If you’ve read much here on the blog, you’ll know that I often use a rich bone broth as a basis for my other meals. While the old proverb, “Good broth will raise the dead,” may seem a bit far-fetched, I do believe our own bone broth helped me get past Lupus and vastly improved my gut and joint health.
Originally, the first commercial bouillon product by Maggi in 1908 was a short cut to add extra flavor (or umami) to foods without having to make a batch of bone broth from scratch. So technically, adding bouillon cubes or powder to hot water may have been one of the first ‘instant’ foods unless you consider the “portable soups” (see video) which were a common ration for 18th century sailors and explorers.
Additives like monosodium glutamate, better known as MSG, Yellow dyes #5, and #6 are just three of the unsettling ingredients found in store-bought bouillon. MSG has been shown to make you hungrier and cause headaches, while the artificial food dyes have adverse effects on behavior and attention in children. Sugar is usually the second ingredient. Many processed bouillons are laced with caramel coloring, a potentially carcinogenic compound. And like many packaged products, sodium levels are sky high – 870 mg per ¾ cup with this brand!
Yet making ‘instant’ broth from store-bought bouillon cubes is what most people default to because they aren’t aware of a healthier way. Here are some of the ingredients (from most to least) in a typical commercial bouillon cube:
- Salt
- Sugar
- Cornstarch (from GMO corn)
- Monosodium glutamate (MSG)
- Hydrolyzed Corn Protein
- Yeast Extract (sometimes autolyzed yeast extract)
- Maltodextrin (a starch made out of multiple sugars)
- Natural Flavor
- Beef or chicken fat and meat by-products
- Citric Acid, Yellow #5, Yellow #6
- Annatto (for color)
- Disodium inosinate (provides an umami flavor to foods often found together with MSG. It’s sourced from vegetables, fungi, or animal sources).
- Disodium guanylate (imparts the umami flavor to foods. This “food enhancer” may be problematic for children, asthmatics, people who suffer from gout or uric acid kidney stones.
- TBHQ (preservative)
Doesn’t that just sound yummy?
I have resisted using store-bought bouillon cubes in place of simply making broth, but if I just want to add flavor to a dish quickly, I pull out my homemade bouillon powder.
I will show you how you absolutely can make a fabulous, healthy (vegan, but meaty tasting) bouillon powder.
Use it in all sorts of stews, soups, gravies, and noodle bowls, as well as to make a richer vegetable stock.
Fabulous 5 Minute Bouillon Powder Recipe
Quick and easy, it takes less than 5 minutes to mix up. Mix right into a glass pint jar with a tight-fitting lid.
Ingredients:
- 1 cup nutritional yeast
- 4 ½ Tablespoons powdered mushrooms. (I used this brand for its specific mushrooms – better than the mushro in my image below)
- 2 rounded Tablespoons organic dehydrated onions
- 3 slightly rounded teaspoons Himalayan pink salt
- 2 teaspoon organic garlic powder
- 2 teaspoon smoked paprika
- 2 teaspoon dried thyme
- 2 teaspoon celery seed
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano
The secret ingredients that give this bouillon its distinctive “meaty” flavor are the nutritional yeast and the mushroom powder.
Directions:
- Mix all ingredients well and store in an airtight jar.
- Add 1 Tablespoon powder to 1 cup hot water for 1 cup broth.
Storage: Bouillon powder will stay fresh in your spice cabinet for 5-6 months (if it lasts that long) in a tightly sealed glass jar.
What is Nutritional Yeast?
I learned about nutritional yeast several years ago. It is a deactivated yeast product, which is grown, harvested, washed, and then dried with heat that deactivates it. That means it does not have the leavening ability of baker’s yeast. It is a great source of vitamin B vitamins, and contains no animal products. It’s low in fat and gluten-free.
“Nutritional yeast does not cause yeast infections or candida overgrowth because of the elimination of yeast cells during processing. Essentially, the yeast that causes infections isn’t present.” (source)
Nutritional yeast products are often fortified with synthetic, man-made vitamins which can cause the liver and kidneys to work overtime (and need detoxified). Look for nutritional yeast flakes that are 100% whole food based, naturally occurring and non-fortified. They provide complete protein with 18 amino acids, plus a multitude of different minerals (iron, molybdenum, selenium, and zinc).
The primary reason most people use nutritional yeast is for its amazing flavor. It has been described as nutty, cheesy, savory or umami.
