This down-home and cozy Instant Pot Meatloaf recipe is melt-in-your-mouth good and topped with an irresistible tangy and sweet glaze. But above all, it’s a delicious comfort recipe that you can turn to any night of the week.
If you love dinners in the Instant Pot, you’ve got to try our classic Instant Pot Pork chops and gravy. Perfect to serve with Instant Pot Mashed potatoes!
Why Instant Pot Meatloaf Works
This meatloaf is just like an old family meatloaf recipe, but I’ve made it so much faster with an Instant Pot. Here are a few reasons why you (and your kids) will love it,
- Prep is speedy. There’s only 5 minutes of hands-on time, and then you can set-and-forget it with the Instant Pot. It makes for a fabulous busy night menu.
- Dry meatloaf? Not here. Unlike traditional oven-baked meatloaf, you won’t find a dry bite here. The Instant Pot locks in all of the flavor and moisture.
- The perfect comfort food. I like this recipe any time, but it’s especially timely during the colder months. It will fill and warm you up. Pair it with mashed potatoes for the full effect.
We also love a good instant pot chili recipe to keep on hand for busy weeknights! No need to simmer all day here.
Important Ingredient Notes
- Ground Beef – Grab the ground beef labeled 80% lean, 20% fat for the juiciest meatloaf that isn’t too greasy.
- Quick-Cook Oatmeal – You might find this labeled as Quick Oats at the grocery store. You could also use old fashioned oats, I would just avoid steel cut oats.
- Cheddar Cheese – Shred it yourself, or buy a package of pre-shredded cheese for convenience.
- Milk – Any dairy milk will work in this recipe, so if you want to lighten it up, use fat-free or 2%.
- Egg– helps bind the beef together for a tender texture.
- Brown Sugar – I recommend light brown sugar for this recipe since the molasses flavor isn’t too overpowering. If you use dark brown sugar, expect a more intense flavor.
- Yellow Mustard – Plain yellow mustard is all you need to give this recipe a little tang. But you could use spicy brown or dijon if you’d like.
How to Make Meatloaf in the Pressure Cooker
Shape the loaf.
- Add all of the loaf ingredients to a large mixing bowl, and combine them with your hands.
- Place the mixture atop two sheets of aluminum foil laid in a cross pattern on your counter. Shape it into a loaf and fold the foil up around the edges to create a bowl shape.
Add the glaze.
- Mix the glaze ingredients in a small bowl.
- Spoon the glaze on the meatloaf.
Cook it. Add a cup of water to your Instant Pot, and lower your loaf into the pot using the trivet. Cook on high for 35 minutes. When cooking is complete, slice and serve it hot.
Serving Suggestions
Serve any of these side dishes with this Instant Pot Meatloaf, and there will be full bellies and satisfied smiles all around the table.
- Slow Cooked Green Bean Casserole is another hands-off dish that can be cooked at the same time as the meatloaf without much effort or attention.
- Copycat Panera Macaroni and Cheese is perfect when you’re in the mood for pairing comfort food with more comfort food. We’ve all been there.
- Sweet Potato Casserole is salty, sweet, and combines many similar flavors as the meatloaf. It’s a perfect pairing.
- Oven Baked Mashed Potatoes are so easy and convenient. Since your Instant Pot will already be occupied, this is a simple way to enjoy classic mashed potatoes without all the effort and fuss.
Depending on the time of year, these are a few of our favorite side dishes:
Don’t forget to complete your meal with dessert. A simple sugar cookie or slice of Instant Pot Cheesecake.
Recipe FAQs
Yes. You can use quick cook oats or old fashioned rolled oats for today’s meatloaf. Just be sure to avoid steel cut oats.
My Instant Pot is the 6 Quart Duo model. The recipe was tested in this device, so if your pressure cooker is a different size or brand, your settings and cook times may vary slightly.
Store leftovers in an airtight container or resealable freezer bag in the fridge for up to 5 days. Or, you can wrap leftover meatloaf in foil and slide that into a resealable freezer bag. In the freezer, it can last up to 4 months.
If your meatloaf is frozen, you must thaw it in the fridge overnight. Then, you can microwave it, pan-sear it on the stovetop, or bake it in the oven until hot. If you bake it in the oven, tent it with foil so it doesn’t dry out. I also like to air-fry it because it heats up quickly and develops delicious crispy edges.
More Instant Pot Recipes
- Instant Pot Mississippi Pot Roast Recipe
- Butter Chicken
- Chicken Noodle Soup
- Instant Pot Pot Roast
- Beef Stroganoff
- Instant Pot Stuffed Pepper Casserole
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Instant Pot Meatloaf
Ingredients
- 1 pound ground beef
- ¼ cup diced onion
- ½ teaspoon garlic powder
- ½ cup quick cook oatmeal
- ½ cup shredded cheddar cheese
- ¼ cup milk
- 1 large egg
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper
- ¼ cup ketchup
- ¼ cup light brown sugar packed
- ½ teaspoon yellow mustard
Instructions
- In a big bowl, combine ground beef, diced onion, garlic powder, quick cook oatmeal, shredded cheddar cheese, milk, one egg, salt, and pepper.
