Did you know you can make your own herbal salve… in the Instant Pot?!
Yes, you read that right.
The Instant Pot is the perfect tool for making a handmade salve. The process is even mostly hands-free — giving you more time for all of your other projects.
The recipe requires 2 simple steps. First, you make an herb-infused oil. Second, you make an herbal salve. That’s really it!
Here’s how to make an herbal salve in the Instant Pot!
Homemade Herbal Salve In The Instant Pot
Did you know you can make your own herbal salve... in the Instant Pot?! The process is even mostly hands-free -- giving you more time for all of your other projects. The recipe requires 2 simple steps. First, you make an herb-infused oil. Second, you make an herbal salve.
Ingredients
For the herb-infused oil:
- 1 ounce herbs of choice (see below for ideas)
- 1 1/4 cups extra virgin olive oil extra virgin
- 1 Mason jar small enough to fit in Instant Pot
For the herbal salve:
- small glass or metal cosmetic jars small glass or metal, clean and dry
- 1 cup herb-infused oil
- 1/4 cup beeswax pastilles pellets or grated
- 6 to 8 drops essential oils of choice, optional
Instructions
Step #1: Making An Herb-Infused Oil
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Fill Mason jar about 1/2 full of dried herb of choice.
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Add olive oil to cover the herb by at least 1 inch. For an herbal salve, you need 1 cup of finished oil, so make sure to cover the herb with at least 1 1/4 cups of olive oil.
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If you chose multiple herbs, repeat the steps above for the others. The 6-quart Instant Pot fits at least 3 Mason jars at a time, depending on their size.
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Place the jar(s), uncovered, in the Instant Pot on a trivet and secure the lid. You do not need to add water at this stage.
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Put the Instant Pot on the yogurt setting and set the time for anywhere between 24 and 72 hours. The longer the time, the more potent the finished oil.
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When time is complete, strain herbs out of the oil using a fine strainer and/or cheesecloth. Gently press the herbs to get as much oil out as possible.
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Use the herbal oil by itself, or continue to Step #2 to make it into an herbal salve!
Step #2: Making An Herbal Salve
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Fill Instant Pot with about 2 inches of water.
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Choose the Slow Cook setting and set the timer for 30 minutes.
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Pour oil into a Pyrex measuring cup or Mason jar.
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Stir in the beeswax.
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Place the measuring cup or jar into Instant Pot, being careful not to get any water into the oil. Do not cover the Instant Pot.
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Stir the mixture periodically until all of the beeswax has melted. Mine usually takes somewhere between 20 and 30 minutes.
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When the beeswax is fully melted, put a few drops of the oil mixture onto a piece of wax paper to check the consistency.
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Let it cool for a minute or two. If the consistency is too hard, add a little more oil. If it's too soft, add a little more beeswax.
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Once you're happy with the consistency, remove measuring cup or Mason jar from the Instant Pot.
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Add essential oils, if using.
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Immediately pour into cosmetic jars.
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Leave to cool.
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Once cool, put the lids on the jars. They are now ready to use!
Recipe Notes
- The Instant Pot is the perfect tool for making a handmade salve. The process is even mostly hands-free — giving you more time for all of your other projects.
Commonly Used Herbs
- Arnica flowers
- Calendula (my favorite)
- Chamomile flowers
- Dandelion flowers
- Lavender
- Plantain leaf
- Yarrow flowers
Did you know you could make an herbal salve in the Instant Pot? Have you tried it?
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Hi, Andrea! This is a little off topic, but not too far, I promise. I’ve got a Midea (the original multi cooker by the manufacturer of Instant Pot) Cooker. This is a great idea for oils. I wish I had thought of it! Thanks to you, I will no longer have to wait weeks for my infused oils!
My question is, have you ever tried this with tinctures? Since the yogurt setting stays well below boiling, it shouldn’t burn off the alcohol, but do you think it would evaporate too much to be a viable option? Maybe covering the jar with plastic wrap would help with evaporation. What do you think?
Hi Mare,
I have not tried it with tinctures, in fact, I never thought of it. Although I often use the warming method as a way to speed up the process of making an herbal oil, I have always tinctured my herbs in alcohol at room temperature over several weeks. That being said, I suppose it might work similarly, and the yogurt setting is definitely a low heat. Why not try a very small batch and see what happens? (and then let us know what you think!)
I don’t have an instant pot, nor the room to store one. Could you please provide directions for preparing this on the stovetop?
Hi Christine,
Here is a stovetop version: https://traditionalcookingschool.com/2014/12/02/make-your-own-calendula-salve-a-quick-and-easy-gift-idea/
I have an instant pot but do not have the yogurt button. Is there a way to do this without using the yourgur setting. Also what would this salve be used for? I have never made or used one.
Hi Casey, You can make the herb-infused oil on the stove using a double broiler, or by allowing the herbs to sit in the oil for several weeks. Instructions for both methods can be found here: https://traditionalcookingschool.com/2014/12/02/make-your-own-calendula-salve-a-quick-and-easy-gift-idea/ The herbs in this salve would be good for cuts, scrapes, rashes, and bruises.
Are you supposed to put any water in the instant pot? i.e. like a double boiler. I don’t want the mason jar to break.
You don’t need water. Put the trivet in the bottom and that will keep the jars up off the bottom of the pot.
when infusing the oil with herbs do you set the steam release to venting or sealing? I was wondering if it had to be on venting since it’s in a glass jar?
The steam release valve is set to sealing. I’ve never had a problem using glass jars in the instant pot.
