Freezer Meal Instant Pot Recipes

Instant Pot Bone Broth That’s Keto Friendly

My husband recently went on a keto diet. One of the recommendations from others already doing keto was to make bone broth ahead to always have on hand. This Instant Pot bone broth is keto friendly. It can be frozen to use anytime. Make this broth in the Instant Pot to always have something healthy available to eat. It will help you stave off unhealthy cravings.

What is bone broth made of?

Bone broth is basically stock. Bone broth is made from animal bones and connective tissue. The key to bone broth is the collagen from the joints and bones. This usually requires long periods of cooking to break things down. Using the Instant Pot enables you to get the same results much faster.

Bone broth is also made with liquid, herbs and spices, and vegetables in addition to the bones.

Where do you get the bones for bone broth?

For chicken bones, buy whole chickens or bone-in chicken parts. Save all the bones for making broth.

For beef and pork, save the bones from roasts or ribs.

Your local butcher is the place to go. You can purchase many types of bones from them, but you’ll have to ask as they are not usually labelled and set out in the storefront area.

Visiting local farmers is another good options for securing quality bones to use.

Grass fed and organic bones create the most nutrient rich broths. This is something to keep in mind when choosing which bones to use.

The health benefits of bone broth:

Bone broth is a good source of vitamins and minerals. This can help strengthen teeth and bones, boost immunity, and fighting inflammation.

It improves hydration due to its water content and electrolytes. It can also cut down on calorie consumption (when used in conjunction with will power of course!) because it is a low calorie snack or meal.

The gelatin contained in bone broth is also beneficial with such things as strengthening nails, improving sleep, and some reports claim that it reduces joint pain.

Instant Pot Bone Broth Recipe:

6 or more chicken bones
1 carrot, chopped
1 celery stalk, chopped
2 onions, quartered*
salt and pepper, to taste
2 bay leaves
8 cups water

*Since you will be running the broth through a strainer later, there is no need to peel the onions.

Directions:

Chop up the carrot, celery, and onions and place them in the Instant Pot.
If desired, you can sauté the veggies for a few minutes with a bit of oil using the Sauté setting on your Instant Pot. This will result in a more flavourful broth, but it will be darker in colour.
If you want your broth to be seasoned, apply the seasoning first to the chicken bones.
Add the bones and bay leaves to your Instant Pot and then fill about 3/4 of the way full with water.
Secure the lid.
Select the Soup/Stew setting and increase the time to 45 minutes.
Do a natural release.
Carefully pour the broth through a strainer to remove the vegetables and bones. Any remaining meat can be removed from the bones and can then be used in soup. The veggies will be perfectly cooked and can also be used in soup or a stew or as a side dish.

This will make about 8 cups of broth. This Instant Pot bone broth is keto friendly. It is also gluten free and dairy free.

The best way to freeze bone broth:

One of the most common questions on this topic is how to store bone broth. Given the name of this site and the fact that I’ve been doing make ahead freezer cooking for almost two decades now, I’m partial to the freezer method of storage. It is safe and convenient. It also enables you to make large quantities at one time, but then only take out what you need a bit at a time.

To freeze bone broth, you can section it out into resealable freezer bags once it’s cool, remove the excess air, and freeze. In my opinion however, this is not the most efficient way. If you store all of the bone broth in one bag, you’ll have to use it all at once. It’s been my experience that this leads to waste as not all of it can be used.

The best way to freeze bone broth is to pour the broth into ice cube or silicone trays. Place the trays flat in the freezer. Once fully frozen, transfer the cubes into large resealable bags. Take out the air and seal before placing the bag into the freezer again.

The reason this is the most effective method is that it allows you to take out a cube or two at a time and only use what you need.

Making the keto bone broth in individual portions means that you can take out enough for a snack or an entire meal.

If you’re on a keto diet, having things ready-made that you can pull out when you’re hungry or when a craving hits allows you to resist the temptation to grab for sweets.

Silicone Tray for Freezing Broth Instant Pot Ziploc Freezer Bags Gallon

How to make bone broth keto:

Bones are good for keto and the broth creates a good source of protein. Celery is an above ground vegetable so it is keto approved. Carrots and onions grow below ground and have more carbs. If you make the Instant Pot bone broth above, it’s still keto friendly even with the carrot and onions as long as you strain out the actual vegetables. If you are extremely strict with your keto diet, you can also choose to make this without the below ground vegetables.