About Medicinal Mushrooms
Organic Mega Mushroom 10 in 1 is made from Chaga, Cordyceps, Lion’s Mane, Maitake, Reishi, Shiitake, and Turkey Tail and 3 more. There are absolutely no other ingredients. They are an adaptogenic, nootropic, immunity-boosting superfood that’s easy to mix. They are USDA organic, non-GMO, gluten-free, paleo, and keto-friendly. They are full of micro and macronutrients, wonderful protein, and high beta-glucan and antioxidant content.
8 Age-Defying Reasons Why I Drink Bone Broth
Beautiful Nutrient-Dense Broth For Cold & Flu Season
****For the Full Spike Protein Protocol (including NAC) to protect from transmission from the “V” and to help those who took the “V”, go here.
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Katie
Yum! This looks delicious, Jacqueline.
We’ve made portable soup just like in the video. I dried it in the dehydrator without any heat, just the fan. It’s SO nice to have on hand. We took a tin full of portable soup on a road trip and used it while camping in a cabin. It lasts a LONG time – I think I still have some from several years ago in my pantry.
We recently learned how to pressure can broth and I was surprised to see that it still gels in the fridge after pressure canning. We sell meat birds every summer and keep the extras that customers don’t want (feet, heads, necks). It makes the BEST broth.
Now I’m getting hungry… =)
Katie
Rachel
Hi Jacque! Thank you so much for all the information.
I’d like to understand more about Nutritional Yeast. We used to use it -made yummy cheese sauce with it. But as we learned more about it, it seemed it was on that list of things that may have MSG properties…more in the form of free glutamate I think. This might not be an issue for most people but Huntington’s disease has run in one side of our family and we felt the need to be extra cautious about neurological disruptors. :/
It was exciting to see you had a bouillon recipe but I am struggling over whether to reintroduce this food back into my diet. Any information would be most appreciated! ❤
Jacqueline
Rachel, I do think that for some there is a component of the msg-forming properties that can come with nutritional yeast. ESPECIALLY, like you say, for Huntingoton’s, etc.
I touch on it in this post: https://deeprootsathome.com/glutamate-sudden-death-obesity/
I maybe should put a little blurb/warning in there about the potential!
And I would be remiss not to tell you, there is something we can do for these neurological tendencies, even the genetic ones.. If you want to know what we are doing from a medical standpoint that you will not hear about in allopathic medicine, email me at [email protected]
I am wondering about an experiment making bouillon without any nutritional yeast?! If you do it, let me know how it turns out!
Sending peace,
Jacque
Karen
Thanks so much for the recipe, Jacque, I plan on making some and passing the recipe on to my daughter and niece!
Jacqueline
Karen, I just decided to make it for Christmas and housewarming gifts (lots of Christmas gatherings this year)!
I hope you (and they) enjoy!
Blessings,
Jacque
Natalie
I’m looking forward to trying this recipe! I’d prefer everything to be well-blended; do you think it would work to grind all the ingredients together?
Jacqueline
Hi, Natalie,
Absolutely, it is okay to do that, but takes much more time. It will be well blended as it cooks in liquid.
Enjoy! It really is delicious!
Blessings,
Jacque
Natalie
Hi Jacque!
Would this work to process everything together so that it’s all in a powder form? I’m thinking it would blend well in water, soups, etc.
Thanks!
Jacqueline
Yes, absolutely. You can leave it in its untouched, blended form or you can grind it up as a fine powder. Either way, and yes, it does mix very nicely!
Enjoy!
Jacque
Jan Leckron
Hi Jacqueline, I just wanted to share about your homemade beef bouillon. I was in the process of making Bacon Beef Stroganoff. I did not have a can of cream of mushroom soup the recipe called for. I took 10oz. A2 milk, 2 T. butter and 2T. Flour and added 1 1/2 T of the beef bouillon. Oh my gosh! It is so good. Way better than the canned soup! I will make it this way from now on. Thank you for sharing. I love your articles and recipes.
Jacqueline
Yay!! Jan, I am so glad to hear that! It makes me SO happy!
Enjoy!
Hugs, Jacque
Jan Leckrom
Oh Jacque. It’s a bittersweet. It’s so good it didn’t last as long as it usually does. Guess I’ll have to double up. Haha
Virginia
Does this vegan broth recipe lend more of a beef taste, or would it also work equally well to impart a meaty/chicken flavor in chicken-containing dishes? Thanks so much!
Jacqueline
Hi, Virginia,
The strength of the umami (flavor) depends on how much you add. It could go either way: adding more would be more beefy, and adding less would be less beefy and a lighter presentation.
I would think you could experiment by just adding a little and finding that perfect spot for your taste buds according to each recipe you use it in.
Enjoy! ~J