Meatloaf is an iconic dish of American cuisine, and our Instant Pot meatloaf recipe gives a twist on the classic for a quicker and more effortless version.
Being able to cook the potatoes and meatloaf in the same pot is life-changing. The potatoes cook in the bottom of the pot while the loaf is steamed on the wire rack. The result is tender beef glazed with the tomato sauce and creamy potatoes, all ready to be put on the table.
Best of all, you can save the leftovers and create various quick and easy dishes for the week ahead.
Is Instant Pot Meatloaf Healthy?
Yes, our Instant Pot meatloaf recipe is healthy. Here’s why:
It’s not calorie-dense: Our meatloaf recipe ends up containing only 500 calories per serving. This allows you to pair the dish with salad or soup, and a fresh drink on the side, creating a satisfying meal filled with nutrients.
It’s low in sodium: The salt comes from both the loaf and the sauce, which gives 558 mg of sodium per serving. The amount aligns with USDA’s Dietary Guidelines while still ensuring the dish is irresistibly flavorful.
It’s packed with protein: Each serving provides 29.5 g of protein — almost 60% of what we need each day. This means the dish can keep you feeling full longer.
Meatloaf Sauce
Meatloaf often has a glaze as a flavor enhancer. Our meatloaf sauce combines ketchup with tomato paste, brown sugar, and mustard for an irresistible flavor punch.
This tangy-sweet, umami-rich glaze balances out the meat’s richness, making it an essential companion for the loaf. If you like to have a more spicy kick, you can substitute half of the ketchup in our recipe with sriracha.
How to Cook Meatloaf in the Instant Pot
It helps to get all of the ingredients out and ready to go, then you can follow these simple steps:
Make the meat mixture.
Shape the loaf.
Make the sauce.
Lay potatoes and meatloaf in the Instant Pot.
Glaze the loaf.
Stir fry potatoes.
Garnish with scallions.
Slice the loaf. Serve warm with potatoes.
Tips for Cooking Instant Pot Meatloaf
85% Lean Meat: Basically, you can use any type of meat in a meatloaf recipe, including beef, pork, goat, chicken, and turkey. However, ground meat with a bit of fat makes a more tender and juicy meatloaf.
Handle With Care: Once all the ingredients are assembled in the bowl, we suggest using your hand or a wooden spoon to gently mix just long enough so that everything becomes incorporated. And when forming the loaf shape, gently pat around the meatloaf mixture rather than pushing it too hard. Otherwise, squishing it too much will make a tough and dense meatloaf.
Let The Loaf Rest: Before slicing your cooked loaf, allow it to rest for 5 – 10 minute which gives the juice a little time to settle and redistribute. This will prevent the slices from crumbling and falling apart before serving.
If you want more meatloaf dishes, feel free to try our traditional meatloaf versions.
How to Store and Reheat Instant Pot Meatloaf
- To Store:
For safety and quality, we recommend placing your meatloaf in an airtight container or wrapping it tightly in aluminum foil or plastic wrap. Refrigerate for up to 3 – 4 days or keep frozen for up to 6 months.
- To Reheat:
When planning to reheat the meatloaf, it’s best to transfer it from the freezer and place it in the fridge the night before. Then sprinkle with a few tablespoons of broth and bake it (temperatures can be found in the recipe). You can check the doneness using a thermometer — the internal temperature should reach 160°F.
What to Do With Leftover Meatloaf
Don’t worry if you find yourself with a lot of leftover meatloaf as the dish is surprisingly versatile. That extra piece of deliciousness can be used for anything from pasta or grilled sandwiches, to tacos and fried rice.
- Meatloaf Spaghetti: Cut up a few slices of your meatloaf and soak them in the pot with your pasta sauce. Toss in the spaghetti and add aromatic herbs like parsley or basil for a hearty dinner that’s ready in a matter of minutes.
- Meatloaf Sandwiches: Using meatloaf for sandwich filling is the most popular way to use leftovers. Add ketchup, mayonnaise, cheese, and vegetables of choice, and you have a super quick-yet-tasty lunch.
