What to Cook with Bone Broth: 15 Easy Recipes

Bone broth is one of the most versatile — and most underused — ingredients in the home kitchen. Whether you're sipping it straight from a mug or building layers of flavour into a weeknight dinner, knowing what to cook with bone broth is the shortcut every serious cook needs. This guide covers 15 easy bone broth recipes across every category: soups, braises, grains, sides, and morning rituals. Each one is designed to be simple enough for a weeknight but good enough to serve at a dinner table.

The secret ingredient in every recipe below? High-quality bone broth with real body and flavour. The Broth Bar's bone broth is made low-and-slow the traditional way — so it adds genuine depth to everything you cook with it.

1. Classic Chicken Noodle Soup

Prep: 10 min  |  Cook: 30 min  |  Serves: 4

There is no better use of a good bone broth than a classic chicken noodle soup. Using bone broth instead of stock gives the broth a silky, gelatinous body that you simply cannot replicate any other way. This is the version you'll make on repeat.

Ingredients

• 1.5 litres The Broth Bar chicken bone broth
• 2 chicken thighs, bone-in skin-on
• 2 medium carrots, sliced
• 3 stalks celery, sliced
• 1 medium onion, diced
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• 100g egg noodles
• 1 bay leaf
• Fresh parsley, salt, and black pepper to finish

Instructions

1. In a large pot, bring the bone broth to a gentle simmer over medium heat.
2. Add the chicken thighs, bay leaf, onion, and garlic. Poach for 20 minutes until cooked through.
3. Remove the chicken, shred the meat, and discard the skin and bones.
4. Add carrots and celery to the broth and simmer for 8 minutes.
5. Add the egg noodles and cook for a further 5 minutes.
6. Return the shredded chicken. Season, garnish with parsley, and serve.

Tip: The bone broth concentrates as it simmers — taste before adding salt.

2. Bone Broth Risotto

Prep: 5 min  |  Cook: 30 min  |  Serves: 4

Bone broth is the secret to restaurant-quality risotto at home. Its natural gelatin gives the rice a creamy, luxurious consistency without needing half a block of butter. Warm the broth before you start — this is non-negotiable for even cooking.

Ingredients

• 1.2 litres The Broth Bar chicken or beef bone broth, warmed
• 320g arborio rice
• 1 small onion, finely diced
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 100ml dry white wine
• 60g parmesan, grated, plus extra to serve
• 30g butter
• 2 tbsp olive oil
• Fresh thyme, salt, and white pepper

Instructions

1. Heat olive oil in a wide, heavy-bottomed pan over medium heat. Sauté the onion and garlic until soft, about 5 minutes.
2. Add the arborio rice and toast, stirring, for 2 minutes until the edges turn translucent.
3. Add the wine and stir until absorbed.
4. Add the warm bone broth one ladle at a time, stirring constantly and waiting until each ladle is absorbed before adding the next. Continue for about 20 minutes.
5. When the rice is al dente and the mixture is creamy, remove from heat.
6. Stir in the butter and parmesan. Season and serve immediately with extra parmesan and thyme.

Tip: Use beef bone broth for a deeper, earthier risotto — excellent with mushrooms or truffle.

3. Bone Broth Braised Short Ribs

Prep: 15 min  |  Cook: 3.5 hr  |  Serves: 4

Braising is where bone broth truly shines. As the ribs slow-cook, the broth absorbs the meat's richness while giving back deep, collagen-rich body. The result is fork-tender ribs in a glossy, wine-dark sauce that tastes like it took all day — because it did, beautifully.

Ingredients

• 1.5kg beef short ribs, bone-in
• 500ml The Broth Bar beef bone broth
• 250ml red wine
• 2 carrots, roughly chopped
• 2 stalks celery, roughly chopped
• 1 onion, roughly chopped
• 4 cloves garlic, smashed
• 2 tbsp tomato paste
• 2 sprigs rosemary, 2 sprigs thyme, 2 bay leaves
• Salt, black pepper, olive oil

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 160°C (fan 140°C).
2. Season the ribs generously with salt and pepper. In a Dutch oven, heat oil over high heat and sear the ribs on all sides until deeply browned. Remove and set aside.
3. Reduce heat to medium. Sauté the vegetables and garlic until softened, about 5 minutes. Add tomato paste and cook for 2 minutes.
4. Deglaze with the red wine, scraping up the browned bits. Simmer for 3 minutes.
5. Add the bone broth and herbs. Return the ribs to the pot — the liquid should come two-thirds up the sides.
6. Cover and braise in the oven for 3–3.5 hours until the meat is falling off the bone.
7. Rest for 10 minutes. Skim excess fat from the surface before serving.

