The box of bouillon cubes is wedged behind the oatmeal, the corners soft and the date long gone. Maybe the jar of paste has been open since last winter. Soup is on tonight’s menu, and you wonder if any of it is still worth using. Bouillon lasts a long time, but not forever, and the answer changes between cubes, granules and paste. Here is what extension and brand guidance says, and what to do with the broth you make from it.
Does bouillon go bad?
The Short Answer: Yes, but slowly. Kansas State Extension lists bouillon cubes or granules at 2 years at 70°F when kept dry and covered, and Maggi lists 24 months for cubes and 21 months for tablets and granulated products. Pastes, such as Better Than Bouillon, list a 2 year shelf life from manufacture, and that brand says to refrigerate after opening and to discard jars that weren’t. Other pastes may differ, so follow the label. Follow the date on your package, and throw out any bouillon with mold, a sour or off smell, or that has gotten damp. Normal looks and smell don’t show that bouillon is safe. Once you dissolve bouillon in water it is a perishable broth. The USDA charts we checked don’t include a separate entry for reconstituted bouillon, so we use 3 to 4 days at 40°F or below as a conservative default, and 2 hours at room temperature at most.
For a complete pantry and fridge reference, see our Food Storage Guide. For whether each type needs the refrigerator, see whether bouillon needs to be refrigerated. For other pantry flavor makers, see whether spices go bad. Broth you make from bouillon follows the same cold-storage rules as chicken broth, beef broth, vegetable broth and bone broth.
Bouillon Shelf Life: At a Glance
Cubes or granules, before use
Kansas State Extension: 2 years at 70°F kept dry and covered, with no opened or unopened split. Maggi: 24 months for cubes, 21 for granulated. Follow the date
Opened cubes or granules
No agency time. Herb-Ox says to use by the expiration date and that opened granules need no refrigeration. Keep them sealed, dry and cool
Unopened paste or base
Better Than Bouillon: 2 years from manufacture. Follow the Best By date
Opened paste or base
Better Than Bouillon says to refrigerate and to discard jars that weren’t. Other pastes may differ, so follow the label. Knorr’s guide says paste stays fresh in the refrigerator up to a year
Dissolved bouillon (broth)
3 to 4 days at 40°F or below as a conservative default. 2 hours at room temperature at most, 1 hour above 90°F
Storage spot
Cool, dry and dark, away from the stove and sun
Mold, off smell or damp, sticky bouillon
Discard it
Key Takeaways
Kansas State Extension’s guide to safe cupboard storage, revised June 2026, lists bouillon cubes or granules at 2 years, based on storage at 70°F, with the note keep dry and covered. It doesn’t separate opened from unopened.
Maggi’s FAQ lists 24 months for its cubes, 21 months for tablets and granulated products, and 18 months fo