Either way, the finished bone broth has very few carbs and is low in calories, making it perfect for keto.

You may also be interested in these articles:

The Easy Guide to Instant Pot Freezer Meals Make Ahead Keto Meals

Instant Pot Bone Broth Recipe

Servings: 8 cups

Ingredients

6 or more chicken bones
1 carrot coarsely chopped
1 celery stalk chopped
2 onions quartered
salt and pepper to taste
2 bay leaves
8 cups water

Instructions

Chop up the carrot, celery, and onions and place them in the Instant Pot.
If desired, you can sauté the veggies for a few minutes with a bit of oil using the Sauté setting on your Instant Pot. This will result in a more flavourful broth, but it will be darker in colour.
If you want your broth to be seasoned, apply the seasoning first to the chicken bones.
Add the bones and bay leaves to your Instant Pot and then fill about 3/4 of the way full with water.
Secure the lid.
Select the Soup/Stew setting and increase the time to 45 minutes.
Do a natural release.
Carefully pour the broth through a strainer to remove the vegetables and bones.

Recipe Notes

Any remaining meat can be removed from the bones and can then be used in soup. The veggies will be perfectly cooked and can also be used in soup or a stew or as a side dish.

This will make about 8 cups of broth.

This Instant Pot bone broth is keto friendly. It is also gluten free and dairy free.

Stuffed Pepper Soup Recipe Make Ahead Meal

By Sharla

This stuffed pepper soup recipe has all the delicious flavours of stuffed peppers, but with half the work. It can also be made ahead and frozen, saving you even more time. You can cook this soup on the stovetop or in the slow cooker or even in the Instant Pot, whichever is most convenient for you. I’ve been making stuffed peppers for many years. I do it as a freezer meal by making the filling ahead and freezing. On the day of cooking, I fill the peppers and cook them in the oven. You can find the recipe for that here.

But even with having the filling made ahead of time, stuffed peppers can still be time consuming, so when you’re in the mood for the hearty flavours of stuffed peppers, but don’t have much time, this stuffed pepper soup is the way to go.

What’s in stuffed pepper soup?

While some ingredients and seasonings can vary, most stuffed pepper soups have as their main ingredients ground beef, rice, bell peppers, tomatoes or tomato sauce, and broth.

The type of broth can vary. It can be beef broth, chicken broth, or vegetable stock. Most stuffed pepper soup recipes also have onions and garlic.

Common seasonings for stuffed pepper soup include such spices as thyme, sage, marjoram, salt, and pepper, though not all together in the same recipe. An important tip: you will want to choose extra lean ground beef for this soup. If you choose to use regular ground beef, be sure to drain the fat before adding it. Otherwise, it will have a greasy look to it and not be visually appealing. It will also not taste as good, so this is an important note for making this recipe.

Stuffed Pepper Soup Recipe:

1 lb. extra lean ground beef, browned
1/2 cup green pepper, chopped
1/2 cup yellow or red pepper, chopped
1 cup onions, finely diced
3 cloves garlic, minced
28 oz. can diced tomatoes
2 cups tomato sauce
1/2 tsp. marjoram
salt, pepper

For the day of cooking:

2 cups beef or chicken broth
2 cups rice

Assembly instructions:

Chop the peppers and onion.
Brown the beef in a large skillet on the stove. Drain the fat afterwards. This step is important.
Place the cooked beef in a large resealable bag.
Add the diced peppers and onion, garlic, tomatoes, tomato sauce, and seasonings.
Remove the air from the bag and seal. Freeze.

Stovetop cooking instructions:

Take the bag out of the freezer and thaw.
Place the contents in a large pot on the stovetop.
Add the broth.
Cover and simmer on low for 30 minutes.
Add the rice in the last 20 minutes.
Stir occasionally to prevent the rice from sticking to the bottom.

Instant Pot instructions:

Thaw the bag contents and add to the Instant Pot.
Cook the rice separately on the stovetop and set aside.
Add the broth.
Cover and cook on high pressure for 15 minutes. Do a natural release.
Add the rice either to the entire soup or a bit into each bowl when serving.

