homemade dog food instant pot
Instant Pot Dog Food Recipes You Can Easily Try At Home
Instant Pot dog food recipes sound interesting to make.
While commercial dog foods are the go-to meal for every dog, more pet owners are now switching to homecooked foods.
Despite all the nice things about manufactured dog foods, people know that processed goods can cause obesity, lack of nutrients, and general health issues.
Then, why give our pets a diet that can potentially harm them?
So, to help you get started with homemade dog foods, we've gathered a few of the Instant Pot recipes you can quickly try in the comfort of your homes.
Instant Pot Dog Food Recipes You Can Try at Home
Rover's Chicken and Veggies Instant Pot Dog Food
Ingredients:
- Two chicken breasts
- Two carrot stalks
- 1 cup green beans
- One medium-sized sweet potato
- 1 cup brown rice
- 1/2 cup peas
- 1 cup blueberry
- 2 cups water
- Parsley (optional)
How to Make:
First, add 1 cup of brown rice into the Instant Pot and two chicken breasts on top of the rice. Then add chopped carrots, green beans, sweet potatoes, peas, berries, and water.
Next, manually set the Instant Pot to high pressure for 25 minutes and natural release for 10 minutes.
Again, manually set to high pressure for 25 minutes and natural release for 10 minutes.
Lastly, add parsley as garnish.
Chicken and Sweet Potato Dog Food
Ingredients:
- Two frozen chicken breasts
- Two carrots
- One medium-sized sweet potato
- 2 cups of white rice
- 1 to 2 cups frozen spinach
- 5 cups water
How to Make:
In your Instant Pot, add half a cup of water, then add the frozen chicken breasts. Then, seal the lid and put the Pot at high pressure for 30 minutes.
While the chicken is still cooking, peel and slice the carrots and sweet potato into dice.
After 30 minutes of cooking the chicken, fully release the steam from the Pot, then open the cover.
Next, add the diced carrots, sweet potatoes, rice, and hot water to the cooked chicken. Then, stir until all the rice is underwater.
Again, set the Instant Pot at high pressure for 15 minutes. After 15 minutes, fully release the stress and open the lid.
Mix in the spinach, then shred the chicken using a large spoon. Combine the vegetables and rice thoroughly.
Lastly, portion the food into five Tupperware containers and refrigerate to serve later.
Instant Pot Dog Food
Ingredients:
- 1 1/2 cups brown rice
- One large sweet potato (peeled and cut)
- Six large carrots (peeled and sliced)
- 2 cups frozen peas or green beans
- 1 1/2 lbs boneless chicken thighs
- 32 oz no seasonings chicken broth
- 8 oz water
How to Make:
First, add all the ingredients to the Instant Pot, then seal it. Next, set the Meat setting to 1 hour.
After an hour, naturally, release the steam for 30-45 minutes. Open the Pot and stir the mixture.
Healthy Instant Pot Dog Food Recipe
Ingredients:
- Two whole chicken thighs
- 1 cup brown rice
- Sweet potato (peeled and chopped)
- Carrots (chopped)
- Spinach (shredded)
- 2 1/2 cups water
- 1/2 tsp finely ground eggshell (or calcium supplement)
- Coconut oil
How to Make:
Add all the ingredients, except coconut oil, into the Instant Pot. Next, cook on manual for 23 minutes.
After 23 minutes, allow the steam to release. Then, shred the chicken and stir the ingredients well.
Lastly, add the coconut oil while the mixture is warm.
Chicken and Brown Rice Stew
Ingredients:
- One large sweet potato (peeled and chopped)
- Two whole carrots (chopped)
- 1 cup spinach (shredded)
- 1 cup brown rice
- 2 1/2 cups water
- Two fresh chicken thighs
- 1/2 tsp finely ground eggshells (or calcium supplement)
How to Make:
First, put the chopped sweet potato, chopped carrots, and shredded spinach in the Instant Pot.
Next, add the brown rice, water, and chicken.
Place the two fresh chicken thighs on the rice and add the eggshells or the calcium supplement. Then, press the manual button and set it for 23 minutes.