If the jars are left open in the instant pot will water droplets formed on the pot lid fall into the oil? Just worried it may spoil the oil thanks
Unlike the pressure cooking settings, the yogurt setting does not create an abundance of water droplets on the lid. I have had no trouble with water droplets in the oil.
I’ve infused oils in my yogurt maker but I’ve always covered the oils to pervent water from getting in the oil…any thoughts on putting a lid on the jars?
Hi Sandy,
I have not had problems with water dripping into my jars, but if you were worried about it, I don’t think the lids would hurt.
Hi,
I have a question in regards to making an Herb-Infused Oil in Instant Pot – I need to put Mason jar directly into the Instant Pot – not on the trivet with a little bit of water?
Thanks in advance
Eva
Hi Eva,
Yes, the mason jar goes directly into the Instant Pot, no trivet. 🙂
~Danielle, TCS Customer Success Team
Could I use fresh herbs instead of dried? If so, what kind of ratio to oil would I use?
Hi Wendi,
We don’t recommend using fresh herbs when infusing oils. The excess moisture in fresh herbs can cause the oil to spoil.
~ Vicki, TCS Customer Success Team
Thank you – I got excited so trying it anyway with fresh. Planning to let oil sit for a bit after instant pot to let any water settle in bottom and siphon off oil on top to dry clean jar. Wish me luck.
Hello there! I’ve been reading up on herbal salves (specifically for contact dermatitis) and have read from a couple different sources that olive oil can be detrimental to the skin barrier due to the oleic acid in it. However sunflower seed oil and virgin coconut oil keep popping up in various studies that show they actually help to repair compromised skin. I just wanted to contribute that information!
Hi, Katie,
Thank you very much for the information you provided. 🙂
~Peggy, TCS Customer Success Team
I’m wondering if you’ve tried this with coconut oil, as that’s what my mentor recommended. My curiosity is about consistency, because of how coconut oil can go hard when cooled down.
Thank you, thank you. I used to make my own salves years ago, but got tired of the mess on the stove. This looks mess-free.
Hi, I had the same question as another commenter: Do we need to add any water to the Instantpot for the first step, making an herbal infusion? Thank you
Hi, Katie,
Yes, the mason jar goes directly into the Instant Pot, no water. ~Peggy, TCS Customer Success Team
Hello,
If you use lavander, rose, or any other flower, does the oil have a noticeable fragrance to it? I’m trying to find a way to make fragrant body butters without the use of fragrance or essential oils.
Hi, Kristin.
Carla, one of our moderators says, “The smells are still almost as strong as using essential oils. The best I have found is to use the oils in much smaller quantities than most recipes call for.
You maybe could try flower essences also. I don’t know much about them. Or hydrosols I’ve heard they have a muted scent profile, but I’ve never used them. ”
~Danielle, TCS Customer Success Team
That’s a great idea..my goecoatlas@gmail if you figure it out please do drop by for a chat ..I’m going to do some research into it sounds good
Hi – I am planning on using plantain leaves to make a potent infused oil to used in a salve for insect bites – the more potent, the better. I understand the risk of using fresh leaves, but drying the plantain seems counterintuitive to me as it’s the juice from the crushed leaves, rubbed directly onto a bite, that provide such powerful relief. Can I add Vitamin E as a natural preservative when using fresh leaves? If so, do I add the Vitamin E after infusing the oil, while making the salve, or at the end of the final process – stirring it in after the salve is made? Thanks so much for your help.
– Teresa
Hi, Teresa: The process you are considering would be different than the process described in this post. I’m not sure whether vitamin E would prevent spoiling, but you could certainly try it. Also, dried plantain leaves should contain the same compounds as fresh ones — perhaps in a more potent form. So it might work just as well to use the dried leaves in an infusion as described here. —Sonya, TCS Customer Success Team
Hi Sonya,
Thank you so much for answering my questions ?. I feel confident now in trying this with dried plantain and will leave out the vitamin E. Thanks again! ?
– Teresa
Hi, Teresa,
If you do decide to add vitamin E add it after you have strained the infused oil and are adding the beeswax. 🙂
~Peggy, TCS Customer Success Team
Thank you, Peggy!
Should the dried herbs be “wilted/soft” or crunchy after infusion? Thank you!
Hi, Stephanie: Because they will have absorbed some of the liquid, the dried herbs will be softer — so no longer crunchy. 🙂 —Sonya, TCS Customer Success Team
I’m a big fan of calendula-infused oil to use after bathing. I hadn’t seen this recipe and just loaded dried calendula and olive oil in sterilized pasta jar with its original lid and water 3/4 the way up the jar and set on “slow cook.” Do you think this will be an effective process or should I stop the batch and re-do on yogurt setting without the water in the Instant Pot?
Hi, Lori.
I think you can use the “slow cook” feature. It will get warmer than the yogurt setting so you’ll have to watch it closely.
~Danielle, TCS Customer Success Team
Hi! I’m wondering if herbs really need to be infused separately in different jars? I’m making any first salve with several herbs. Is there a reason to do them separately in separate jars? Thank you, so much! Love this post!
Hi, Sarah. If you’re using all the herbs together you can infuse them together. 🙂
~Danielle, TCS Customer Success Team
Thank you!
Hi;
Where you say to place the jars in the instant pot ‘uncovered’, and on a trivet, do you mean not put the instant pot lid on, or the jar lid?
Hi, Ron,
No need to put a lid on the jars but you can if you would like, then place the instant pot lid on.
~Peggy TCS Customer Success Team