If you want to make homemade bone broth, the Instant Pot is the best way to do it! Here’s how to make Instant Pot bone broth from beef or chicken.

Roasting a chicken for dinner? Don’t throw away the bones—save them and make bone broth! Bone broth is a nutritious base for soups or stews, or you can just sip on a hot mug of broth for a healthy snack. And when you use your Instant Pot, making bone broth couldn’t be easier.
Bone broth is basically stock that’s cooked long and slow along with some acidity, like vinegar, added to break down the bones. It’s filled with collagen and gelatin, which is thought to be beneficial to hair, nails, skin, and overall gut health. In other words, it’s good for you and it tastes good too! You can make bone broth on the stove, but using the Instant Pot reduces cooking time while keeping bone broth’s nutritional qualities.
(Love using the Instant Pot? Try my Instant Pot Black Beans (No Soak!), Instant Pot Oatmeal, or Instant Pot Pork Roast next!)
How to Make Instant Pot Bone Broth
This is one of those no-recipe-recipes that you can customize with what you have on hand. Simply use the basic method below:
- Place 2 pounds of beef bones or 3 pounds chicken bones in a 6- or 8-quart Instant Pot with 1-2 tablespoons of apple cider vinegar and salt and pepper. Add 3 quarts water and put the Instant Pot on sauté to boil the water. Skim off any foam that comes to the top and discard.
- Cover and lock the Instant Pot and set to manual, high pressure for 120 minutes. Let the Instant Pot naturally release the pressure.
- Then, unlock and add a quartered onion and sliced carrot. Cover and lock the Instant Pot again and set to manual, high pressure for 120 minutes. Let the Instant Pot naturally release the pressure.
- When the pressure is released and the broth is cooked, carefully strain through a strainer. Discard the bones and vegetables.
- Cool the broth and transfer it to glass containers to store.
Tips for Making Instant Pot Bone Broth
Use meaty, collagen-rich bones like beef or chicken bones. For a richer broth, use oxtail, marrow bones, beef short ribs, or chicken wings. You can use any mix of pork, beef, or chicken bones to make bone broth.
Blanch the bones first. Add your bones to a large stockpot and cover with cold water. Bring to a boil over high heat and simmer for 10-15 minutes before draining and rinsing with water. This helps keep your final broth clear and pretty.
For the most flavorful broth, brown the bones in the instant pot. Set the Instant Pot to sauté mode on high heat. When hot, add a tablespoon of olive oil and transfer bones in a single layer, then cook each side for 3-4 minutes or until brown. You can totally skip this step, though, if you’re short on time and your broth will still taste great.
Add vegetables during the last cook on high. Onions and carrots are great additions. You will strain out the vegetables when the broth is finished cooking.
Quick Tip
Feel free to customize your bone broth with different vegetables. Celery, crushed garlic cloves, leeks, and shallots are all delicious additions, as are sprigs of fresh herbs and whole peppercorns.

How to Store Bone Broth
Bone broth can be stored in glass jars in the fridge. After cooking it in the instant pot, discard the bones, let the broth cool fully, then carefully pour or ladle into your jars. You can keep Instant Pot bone broth for up to five days in the fridge. If you think you might not use it all within that time, definitely freeze the remainder.
Using Instant Pot Bone Broth
Bone broth can be used in any soup in place of chicken, beef, or vegetable stock or broth. It delivers a richer flavor and more nutrition, and you’ll simply use the same amount called for in the original recipe. Try chicken bone broth in Broccoli Cheddar Soup or beef bone broth in Instant Pot Lasagna Soup.
Can You Freeze Bone Broth?
You can freeze any leftover Instant Pot bone broth just as you would any kind of soup.
To freeze in glass, fill a jar and leave about 1-2 inches of room—remember that the liquid will expand as it freezes. Put jars in the fridge and allow them to cool completely before storing in the freezer.
To freeze in ice cube trays, divide the broth into the ice compartments and place on a shelf in the freezer. You can then take out as many cubes as you need when you want bone broth. These cubes are a great way to cool hot soup without diluting the flavor!

How to Make Bone Broth in an Instant Pot
Ingredients
- 2 pounds beef bones or 3 pounds chicken bones
- 1-2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
- Salt and pepper
- 3 quarts water
- 1 onion quartered
- 1 carrot sliced
Instructions
- Place the bones in a 6- or 8-quart Instant Pot with 1-2 tablespoons of apple cider vinegar and salt and pepper.
- Add water and put the Instant Pot on sauté to boil the water. Skim off any foam that comes to the top and discard.
- Cover and lock the Instant Pot and set to manual, high pressure for 120 minutes. Let the Instant Pot naturally release the pressure.
- Then, unlock and add a quartered onion and sliced carrot. Cover and lock the Instant Pot again and set to manual, high pressure for 120 minutes. Let the Instant Pot naturally release the pressure.
- When the pressure is released and the broth is cooked, carefully strain through a strainer. Discard the bones and vegetables.
- Cool the broth and transfer it to glass containers to store.
Soup Ideas for Using Instant Pot Bone Broth
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