Awesome Venison, Quinoa & Broccoli Dog Food Recipe

When we talk about clean living and supporting our bodies with real, whole foods—something I champion over at Melt It Clean—that philosophy absolutely extends to our furry family members! We want them energetic, vital, and free from all the weird fillers you see in some commercial foods. That’s why I got so excited diving into this recipe. We’re talking about creating a super simple, highly nutritious meal from scratch: the Venison, Quinoa & Broccoli Dog Food.

Honestly, ever since I cleaned up my own diet, I started paying way more attention to what I was feeding my dog, Buster. It’s about giving them that same intentional nourishment we seek for ourselves. This recipe is proof that you don’t need a chemistry lab to make something that’s both safe and packed with goodness. It’s fast, it’s hearty, and your pup will absolutely love it!

Why This Venison, Quinoa & Broccoli Dog Food is a Top Choice

When you’re making food for your best friend, you want maximum bang for your buck, nutritionally speaking. This specific combination knocks it out of the park! Seriously, I’ve looked at so many dog food labels, and they don’t compare to the quality you build right here on your stovetop.

Here’s why this mix is brilliant for consistent energy and vitality:

• Venison Power: It’s a high-quality, lean protein source. Dogs thrive on quality meat, and venison is often easier on sensitive tummies than some other meats. Plus, it teams up nicely with other high-protein dog foods we love.
• Quinoa for Balance: Quinoa isn’t just filler; it’s a complete protein and brings fantastic fiber to the mix, helping keep things running smoothly.
• Broccoli Boost: Don’t skip the broccoli! It’s packed with vitamins; just make sure you chop it small enough so your dog enjoys every bite.

It just feels good knowing exactly what you’re putting in their bowl!

Gathering Ingredients for Your Venison, Quinoa & Broccoli Dog Food

Okay, so you’re ready to whip up this awesome batch! You’ll get about six cups total, which is perfect for making food ahead of time. I always think about those clean-eating pantry staples when I buy these items, making sure they are top-notch since we’re feeding our best pals!

You only need four main things for this beginner-friendly recipe:

• 1 lb Ground venison (make sure it’s lean!)
• 1 cup Quinoa (dry)
• 2 cups Broccoli florets (chopped small)
• 1 cup Water (just for cooking that quinoa)

Keep these core ingredients on hand, and you’re halfway to a happy pup!

Step-by-Step Instructions for Venison, Quinoa & Broccoli Dog Food

Alright, let’s get cooking! Making this amazing dog meal is super straightforward—it takes about an hour total, which is perfect for a weekend meal prep session, or you can check out some awesome meal prep ideas to save time later. Just remember, we are keeping things clean and simple here, just like my general approach to whole living!

Cooking the Quinoa Base

First things first, we need our quinoa ready! You’ll need 1 cup of dry quinoa and you should use 1 cup of water to cook it. Definitely follow whatever the package says for cook time, but make sure it’s done absorbing all that liquid before you move on. Once it’s cooked, set that aside ready for mixing.

Preparing the Venison and Broccoli Mixture

Now for the good stuff! Grab your large skillet and get that pound of lean ground venison sizzling over medium heat. You always want to brown the meat thoroughly, and please, please drain off any excess fat afterwards. That’s crucial for keeping this meal balanced. Once the venison is browned, toss in those 2 cups of chopped broccoli florets. Keep cooking them right there with the meat until they get nice and tender. We don’t want crunchy surprises for your dog!

Combining and Cooling the Venison, Quinoa & Broccoli Dog Food

When both components are ready, it’s time to bring them together! Dump that cooked quinoa into the bowl with your venison and bright green broccoli mix. Stir everything really well so the ingredients are totally combined—you want every scoop to have a bit of everything. This last step is vital: you MUST let the entire mixture cool completely down to room temperature before you even think about serving it to your dog. No warm scoops!

Tips for Perfecting Your Venison, Quinoa & Broccoli Dog Food

Making this is already great, but if you want to treat your dog like the royalty they are, a few small tweaks really push this recipe over the top. I find that prepping dog food is just another extension of feeding myself clean food—it’s all about quality sourcing!

