The soup recipe needed one cup, so you opened a carton of vegetable broth, and the rest has been in the refrigerator ever since. Or a jar of homemade vegetable stock from last weekend is sitting behind the milk, and you can’t remember the day. It looks fine. But how long does it really last? Here is what USDA and extension guidance says about opened and unopened vegetable broth, homemade stock, freezing, and when to pour it out.
Does vegetable broth go bad?
The Short Answer
Yes. As a conservative general guideline, use opened vegetable broth within 3 to 4 days in a refrigerator at 40°F or below, which matches USDA’s general guidance for leftovers and opened low-acid canned food. Some manufacturers give longer, product-specific times, so follow the carton in your hand. Homemade vegetable stock keeps 3 to 4 days too, and we’d plan on 3. Unopened shelf-stable broth keeps to the date and storage directions on the package, and USDA says dates are about quality. Throw out perishable broth left out more than 2 hours, or 1 hour when the air is above 90°F. Freezer times of 2 to 3 months are about quality. Discard broth with mold, a sour smell, or a bulging or leaking package.
For a complete pantry and fridge reference, see our Food Storage Guide. The same rules apply to chicken broth and beef broth, though USDA lists meat broth separately.
Vegetable Broth Shelf Life: At a Glance
Unopened carton
Follow the best-by date and storage directions. USDA says dates are about quality
Unopened can
USDA lists low-acid canned soups at 2 to 5 years on the shelf
Opened broth, refrigerated
The label time if it has one. Otherwise 3 to 4 days, a conservative default from USDA general guidance
Homemade broth or stock, refrigerated
3 to 4 days per Oregon State and University of Maine Extension and USDA leftovers. We plan on 3
Left out on the counter
2 hours at most, 1 hour above 90°F, per USDA
Freezer at 0°F
2 to 3 months for best quality. USDA says it stays safe
Broth vs stock
No storage difference found. Same rules for both
Mold, sour smell, bulging or leaking package
Discard it
Key Takeaways
USDA’s Keep Food Safe chart lists gravy and meat broth separately. We found no row for vegetable broth, so the closest USDA figures are its soups and stews row, opened low-acid canned food and leftovers, all at 3 to 4 days.
FoodSafety.gov’s chart lists soups and stews with vegetable or meat added at 3 to 4 days in the refrigerator and 2 to 3 months in the freezer.
Oregon State Extension and a University of Maine Extension recipe sheet both say vegetable broth or stock keeps 3 to 4 days in the refrigerator, with frozen stock best within 2 to 3 months.
Commercial labels give their own times for their own products. College Inn’s FAQ says 4 to 5 days, a retailer listing of Swanson’s vegetable broth carton reproduces 14, Pacific Foods says 7 to 10 and Kitchen Basics says 7. These are manufacturer directions for particular products, not USDA recom