After 23 minutes, take the chicken, remove the bones, and shred it when already cooked.
While the mixture is still warm, add the coconut oil.
Now, you are ready to serve them to your dogs!
What Can You Put in Your Instant Pot Dog Food?
Dogs need to include well-chosen vegetables for healthy poops and vitamins for the body.
You may want to mix up these vegetables you wish for your dog, fresh or frozen, into five equal cups:
- Green beans
- Broccoli
- Zucchini
- Cauliflower
- Cucumbers
- Celery
- Cabbage
- Carrots
Aside from vegetables, fruits also contain vitamins, antioxidants, and fiber good for your pet. You can add 12 ounces or 1/2 to 1 cup to each batch of food.
You may choose from any of the following fruits to add to your dog's meal:
- Apples (diced with no seeds)
- Banana
- Blueberries
- Fresh pineapple (spines and skin removed)
- Mango
- Watermelon (seeds and rind removed)
- Peaches (pit canned)
- Strawberries
- Raspberries
Never Add this Food to Your Instant Pot Recipes
When switching to instant pot dog food, avoid adding these foods to your ingredients as these may harm your dog:
- Chocolates or Cacao
- Onions or Leeks
- Grapes
- Raisins
- Avocado
- Cherries
- Macadamia nuts
- Garlic (unless instructed by your veterinarian)
- Brewer's yeast
- Raw bread dough
- Anything with xylitol
Why Consider Making Dog Food at Home?
Aside from being better for your dog, making Instant Pot dog food can put your mind at ease on what food your pet is taking in.
Whereas on commercial dog food, there are a lot of questionable ingredients and unnecessary additives that can affect the quality of the food. With this, your dog may not get the nutrients he needs.
Below are the reasons why making Instant Pot dog food is beneficial for your furry friend:
- As pet owners, you control what nutrients get into your dog's body. You are the one to choose what meat, vegetables, fruits, and supplements to include in the meal diet.
- When your pal has allergies, you can limit what food is safe for him to eat.
- Although costly, homemade dog food recipes use ingredients with no additives and by-products, unlike commercial dog food. Its recipes are entirely healthy and natural, and you can also use leftovers and customize the meal according to your dog's liking.
Storing Instant Pot Dog Food for Later
An Instant Pot full of homemade dog food can last up to a few days, but this will depend on your dog's size and caloric intake.
If you want to store it to increase its shelf life, be sure to portion it in an air-tight container before putting it in the refrigerator.
Put in the freezer any food that your dog will not consume within three to four days. Health experts say that the risk of foodborne diseases increases after those days.
How to Easily Adapt to Instant Pot Dog Food Cooking?
After finding new recipes to try on your Instant Pot, you will need to adapt to the new way of cooking using this Pot.
So, here are a few suggestions that may help you along the way:
- Use Less Liquid You only need at least 1 cup of broth or water to create the steam necessary to cook the food. Add more if the meal is too dry.
- Don't fill the Instant Pot more than two-thirds full Instant Pot needs room to create pressure to cook.
- Adjust Cooking Time In an Instant Pot, meat only takes two-thirds of the time to cook. Vegetables and pasta only take 5 minutes.
- Look for Recipes with Ground Beef or Turkey By including this kind of meat, you will be able to use the saut mode of the Instant Pot before adding anything.
- Set the Pot to Pressure Cook or Manual, depending on your Model Cook the food between 5 to 7 minutes.
- Add any Nutritional Supplements or Dietary Aids After cooking, add any supplements your dog needs to boost his health.
Instant Pot Dog Food Recipes You Can Easily Try At Home Useful Tips
- Don't change the diet of your dog immediately. You may mix the homemade food with regular dog food for a few days or until your dog's stomach adjust to the new meal before fully transitioning to Instant Pot dog food alone.
- You can make your pet's food enjoyable by topping it with homemade or Greek yogurt.
- Alternately give your dog vegetables, fruits, and different meats to ensure he needs the nutrients. If he has a sensitive stomach, it might be best to stick to one combination of food only.
- Always consult your veterinarian before feeding anything new to your pet.