Tip: Even better the next day. Refrigerate overnight and the fat solidifies on top for easy removal.

4. Golden Sipping Tonic (Turmeric + Ginger)

Prep: 5 min  |  Cook: 5 min  |  Serves: 1

Bone broth doesn't have to be cooked in something to be delicious. This sipping ritual takes your morning mug to the next level: golden turmeric, warming ginger, and a crack of black pepper to activate everything. It's the coffee replacement that doesn't mess with your sleep.

Ingredients

• 300ml The Broth Bar chicken bone broth
• 1 tsp ground turmeric (or 1cm fresh, grated)
• 1 tsp fresh ginger, grated
• 1 tsp apple cider vinegar
• Pinch of black pepper
• Optional: pinch of cayenne, squeeze of lemon, small knob of coconut oil

Instructions

1. Heat the bone broth in a small saucepan over low-medium heat until steaming (do not boil).
2. Stir in the turmeric, ginger, and apple cider vinegar.
3. Pour into a mug, add a crack of black pepper and any optional additions.
4. Sip slowly.

Tip: Black pepper is the key to unlocking turmeric's full potency — don't skip it.

5. Bone Broth Ramen

Prep: 15 min  |  Cook: 20 min  |  Serves: 2

Traditional ramen broth takes 12+ hours to build. This version uses bone broth as the base and adds a tare (seasoning sauce) to bring it to life in under 30 minutes. The result is legitimately rich, savoury, and deeply satisfying.

Ingredients

• 800ml The Broth Bar chicken or pork bone broth
• 2 portions ramen noodles
• 2 eggs, soft-boiled (7 minutes)
• 4 tbsp soy sauce
• 1 tbsp mirin
• 1 tbsp sesame oil
• 1 tsp ginger, minced
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• Toppings: nori, sliced spring onion, bamboo shoots, sesame seeds, chilli oil

Instructions

1. Make the tare: combine soy sauce, mirin, sesame oil, ginger, and garlic in a small bowl. Set aside.
2. Heat the bone broth in a pot over medium heat until just simmering.
3. Whisk in the tare. Taste and adjust saltiness.
4. Cook the ramen noodles separately per the packet. Drain and divide between two bowls.
5. Ladle the hot broth over the noodles.
6. Top with halved soft-boiled eggs, nori, spring onion, bamboo shoots, sesame seeds, and a drizzle of chilli oil.

Tip: Marinate the soft-boiled eggs in soy sauce, mirin, and water for 30 minutes before serving for proper marinated ramen eggs.

6. French Onion Soup

Prep: 10 min  |  Cook: 55 min  |  Serves: 4

French onion soup lives or dies by its broth — and this one lives. Beef bone broth gives the soup a richness that perfectly matches the sweetness of slow-caramelised onions. Top with a thick lid of melted Gruyere and you have a meal that belongs on a Parisian menu.

Ingredients

• 1 litre The Broth Bar beef bone broth
• 1kg yellow onions (about 4 large), thinly sliced
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• 50g butter
• 2 tbsp olive oil
• 150ml dry white wine or dry sherry
• 1 tsp fresh thyme leaves
• Salt, white pepper, pinch of sugar
• 4 thick slices sourdough or baguette, toasted
• 150g Gruyere or Comté, grated

Instructions

1. Heat butter and oil in a large heavy pot over medium-low heat. Add the onions and a pinch of salt. Cook slowly, stirring occasionally, for 40–45 minutes until deeply golden and caramelised.
2. Add garlic and thyme, cook for 2 minutes. Add a pinch of sugar and stir.
3. Deglaze with wine, scraping the bottom. Simmer until mostly absorbed.
4. Add the bone broth and simmer for 10 minutes. Season to taste.
5. Ladle into oven-safe crocks. Float a slice of toasted bread on top and pile with Gruyere.
6. Place under a hot grill for 3–5 minutes until the cheese is bubbling and golden. Serve immediately.

Tip: Don't rush the onions. The 40-minute caramelisation is what separates this soup from the average version.

7. Silky Bone Broth Gravy

Prep: 2 min  |  Cook: 15 min  |  Serves: 6

This is the only gravy recipe you'll ever need. Bone broth's natural gelatin makes a gravy that coats the back of a spoon and clings to meat the way commercial gravies simply can't. Make it while your roast rests — it takes 15 minutes and makes the whole dinner.

