While testing the vegetarian dishes for the Thanksgiving menu in Fine Cooking #113, we went through more than our fair share of store-bought vegetable broths, and if we learned just one thing, it’s that they are not all created equal. Some have a murky flavor that fights with the other ingredients in a dish, while others blend in seamlessly. These are the test kitchen’s favorite brands:

Wolfgang Puck Organic Vegetable Broth A powerful broth with heavy onion notes and a peppery kick.

Swanson Organic Vegetarian Vegetable Broth A light broth with noticeable but not overwhelming tomato flavor. We preferred the cartonpacked broth over the canned.

Pacific Natural Foods Organic Vegetable Broth A lower-salt broth with a mild flavor that will not overpower the other flavors in a dish.

Emeril’s All Natural Organic Vegetable Stock A strong celery flavor hits you upon tasting this broth, but it finishes smoothly.

Nature’s Promise Organic Vegetable Broth A good all-around flavor with subtle tomato, onion, and celery notes. (Note: This product is mainly available in the northeastern United States.)