Slow Cooker instructions:

Thaw.
Dump the bag contents into the crock pot.
Add the broth and rice.
Stir.
Cook on low for 3-4 hours.

Is Stuffed Pepper Soup Gluten Free?

This particular stuffed pepper soup recipe is gluten free. It is also dairy free. If it is made without the rice, it is keto friendly.

Check out some of our other make ahead soups:

Spinach and Sausage White Bean Soup Italian Wedding Soup Sausage and Zucchini Soup

Stuffed Pepper Soup Recipe

Ingredients

1 lb. extra lean ground beef browned
1/2 cup green pepper chopped
1/2 cup yellow or red pepper chopped
1 cup onions finely diced
3 cloves garlic minced
28 oz. can diced tomatoes
2 cups tomato sauce
1/2 tsp. marjoram
salt, pepper

For the day of cooking:

2 cups beef or chicken broth
2 cups rice

Instructions

Assembly instructions:

Chop the peppers and onion.
Brown the beef in a large skillet on the stove. Drain the fat afterwards. This step is important.
Place the cooked beef in a large resealable bag.
Add the diced peppers and onion, garlic, tomatoes, tomato sauce, and seasonings.
Remove the air from the bag and seal. Freeze.

Stovetop cooking instructions:

Take the bag out of the freezer and thaw. Place the contents in a large pot on the stovetop. Add the broth. Cover and simmer on low for 30 minutes. Add the rice in the last 20 minutes. Stir occasionally to prevent the rice from sticking to the bottom.

Instant Pot instructions:

Cook the rice separately on the stovetop and set aside. Thaw the bag contents and add to the Instant Pot. Add the broth. Cover and cook on high pressure for 15 minutes. Do a natural release. Add the rice either to the entire soup or a bit into each bowl when serving.

Slow Cooker instructions:

Thaw. Dump the bag contents into the crock pot. Add the broth and rice. Stir. Cook on low for 3-4 hours.

Instant Pot Pizza Casserole

By Sharla

I love recipes my whole family will eat. Pretty much anything with “pizza” in the title is a sure fire winner! This Instant Pot Pizza Casserole is no exception. My kids like pizza casserole so much that I make several varieties of it so that I don’t get bored. They never seem to tire of it though!

We started with this crock pot pizza casserole and sometimes vary things with our Tater Tot Pizza Casserole.

One of my daughters prefers this version because of the beef in it. I, of course like that it combines two of the easiest methods of cooking: freezer meals and the Instant Pot.

Instant Pot Pizza Casserole Recipe:

2 tsp. olive oil
2 tsp. butter
1 lb. lean ground beef
1 lb. garlic sausage, sliced
2 tsp. garlic, minced
1/2 cup onion, chopped
1 cup tomato sauce
1 jar pizza sauce
1 Tbsp. Italian seasoning
1 cup beef broth
25-30 slices of small pepperoni
8 oz. uncooked pasta
2 cups cheddar cheese, shredded
salt and pepper to taste

For cooking day:

1 cup water

Set your Instant Pot to sauté and add the butter and olive oil.

Add the ground beef and sausage and cook about 4-5 minutes or until the beef is no longer pink. Stir with a wooden spoon to break up the chunks of beef so that it cooks evenly.

Alternatively, you can brown the beef in a skillet.

Allow the meat to cool slightly. Place the cooked ground beef and sausage in a large resealable freezer bag.

Add the onions, garlic, tomato sauce, pizza sauce, Italian seasoning, pepperoni, and beef broth to the bag. In a medium sized bag, add the pasta. Place the shredded cheese in another medium bag.

Take any extra air out of all three bags and close. Staple the bags together above the seal.

On the day of cooking:

Take the meal out of the freezer. Thaw. Place the contents of the large bag into the Instant Pot. Add the pasta. Stir to make sure the pasta is covered with the liquid. Put the lid on the Instant Pot and set it to high pressure for 8 minutes. Release the pressure and wait for the steam to completely stop before opening the lid. Stir in the shredded cheese. Allow to sit for 1 minute before serving. Serve with garlic bread.