Ingredients

• 500ml The Broth Bar beef or chicken bone broth
• Pan drippings from your roast (or 2 tbsp butter)
• 2 tbsp plain flour
• 1 tsp Worcestershire sauce
• Salt and black pepper
• Optional: splash of red wine or port, fresh thyme

Instructions

1. Place the roasting pan (or a saucepan) over medium heat with the pan drippings.
2. Add the flour and cook, stirring, for 2 minutes to make a roux.
3. Gradually whisk in the bone broth, a little at a time, to avoid lumps.
4. Add Worcestershire sauce and any optional additions. Simmer, stirring, for 8–10 minutes until thickened.
5. Season to taste. Strain through a fine sieve for a silky finish.

Tip: If your broth is well-gelled (spoon-coating when cold), reduce the flour to 1 tbsp — the gelatin does the work.

8. Creamy Mashed Potatoes

Prep: 10 min  |  Cook: 25 min  |  Serves: 4

Swapping cream or milk for warm bone broth in your mash adds a savoury depth that makes this side dish stand on its own. The natural fats and gelatin in the broth keep the mash silky and rich. It's a simple swap with a big payoff.

Ingredients

• 1kg floury potatoes (Maris Piper or Dutch cream), peeled and chopped
• 150–200ml The Broth Bar chicken bone broth, warmed
• 60g butter
• Salt and white pepper
• Fresh chives to garnish

Instructions

1. Boil the potatoes in well-salted water for 18–20 minutes until tender. Drain thoroughly.
2. Pass the potatoes through a ricer (or mash by hand) back into the pot.
3. Add the butter and mix until melted through.
4. Gradually stir in the warm bone broth until you reach your desired consistency. Season.
5. Garnish with chives and serve.

Tip: Warm the broth before adding — cold liquid causes the starch to seize and go gluey.

9. Herb-Braised Chicken Thighs

Prep: 10 min  |  Cook: 45 min  |  Serves: 4

This weeknight braise is one of the most practical recipes you can learn. Bone broth replaces a sauce and reduces into a glossy pan sauce as the chicken cooks. Golden-skinned chicken thighs, aromatics, and a pour of bone broth — that's the whole recipe.

Ingredients

• 8 bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs
• 400ml The Broth Bar chicken bone broth
• 8 cloves garlic, peeled and lightly smashed
• 1 lemon, sliced into rounds
• 4 sprigs fresh thyme
• 2 sprigs fresh rosemary
• 1 tbsp olive oil
• Salt and black pepper

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 200°C (fan 180°C).
2. Pat the chicken thighs dry and season generously with salt and pepper.
3. In an oven-safe skillet, heat oil over medium-high heat. Sear the thighs skin-side down for 5–6 minutes until the skin is deep golden and crisp. Flip and cook 2 minutes more.
4. Scatter garlic, lemon slices, thyme, and rosemary around the chicken.
5. Pour the bone broth around the thighs (not over the skin).
6. Transfer to the oven and braise for 30–35 minutes until cooked through. The liquid will reduce to a glossy sauce.
7. Rest for 5 minutes. Spoon the pan sauce over before serving.

Tip: Serve with crusty bread to mop up the pan sauce — it's the best part of the dish.

10. Pasta e Fagioli (Italian Bean & Pasta Soup)

Prep: 10 min  |  Cook: 30 min  |  Serves: 4

Pasta e Fagioli is the Italian peasant soup that punches above its weight. With bone broth as the base, it becomes genuinely restaurant-worthy — thick, hearty, and packed with protein. One of the most satisfying things you can make in under 40 minutes.

Ingredients

• 1 litre The Broth Bar chicken or beef bone broth
• 2 x 400g tins cannellini beans, drained and rinsed
• 200g ditalini or small pasta shells
• 1 x 400g tin crushed tomatoes
• 1 onion, finely diced
• 4 cloves garlic, minced
• 2 stalks celery, diced
• 1 carrot, diced
• 2 sprigs rosemary
• 2 tbsp olive oil, plus more to finish
• Parmesan rind (optional but excellent)
• Salt, black pepper, chilli flakes

Instructions

1. Heat olive oil in a large pot over medium heat. Sauté onion, celery, carrot, and garlic for 7–8 minutes until softened.
2. Add tomatoes, rosemary, and parmesan rind if using. Cook for 5 minutes.
3. Add the bone broth and bring to a simmer.
4. Add half the beans whole. Blend or mash the other half and stir into the soup to thicken it.
5. Add the pasta and cook for 8–10 minutes until al dente.
6. Remove rosemary sprigs and parmesan rind. Season with salt, pepper, and chilli flakes. Serve with a drizzle of good olive oil.

Tip: A parmesan rind simmered in the pot dissolves into the broth and adds extraordinary umami depth.