10 Homemade Dog Food Recipes For Instant Pot
Whether you travel a little, a lot, or you're more of a stay-at-home pet parent, creating a great meal for your ESA pet is a great alternative to store-bought dog foods. And it's made much easier by using an Instant Pot!
Please feel free to share this with your friends and family via social media. They'll be glad you did!
#1. Homemade Dog Food Recipe With Your Instant Pot
This truly is an easy to make homemade dog food recipe that is both easy on your pup's tummy as well as on your wallet. Just watch how your pup enjoys it!
Dog Food Recipe
- 2 pounds of chicken breasts (about 3 large breasts)
- 1 cup rice (I used white as its gentle on the tummy)
- 1 cup chicken broth (onion & garlic free!)
- A large sweet potato
- Bag of frozen peas & carrots
- Bag of frozen spinach
Place chicken breasts inInstant Potwith 1 cup low sodium chicken broth. Press the Manual button to 6 minutes, and let natural release. If you dont have anInstant Pot, this can be done in aCrock-Potor oven, or on the stovetop.
Shred up the chicken, either with forks, or I use my trustyKitchenAidmixer. I just put the paddle attachment on and let it do the work for me!Set aside the chicken.
Cut the sweet potato. I cut it in half and cooked it in the Instant Pot for 15 minutes, then let cool. Dice up or mash the sweet potato into small bites. Add 1 cup rice to the chicken broth still in the Instant Pot.
You can also get creative here and addflaxseedorsorghum grain. Flaxseed is a great source of fiber and boosts cardiovascular health. Its also been shown to have benefits against cancer!
Sorghum is gluten-free, so if your pup has gluten allergies, this could be a great option! Heres a terrific article from Animal Bliss explaining the benefits:Are Sorghum and Flaxseed Good for My Dog?I added one tablespoon of each with the rice.
Pour in the bags of spinach and frozen peas & carrots. If you want, you can substitute/add broccoli, brussel sprouts, okra, or green beans; just adjust the water levels as needed.
Stir and add another cup of water, then cook it all on manual for 10 minutes. Let natural release, and then mix in the shredded chicken.
From here you can decide whether to add a bit more water if it appears dry, or cook a bit longer if its still pretty soggy. You can also add hard boiled eggs if youd like.
#2. Homemade Dog Food In The Instant Pot
Unlike store-bought dry and unappealing dog food, this is an easy real food recipe, full of protein, healthy carbohydrates, and even fruit and veggies!
Ingredients
- 3cupswhite basmati rice
- 3cupspure water
- 3tablespoonsraw apple cider vinegaror whey
- 3poundsground meatbeef, chicken, turkey, venison, or bison
- 1poundpastured beef liversor chicken livers (optional, but preferred)
- 36ouncesveggiesvarious fresh, can use frozen
- 1 1/2cupsbananasor blueberries (optional)
- 6tablespoonscoconut oil
- 6tablespoonsground flax seed
Instructions
- Several hours before you want to make the dog food, soak the rice in water with whey or apple cider vinegar.
- Strain, measuring the amount of water left after soaking.
- Set aside.
- Press the Saute button on the Instant Pot.
- Add the ground meat and break it up and the liver, if using.
- Cook the meat and liver until they are about half-way browned. You don't want them to brown completely because you still have to cook the rice and veggies in the Instant Pot, and the meat will burn if fully cooked.
- Once the meat and liver are half-way browned, add the soaked rice and water, according to the directions in this post.
- Stir the meat, rice, and cooking water together.
- Add the veggies on top, but do not mix in.
- Place the lid on the Instant Pot, making sure it is locked and the vent is sealed.
- Change the setting to Manual and adjust the time to 12 minutes.
- When the Instant Pot beeps, carefully turn the vent to release the pressure. You may want to place a towel over the steam to protect yourself and your kitchen from any sputtering steam.
- Open the Instant Pot and add the fruit (if using) and the coconut oil.
- Stir everything together, mixing completely.
- Store in the refrigerator for up to 2 weeks or freezer for up to 3 months.
