How To Make Plant-Based Bone Broth

Are you a proponent of bone broth? Are you a vegetarian or vegan who is now missing out on the nourishing, highly beneficial product? You may have to fret no longer. As HuffPost notes, a "plant-based bone broth" can easily be made with many ingredients you might already have on-hand.

Inherently, the name is a paradox: No plants have bones, so a "plant-based bone broth" is nonsensical in nature. However, the plant-based wellness technique took off with fervor years ago, and many of those people are now starting a vegan diet, hence the need for a product of this nature. As writer Alicia Kennedy notes in her popular newsletter, "it seems that the more 'plant-based' has become ubiquitous as a marketing term, the less clarity one can have on what it refers to precisely." Thus, there's a vagueness with the term plant-based. 

Is plant-based bone broth vegan, vegetarian, both — or neither? And how do you make it?

HuffPost spoke with Phok Meat chef and recipe developer Kaitlin Magno about her "no bone broth" recipe which "focuses on plant extracts, herbs, and vegetables." The recipe, which is vegan, consists of water, shiitake mushrooms, green onions, ginger, garlic, carrots, and radish. It is then bolstered with tons of umami and nutrient-dense products including nutritional yeast, kombu, lemon juice, soy sauce, sesame oil, and even Marmite. It's simple to make, consisting of boiling and then simmering most of the ingredients for less than an hour, before finishing with the lemon juice, sesame oil, and perhaps salt to taste.

The outlet also delves into the enduring popularity of bone broth, which — in its original carnivorous form — is "packed with collagen." It's also chock full of protein and other nutrients, which can help alleviate many ailments and sicknesses. However, although some people find collagen immensely appealing due to its positive correlation with skin and haircare, a surgeon speaking with HuffPost clarified that it "cannot be absorbed after you ingest it." 

Although some people seek a "superfood" that can heal all issues, bone broth isn't that magical elixir, Magno told the publication. But it is good for you, and although it doesn't have quite the same texture or flavor as the animal-based version, Mango's veggie "bone broth" does offer vitamin C, polysaccharides, silica, zinc, copper, and amino acids. 

So, whether you're sipping traditional bone broth or vegan "bone broth," there are benefits.