Making a flavorful stock at home is a daunting task to begin with--but if you're tied to the idea that meat alone conveys rich taste to water, preparing a vegetables-only broth will seem even less inviting. In actuality, vegetarian stocks are simpler and quicker to make than those prepared with meat, taste just as hearty and satisfying, and, depending on the ingredients used, can be more economical.

Most vegetarians have canned stocks in their cupboards or instant dried versions that are reconstituted with the addition of hot water. Both types come in handy when a recipe calls for just a small amount of stock. But when you're making a soup in which stock is the main ingredient, a canned or instant variety may compromise flavor. It's always best to make your own in this case and let freshness triumph over convenience.

STOCK THEORIES

Even the most mundane ingredients can lend pizzazz to the stock pot: Onions and carrots are included in most recipes, as are leeks and celery. Homemade stocks are an excellent way to use up leftover legumes and vegetables, such as summer squash, provided they are still fresh and their flavors balance nicely with those of other ingredients. Potatoes and lentils, though hardly classic stock pot items--produce a wonderful, earthy taste and have a place in heartier broths.

Once you've sampled their potent flavors, stock-making will become a healthy habit you won't want to break, and you'll likely find yourself freezing leftover bits and pieces of vegetables and trimmings to help fuel your newfound addiction. When evaluating which vegetables to use in stocks, consider how strong or prominent their taste is and adjust quantities accordingly. Broccoli, cauliflower, artichokes and Brussels sprouts are best left out, but you can use cabbage if you choose a milder form and use less of it than the other ingredients.

CREATING FLAVOR

Vegetables produce stocks that are lighter and sweeter than those made with meat, but the recipes provided here contain meaty-tasting nutritional yeast and achieve many of the qualities of chicken- and beef-based broths that new vegetarians may miss. You can intensify the flavor of any vegetable stock by reducing the amount of liquid in it. You can boost the flavor of a mock "chicken" stock by adding small amounts of powdered onion, garlic and celery seed.