Potassium Broth Recipe
This potassium broth recipe is a simple, vegetable-based broth made with simple, real ingredients. It’s light, comforting, and easy to make, with vegetables you likely already have in your kitchen.
If you’re looking for more homemade kitchen staples, try my Bieler’s broth recipe and my beef broth from scratch recipe too.
Let’s talk about this recipe
I came across this potassium broth recipe during a busy season when I wanted something warm, simple, and easy to make with basic ingredients.
It’s simple, straightforward, and deeply satisfying — the kind of recipe that naturally becomes part of regular kitchen rotation. I had a similar experience with fruit kvass, a naturally refreshing drink I enjoy throughout the season that quickly became part of my seasonal routine.
What makes this recipe so good
- Made with vegetables like potatoes and parsley, offering a simple way to enjoy more vegetables in your meals.
- Made from familiar vegetables and water, using ingredients you likely already have in your kitchen.
- Works with whatever you have on hand, including frozen vegetable scraps you’d normally throw away.
- Light and easy to sip, making it a great option when you’re looking for a warm sip that’s simple and comforting.
- Stores well in the freezer, so you can prepare a large batch and use it at your convenience without any waste.
Ingredients you’ll need
This recipe calls for everyday vegetables and herbs — no peeling or fancy prep required. You can even use kitchen scraps if you have them saved in the freezer.
- Potatoes: A hearty, filling vegetable that forms the foundation of this broth — I always leave the skins on for extra flavor and color.
- Sweet potato: Just one is enough to add richness, body, and a natural sweetness that rounds out the flavor.
- Carrots: These are a staple in my kitchen and bring a subtle earthy sweetness to the broth — leave the peels on.
- Fresh parsley: My go-to herb for this recipe when nothing else is growing — though in warmer months I often switch it up with thyme, oregano, or sage.
- Chili flakes: A little goes a long way here — I prefer to keep it mild, but if you like heat, it’s easy to adjust to your taste.
See recipe card below for full information on ingredients and quantities.
Make it your own
- Use vegetable scraps: Onion skins, carrot tops, celery leaves, and other trimmings you’d normally toss can be frozen and used to make this broth. It’s a simple way to build flavor and reduce food waste at the same time.
- Adjust the heat to your taste: A small amount of chili flakes brings gentle warmth, but you can easily increase or decrease the amount based on your spice preference.
- Switch up the herbs: Parsley works well year-round, but you can also use fresh rosemary, sage, or oregano depending on what’s available — I often reach for thyme when I have a pot of it on the windowsill.
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How to make potassium broth
Gather your vegetables and a large cast iron Dutch oven or stockpot.
Step 1: Chop the vegetables into small, rough pieces — no peeling necessary. Add everything to a large pot, cover with water, and bring it to a boil. Then reduce the heat and let it simmer gently for 4 to 6 hours, partially covered.
Step 2: Once the simmering is complete, strain out the solids and compost them if you can. Let the broth cool fully before transferring it to glass jars or airtight containers for storage.
Recipe FAQs
Yes, absolutely. This is a great broth to make with frozen vegetable scraps like onion peels, celery leaves, carrot ends, and potato skins. Just be sure everything is clean before freezing.
It will stay fresh for up to one week in an airtight container.
Yes. Freeze in small portions — like jars or ice cube trays — to use as needed.
Serving ideas
This broth is meant to be sipped slowly, ideally warm, as an easy, satisfying way to enjoy something homemade. It’s perfect on its own, but you can also use it as a light base for soups or to reheat grains like quinoa or rice.
Try freezing any leftover broth in ice cube trays — the cubes can be dropped into simmering grains, sautéed vegetables, or added to recipes like my Italian broccoli soup to deepen the flavor and add a bit more value to the dish.
Diane Gail’s tips for success
- Leave the peels on: Skins from potatoes and carrots hold plenty of natural value, and there’s no reason to remove them when making broth.
- Simmer low and slow: Allow at least 4 hours for the vegetables to fully break down and infuse the broth with flavor.
- Skip the salt while cooking: This gives you more control when seasoning individual servings later on.
- Collect scraps over time: Store onion skins, celery ends, and carrot peels in the freezer until you have enough for a full batch.
- Freeze in ice cube trays: Portioning the broth this way makes it easy to use small amounts as needed — drop a cube into grains, soups, or vegetables for extra flavor. If you’re new to freezing broth, my post on how to freeze chicken broth walks through the process step by step.
Potassium Broth Recipe
Ingredients
- 2 large potatoes
- 1 sweet potato
- 1 onion
- 5 stalks celery
- 2 large carrots
- 3 large garlic cloves
- fresh parsley
- 12 black peppercorns
- 2 bay leaves
- 1 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
- 3 cups water
Instructions
- Chop Your Veggies: Start by chopping all your vegetables into small pieces. This increases the surface area, helping the water extract all the flavor.
- Simmer on Low Heat: Combine all ingredients in your pot, cover with water, place a lid on the pot, and bring to a boil. Once it starts boiling, reduce the heat to a low simmer. Let the mixture simmer gently for 4-6 hours.
- Cool and Strain: After simmering, strain the vegetables from the broth and allow the liquid to cool completely. If you have a compost pile, toss the cooked vegetables in it to create rich soil for your garden.
Notes
- Cut vegetables small: Smaller pieces allow more flavor to infuse into the broth during the long simmer.
- Use a heavy-bottomed pot: This helps maintain even heat and prevents scorching over the long cook time.
- Compost the solids: Once strained, the leftover vegetables can be composted for your garden.
- Store properly: Cool the broth completely before transferring it to containers. Store in the fridge for up to 5 days or freeze for up to 3 months.
Do you add salt and pepper?
Hi Mary,
I usually leave the salt out, even though it would definitely boost the flavor — I like to keep this broth as simple and flexible as possible. Pepper should be just fine to include! I’ve found that the more minimal the ingredients, the more versatile it is for different uses 😉
This potassium broth is one of my favorite simple recipes — easy to make, full of familiar ingredients, and perfect for sipping throughout the day. Whether you’re craving something warm and homemade or looking to use up extra vegetables, this one always hits the spot. If you give it a try, I’d love to hear how it worked out for you. Feel free to leave a comment or ask any questions — I’m always happy to connect.
I would suggest peeling the potatoes, using the peels in the broth. Can cook the peeled potatoes in there too, using them for mash later. Add a couple tablespoons apple cider vinegar, to bring out the minerals – potassium is a mineral! Add salt. I let this sit overnight after simmering. Then strain and put in glass jars. I live drinking it cold or warmed up!
Thanks for the tips! They’re all great ideas. I’ll remember them the next time I make a batch of this broth 😉