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Plant Based Instant Pot

February 10, 2020 · 18 Comments

Vegan Instant Pot Bouillon w/out Salt or Oil

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It’s so easy and inexpensive it is to make your own Vegan Instant Pot Bouillon! You just need a few veggies and herbs plus a little inspiration.

Vegan Instant Pot Bouillon with No Added Salt or Oil

What is a vegetarian substitute for chicken bouillon?

Why this recipe is! It’s based on cooked veggies, a few herbs, and some nutritional yeast.

It’s the nutritional yeast that really brings the umami and makes it taste like vegan chicken.

Is Bouillon the Same As Veggie Broth Or Vegetable Stock?

To me, bouillon is broth’s practical big sister. Both bring the depth of flavor that your soups, stews, and other recipes need. If you prefer broth by all means use it, but I like grabbing a cube out of the freezer as I need it.

Broth takes up a lot of space in your fridge and/or freezer because it’s the strength that you will use it. Bouillon’s concentrated flavor so you use less, which means it takes up less storage space. Broth can be made with leftover scraps while my vegan bouillon recipe uses whole veggies and herbs.

At its base, vegetable bouillon is just cooked and pureed veggies. The flavor becomes more complicated as you cook an onion, carrot, and celery along with some herbs. After that, you can add flavorings like nutritional yeast, mushroom powder, tomato powder, and many more to add a slant. Nutritional yeast makes the flavor chickeny and mushroom powder makes it beefier – all while being 100% vegan.

Are Bouillon Cubes Vegan? Gluten-Free? Oil-Free? Salt-Free?

One great reason to make your own bouillon is to know exactly what’s in it so you’re guaranteed that’s it’s vegan, gluten-free, and has no added salt or oil. In fact, you can change out any ingredient that you are allergic to or simply don’t like.

Store-bought bouillon is another story altogether! There is vegan chicken bouillon that sometimes sits next to real chicken bouillon so always read the labels carefully.

You can get bouillon powder and some of those are oil and/or salt-free, but you always want to read the labels. Same thing for any bouillon cubes you can get at the store.

They tend to sneak in oil, salt, and even preservatives into them. Honestly, once you make your own bouillon you’ll never look back!

Is there salt-free bouillon?

Is vegetable bouillon vegetarian?

It’s Easy to Make Vegetarian Bouillon Cubes

All you’re going to cut up a few veggies, through in some herbs, and cook them in your Instant Pot in a strainer.

Then you’ll puree them with some extra flavoring like nutritional yeast. Easy peasy!

Can I Freeze Bouillon Cubes?

Yes, you can and it’s the best thing ever! Once you puree the veggies and add your flavorings, portion the bouillon into ice cube trays. Most regular-sized ice cube trays hold 2 tablespoons. Once frozen, pop out into resealable bags or a freezer-safe container.

How Much of this Homemade Bouillon Do I Use in Place of Store-bought?

I use 1 of my frozen bouillon cubes where it calls for 1 store-bought cube. If I want more flavor I may sneak in a second one, but since there’s no salt it doesn’t throw off your recipe.

If you add salt to yours or use Better than Bouillon that’s very salt heavy, you should do it by taste. It can get too salty fast so don’t let it sneak up on you.

How Do I Use Bouillon in Place of Broth?

Basically use the same amount of water that the recipe calls for in broth. Then add a bouillon cube for every 2 to 4 cups of water depending on how strong you want the flavor to be and how much salt is in the vegetable bouillon cubes you are using.

It's so easy and inexpensive it is to make your own Vegan Instant Pot Bouillon! You just need a few veggies and herbs plus a little inspiration.

More Recipes to Try

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  • Instant Pot Caballero Bean & Soy Curl Chili
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  • Instant Pot Vegan Tomato Soup
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Salt-free Instant Pot Vegan Bouillon

Salt-free Instant Pot Vegan Bouillon

Kathy Hester
I always like to have homemade bouillon on hand. I freeze mine in ice-cube trays. Once frozen, pop out and store in a resealable bag in the freezer. Use as you would a normal bouillon cube in recipes. You can use two ice cubes in place of 1 store-bought cube to add extra flavor.
4.47 from 26 votes
Print Recipe Pin Recipe
Prep Time 5 mins
Cook Time 10 mins
Additional Time 10 mins
Total Time 25 mins
Course staple
Cuisine American
Servings 32 2 -tablespoon servings
Calories 22 kcal

Equipment

  • Frontier Co-op Nutritional Yeast Mini Flakes, 1 Pound Bulk Bag
  • 4 in 1 Set of 4 Ice Cube Trays, Easy-Release, 14 mould Tray with Easy Release cubes, Removable Lid, LFGB Certified, BPA Free, Stackable, Durable and Dishwasher Safe, 60 Days
  • Instant Pot DUO60 6 Qt 7-in-1 Multi-Use Programmable Pressure Cooker, Slow Cooker, Rice Cooker, Steamer, Sauté, Yogurt Maker and Warmer

Ingredients
  

Instant Pot Ingredients

  • ½ cup water
  • 2 large onions quartered
  • 6 medium carrots cut into 2 to 3 inch pieces
  • 4 celery stalks ,cut into 2 to 3 inch pieces
  • 3 tsp dried thyme
  • 1 tsp dried rosemary optional

Blender Ingredients

  • 1 cup nutritional yeast

Instructions
 

For your pressure cooker

  • Add the water, onions, carrots, celery and herbs to your Instant Pot liner.
  • Put the lid on and cook with manual/pressure cook on high pressure for 10 minutes.
  • Let the pressure release naturally.