11. Red Lentil Soup

Prep: 10 min  |  Cook: 30 min  |  Serves: 6

Red lentil soup made with bone broth is a powerhouse of protein and gut-nourishing goodness. Cumin, coriander, and smoked paprika give it warm depth; a swirl of yogurt and crispy onions take it over the top. A crowd pleaser that costs almost nothing to make.

Ingredients

• 1.2 litres The Broth Bar chicken bone broth
• 300g red lentils, rinsed
• 1 large onion, diced
• 4 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 x 400g tin crushed tomatoes
• 2 tsp cumin
• 1 tsp ground coriander
• 1 tsp smoked paprika
• ½ tsp turmeric
• 2 tbsp olive oil
• Juice of ½ lemon
• Salt and black pepper
• To serve: plain yogurt, crispy fried onions, chilli oil

Instructions

1. Heat olive oil in a large pot over medium heat. Cook the onion for 5 minutes until soft. Add garlic and cook 1 minute more.
2. Add the spices and stir for 30 seconds until fragrant.
3. Add the tomatoes, lentils, and bone broth. Bring to a boil, then reduce and simmer for 20–25 minutes until the lentils are completely soft.
4. Use a stick blender to blitz half the soup for a semi-smooth texture. Stir together.
5. Add lemon juice and season generously. Serve with a swirl of yogurt, crispy onions, and chilli oil.

Tip: Red lentils thicken as they cool. When reheating, add a splash of broth to loosen.

12. Vietnamese-Style Pho

Prep: 15 min  |  Cook: 20 min  |  Serves: 4

Authentic pho broth simmers for 8–12 hours. This version uses bone broth as the base — already rich and collagen-dense — then layers in charred ginger, star anise, and fish sauce to give it that unmistakable pho flavour. Ready in under 40 minutes.

Ingredients

• 1.5 litres The Broth Bar beef bone broth
• 200g rice noodles (banh pho), soaked per packet
• 300g beef sirloin, very thinly sliced (freeze for 30 min for easier slicing)
• 5cm knob fresh ginger, halved lengthways and charred under a grill
• 3 star anise
• 2 cinnamon sticks
• 3 cloves
• 2 tbsp fish sauce
• 1 tsp sugar
• Toppings: bean sprouts, fresh basil, sliced red chilli, lime wedges, hoisin sauce, sriracha

Instructions

1. Char the ginger: place cut-side down under a hot grill for 5 minutes until slightly blackened.
2. Bring the bone broth to a simmer in a large pot. Add the charred ginger, star anise, cinnamon, and cloves.
3. Simmer for 15 minutes. Strain out all spices and ginger.
4. Season the broth with fish sauce and sugar. Taste and adjust.
5. Prepare noodles and divide into bowls. Add your desired toppings.
6. Lay slices of raw beef over the noodles. Ladle the simmering hot broth directly over the beef — it will cook on contact.
7. Serve immediately with the topping platter on the side.

Tip: The broth must be at a rolling simmer when you ladle it — this is what cooks the thinly sliced beef perfectly.

13. Garlicky Braised Greens

Prep: 5 min  |  Cook: 15 min  |  Serves: 4

Braising greens in bone broth is the best way to cook kale, silverbeet, or collards. The broth tempers any bitterness while the garlic and chilli lift the whole thing. It's a 20-minute side that goes with almost anything — and it makes excellent use of the last 200ml in your carton.

Ingredients

• 200ml The Broth Bar chicken bone broth
• 1 large bunch kale, silverbeet, or collard greens, stems removed and leaves torn
• 4 cloves garlic, thinly sliced
• 1 tsp chilli flakes
• 2 tbsp olive oil
• Salt and black pepper
• Squeeze of lemon to finish

Instructions

1. Heat olive oil in a large wide pan or cast iron skillet over medium heat.
2. Add garlic and chilli flakes. Sauté for 1–2 minutes until the garlic is golden and fragrant.
3. Add the greens in batches, tossing to coat in the oil.
4. Pour in the bone broth. Cover and braise for 8–10 minutes until the greens are tender and the broth has mostly absorbed.
5. Season with salt and a squeeze of lemon. Serve immediately.

Tip: Any greens work here — silverbeet, spinach, broccolini, or cabbage. Adjust the braising time accordingly.

14. Creamy Bone Broth Polenta with Mushrooms

Prep: 10 min  |  Cook: 30 min  |  Serves: 4

Cooking polenta in bone broth instead of water transforms what is often a bland side into something genuinely special. The broth infuses every granule with savoury depth. Topped with earthy sautéed mushrooms and thyme, this is comfort food with real nutritional substance.

