Italian-style vegetable broth (Brodo vegetale all’italiana) 🇮🇹 🇸🇲 🇻🇦

Food, Culinary bases, Broths, stocks and liquid preparations

Original name: Brodo vegetale all’italiana

Other names: Brodo di verdura, Brodo di verdure

Nationality: Italy 🇮🇹, San Marino 🇸🇲, Vatican City 🇻🇦

Consumption area(s): Italy 🇮🇹, San Marino 🇸🇲, Vatican City 🇻🇦

Introduction

Italian-style vegetable broth is generally considered lighter and easier to digest than meat-based broths, which is why it is often introduced as one of the first foods during infant weaning. Because of its mild composition and relatively low fat content, it provides a gentle source of hydration and nutrients, making it suitable for individuals with sensitive digestion, including young children.

This preparation is produced by simmering a mixture of vegetables in water, allowing their soluble compounds, minerals, and aromas to gradually diffuse into the liquid. Typical ingredients include celery, carrot, onion, garlic, and zucchini, while potatoes are usually avoided, as their starch would alter the clarity and lightness of the broth.

To enhance the aromatic profile, small amounts of bay leaves, cloves, or black pepper may be added during cooking. These spices and herbs contribute subtle flavor complexity without overpowering the delicate taste characteristic of vegetable broth.

Recipe

Italian-style vegetable broth (Brodo vegetale all’italiana)

Please use the note section below to adjust ingredient quantities according to the number of servings you need. Simply enter your desired servings, and the ingredient amounts will automatically update for your convenience.

Print recipe

Preparation time 10

Cook time 2

Total time 2 10

Course Broth

Cuisine Italy

Servings 5 l 5.28 (qt)

Іngredients

5 l cold water (5.28 qt)
1 yellow onion
1 celery stalk
1 (western) carrot
1 zucchini (courgette)
1 ripe tomato (optional, not always used)
1/2 leek
1/2 garlic clove
1 bunch (flat-leaf) parsley (optional, not always used)
1 bay leaf (optional, not always used)
1 bunch (sweet) basil leaves
2 cloves
Coarse salt, to taste
Ground Black pepper, to taste

Іnstructions

Cut the onion in half and stick a clove into the round part of each half.
Next, create a bouquet garni by tying together the bay leaf, parsley, and basil.
Place the celery, carrot, the zucchini, the two onion halves, garlic, and the tomato pierced with a fork into a large pot, then cover with the indicated amount of cold water.
Heat the pot over a low temperature between 37°C and 67°C (99–153°F) to ensure maximum flavor extraction (a thermometer can be helpful). Temperatures up to 95°C (203°F) can also be suitable, as long as the water does not boil.
Cook the broth for about 2 hours, skimming off any foam that forms on the surface from time to time.
After the cooking time, strain the broth first through a fine-mesh sieve and then through cheesecloth or muslin.
Finally, adjust with salt and pepper to taste and serve hot.

Notes:

*Since this is a basic preparation made in many different contexts, the ingredients can vary widely, and omitting individual items, even beyond the optional ones, will not significantly affect the flavor of the dish. Simpler vegetable broths in Italy can be made using only celery, carrots, and onions.

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Nutritional facts table

Please note that nutritional values may vary slightly depending on the ingredients used.

Nutrients	Per 100 g
Calories (kcal)	1.9
Total fat (g)	0.01
———Saturated fat (g)	0
Cholesterol (mg)	0
Sodium (mg)	0.9*
Total carbohydrates (g)	0.42
———Dietary fiber (g)	0.12
———Total sugar (g)	0.2
Protein (g)	0.1

*This sodium content does not include the salt added during preparation, as the amount varies depending on personal preference.

Recipes that use this product as an ingredient:

Cioncia 🇮🇹

Source(s):

https://it.wikipedia.org/wiki/Brodo

Photo(s):

1. TheCulinaryGeek, CC BY 2.0 https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.0, via Wikimedia Commons