#3. Instant Pot Dog Food
This chicken stew type of recipe is nearly great to eat by both pets and humans just that you'd want to add seasonings for yourself. Chock full of green beans, carrots, brown rice and sweet potato what's not to love?
Ingredients
- 1cupsbrown rice
- 1large sweet potato, peeled and cut up
- 6large carrots, washed, trimmed and sliced
- 2cupsfrozen peas or green beans
- 1 1lbsboneless chicken thighs
- 32ozno seasonings chicken broth
- 8ozwater
Instructions
- Add ingredients to the Instant Pot in the order listed.
- Place the lid on the instant pot. Set the pressure valve to seal. Set the Meat setting to 1 hour.
- Once the hour has passed. Hit the cancel button to turn off instant pot. Let in naturally pressure release (NPR) for 30-45 minutes. Open the pressure valve to release any remaining pressure. Open the pot and stir.
Notes
Typically if I am adding meat that has already been cooked, I will add it to the pot after I'm done cooking the other ingredients. I did that when I had leftover turkey from Thanksgiving. No need to cook it twice. I've also done that when I've oven-roasted or IP cooked a whole chicken.
#4. Homemade Instant Pot Dog Food For Your Pup
If you have a picky eater, this Instant Pot homemade dog food recipe may just do the trick. It's also great to add to the dog food you may already be giving your pet in order to make it stretch further.
INGREDIENTS
- 4sweet potatoes
- 2lb ground chicken
- 1package frozen peas
- 2 cups low sodium chicken broth
- 2eggs
- 3 cups brown rice
INSTRUCTIONS
- Chop sweet potatoes into small cubes
- Place sweet potatoes into bottom of Instant Pot with 1 cup of chicken broth
- Top with 3 cups of brown rice and 1 cup of chicken broth
- Put ground chicken on top of rice
- Crack 2 eggs, shells and all, on top of the chicken and mix in
- Top with frozen peas
- Set your Instant Pot to manual setting for 23 minutes
- After 23 minutes, quick release then remove lid and let contents cool
- Once cool, mash together and separate into 2 quart size bags
- Freeze one bag and keep the other in the refrigerator
- One bag should last around a week, as a topper to regular dog food
- Make every two weeks to keep your pup happy and healthy
#5. DIY Dog Food In The Instant Pot
If, like Sarah, you're looking for an additive-free alternative to traditional dog foods, as well as have a pup that's sensitive to wheat grains, this delicious recipe might fit the bill.
Ingredients1.5 cups chopped sweet potatoes1 cup chopped carrots1 cup frozen spinach1 cup frozen peas1 cup brown rice2 cups water2.5 lbs ground turkey (you can use ground beef or chicken instead)
Add veggies, brown rice, water, and then ground turkey. Cook in Instant Pot on high pressure for 25 minutes. Turn it off when its finished and let the steam naturally release. All done! Portion out the proper servings for your pup. Luca is about 50 lbs so she gets three cups of food total per day. Its important to note that your dog will also need calcium, so this bone meal is a great add in! I also scoop a spoonful of coconut oil in to help her skin and get her some good fat.
#6. Healthy InstantPot Dog Food Recipe
We want to keep our pups both happy and healthy, and this holistic whole-food homemade dog food recipe is just the ticket! It gives calcium from egg shells, fiber and iron from spinach, and healthy fats from coconut oil.
Healthy InstantPot Dog Food Recipe
Ingredients
2 whole chicken thighs
1 cup brown rice
1 6 inch sweet potato peeled and chopped
2 7 inch carrots chopped unpeeled
1 cup shredded spinach, or peas (check with your vet before giving your dog spinach)
2 1/2 cups water
1/2 tsp finely ground egg shell, or calcium supplement
Coconut oil if you choose
Throw all the ingredients except coconut oil in the InstantPot. Cook on manual for 23 minutes, turn off and let natural release. Take chicken off bone, shred, and stir all ingredients well. Add coconut oil if desired while the mixture is warm.
Thats it, easy. Will I cook this every two days for them? Probably, it depends. When we are in one place for a little while then yes. Obviously travel days its impossible to cook for us, never mind the dogs. Am I excited to give them healthy natural food, you bet! Am I all about saving money, ya that too.