You might also be interested in these recipes:

Tater Tot Pizza Casserole

Instant Pot Pizza Casserole Recipe

Course: Main Course

Keyword: Instant Pot Pizza Casserole

Ingredients

2 tsp. olive oil
2 tsp. butter
1 lb. lean ground beef
1 lb. garlic sausage sliced
2 tsp. garlic minced
1/2 cup onion chopped
1 cup tomato sauce
1 jar pizza sauce
1 Tbsp. Italian seasoning
1 cup beef broth
25-30 slices of small pepperoni
8 oz. uncooked pasta
2 cups cheddar cheese shredded
salt and pepper to taste

For cooking day:

1 cup water

Instructions

Set your Instant Pot to sauté and add the butter and olive oil. Add the ground beef and sausage and cook about 4-5 minutes or until the beef is no longer pink. Stir with a wooden spoon to break up the chunks of beef so that it cooks evenly.
Alternatively, you can brown the beef in a skillet.
Allow the meat to cool slightly. Place the cooked ground beef and sausage in a large resealable freezer bag.
Add the onions, garlic, tomato sauce, pizza sauce, Italian seasoning, pepperoni, and beef broth to the bag. In a medium sized bag, add the pasta. Place the shredded cheese in another medium bag.
Take any extra air out of all three bags and close. Staple the bags together above the seal.

On the day of cooking:

Take the meal out of the freezer. Thaw. Place the contents of the large bag into the Instant Pot. Add the pasta. Stir to make sure the pasta is covered with the liquid.
Put the lid on the Instant Pot and set it to high pressure for 8 minutes. Release the pressure and wait for the steam to completely stop before opening the lid. Stir in the shredded cheese. Allow to sit for 1 minute.

Instant Pot Asian Noodle Soup

By Sharla

One of my sons loves those instant noodle soups. As a mom, I don’t want him eating them often. I wanted to find a healthier alternative. This Instant Pot Asian Beef Noodle Soup recipe is exactly what I was looking for. Being able to make this ahead and keep it in the freezer until cooking it quickly in the Instant Pot is so easy. Asian noodle soups just have an inherent comfort food quality to them.

Usually, a good broth takes many hours to meld the flavours and get to the desired depth. By using a pressure cooker, you can get the same depth of flavour in less than an hour.

Instant Pot Asian Beef Noodle Soup Recipe:

2 lbs. stew meat
2 cups mushrooms, sliced
1 small onion, diced
3 cups chicken or beef broth
1/2 cup soy sauce
1/4 cup hoisin sauce
1 Tbsp. rice vinegar
1 tsp. ginger

For the cooking day:

8 oz. long rice noodles

Add the diced onion, beef, mushrooms, broth, soy sauce, rice vinegar, hoisin sauce, and ginger into a large resealable freezer bag. Squish to mix everything together. Take out the extra air from the bag, seal, and freeze.

On the day you want to serve the soup, take the bag out of the freezer to thaw.

Set the Instant Pot to high pressure and set for 15 minutes.

Lock the lid and be sure the vent is closed.

Vent the pressure from the Instant Pot.

Add the noodles, making sure that they are completely submerged. Close and lock the lid on the Instant Pot, ensuring that the vent is closed. Set the Instant Pot to 2 minutes. Once the 2 minutes is up, allow the pressure to release naturally for 10 minutes. Afterwards, open the vent to release the remaining pressure. If you use gluten free soy sauce and hoisin sauce, then this soup recipe is gluten free.

You can top the soup with sesame seeds or slice green onions to make it “extra fancy”.

Instant Pot Asian Beef Noodle Soup Recipe

Ingredients

2 lbs. stew meat
2 cups mushrooms sliced
1 small onion diced
3 cups chicken or beef broth
1/2 cup soy sauce
1/4 cup hoisin sauce
1 Tbsp. rice vinegar
1 tsp. ginger

For the cooking day:

8 oz. long rice noodles

Instructions

Add the diced onion, beef, mushrooms, broth, soy sauce, rice vinegar, hoisin sauce, and ginger into a large resealable freezer bag. Squish to mix everything together. Take out the extra air from the bag, seal, and freeze.
On the day you want to serve the soup, take the bag out of the freezer to thaw.
Set the Instant Pot to high pressure and set for 15 minutes.
Lock the lid and be sure the vent is closed.
Vent the pressure from the Instant Pot.
Add the noodles, making sure that they are completely submerged. Close and lock the lid on the Instant Pot, ensuring that the vent is closed. Set the Instant Pot to 2 minutes.
Once the 2 minutes is up, allow the pressure to release naturally for 10 minutes. Afterwards, open the vent to release the remaining pressure.

