5 Simple Ways To Make Your Boxed Chicken Broth Taste Homemade

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It’d be nice if we all had the time to make broth from scratch, but most of us don’t have hours on end to wait around for all of those rich flavors to develop. That’s why boxed broths and stocks are some of the most convenient cooking tools we have. The boxed stuff makes it easy to have soup ready in an hour, whip up a quick pan sauce for dinner or add an extra layer of flavor to all of your rice dishes. But since boxed broth tends to be pretty basic, here’s how to doctor it up a bit so it tastes truly homemade.

1. Lemon Juice

Depending on what kind of broth you’re working with, lemon juice may or may not do the trick. Since beef broth is so rich to begin with, lemon juice might not make a difference. But if you’re using chicken broth, load that sucker up with lemon juice. With the juice from one lemon, sea salt and freshly cracked black pepper, you can create a broth that’s tasty enough to drink on its own. Use your citrusy chicken broth as the base for your favorite soup, risotto or sauce.

2. Miso Paste

Find yourself a container of organic miso paste at the grocery store or online (yellow, white and red are the most common varieties). In a small bowl, whisk together about a tablespoon of miso paste with hot water until it becomes smooth. Add the concentrated miso mixture into the broth and bring it to a boil with a little soy sauce or tamari, some chopped scallions and sautéed mushrooms. The earthiness and richness of the miso paste help to add layers of flavor that you’d typically have to wait hours for otherwise. This is one of the easiest ways to make a soup base for any kind of noodle soup.

3. Spices

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With the right spices on hand, you can turn any broth into a big pot of flavor in no time. If you want to go the smoky route, add smoked paprika to the pot. If you want to go the Vietnamese noodle soup route, add a combination of common pho spices like cinnamon sticks, star anise, cloves and coriander. If you’re more into curry, combine a teaspoon or two of curry powder, chili flakes and a can of coconut milk with the chicken broth, and let it simmer for 30 minutes or so.

4. Herbs, Vegetables And Aromatics

The base of any good chicken soup includes herbs and mirepoix (celery, onions and carrots). It’s an easy way to build up flavor without waiting hours for your soup to cook. Toss half of an onion (chopped) into a sauté pan and cook it until it becomes translucent. Add in chopped celery, carrots, and herbs like tarragon, thyme and rosemary. Once everything is tender but still has a little crunch left to it, cover it with the boxed chicken broth and let it simmer on a low heat for about 30 minutes. And don’t forget about fresh ginger or garlic for a spicy, aromatic boost!

5. Cheese Rinds

It might sound kinda funky, but believe us when we say that cheese rinds have serious flavoring power. So the next time you’ve finished a piece of cheese and you’re about to throw out the rind, you might want to reconsider. Not only is it an awesome way to reduce food waste, but your broth will be infused with a layer of invisible cheesiness. Pecorino or Parmesan rinds are perfect for the job. After you’ve covered your herbs and vegetables with the broth and it comes to a simmer, toss in a few rinds (wash them off first) and let everything come to a boil for about an hour or so.

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