Onion-free, garlic-free stock

A deep, savoury stock built from bones and herbs — no onion, garlic, leek whites or brassica scraps — so you can flavour soups, sauces and rice without the fructans.

Lower gas
Less irritation
More flavour

moderate · ~20 min · freezer-friendly

Most stock recipes lean on onion and garlic — exactly the fructans many pouch and FODMAP-sensitive people react to. This version gets its depth from bones, carrot, bay and herbs instead, with optional umami boosters at the end. It freezes well and makes almost everything taste more finished.

⚠ Food safety

Cool stock quickly before refrigerating (an ice bath or shallow trays help). Use within about 4 days in the fridge, or freeze in portions.

Best for

Sauces
Soups
Rice and risotto-style rice
Gravy
Mince
Reheating meat
Replacing some milk/cream in sauces

Replaces

Onion/garlic-based stocks and stock cubes
Some of the cream or milk in a sauce

What you need

Serves:

1–2 chicken carcasses (or saved bones — lamb or beef work too)
2 litres cold water
1 tsp salt
2 medium carrots, roughly chopped
2 bay leaves
3 sprigs fresh thyme
2 sprigs fresh rosemary
A small handful of parsley stems
Optional: 3 slices fresh ginger
Optional: 6 whole peppercorns
Optional: 1 small parmesan rind
Optional: 1 tsp soy sauce or tamari, added at the end

How to make it

Cover the bones with water and bring to a gentle simmer; skim off any foam.
Add carrot, bay, thyme, rosemary, parsley stems and salt.
Simmer low and slow (1–3 hours) — don't boil hard.
Add a parmesan rind or a splash of soy/tamari near the end for umami if you tolerate them.
Strain well, then cool quickly before storing.

How to store it

Cool quickly, then refrigerate and use within about 4 days, or freeze in small portions (an ice-cube tray then a bag works well for splashes).

How to use it

Use as the liquid in rice, sauces, gravy and soups.
Reduce it down for a more intense flavour hit.
Swap it for some of the milk or cream in a sauce to lighten the dairy load.

Recipe ideas

Chicken soup with rice noodles
Pumpkin and carrot soup
Stock-glazed carrots
Risotto-style rice

Good to know

Avoid onion, garlic, leek whites, cabbage/brassica scraps and chilli in the pot.
Go easy on celery if you react to it.

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Lower-risk, gentler and often better tolerated — not a guarantee. Individual tolerance varies; keep working with your own clinical team.