Check out these other make ahead Instant Pot recipes:

Instant Pot Beef Taco Soup

Instant Pot Italian Chicken and Veggies

Instant Pot Turkey Sloppy Joes

By Sharla

This freezer meal Instant Pot Turkey Sloppy Joes recipe is sure to become a family favourite. The ground turkey is a nice change from the usual ground beef sloppy joes. As long as you use gluten free soy sauce and Worcestershire sauce, this recipe is gluten free.

If your family is new to ground turkey, this is a great gateway recipe! It has the familiarity of sloppy joes. It has the kid friendly appeal of being served on a bun. It’s the perfect way to introduce ground turkey.

Instant Pot Turkey Sloppy Joes Recipe:

2 lbs. ground turkey, browned
1 Tbsp. olive oil
2 Tbsp. minced garlic
1 small onion, diced
1/2 cup tomato sauce
1/2 cup ketchup
1/2 cup chili sauce
1 Tbsp. tomato paste
1 Tbsp. Worcestershire sauce
1 Tbsp. soy sauce
1 Tbsp. brown sugar
1 Tbsp. Dijon mustard
1/4 cup water

Using the olive oil, brown the ground turkey in a skillet or in the Instant Pot.

In a medium bowl, mix the tomato sauce, ketchup, chili sauce, tomato paste, Worcestershire sauce, soy sauce, brown sugar, and Dijon mustard. Pour it into a medium sized resealable freezer bag and seal. Be sure to take out as much of the air as you can.

In another medium freezer bag, put the browned ground turkey, garlic, and onion. Seal the bag and staple to the bag with the sauce. Freeze.

On the day of cooking, take it out of the freezer to thaw. Set your Instant Pot to the sauté function. Add the bag with the ground turkey, onion, and garlic. Cook until the garlic and onion are fragrant and translucent.

Add the water and the contents of the bag of sauce.

Close and lock the lid on the Instant Pot and make sure the vent is closed. Set the Instant Pot to 8 minutes. Once the 8 minutes is up, allow the pressure to release naturally for 10 minutes. Open the vent and release the remaining pressure. Serve on a sliced bun with your favourite sides and enjoy! We like onion buns or pretzel buns the most. Use any hamburger size bun you like.

Suggestions for side dishes for sloppy joes:

coleslaw
French fries
garden salad
raw veggies such as celery, carrots, cucumbers, and baby tomatoes
pasta salad
corn on the cob
baby spinach salad with strawberries
potato chips
tater tots
green beans and fried potatoes
mashed potatoes
potato salad
sweet potato fries
macaroni and cheese

Instant Pot Turkey Sloppy Joes Recipe

Ingredients

2 lbs. ground turkey
1 Tbsp. olive oil
2 Tbsp. minced garlic
1 small onion diced
1/2 cup tomato sauce
1/2 cup ketchup
1/2 cup chili sauce
1 Tbsp. tomato paste
1 Tbsp. Worcestershire sauce
1 Tbsp. soy sauce
1 Tbsp. brown sugar
1 Tbsp. Dijon mustard
1/4 cup water

Instructions

Using the olive oil, brown the ground turkey in a skillet or in the Instant Pot.
In a medium bowl, mix the tomato sauce, ketchup, chili sauce, tomato paste, Worcestershire sauce, soy sauce, brown sugar, and Dijon mustard. Pour it into a medium sized resealable freezer bag and seal. Be sure to take out as much of the air as you can.
In another medium freezer bag, put the browned ground turkey, garlic, and onion. Seal the bag and staple to the bag with the sauce. Freeze.

On cooking day...

Take it out of the freezer to thaw. Set your Instant Pot to the sauté function. Add the contents of the bag with the cooked ground turkey, onion, and garlic. Cook until the garlic and onion are fragrant and translucent.
Add the water and the contents of the bag of sauce.
Close and lock the lid on the Instant Pot and make sure the vent is closed. Set the Instant Pot to 8 minutes. Once the 8 minutes is up, allow the pressure to release naturally for 10 minutes. Open the vent and release the remaining pressure.
Serve on a bun with your favourite sides and enjoy!