- Use your hands to mix, but DO NOT OVER MIX. The more mixing you do, the tougher the meat will get.
- Lay two large sheets of aluminum foil on the counter in a cross pattern. Place the ball of meat in the center where they cross, and shape the meat into a small loaf.
- Fold the foil up so that it creates a "bowl" around the meatloaf, this is where the drippings from the meat will collect.
- In a small bowl, combine ketchup, brown sugar, and mustard with a whisk. Spread over the top of the meatloaf.
- Place the foil lined meatloaf on an Instant Pot trivet (I use the one that came with my pressure cooker). Add one cup of water to the Instant pot, then lower the trivet into the pot.
- Secure the lid and make sure the vent is set to "SEALING".
- Pressure Cook on high pressure for 35 minutes.
- When cook time ends, allow to naturally release pressure for ten minutes. Do a quick release of the pressure.
- Remove meatloaf from the foil (be careful the drippings will be hot). Slice on a platter and serve. You can whip up a little extra of the sauce if you want to add more color (it's not a pretty sight, haha).
Notes
- Meatloaf can be stored in the refrigerator up to 5 days after cooking.
- Today’s recipe was tested in my Instant Pot 6qt duo. Settings may vary with different brands and styles. Prep time does not include the time it takes for Instant Pot to come to pressure or naturally release, please keep this in mind when planning your meal.
- Wrap meatloaf in foil and slide into a freezer safe ziploc bag after cooking. Thaw in refrigerator overnight and heat slices individually in microwave.
- Instead of spreading all the glaze on the meatloaf before cooking, reserve some for garnish. Then, once the meatloaf has finished cooking, mix the drippings with the glaze you set aside to create a delicious sauce to spoon over each serving.
- Not a fan of foil? Parchment paper works great too!
- To ensure your meatloaf is fully cooked, insert a digital meat thermometer into the thickest part of the loaf. If the temperature reads 160°F or higher, it’s fully cooked.
- See blog post for more recipe tips and tricks.
Nutrition
Family Favorite Dinners
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Tender and Moist, this easy Instant Pot Meatloaf is the perfect weeknight recipe. Topped with a tangy and sweet glaze, your family will love this delicious meatloaf recipe.
Can I use Breadcrumbs instead of oatmeal
I ended up putting the meatloaf in a greased 9×5 loaf pan for 1 hour at 350° (and I omitted the onion/salt/pepper) – it was just delicious!!!
I ended up putting the meatloaf in a greased 9×5 loaf pan for 1 hour at 350° (and I omitted the onion/salt/pepper) – it was just delicious!!!
Can you cook potatoes in with the meatloaf for mashed potatoes
Tried this meatloaf foe the first time, only using my own recipe for the mix. Cooked it for the 35 mins, but it ended up needing more time. I think that was because my meatloaf ended up being nearly 3lbs. Added an extra 15 mins to make sure the middle wasn’t pink. And it came out perfectly!
Do you need to cover the meatloaf or just the bowl for Up the sides of meatloaf.
I don’t cover it.
Have you tried without tin foil? Or is there something else I could wrap it in? We try not to use it.
Why, oh why does my meatloaf not cook properly. I followed the recipe to a T and still…
What about it didn’t cook properly?
The last time I attempted meatloaf was over 20 years ago, so I was sceptical. I just got it out of the instapot and it’s delicious, THANK YOU!
So glad to hear it!
This is almost identical to my old, well-loved family recipe (except we also add shredded carrots). I have struggled to get this to turn out in my Instant Pot – I can’t wait to try it again using your instructions!
Hi! Thank you for the recipe . It looks like in the picture that you have the meat loaf inside of a pan inside of the instant pot ? If so what did you use ? Thank you so much
I made a foil “pan” and put it on the trivet.
Can this recipe be made with ground turkey?
Can you do this with 3lbs of ground meat in the 8qt IP? Would you triple the time?
I haven’t tested with an 8 qt, but you definitely wouldn’t need to triple the time.
Would this work to double it, or at least 1.5x it? What would that do to the cook time?
Thanks!
I should say that I’ve already made it and love it. Now I just want to make it with the possibility of leftovers 🙂
This is awesome. I love meat loaf and making it in the instant pot makes it so quick!
My family loves meat loaf and I love using the IP! This recipe was perfect for us! Thanks so much!
Everyone at my house really loved it! So yummy!
I totally agree. Meatloaf is totally un-photogenic but it’s such a great homey comfort food. This recipe is wonderful.
Another great recipe for my Instant Pot! My kids love meatloaf; I will have to make this for dinner tonight; looks delicious!
Has all the flavor that I want it to but is SO much easier with the instant pot!