Instant Pot Dog Food
This Homemade Dog Food Recipe is a great way to spoil your dog and feel good about doing it. Using an instant pot, it is a quick, cheap, and easy way to give your dog a nutritious meal that they will think is a treat.
Servings: 20 1 cup servings
Calories: 380kcal
Cost: $10
Equipment
- measuring cups
Ingredients
- 2 - 3 lbs ground beef or: ground chicken, turkey, or fresh fish - shredded chicken breasts work well too.
- 24 ounce frozen vegetables peas, green beans, carrot, and corn
- 1 cup frozen fruit I like to use blueberries and strawberries. (Optional)
- 1 - 2 cups leftover cooked rice or oats
- 2 cups bone broth
- 2 - 3 tbsp coconut oil refined or unrefined - whatever you have
Topping
- 1/4 cup plain yogurt optional for serving
Instructions
- Cook 2 1/2 to 3 pounds of your choice of ground meat in your Instant Pot on the saute setting or in a frying pan on the stove.2 - 3 lbs ground beef
- Drain off the cooking grease and return the meat to the Instant Pot.
- First, add the leftover rice. If using oats, quinoa, barley, or potatoes skip this step.1 - 2 cups leftover cooked rice or oats
- Next, add bone broth and coconut oil and be sure to scrape the little bits off the bottom of the pan - this is how to "deglaze" the Instant Pot.2 cups bone broth, 2 - 3 tbsp coconut oil
- Now, add oats and frozen vegetables. Mix well to combine everything.24 ounce frozen vegetables
- Put the lid back on the Instant Pot and set it to "Manual" or "Pressure Cook" mode. Cook for 7 minutes on "High Pressure."
- Let the pressure release naturally and open only when the pin drops. Stir everything up and add fruit if using.1 cup frozen fruit
- Let the mixture cool and divide into two portions - one for the next few days and one to freeze. (You can also portion the food into single servings if you feel so motivated.)
- Use a food processor to grind up food if you have a small or elderly dog with no teeth.
- Serve topped with yogurt or kefir and desired supplements.1/4 cup plain yogurt
Video
Notes
To supplement calcium in this food, I will also add food-grade bone meal or broccoli stalks as the vegetable portion. You can save them in the freezer and use them as needed. You can also add a tin of sardines packed in water. Fair warning, both broccoli stalks and sardines make this food smell... kind of like a fart.
Recipe Tips
- This recipe is really flexible. You can alternate between using ground beef, ground turkey, or ground chicken. You can also use shredded chicken breast or fresh fish as well. The only thing I would not recommend is canned (tinned) fish, as it can be very fatty, and too much fat can lead to pancreatitis in dogs.
- You know what your dog likes and their allergies - if they can't eat carrots - use a different kind of vegetable. If they can't eat grains, add diced potatoes or sweet potatoes!
- I switch between oats and rice and vary the vegetables and fruits based on what we have and what is in season. Melly is a former street dog and will eat almost anything, especially if you cook it all together, so we like to mix in all kinds of "dog-friendly" goodies.
- If you have an 8 or 10 quart Instant Pot, you can double the recipe to make more at once and freeze some of the food for later.
How to Store Instant Pot Dog Food
- Let your dog food cool before serving or storing. You can divide the food into portions depending on your needs - I usually split it in half and freeze one batch. It will be good for about 6 months and while still safe to eat, the quality will begin to decrease after that.
- I use a measuring cup when I serve the food, so I don't take the time to split it into individual portions - you can do this if you would like!
- Store cooked dog food in the refrigerator for up to a week. If you don't think you will get through it all in a week, freeze some of it.
Nutrition
Serving: 1cup | Calories: 380kcal | Carbohydrates: 12g | Protein: 22g | Fat: 27g | Saturated Fat: 12g | Cholesterol: 81mg | Sodium: 103mg | Potassium: 396mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 1g | Vitamin A: 1734IU | Vitamin C: 4mg | Calcium: 36mg | Iron: 3mg