Ingredients

• 800ml The Broth Bar chicken bone broth
• 200ml whole milk
• 200g coarse polenta
• 50g parmesan, grated
• 30g butter
• Salt and black pepper

For the mushrooms:

• 400g mixed mushrooms (porcini, cremini, shiitake), roughly torn
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 tbsp butter + 1 tbsp olive oil
• 4 sprigs fresh thyme
• Splash of white wine
• Salt and black pepper

Instructions

1. Bring the bone broth and milk to a gentle boil. Slowly whisk in the polenta, then reduce heat to the lowest setting.
2. Stir every few minutes for 25–30 minutes, adding a splash of extra broth if it stiffens too quickly.
3. Stir in butter and parmesan. Season generously.
4. Meanwhile, heat butter and oil in a skillet over high heat. Add mushrooms in a single layer — don't crowd them. Cook undisturbed for 3 minutes until golden.
5. Toss mushrooms, add garlic and thyme. Deglaze with white wine. Season well.
6. Serve polenta in wide bowls topped with the mushrooms.

Tip: Cook mushrooms in batches if your pan is small — crowded mushrooms steam instead of searing.

15. Broth-Poached Shakshuka

Prep: 10 min  |  Cook: 25 min  |  Serves: 4

Adding bone broth to shakshuka deepens the tomato sauce into something closer to a stew — the eggs poach gently in a fragrant, protein-rich base that makes this feel like more than a breakfast dish. It works at any hour, especially with thick bread for scooping.

Ingredients

• 200ml The Broth Bar chicken bone broth
• 2 x 400g tins crushed tomatoes
• 6 eggs
• 1 red onion, diced
• 1 red capsicum, diced
• 4 cloves garlic, minced
• 2 tsp cumin
• 1 tsp smoked paprika
• ½ tsp chilli flakes
• 2 tbsp olive oil
• Salt and black pepper
• To serve: fresh coriander, crumbled feta, crusty bread

Instructions

1. Heat olive oil in a wide oven-safe skillet over medium heat. Sauté onion and capsicum for 7 minutes until soft.
2. Add garlic, cumin, paprika, and chilli flakes. Stir for 1 minute.
3. Pour in the tomatoes and bone broth. Stir to combine. Simmer for 10 minutes until the sauce thickens slightly.
4. Using a spoon, make 6 wells in the sauce. Crack an egg into each well.
5. Cover and cook over low heat for 8–10 minutes until the whites are set and the yolks are still runny.
6. Finish with crumbled feta and fresh coriander. Serve directly from the pan with bread.

Tip: Remove from heat while the yolks look slightly underdone — residual heat finishes them perfectly.

Frequently Asked Questions About Cooking with Bone Broth

Can I use bone broth in any recipe that calls for stock or broth?

Yes — bone broth can replace chicken stock, beef stock, or vegetable broth in a 1:1 ratio in any recipe. Because bone broth has more body and flavour concentration than most store-bought stocks, your dishes will typically taste richer. Just be mindful of salt: high-quality bone broth like The Broth Bar's is seasoned but not overly salty, so taste as you go.

What's the difference between bone broth and stock?

Both are made by simmering bones in water, but bone broth simmers much longer — typically 12–24 hours vs 2–4 for stock — and at a lower temperature. This draws out more collagen, minerals, and gelatin, giving bone broth a richer body and a thicker, more velvety texture. When chilled, a true bone broth will gel — that's the sign of quality.

How much bone broth does each recipe need?

Most recipes above use between 200ml and 1.5 litres. A single 500ml carton covers most soups and braises; have 2 on hand for pho, risotto, or French onion soup.

Can I drink bone broth instead of cooking with it?

Absolutely. Sipping bone broth is one of the most popular ways to enjoy it. Heat gently, season to taste, and drink it straight or with additions like turmeric, ginger, or a squeeze of lemon (see Recipe 4 above for a full sipping tonic). Many people start their day with a mug in place of coffee.

Does cooking with bone broth add nutritional value?

Yes. The collagen, gelatin, amino acids, and minerals in bone broth carry through into your cooked dishes. Soups, braises, and risottos made with bone broth retain these nutrients in the liquid — which you eat as part of the dish.

Ready to Cook?

Every recipe above starts with great broth. The Broth Bar's bone broth is made the traditional way — slow-simmered, with no shortcuts and nothing artificial. Pick up a few cartons and work your way through this list.

Bookmark this page, share it with someone who loves to cook, and come back whenever you're staring at a carton of broth wondering what to do with it.