If you struggle to find ground venison at your regular spot, don’t sweat it. Check with local butchers or even specialty grocery stores; lean venison is worth looking for, but if absolutely necessary, lean ground turkey or chicken works in a pinch, though you’ll miss that deep, earthy flavor. For batch cooking, which I highly recommend because an hour of work yields six cups!

I love to use this healthy homemade dog food prep strategy: make a big batch and divide it into quart containers. Pop them right in the freezer. Then, just thaw one container in the fridge the night before you need it. It makes busy weeknights so much easier!

Ingredient Notes and Substitutions for Dog Food

When I started focusing on cleaner eating for myself, I immediately applied that same scrutiny to Buster’s bowl. You are using venison here because it’s incredibly lean and packed with important nutrients, but I know not everyone has easy access to game meat! Don’t let that stop you from making this super diet-friendly dog food.

If your local store is out of venison, think lean, lean, lean! You want to mimic that low-fat, high-protein profile. I’d suggest sticking to ground turkey or skinless, boneless ground chicken. Just make sure you drain off every bit of visible fat after browning—we are aiming for nutritious support, not heavy grease here.

And try not to mess too much with the quinoa and broccoli, okay? Quinoa is our powerhouse grain in this blend, and broccoli gives those necessary vitamins that support everything from skin health to eye function. If your pup is *really* picky about broccoli—though most dogs honestly love the texture once it’s tender—you could try small amounts of steamed green beans instead, but keep the ratios similar. The goal is always to keep the plate balanced and clean, just like we do for ourselves!

Storage and Make-Ahead Options for Venison, Quinoa & Broccoli Dog Food

I always tell people in my community that the biggest secret to maintaining clean habits—whether it’s for you or your dog—is making things ahead of time! This recipe is fantastic because it really shines when you make a big batch. You get about six cups of amazing food, which means you don’t want to be cooking this every night!

Storing your finished weekly dog food prep is super easy, but you must keep safety and quality in mind. Since we aren’t adding any weird preservatives, we need to respect the food’s freshness window.

For the short term, airtight containers are your best friends. Leftovers—that’s what I call the portions you plan to feed in the next few days—should be stored right in the refrigerator. You can safely keep them there for up to four days. I usually measure out what I know Buster will eat during the week and keep those portions ready to go.

What about locking in that freshness for the long haul? That’s where the freezer comes in handy! It’s so simple: just divide the rest of the mixture into single-serving portions before you freeze anything up. This way, when you need a meal, you just pull one little container out the night before, let it thaw in the fridge, and voilà! Fresh, clean food ready for feeding time. It makes sticking to a healthy routine for your dog totally doable, even when life gets busy!

Essential Equipment for Preparing Dog Meals

You don’t need a pantry full of fancy contraptions to nail this recipe, which I love! When I first started cleaning up the food my family—and later my pets—ate, I was intimidated by complex tool lists. But making this wonderful meal comes down to the basics you probably already own. We’re keeping it real, just like we do with clean eating principles for ourselves.

Here’s what you absolutely need ready before you start chopping and mixing:

• A large skillet or pot—this is where that venison and broccoli will get perfectly cooked together.
• Your trusty cutting board. Safety first, always!
• A sharp knife for chopping those broccoli florets into nice, dog-friendly bites.

That’s it! Seriously. No stand mixers, no special steaming baskets, just good old-fashioned cooking tools to get this protein-packed meal ready for your pup.

Frequently Asked Questions About Venison, Quinoa & Broccoli Dog Food

I always get questions about making homemade food, especially when someone is used to just grabbing a bag off the shelf. When I look at feeding my dog clean, intentional meals, I want clarity! So, let’s tackle some things you might be wondering about this specific easy homemade dog food recipe.

Is broccoli safe for dogs to eat in this recipe?

Oh, absolutely! Broccoli is fantastic for dogs in moderation. It’s loaded with Vitamin C and fiber. The key thing here, which we made sure to cover in the instructions, is cooking it until it’s tender—no one wants hard, sharp bits in their tummy! Also, make sure you’re only using the florets and stems, and never feed them large quantities at once. A little bit of green goodness is a wonderful, clean addition to their meal!