- Fried Rice: This crowd-pleaser contains everything you love: broken-up meatloaf, cubed vegetables, eggs, and umami soy sauce. Everything is tossed up in a pan for a perfect, mouthwatering, Asian-inspired meal.
Side Dishes for Instant Pot Meatloaf
Potatoes are a standard side dish for any beef recipe such as hamburgers, steak, and of course, meatloaf. Though there are tons of ways to prepare this versatile veggie, perhaps the most classic way for this dish is mashed potatoes.
The dish can’t get any easier since you only have to mash boiled potatoes with butter and seasoning and you also could use the potatoes from the Instant Pot. A key tip is to add extra cheese and cream for an even more silky consistency and creamier taste.
We all enjoy simple sides that don’t require much time and effort. Another veggie option is our sautéed green beans where you just cook up the beans with some butter until crunchy and flavorful.
Aside from vegetables, garlic bread also works as an easy-to-prepare accompaniment for meatloaf. Simply slather your bread with butter and chopped fresh garlic, you could also add cheese, and pop them in the oven for a few minutes until your bread becomes golden and crispy.
If you’re a big fan of instant pot, this delicious instant pot dinner roundup might be of help.
Instant Pot Meatloaf Recipe
Make a classic and delicious meatloaf in half the time with our quick and straightforward Instant Pot meatloaf recipe.
- cook TIME 20 mins
- prep TIME 15 mins
- total TIME 35 mins
- COURSE Dinner, Lunch, Main Course
- CUISINE American
- SERVINGS servings
- CALORIES 499 kcal
INGREDIENTS
- 18 oz85% lean ground beef
- 0.5 tbspolive oil
- 1 medium egg
- 0.5 tspsalt
- 0.5 tspblack pepper
- 1 tspgarlic powder
- 1 tsponion powder
- 1 ozonion (chopped)
- 0.5 tbspWorcestershire sauce
- 1.5 ozplain Panko breadcrumbs
- 2 tbspHeinz ketchup
- 0.5 tbspHunt's tomato paste
- 0.5 tspbrown sugar
- 0.5 tsptraditional Dijon mustard
- 20 ozpotatoes (cubed)
- 0.5 cupwater
- 1 tbspunsalted butter
- 2 tbspgarlic (chopped)
- 2 tbspscallions (chopped)
INSTRUCTIONS
Make the meat mixture: In a large bowl, mix 18 oz lean ground beef, 1/2 tbsp olive oil, 1 medium egg, 1/2 tsp salt, 1/2 tsp black pepper, 1 tsp garlic powder, 1 tsp onion powder, 1 oz onion, 1/2 tbsp Worcestershire sauce, and 1.5 oz breadcrumbs until just combined. Let it sit for about 10 minutes.
Form the loaf: Shape the meat mixture into a loaf and place on a piece of aluminum foil.
Make the sauce: In a small bowl, whisk together 2 tbsp ketchup, 1/2 tbsp tomato paste, 1/2 tsp brown sugar, and 1/2 tsp mustard. Set aside.
Set the Instant Pot to ‘stew meat’ mode, add 20 oz potatoes and 1/2 cup water to the pot. Place the wire rack over the potatoes and place the meatloaf on top of the rack. Secure the lid and cook for 15 minutes.
Once done, quickly release the pressure and carefully lift the meatloaf out of the pot. Brush the glaze all over the loaf.
Remove the potatoes from the pot. Switch to ‘sauté mode’, heat 1 tbsp unsalted butter and 2 tbsp garlic until fragrant. Add potatoes and stir fry, about 1 - 2 minutes. Remove from heat.
Sprinkle 2 tbsp chopped scallions on the meatloaf.
Slice the loaf. Serve warm with potatoes.
NUTRITION
Tuyet Pham
Professional Chef
Luna Regina
Founder
Lizzie Streit, MS, RDN, LD
Nutrition Reviewer