Sauteed or Roasted Vegetable Stock

Name: Sauteed or Roasted Vegetable Stock
Prep time: 15 min
Cook time: 55 min
Total time: 1 h 10 min
Yield: Makes 2 quarts
Ingredients: Olive oil; 2 large yellow onions – unpeeled and quartered (if the onions have any dirt on the skin then peel it); 4 carrots – peeled and roughly chopped; 2 stalks celery – washed and roughly chopped; 1-2 leeks – carefully cleaned, ends trimmed and roughly chopped; 3-4 sprigs fresh parsley; 1-2 bay leaves; Large pinch coarse sea salt; 1/4 teaspoon black pepper; 2 1/4 quarts cold water

By Pascale Beale

Updated June 2026

BasicsSoup

+ Include Photo

Photography by Pascale's Kitchen Studio

Total Time 50-70 minutes

Difficulty Easy

Prep Time 15 minutes

Cook Time 35-55 minutes

A good stock is one of the true foundations of cooking — the building block beneath countless soups, sauces and braises. This version takes a little more time than a simple stock, but the extra step is worth it: sautéing or roasting the vegetables first caramelizes their natural sugars and deepens the flavor considerably, giving you a richer, darker stock with real depth. I make a large batch and freeze it in a mix of container sizes — small ones for a quick sauce, larger ones for a proper pot of soup — so I always have exactly the amount I need on hand. If using freezer bags, lay them flat so they stack neatly and thaw quickly. If using glass jars, leave plenty of headspace at the top, as the liquid will expand as it freezes and can crack the jar if filled too full. Keep a batch of this in the freezer alongside the simple version, and you will always have the right stock for the right dish.

Preparation

1
Pour a little olive oil into a large saucepan placed over medium heat. Add the onions and leeks and cook for 4-5 minutes until softened and transulcent. Add the remaining ingredients except the water, and cook for a further 5 minutes. Pour the water over the vegetables and bring the stock to a boil, and then reduce to a simmer. Cook, partially covered for 30 minutes.
2
Strain carefully through a fine sieve into a large clean container. This is best used within 24 hours. It can also be frozen for up to three months.

You can alternatively roast all the olive oil tossed vegetables together on a baking pan for 20 minutes at 400 degrees. Then add the water and cook for 30 minutes.

You can watch Pascale make this stock on her You Tube Channel here.

◊ ◊ ◊

Sauteed or Roasted Vegetable Stock

Preparation

From Pascale's Kitchen Shop

Sel de Guerande (Small)

Set of 2 Olive Oils - Manzanillo and Arbequina

Herbes de Provence

Letters from the Market Table