This recipe could easily be doubled, even tripled, but I dont have space in my freezer for anything other than people food.
And it goes without saying, but Ill say it anywaywhen feeding your dog new food, take it slow. Mix part of the old with the new to avoid any upset tummy issues. And dont be alarmed, the sweet potatoes and carrots make a nice orange poop. Easy to find in the lawn actually.
The total calorie count for this recipe is 1271, that does not include the coconut oil. 1 TBLS of coconut oil adds 117 calories.
The recipe makes about 4 1/2 cups total. I had to break it down so I knew how much each dog would get based on their calorie needs. 1 cup of food is 282 calories. But I added coconut oil bringing the per cup calorie total to 308. Roxy gets 1/2 plus 1/8 cup per day, and Torrey gets 1 3/4 cups. I just divided any remainder between all the servings. This batch of food will feed them for two days.
#7. Healthy Homemade Dog Food FAST
If you want high-quality, human-grade, dog food that you can make quickly and in bulk, this homemade dog food is great for dog lovers who want to give their puppy only the best. It also produces a shiny coat!
Ingredients
- 2 frozen chicken breasts (3 if youre feeling generous)
- 2 carrots
- 2 cups of white rice
- 1 medium-sized sweet potato
- 1-2 cups of frozen spinach
- 2.5 cups of water
Cooking Directions
- Add half a cup of water to the pot in your Insta Pot. Optional: Microwave the water for 1.5 minutes first to speed up the process
- Add the frozen chicken breasts to the pressure cooker.
- Close the lid and seal. Set electric pressure cooker for 30 minutes at high pressure.
- While the chicken cooks, skin and medium dice the carrots and sweet potato
- Rinse the rice and let soak for a minute, then drain to remove excess starch, Repeat 2 more times.
- When the 30 minutes are almost up, microwave the remaining 2 cups of water for 3 minutes to speed up the process.
- At 30 minutes, the chicken is done. Fully release the steam from your pressure cooker, then open the lid
- Add the diced sweet potato and carrots, rice, and hot water to the cooked chicken. Stir so that all the rice is underwater, then close the lid again and seal.
- Set electric pressure cooker for 12 minutes oh high pressure.
- After 15 minutes, fully release the pressure. Open the lid and mix in the spinach. Shred the chicken with a large spoon, and combine well with the veggies and rice.
- Separate all food into five Tupperware containers (the Rubbermaid 1.25 cup containerswork well) and refrigerate.
- When you want to feed your dog, remove the container from the refrigerator, remove the lid and heat for 1.5 minutes. Mix well and serve with a plastic spoon or in bite-sized clumps in a large bowl.
#8. Easy DIY Dog Food You Can Make In Your Instant Pot
This homemade dog food recipe for Instant Pot matches all three criteria: it saves you money, is quick and easy to prepare, and has great health benefits for your beloved pup.
Ingredients
- Chicken breast 2 breast
- Carrots 2 stalks
- Green beans 1 cup
- Sweet potatoes 1 med
- Brown Rice 1 cup
- Blueberry 1 cup
- Peas 1/2 cup
- Parsley for garnish
- Water 2 cups
Method
- Add 1 cup of brown rice
- Add 2 chicken breast on top of rice
- Add the rest of the ingredients: chopped carrots, green beans, sweet potatoes, along with peas and berries
- Add the water
- Manual high pressure 25 min
- Natural release 10 min
- Manual high pressure for 25 min. Natural release for 10. (If using frozen ingredients, add a few more min)
- Garnish with parsley (optional)
Click here for Easy DIY Dog Food You Can Make In Your Instant Pot
#9. Instant Pot Dog Food Recipe Your Fur-Pup Will Love
Are you looking for a homemade dog food for Instant Pot recipe that's not only great as an everyday meal but also encourages weight loss? Then look no further!
