Give Vegetable Stock A Rush Of Umami Using One Easy Add-In

Whether you're steaming rice or using an oil-free method for sauteing, vegetable stock is the beginning of flavor for many dishes. It provides a sweet, earthy foundation for recipes, but often lacks the savory nature of its meaty counterparts. To give your vegetable stock an umami boost, infuse it with tomato paste.

Carrots, onions, and celery are integral for good vegetable stock, but tomatoes are a vital component, particularly tomato paste. Sure, it adds a dose of acidity that brightens the liquid, but the concentrated flavor found in the paste also gives veggie stock a bolder taste. Tomato paste takes the richest, sweetest parts of the fruits and simmers them down into a thick, flavor-filled ingredient. Each spoonful of tomato paste provides food with a mouthwatering umami upgrade, and using it is a pro tip for making vegetable stock from scratch.

Once you've gathered all your chopped veggies and scraps to make stock with, brown the veggies and add in the tomato paste. Further cooking the tomato paste allows the ingredient to caramelize, infusing your stock with an even deeper flavor. After the veggies are browned and the paste has taken on a darker color, pour in the water and simmer the mixture for at least one hour.

The umami-rich flavor of tomato paste vegetable stock amps up a wide range of recipes, especially soups and stews that benefit from the acidic ingredient. Whether the recipe already features tomato in some form or simply has ingredients that are complementary, the vegetable stock would be a great addition. Smoky chicken chili features chopped tomatoes, allowing the caramelized tomato paste stock to further heighten this flavor while adding a tanginess to the smoky dish.

Curried roasted pumpkin and lentil soup doesn't feature tomatoes, but the earthy dish definitely benefits from the mouthwatering ingredient. A tablespoon or two of tomato paste is enough to brighten up the dish and give it an umami quality without distracting from the nuttiness of the main ingredients. The stock generally works well with nutty dishes, such as hazelnut cream pasta. Simmering noodles in vegetable stock instead of water heightens pasta dishes, and the savory tomato paste-infused stock adds a touch of brightness and richness to complement the buttery hazelnuts.

Aside from being perfect for boiling pasta noodles and simmering in soups and stews, the umami vegetable stock is always great for braising. You can use it to braise other vegetables, like cabbage, sweet potatoes, and parsnips, or add an earthy touch to chicken thighs, short ribs, or fish.