Can I use a different lean meat instead of venison?

That’s a really common question, especially if you can’t source venison easily. Remember, the whole point of using venison here is that it tends to be exceptionally lean, which supports good weight management—a big focus for me at Melt It Clean! If you absolutely cannot find venison, you can certainly swap it for lean ground turkey or skinless, boneless ground chicken. Just be extra diligent about draining all the rendered fat after browning the meat. We need to keep those fat levels low and the protein high, similar to the goals we have when planning meals for bigger pups.

How do I adjust this recipe for a very small dog versus a giant breed?

That’s where meal prepping really pays off! The recipe yields about six cups total, which is perfect for a standard-sized dog for a few days. For a very small dog breed, you’ll definitely want to portion this out into smaller, freezer-safe bags immediately. You might only feed a quarter-cup per meal, so six cups will last much longer. For giant breeds, you might need to double or triple the recipe to get enough food for more than one day, but the base ratios—the way the venison, quinoa, and broccoli interact—stay the same. Just cook a bigger batch in a bigger pot and keep testing for doneness!

Is wet food better than this homemade mix?

That’s a great point about moisture! While commercial wet food is high in water content, this homemade mix relies on the incredible moisture locked into the freshly cooked broccoli and quinoa. As long as you follow the storage guidelines and don’t let it dry out in the fridge, this fresh mix provides clean ingredients without mystery gums or stabilizers often found in canned food. It’s all about intentional, real nutrition, which, let’s be honest, is what we strive for in our own eating habits, too!

Estimated Nutritional Snapshot

When I started focusing on clean eating for my own wellness journey, I realized how important transparency is! You need to know what you’re putting *into* your body, and that feeling doubles when you’re preparing food for your beloved pet. Since this recipe is fresh, whole goodness, knowing the make-up helps you balance out their diet across the week.

This chart gives you a rough idea of what’s in one cup of this amazing pup nourishment guide meal:

• Calories: Approximately 350
• Protein: Around 35g (Fantastic source of building blocks!)
• Carbohydrates: About 30g (Mostly from the quinoa and broccoli)
• Fat Content: Roughly 12g (Keep in mind this is low because we drained the venison!)

Now, and this is super important, remember that I’m not a certified vet nutritionist! These figures are calculated estimates based purely on the ingredients we put in—the lean venison, the dry quinoa, and the broccoli. Things like how much fat actually renders off the meat or tiny variations in your produce can change the final numbers slightly. This is a great guideline to ensure you’re hitting those high-protein goals, but always check in with your vet if you have specific dietary concerns for your dog!

Share Your Venison, Quinoa & Broccoli Dog Food Success

I truly hope this simple, clean recipe brings a big tail wag to your house! I put just as much care into sourcing pet food ingredients as I do my own clean eating staples, and I want to know if Buster—or your pup—loved it!

Please leave a comment below and tell me how your first batch of Venison, Quinoa & Broccoli Dog Food turned out. Did they clean the bowl? Did you find the venison easily? I love hearing your success stories!

By EMILIA, Founder of MeltItClean.com

Hi, I’m EMILIA, the founder of MeltItClean.com – your digital space for natural weight loss, real wellness habits, and clean-living inspiration that actually fits your life.

For years, I struggled with the ups and downs of dieting. I tried everything — juice cleanses, low-carb crazes, fitness challenges — but I always ended up back where I started: tired, bloated, and frustrated. I didn’t just want to “lose weight” — I wanted energy, mental clarity, glowing skin, and confidence without sacrificing my joy or sanity.

After years of experimenting, learning, and unlearning, I discovered a simple truth: your body is already powerful — it just needs support, not restriction. That’s when I created Melt It Clean — a site dedicated to real transformation through clean, intentional, and nourishing daily habits that anyone can follow.

My goal was simple: build a place where people could feel informed, supported, and empowered without being overwhelmed by wellness fads.