7 Substitutes for Beef Broth
Beef broth (or beef stock) offers a rich, deep flavor to just about any savory dish that calls for water, including soups, stews, curries, pasta sauces, braises, and more.
Beef broth is particularly delicious if it’s homemade. This can be made simply by slowly simmering browned beef bones in water with some vegetables (onion, carrot, and celery are the main suggestions!) as well as some herbs and perhaps some garlic or wine.
It’s really up to you how complex you want your stock to be. After you simmer this for 4-6 hours, let it cool and strain it, and you will be left with a light brown, clear broth that is so much better than water when you’re making rice (or other grains), soups, and braised meat dishes. You can store this beef stock in your freezer in small containers, or better yet, freeze it in ice cube trays and then pull it out when you need a small amount!
You can also buy beef broth at any grocery store in tetra packs or cans. It is a good idea to have beef broth on hand if you cook a lot, but if you find yourself without it, here are a few great substitutes for beef broth or stock, in any recipe.
1. Bouillon Cubes or Powders
All you need to do to use these is dissolve the powder or cube in warm water, stir, and voila! Instant beef broth!
These are great alternatives to stock because you can keep them on the shelf instead of needing to refrigerate them, and they are lightweight making them a great alternative for traveling or camping. They are also very affordable, making them great for students or anyone on a budget.
The downside is that these dehydrated forms tend to be very high in salt, and sometimes have an artificial flavor to them so use them with caution and always remember to read the package to see how much water you need to use to dilute. You can always add more or less water depending on your preferences.
2. Ramen Seasoning or Gravy Packet
The flavor packets that come alongside cheap ramen pack a flavor punch, and they often come in beef flavor! They also pack a lot of salt so make sure to dilute a package in a full four cups of water.
This is a super cheap and easy alternative to beef broth and you can use any brand or flavor to spice up whatever you’re cooking instead of using plain water! At a pinch, you can also use powdered gravy mix – add four times the amount of suggested water to thin it out!
3. Chicken or Vegetable Stock (or Concentrates)
In some recipes, you may want to consider substituting beef stock with vegetable stock to ensure any vegetarian or vegan guests can enjoy your recipe. If this is not a concern, and you only have chicken stock on hand, feel free to use it as a fine alternative for beef stock in any recipe.
Just note that beef stock is darker in color and often more rich in flavor, so this may impact your final recipe.
Either of these substitutes can be used 1:1 in any recipe that requires beef stock (or water.) If you’re using a store-bought chicken or vegetable stock concentrate, make sure you water it down and follow any directions on the packaging otherwise your final dish may be overly salty.
We highly recommend using stock instead of plain water to cook pasta, rice, or potatoes… Try it once and you’ll never want to go back!
4. Red Wine, Beer, or Tomato Paste
Since some people cannot consume alcohol because of their religious beliefs, age, and values, so make sure to let people know if you’ve made this substitute!
Red wine and tomato paste are much more acidic than beef stock, so it does the job of deglazing and tenderizing meat very well. Both are a great alternative to the broth if you are making a stew of braised meat dishes, but make sure you use a dry red wine if you don’t want your plate to come out sweet!
A good ratio to use is ¼ cup of wine with ¾ cup of cold water to replace 1 cup of beef stock. You can also use 2 tbsp tomato paste mixed with 1 cup of hot water to make a good flavor substitute that is better than plain water.
You can also substitute 1 cup of beef broth with ½ cup of dark beer mixed with water. Again, these substitutes will only work with certain recipes (ones that already contain wine, for example) so be mindful when using wine or beer as a substitute.
5. Infused Water
If you’re cooking at home, you have access to water, which can be used as a substitute for stock at a pinch. However, what’s even better than water is water that has been infused with other flavorings!
This is very easy to make. Measure the amount of water you need and heat in a pot. Once it comes to a boil, turn off the heat and plunge in a few sticks of your favorite fresh herbs.
Rosemary, thyme, sage, or savory work especially well! Let this cool and strain it, and then add ¼ cup of soy sauce to impart that rich, brown color and 1 tbsp of your favorite barbeque sauce for that smokey, sweet, beefy flavor.
You can now use this mixture as a better substitute for beef broth than just plain water and whatever you’re cooking will thank you!
6. Dashi
Similar to beef broth, dashi is a Japanese soup base known for its complex umami flavor, light brown color, and saltiness. It can be added to soups and stews to add depth of flavor and mouth-feel.
Dashi can be bought in specialty stores but can also be made from kombu (kelp seaweed) and bonito flakes. You can substitute dashi with any broth using a 1:1 ratio but just note that dashi has a distinct ‘from the sea’ fishy flavor, so it may not be suitable in all applications.
7. Dried Mushroom Elixir
This is a great way to make a vegetarian version of beef stock for all your veggie friends! Simply combine 1⁄2 lb of dried mushrooms (shiitakes work great!) with 4 cups of cold water. Bring to a simmer and cook for 30-45 minutes.
The liquid should be brown and smell delicious! Strain, and use anywhere you require beef broth… and invite your vegan friends!
If you’re ever in the kitchen and you need some beef broth, you can use any one of these alternatives and your recipe will work out just fine. French onion soup, beer, and cheddar soup, braised meats, osso buco, beef barley… all of these recipes work great when you have the real deal, because as you’ll see from these examples, beef broth is a wonderful ingredient because it imparts extra flavor to whatever you’re cooking, and a depth of something we can’t always name.
If you don’t have beef broth handy though, you’re in luck! Any one of these excellent substitutes will serve you well on your cooking journey!
