they have so many nasty things in them...it's going to be really nice to use them again!
THEN I can use them in "cream of" soup dry mixes that I have recipes for, gravy dry mixes, etc.!!
ENDless possibilities.
Also, I can use it for making mason jar meals...etc.
Good for you! I'm so glad we connected about this and you can get a larger machine! Hooray!
You are adding chicken and beef to the powder? Do they typically have animal products in it? Gosh I haven't looked!!
I need to get a recipe like that for soup - I don't use them often but I have been eating SO simply for a long time. Life has been crazy!!
Well, technically, bouillon cubes are made using chicken stock:
"Chicken bouillon is an ingredient made from dehydrated chicken stock, dehydrated vegetables, fat, and salt.
It also includes a variety of seasonings, such as turmeric, parsley, and coriander.
In some cases, it may also contain monosodium glutamate (MSG), an ingredient used to enhance the flavor of certain dishes."
But since I don't have my dehydrator set up and don't have any bone broth, I figured that powdering the freeze dried meats (chicken and beef) would be a good substitute. Then I'll have beef and chicken 'bouillon' powder after adding the freeze dried meat to your recipe for Vegetable broth powder.
Yes I should have just looked that up, LOL. I guess it's evidence of how truly processed our food is / has been that I had to ask that question since I guess growing up none of the boullion cubes that I saw likely had real chicken or beef stock in them - LOL, but it's not really funny.
Hi Adrienne!
I FINALLY just heard back from PrepSOS, that they will refund PART of my charge: they are keeping back $167.40!!! Says for processing fees. Now they are showing me a "return" policy, which I NEVER saw when ordering that states if you cancel before it is shipped you pay a 6% fee ...so I guess if it shipped, I would have paid nothing! Most companies don't charge until they actually ship!
I wonder if I can contact anyone for help getting my entire charge back?
GRRRRRRR!
Anyway, sorry I vented on you!
Ugh I'm so sorry about this - what a terrible situation.
I see their policy now and I don't like it. I had a similar situation with a company this summer - seedlings for my Tower Garden - They sent me really poor quality seedlings, including some that were a problem and almost broke the towers, I have never had issues w/ plants like this - got almost no yield. They have done just about nothing for me! And they lied about their shipping policy. I still need to deal with them.
Anyhow hmmmm.. I notice that they have that info on their return policy. I'm going to reach out to someone to see if I can help. There are charges for credit card fees, but I don't understand the 6 hours and did you see they say that they can charge you 9% if the order is from Harvest Right?!?!?
I'll see what I can find out - please feel free to come back and comment if you don't hear from me in 3 days or so.
Hi again - I just reached out to you via email - am trying to work on this for you but I need your last name.
Also I'm seeing they have some other very negative reviews on Google - just a little disconcerting.
I made this just now:(I doubled the batch, but had to add in another doubled batch leaving out thyme and savory as they gave it too strong of a taste for me…) I added Tomato, Spinach, Kale, Onion, Carrot all dehydrated, used celery seed and added coriander, 1/4 the thyme and 1/4 the savory. Doubled the salt as it was not quite flavorful enough on its own. I used 1 tsp for 1 cup hot water, and tasted it…it had too many floaters, so into the blender to make it all powder (Vitamix) so I could use it like the actual bouillon cubes and have it all dissolve into the water. Actually turned out well with the changes I made. I’d like to make my homemade bone broth, both chicken and beef, cook it down and dehydrate that to add so I can have chicken and beef broth powder as well!!!
This was a great idea, and I thank you for it.
5 Stars!
Wow you did a lot! How much of the veggies did you add? I love the dehydrated broth idea! You are so welcome. I haven't used it in a cup for broth--just in recipes and the popcorn idea ;). https://wholenewmom.com/perfect-popcorn-recipe-3/
I think I used 2 TB per batch...so 8 TB for the 4 batches I made...some of them were in flakes so I powdered them first, then again when I had the entire batch made up to make it a really fine powder. The tomatoes were the most difficult, as I could only get organic flakes, and they weren't QUITE dry...I blended them with the onion flakes I had and it helped. I thought, like someone else mentioned, this should have lots of VEGETABLES in it!
I forgot to mention that I don't usually use any 'salted' herbs...like the celery salt, I just use the herbs and then salt...plus I had some celery seed form a long time ago: funny, they NEVER lost potency! still smelled strongly of celery!
That's great! Yes I agree on the veggies. Maybe I'll change the recipe down the road. I need several clones. We're here ripping out bathroom floors that a lousy tiler messed up........alas it's craziness! Thanks for sharing!
OH, my gosh! CAN it get any worse? I just went online and saw they (prepsos) are advertising the exact same FD for only $2,574.99, $215. LESS than I paid about a week ago!
Oh gosh. We just had THAT happen to me with Amazon- PRIME (not really) day - I bought a dehumidifier and AFTER prime day the price was quite a bit less than it was on Prime Day. AND they charged me $50 to send it back that was not advertised. Ugh.
OK let's see. I've made a call but not sure that there are any ways around this - do you have in writing that they are going to charge you that 6%? What is the difference in price now for you to get the medium direct from Harvest Right instead of the Small from PrepSOS minus the return amount they are saying you will have to pay? Looks to me that you will still save a decent amount, especially considering the sale, correct?
Yes, I do have it in an email about the 6% charge. No, the first time I went to YOUR link for Harvest Right it was only $2,395. now it's $2,595. So, I can only get the small after all direct from HR and since I'm getting less back, it will only be about $100. less than the prepsos (or $300. if they gave me back all of my money)
Still, I'd rather work with an honest company than an unscrupulous one!
I agree with you 100% on this issue w/ the company. I mean, they have the info there but it's not obvious and the other reviews seem to be problematic. I wonder what's going on. I don't know why the price change w/ H Right - you could reach out to them if you'd like - they have a sales dept. Did you notice there was a different sale going on at the time? I don't think there's anything you can do about that but worth askig I guess.
BTW, I am very upset about this BUT this does work out to your advantage since now you can cancel and at least save this amount.
I like this combination but learned to add nutritional yeast to boost vitamin B-12, which makes it taste a lot like chicken broth.
Thanks! Yes, we LOVE nutritional yeast but since the fortified version has folic acid, we avoid it. You can read a bit more info in this post: https://wholenewmom.com/green-bean-chips/. I try to get B12 from other places - some more info on that is in this post: https://wholenewmom.com/b12-deficiency-liver-pills/. Hope that is helpful information for you!
Hello, Is there a substitute for parsley? I am allergic. I love your recipe. Ty
Hi there! Chervil or chives would be best. Thanks for the kind words!!