Ingredients
- 1 whole chicken
- 3 cups chicken broth (no onions in ingredients)
- 2 sweet potatoes, peeled and diced
- 2 cups baby spinach
- 1 Tablespoon coconut oil
- 2 cups rice
- 1 cup blueberries (optional)
Instructions
- Add everything to the Instant Pot
- Press Manual for 30 minutes
- Quick Release when it beeps
- Remove chicken from bones and shred.
- Store in airtight containers
Notes
You can save time by using a rotisserie chicken already cooked. We also save our leftover meat throughout the week and use it in place of the whole chicken.
You can substitute pork or a combination of proteins (pork, beef, chicken, turkey, etc.)
#10. Easy 30-Minute Pressure Cooker Dog Food Recipe
Your puppers deserves the very best, and what's better than a nice, home-cooked meal? This truly is a quick and easy homemade dog food recipe that will keep your dog happy and healthy.
Ingredients
We recommend the following ingredients in this 30-minute recipe for a pressure cooker or Instant Pot:
- 3 pounds ground meat beef, chicken, or turkey
- 1 pound beef or chicken livers (optional)
- 3 cups water
- 36 ounces various fresh or frozen veggies
- 3 cups white basmati rice
- 1 1/2 cups bananas or blueberries (optional)
We have adapted and simplified this recipe from an Instant Pot recipe online but it can be used for cooking in a pressure cooker, crock pot, or even on the stove top.
We have used ground meat in this recipe because 30 minutes is not always long enough to soften bones in a pressure cooker. If you want to give your dog bones with his food (such as cooking a whole chicken), you will probably need to let the food cook longer. Crock pots are very good for letting food cook slowly. Bones will come out as soft as mush and they wont be any risk for your dog.
There are other meats you can use for this recipe but unless your dog has been diagnosed by a veterinarian with a food allergy, its usually best to stick with meat proteins that you are familiar with.
Most dogs are able to eat these ingredients without any problems. There isa concern at this timeabout the effects thatpeas, lentils, and legumes(members of the pea family), along with potatoes and sweet potatoes in dog foods might be having on taurine levels in dogs. For this reason, we suggest that you avoid using these vegetables when you make this recipe, at least for now.
You can easily buy a frozen California Medley that contains carrots, broccoli, and cauliflower to use in the recipe. These frozen bags of vegetables are found in most grocery stores.
If you would rather cut up fresh vegetables, you can use some of the following veggies, equaling about five (5) cups:
- broccoli
- cabbage
- carrots
- cauliflower
- celery
- cucumbers
- pumpkin
- squash
- zucchini
You can also add some fruit to the mixture. Fruits are a good source of antioxidants and fiber for dogs. You can add about 1 cups combined of some of the following:
- apple
- banana
- blueberries
- cantaloupe
- mango
- peaches
- raspberries
- strawberries
- watermelon
If you use some of these fruits in your recipe, be sure to remove the pits from fruits such as peaches. Its a good idea to remove the seeds from apples, too. Your dog would have to eat lots and lots of seeds to be affected by them, but theres no sense taking any chances.
Directions
- Soak the basmati rice in water several hours before you are ready to cook.
- Strain the rice to remove the liquid. Keep the liquid and set it aside.
- Cook the meat and liver (if you are using the liver) in your pot until they are about half-brown.
- Add the rice and the liquid you removed from it to the meat in the pot. Stir them all together.
- Add your vegetables to the top of the rice and meat but do not mix them in with the other food.
- Put the lid on your pressure cooker or Instant Pot. Make sure that its locked and the vent is sealed.
- Put the setting on Manual and set the time to 12 minutes.
- When 12 minutes is up, or the Instant Pot beeps, carefully turn the vent to release the pressure. You may need to use a towel to protect yourself from the steam.
- If you are using fruit in the recipe, open the lid and add the fruit at this time.
- Stir everything together and mix completely.
Makes 16 cups of food.
This food will keep in the refrigerator for several days in airtight containers, or in the freezer for up to three (3) months.
Use these calculations fromPetMDto determine what to feed your dog.
Conclusion
I love using my Instant Pot to create tasty, nutrient-rich meals for my own dogs and I hope this list will help you out as much as it has done so for me and my own pups. They get excited whenever I break it out!
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