How to Make Bone Broth in the Instant Pot (No-Fail Method)
If you’ve ever wanted to make rich, golden, homemade bone broth, this Instant Pot bone broth recipe is truly foolproof. It’s nutrient-dense, budget-friendly, and the kind of old-fashioned kitchen habit that makes you feel grounded and accomplished.
Once you learn how to make bone broth in your Instant Pot, you’ll never buy boxed broth again. It’s collagen-rich, flavorful, and perfect for soups, grains, sauces, or just sipping warm on a cozy afternoon.
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- Nourishing & Healing: Packed with collagen, minerals, and amino acids.
- Simple & Efficient: The Instant Pot turns hours of simmering into a hands-off process.
- Budget-Friendly: Made with leftover chicken bones and veggie scraps.
- Zero Waste: Use every bit of your roasted chicken — even the bones!
Tips for Success
- The longer you pressure cook, the more gelatin and minerals you’ll extract.
- Always use plenty of bones, that’s where the nutrients live.
- If your broth gels when chilled, that’s a good sign it’s rich in collagen.
- Keep a freezer bag of veggie scraps so you can make broth anytime.
- This is an ingredient I always keep on hand or in the freezer.
Ways to Use Your Bone Broth
- In soups and stews like my Healthy Slow Cooker Lentil Soup
- To cook rice, quinoa, or pasta for extra flavor
- As a base for creamy sauces or gravies
- Sipped warm in a mug with sea salt and lemon
Making bone broth in the Instant Pot is one of those simple homemaking skills that pays off again and again. It’s wholesome, nourishing, and makes every recipe you use it in taste just a little bit better.
Once you get into the rhythm of saving your bones, reusing them, and keeping this liquid gold in your freezer, you’ll wonder how you ever cooked without it.
👉 Start with good-quality organic bones and a trusty Instant Pot (affiliate link) your kitchen will always be stocked with something nourishing.
Instant Pot Bone Broth
Ingredients
Equipment
Method
- Prepare the Bones: If you’re starting with raw bones, roast them at 400°F for 30 minutes first. Roasting adds a rich flavor and darker color to your broth.
- Load the Instant Pot: Add your bones, apple cider vinegar, peppercorns, bay leaves, and water until just below the max fill line. A splash of vinegar helps extract collagen and minerals from the bones.
- Pressure Cook (First Round): Set to High Pressure for 4 hours. The longer you pressure cook, the more nutrients you extract.
- If you have time, repeat the process for another 4-hour round using the same bones for a deeper, more concentrated broth. (You can even freeze and reuse your bones until they start falling apart, the more bones, the better!)
- Add Vegetables (Final Round): After the main cook, open the pot, add your carrots, celery, onion, and garlic, then cook again on High Pressure for 1 hour. This keeps the veggies bright and flavorful instead of overcooked.
- Strain the Broth: Carefully strain everything through a fine mesh sieve into a stainless steel pot. To help it cool quickly, fill your sink with ice water and set the pot down into it.
- Chill and Skim the Fat: Once cooled, place the broth in the fridge. The fat will rise to the top and solidify, skim it off for a clean, smooth broth.
- Freeze for Later: Pour the broth into freezer-safe containers or silicone muffin trays to make “bone broth pucks.” These small frozen portions are perfect to toss into soups, sauces, or rice while cooking.
