You might be wondering how a bone broth could be vegan. Did you know bone broth has another name? It’s also called stock.
This vegan bone broth, or stock, is made using mushrooms and seaweed. Regardless of what you call it, or what diet you follow, I think you’ll find it delicious just the same.
My Inspiration
I was inspired to make this at home after Jeff & I were in New York City for the world wide theatrical release of our documentary, Minimalism.
One of the places I was super excited to visit while we were in NYC was Brodo, a bone-broth walk-up window restaurant.
I previously talked about Brodo in my New York City paleo restaurant review roundup from the same trip. This is my take on the broth from their secret menu, which Jeff & I enjoyed when we were at Brodo.
What Is Kombu?
You’ll notice in the photos, and near the last steps of this recipe, that you’ll be steeping kombu in the stock. This gives it extra flavor, also called umami, like no bone broth you’ve probably tasted before.
Kombu is seaweed, an edible kelp. It’s typically sold dried or pickled in vinegar. For this recipe you’ll want to pick up dried kombu. You’ll find it sold at most Asian supermarkets, Whole Foods carries kombu and you can also order it on Amazon.
Once the kombu is added to the stock and rehydrated, you can of course eat it if it makes its way into your soup bowl or glass.
Jeff likes to snack on the hard, dried kombu sometimes. It makes for an interesting snack. But let me warn you, it’s quite salty, and he typically doesn’t eat one entire stick in one sitting.
What Mushrooms Should I Use?
When my sister came to visit me from Missoula, Montana she brought some morrel mushrooms straight from her farmer’s market for me to cook with. It was a pleasant surprise and definitely added flavor to this mushroom broth. If you don’t have access to fresh mushrooms, that’s not a problem.
Look for dried mushrooms in the fresh produce aisle near the fresh mushrooms. You should see variety packs in as small as 1 ounce packages. A variety pack of dried mushrooms will give you a more complex flavor as opposed to choosing fresh or dried mushrooms of all the same kind. Experiment with the mushrooms you choose, there are so many different varieties beyond the general portobello and button mushroom. :)
Storing Bone Broth
Once you’ve bottled your bone broth in freezer-safe mason jars, you can freeze it to make it last longer. Just transfer a jar to the fridge a day or two before you want to use it. Once defrosted, you can sip and enjoy or use it as a base for soup.
Expand Your Kitchen Skills
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I’m currently offering personal 1:1 cooking coaching sessions, in the comfort of your own home. To take advantage of this opportunity, or to simply learn more, head over to the Work with Marla page now.
