Gut-Friendly Vegetable Umami Broth (Vegan Bone Broth)

Vegan Umami Broth made with vegetable scraps and umami-packed ingredients for a deeply flavorful vegetable broth. This vegan “bone” broth is soothing, gut-friendly, and perfect for sipping or using in noodle soups, stews, and more.

Now that the temperatures are cooling, I find myself craving warm drinks, soups, and stews. One of my favorite morning and evening rituals is a simple bowl of miso soup — it’s cozy and calming. When I want something with a little more depth and restorative warmth, I reach for this umami-packed vegan broth. It has a richer, more savory profile and is built from ingredients that are gentle on the gut. Think of it as a plant-based take on bone broth: comforting, nourishing, and versatile.

This broth is especially satisfying because it makes use of vegetable scraps, takes roughly an hour to develop full flavor (with minimal hands-on time), and can be adapted to what you have on hand. I’ve made large batches to recover from illness or medical procedures, and it always helps restore a sense of well-being. It’s not a medical cure, but it’s a soothing ritual that tastes great and keeps well in the fridge.

Umami Broth Ingredients

The broth is composed of three main parts: vegetables, umami boosters, and optional flavor enhancers.

Vegetables

I often save vegetable peels, stems, and ends in a container in the freezer until I have enough to make a batch. You don’t need a specific list — use whatever scraps or produce you have: carrot tops and peels, celery ends, onion skins, mushroom stems, squash peels, leafy green stems, and so on. These scraps form the body of the broth and reduce waste.

Umami Boosters (good for flavor and the gut)

• dried shiitake mushrooms
• kombu (or wakame)
• miso paste (koji or red miso recommended)
• fresh ginger
• citrus peels (lemon or orange)

Optional add-ins

• turmeric
• chili pepper
• peppercorns
• sesame oil
• soy sauce or tamari

There’s flexibility here: omit or swap ingredients based on availability and taste. The broth will still be delicious.

How to Make It

This broth takes about an hour on the stove, but it requires very little active time — mostly simmering and a final strain.

1. Place all ingredients except the miso paste in a large pot. Add water and bring to a boil, then reduce to a low simmer. Let simmer for 45–60 minutes, or up to 90 minutes for a deeper flavor. The kitchen will fill with a fragrant, savory aroma.
2. Strain the solids through a fine-mesh sieve or strainer, pressing gently to extract the liquid. Return the clear broth to the pot.

If you’re serving immediately, dissolve the miso paste into a small amount of warm broth in a fine mesh sieve or bowl, then whisk it into the pot off the heat. Adding miso to boiling liquid can reduce its beneficial enzymes and probiotics, so mix it in at a lower temperature to preserve those qualities. If you’re storing the broth, keep the miso separate and add it when you reheat a serving.

Why you shouldn’t boil miso

Miso contains live cultures and delicate nutrients that can be diminished by prolonged or vigorous boiling. For maximum benefit, stir miso into warm (not boiling) broth right before serving. If you care only about flavor and not the live cultures, you can add miso earlier, but I recommend avoiding high heat after adding it.

Ways to Use Umami Broth

This broth is delicious on its own as a warming sip, but it also makes an excellent base for many recipes that call for vegetable broth. Ideas include:

• clear soups and ladle soups
• hearty stews
• noodle soups such as ramen, pho, udon, or soba
• creamy pasta sauces that benefit from a savory stock base
• vegetable gratins and casseroles
• cooking grains like rice or quinoa to infuse extra flavor

SAVE IT FOR LATER! ↓

I hope you enjoy this Vegetable Umami Broth and feel inspired to make it your own. If you recreate the recipe, share how it turned out — I love hearing which ingredients you used and how you served it. Tag and mention your recipe notes when sharing with friends or on social platforms.

Hungry for more? Subscribe to newsletters or follow your favorite food channels for additional plant-based recipes, tips, and seasonal cooking ideas. Homemade broth is an easy way to deepen flavor in everyday cooking and waste less in the kitchen.

Vegan Umami Broth

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• Author: Lisa Kitahara
• Total Time: 70 minutes
• Yield: 8 cups

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