Our Best Bone Broth Soup

Cover image by Monika Grabkowska for Pixabay

This nourishing bone broth tastes amazing and is a natural collagen boost to make your skin glow and to restore gut health. It even beats the best bone broth brands, if you ask me! It’s easy but needs to simmer for a long time, so perfect for a lazy day at home. Below is your step-by-step guide to making a bone broth that is sure to impress!

• Note! This is NOT a bone broth for dogs, as it contains onion and garlic, which can be harmful for these furry friends.

Bone broth soup has gained popularity in recent years for its numerous health benefits. Packed with essential nutrients like collagen, gelatin, and amino acids, it supports gut health, strengthens joints, and boosts the immune system. Not to mention, it’s incredibly rich in flavor, making it a comforting and satisfying meal.

With this delicious broth at hand, all you need to do is defrost, add vegetables and meat/protein of choice, and dinner is ready. Add this natural collagen treat to your menu and your body will thank you!

The Guts & Glory Health team

Whether you’re a seasoned home cook or a beginner in the kitchen, this guide has got you covered. From choosing the right bones to simmering them to perfection, we will provide you with all the tips and tricks you need to create a flavorful and nutritious bone broth.

Bone broth soup benefits in brief

Homemade broth is high in protein and other nutrients. It can support brain function, skin, sleep, and bone health, fight inflammation, and benefit the digestive system.

P.S. Did you know that bone broth postpartum could be a great idea? Due to its nutritional benefits, making a pot of this liquid gold for a friend or relative recovering after childbirth can be the best gift! For the same reasons, consuming bone broth while pregnant may benefit the baby and mom-to-be.

Bone Broth Ingredients

• Approx. 1.3 kilos of bones or pork leg with meat on—smoked pork leg tastes great. Or make a tasty beef bone broth soup recipe.
• 2 onions, peeled and roughly chopped
• 2 whole garlic bulbs. Peel all the cloves and crush them slightly with the flat end of a knife
• 4 carrots, peeled and roughly chopped
• 1 parsley root or parsnip, peeled and roughly chopped
• 4 celery sticks, roughly chopped
• Olive oil, preferably Extra Virgin
• Spices:
  • 2 cinnamon sticks
  • 3–4 star anise seeds*
  • 10 whole black peppers
  • 4 bay leaves
• Approx. 3 liters of water, or enough to cover the ingredients + 2-3 centimeters on top of that

*Star aniseed adds a delicious flavor resembling Asian bone broth soup.

Scroll down for method!

So, How do you make bone broth soup?

• In a large pot (minimum 5 liters), heat the cooking oil and sautée onions until soft
• Add the crushed garlic cloves and stir until flavors combine
• Add the remaining vegetables and cook for 5-6 minutes
• Rinse the meat in cold water add it add to the pot
• Pour in the water, enough to cover plus 2-3 centimers on top
• Add the spices and bring to a boil. Using a spoon, remove the ‘foam’ that comes to the surface
• Put a lid on the pot and let simmer on low heat, 4-5 hours. Longer if you can. This is a slow cook bone broth recipe!
• Now you have a couple of options:
  • A) Clear bone broth: Using a sieve, strain the stock into another pot. Discard the vegetables, spices and loose bones, but keep the meat. In the new pot, reduce the stock by boiling it on medium-high heat. When I have time, I reduce the stock to about half. For an exclusive bone broth concentrate, reduce the stock even further to create an intense flavor.
  • B) Rich bone broth: Remove and discard the spices. Remove the meat and put it aside. Here’s the secret trick: leave the vegetables in! Using a stick blender, blend the stock and super soft vegetables into a smooth rich soup-like bone broth. I learned this trick from a friend at Masterchef UK and absolutely love it!!
  • Removing the fat or not? If you want, you can cool down the stock before A) or B) and remove the fat that will solidify on top. The fat can then can be used for cooking. This is not necessary and is a matter of personal taste.
• Use immediately, store the bone broth in your fridge for a couple of days, or freeze for later. If you don’t have time for steps A) and B) above on the same day, you can leave it in cool place until the next day, this will only enhance the flavor.
• If you have used e.g., pork leg, then pick off the meat before discarding the bone. The meat from the pork leg freezes well too
• If you’re using the bone broth as basis for another soup recipe, you can add the meat. This will be tender and full of flavor!

Health benefits bone broth

Bone broth soup is not just a delicious and comforting meal, it also offers a myriad of health benefits. One of the primary benefits is its high collagen content. Collagen is the most abundant protein in the human body and is essential for maintaining our hair, nails, and joints. This recipe is also one of the best bone broth for skin.

The soup is also rich in other essential vitamins and minerals, including calcium, magnesium, phosphorus, and potassium. These nutrients are vital for maintaining strong bones and teeth, as well as supporting overall cardiovascular health. Furthermore, the gelatin in bone broth can help to heal and seal the gut lining, which can be particularly beneficial for individuals with digestive issues or autoimmune conditions.

Choosing the right bones for the recipe

When it comes to making bone broth, the type of bones you use can have a significant impact on the flavor and nutritional profile of the final product. The most common types of bones used for bone broth include:

Beef bones: Beef bones, such as marrow bones, knuckle bones, and oxtail, are popular choices. These bones are rich in collagen, gelatin, and essential minerals like calcium. Beef bone broth is known for its deep, rich flavor and is often used as the base for hearty soups and stews.

• Find your favorite soup using bone broth here

Chicken bones: Chicken bones, including the carcass, wings, and feet, are another excellent option for making bone broth soup. Chicken bone broth is generally lighter in flavor and can be more versatile in its applications, such as in this Asian Chicken Rice Soup. What’s more, it’s great for sauces and as a base for rice or grain dishes. Simply swap meat bones for chicken ones and make it a chicken bone broth recipe.

Lamb or pork bones: Lamb and pork bones can also be used to make bone broth, though they are less common than beef and chicken. These bones can impart a unique flavor profile to the bone broth soup and are often used in ethnic cuisines like Middle Eastern or Asian dishes.

1. Use a variety of bones: Mixing different types of bones, such as beef, chicken, and fish, can help to create a more complex and well-rounded flavor profile in your bone broth soup.

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Tips for using bone broth soup

This homemade bone broth soup is a delicious ingredient in vegetable and meat soups and stews. Select your favorite vegetables – carrots, leeks, broccoli, potatoes, beans – and make an easy vegetable soup with bone broth. Try these recipes for a nourishing meal that will heal and energize from the inside out:

Enjoy the added taste and benefits of soup made with bone broth! Watch our video to find out how a gut healthy diet can support your microbiome and wellbeing!

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