For the blender

  • Carefully scoop the cooked veggies and broth into your blender.
  • Add the nutritional yeast. Blend until smooth. 

How to store

  • Store what you can use in a week in the refrigerator. Freeze the rest in ice-cube trays and put into resealable contianers.
  • Use 1 to 2 cubes in place of 1 commercial bouillon cube.

Video

Notes

gluten-free, soy-free, no added oil 

Nutrition

Serving: 2tablespoonsCalories: 22kcalCarbohydrates: 3gProtein: 2gSodium: 12mgFiber: 2gSugar: 1g
Keyword homemade bouillon, no salt, plant based bouillon, salt free bouillon, salt-free, vegetable bouillon
Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!
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Comments

  1. Sandy Knapp says

    June 26, 2018 at 3:27 am

    Is this msg free with the inclusion of nutritional yeast?

    Reply
    • Kathy Hester says

      July 1, 2018 at 6:59 pm

      Honestly, I wouldn’t know. Many things naturally contain msg like potatoes, peas, tomatoes, etc. If you are on an msg free diet I would consult your Doctor.

      Reply
  2. P says

    December 12, 2018 at 10:05 pm

    Can I make it without onion and yeast? And if yes, will that taste like chicken broth? Thanks!

    Reply
    • Kathy Hester says

      December 19, 2018 at 3:21 am

      You can, but it will not taste like chicken broth. It’s the nutritional yeast that makes it taste similar.

      Reply
  3. Colleen says

    January 24, 2019 at 8:54 pm

    Are you pureeing it with a food processor or mixer or blender? Thanks!

    Reply
    • Kathy Hester says

      January 24, 2019 at 9:03 pm

      You can use a food processor or a blender. I use a blender.

      Reply
  4. alyr says

    January 26, 2019 at 5:40 pm

    5 stars
    OMG this is fantastic. I’ve been using it for a couple months now and you have saved me countless hours making 12 cups per week home made broth/stock in my Instantpot. I’m a vegan Nutritarian and eat A LOT of soup! LOL I came back today since I misplaced the recipe and didn’t feel like making regular broth.

    Now if I run out of my weekly soups or base, I can throw a “cube” in a pot or my Vitamix with some water and sauted mushrooms and onions or broccoli/asparagus etc and onions and have mushroom or broccoli or asparagus soup (etc.) in no time.

    When I do make the stock/broth, here’s my recipe:

    (Ratio 1:1 onion to half carrot half celery or if you just weigh them make sure you have double the amount of onion to the total of both celery and carrot.)

    This will be slightly sweet but I use even less onion now since I’ve been completely Nutritarian for a long time and as time passed I wanted things less sweet.

    I don’t use any added sodium so there’s no salt or fake salt involved.

    Throw in:
    Jumbo red onions chopped – covering about 2 inches in the pot bottom
    Two inches half carrot and half celery covering the onion- chopped
    2 bay leaves
    cap full of whole peppercorns
    few cloves of smashed garlic
    A lot of thyme sprigs – at least 8-10
    Fill with water

    On “soup” or pressure cook for about 45 min.

    Thank you for inventing this great recipe/idea.

    Reply
    • Kathy Hester says

      January 26, 2019 at 6:48 pm

      I’m so happy you like it and made it your own! I have saved so much money making my own.

      Reply
      • alyr says

        April 13, 2019 at 8:39 pm

        I’m back lol. No you misunderstood. I make the bouillon exactly as your recipe. The recipe I wrote is for regular IP stock. 🙂 Thanks again for a great website.

        Reply
  5. Barbie says

    March 25, 2019 at 3:23 pm

    I’m allergic to onions, mushrooms, and peppers. What do you recommend to replace these to get a savory bouillon?

    Reply
    • Kathy Hester says

      March 28, 2019 at 4:10 pm

      It’s going to be a bit of a challenge, but maybe try potato and carrot as the body with herbs of your choice.

      Reply
  6. alyr says

    April 13, 2019 at 8:40 pm

    I’m back lol. No you misunderstood. I make the bouillon exactly as your recipe. The recipe I wrote is for regular IP stock. 🙂 Thanks again for a great website.

    Reply
  7. Kristina says

    December 14, 2020 at 12:26 am

    How long does this last in the fridge?

    Reply
    • Kathy Hester says

      December 14, 2020 at 4:24 am

      It lasts in the fridge less than a week – maybe 5- 6 days. But frozen it lasts months.

      Reply
  8. Buffie says

    June 9, 2021 at 2:48 pm

    Are the veggies being cooked in the water or are you using a steamer basket and steaming them?

    Reply
    • Kathy Hester says

      June 9, 2021 at 4:56 pm

      You can do it either way, but in the video I show putting the veggies in a steamer basket. If you cook int he water , you will need to strain and reserve some of the cooking liquid just in case you need it for blending.

      I hope this helps!

      Reply
  9. Debra says

    December 22, 2021 at 6:21 am

    Can I freeze dry this and use it as a dry boullion?

    Reply
    • Kathy Hester says

      December 23, 2021 at 8:03 pm

      I’ve never done that, so I’m not sure. I have another dry bouillon recipe that I make.

      Reply

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