Some people think that chicken broth is only useful for making winter stews or soups, but it is far more versatile than that.
Chicken broth is highly accessible, costing less than £1 in most supermarkets. The broth itself is a basic combination of ingredients, so it will not vary too much from brand to brand.
However, as the name would suggest, chicken broth is not vegan friendly. Though that doesn’t mean that there aren’t vegan chicken broth options available!
Our 3 Substitutes for Chicken Broth
The main ingredient in chicken broth is… Well, chicken.
It is made by boiling chicken with vegetables, herbs and a whole load of water to produce a delicious and nutritious broth.
Because the ingredients used to make the broth can change, so can the main flavour focus of the broth. But the fact that the broth is an instant flavour booster stays the same.
Here are our top 3 vegan substitutes for chicken broth:
1) Vegetable Broth
Before you use vegetable broth, you will need to double-check that it is vegan friendly. In most cases, it will be as vegetable broth is usually only made up of vegetables, water and some herbs. But there will be some brands that use non-vegan products in their broths.
Chicken broth may feature chicken as its main flavour, but a large number of added vegetables give the broth its intense, powerful flavour.
That is why vegetable broth is a near-perfect substitute for chicken broth, as the full flavours of the vegetable are allowed to shine.
Vegetable broth is just as easy to make at home as it is to buy. Simply add your vegetable of choice to a pot of water and allow it to boil for a few hours.
Your primary focus for the broth should be aromatic vegetables such as onions, garlic and peppers. They will make your broth smell delicious and will help to increase its flavour.
Use Extra Shallots for Richness
Your broth may already be pretty rich, depending on which vegetable you prefer. However, if you plan to use vegetable broth to make a rich sauce, add some extra shallots. They are full of pectin which is a natural enricher.
2) Mushroom Broth
Mushrooms are a staple of any vegan diet, especially as more people have decided to explore how to use mushrooms to replicate the taste and texture of meat.
As a result, the flavour of many commercial mushroom broths (which were already available before the rise of veganism but were less popular) has improved a lot.
Instead of tasting bland and flavourless, mushroom broth now has a real savoury burst, full of umami richness.
The mushroom broth will be a much darker colour than any chicken broth, but this won’t make much difference if you use the broth as a base for a dish rather than as the main ingredient.
Which Mushroom Variety is Best?
If you want to make your own mushroom broth at home, it is just as easy as making vegetable broth. But to get the most flavourful broth, use umami-rich mushrooms such as shiitake mushrooms.
3) Miso Paste
If you are not a fan of miso soup, then you may want to avoid using miso paste as a vegan chicken broth substitute. However, if you don’t mind the taste, then it will make a great replacement.
Miso paste is made using fermented soybeans, which gives the paste a very strong, savoury flavour.
You will have to mix the paste into some hot water until it dissolves to turn the paste into a broth, but it is a good place to start when you want a rich broth.
Once the paste has dissolved, you can add the aromatic vegetable of your choice.
The resulting broth will not be the exact same flavour as regular chicken broth, but it will work to make your dish more complex and delicious.
Soy Sauce Instead of Miso Paste?
Soy sauce is also made using fermented soybeans, so it has a similar flavour to miso paste, though it does have added ingredients. If you love the umami taste of miso paste but only have soy sauce to hand, then it can still work as a very basic broth starting point.
Other Substitutes for Chicken Broth
Some of the above substitutes are hard to find for cheap in your everyday supermarket. So, here are a few more vegan-friendly, budget-friendly chicken broth substitutes that you can use instead:
- Vegetarian Stock – Use vegetarian stock cubes to create a delicious base for a broth. You will need to let the stock cook for long enough to develop its flavours, but as long as the cubes you use are vegan, it is an easy to use substitute.
- Vegan Vegetable Soup – Working in a similar way to vegetable broth, vegan-friendly vegetable soup will be full of flavour but will be much thicker. You may need to water it down some.
Summary
When you want a warm winter meal but are following a vegan diet, there are plenty of vegan-friendly chicken broth substitutes that you can use.
They are just as flavorful and versatile as regular chicken broth, with the most accessible being vegetable broth.