Instant Pot Meatloaf made in the pressure cooker is one of my favorite ways to make dinner. Made with ground beef, ketchup, Worcestershire sauce, brown sugar, saltine crackers, and more. It’s the perfect Instant Pot dinner recipe that’s made in just under 30 minutes.
Everyone loves it, even the kids!
AND It’s as delicious as my oven-baked homemade meatloaf recipe.
Meatloaf is always a good choice for dinner in my house. Everyone loves it and we never have any leftovers. It’s one of my favorite things to make, and it’s even faster when made in the Instant Pot.
No more long oven cooking times with this recipe! It’s a hearty, savory dish that everyone gobbles up quickly.
HOW MANY MEATLOAFS CAN I MAKE IN THE INSTANT POT
I use an 8 quart Instant Pot because I have a HUGE family. We typically have big meals and are lucky to have leftovers for the next day. This 8 quart Instant Pot helps.
If you want to use mini meatloaf pans, you can actually place two of those easily inside of an 8 quart pressure cooker. However, I am going to share with you how I make a large, family sized meatloaf that doesn’t require any pans at all.
So keep reading!
WHAT INGREDIENTS ARE IN MEATLOAF?
Instant Pot Meatloaf is made the same way as my family’s favorite meatloaf recipe. Here is what you will need for this delicious and savory dish.
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You’ll notice I use saltine crackers versus panko or breadcrumbs. The reason is because the crushed saltine crackers give this the perfect texture and fills out the pan or foil packet perfectly when cooked. It also makes the meat mixture easier to shape when it has the additional texture the crushed saltines lend to it.
Here are all of the ingredients you will need:
- ground beef – LEAN is what you want to use for this recipe, 93% lean to be exact.
- brown sugar – You’re going to LOVE how this tastes with the final product.
- saltine crackers – No breadcrumbs here, we use the good stuff.
- onion
- milk
- bell pepper (optional, but just DO IT!)
- egg
- ketchup – It’s a crime to have meatloaf without ketchup.
- Worcestershire sauce
- Oregano
- salt and pepper to taste
- water
HOW TO MAKE MEATLOAF IN THE INSTANT POT
- Carefully mix all of the ingredients for the meatloaf and combine them loosely. You don’t want to pack your meatloaf tightly because this can cause it to cook unevenly.
- Make sure to shape the meatloaf into a size that will fit inside of your Instant Pot. I find that using two pieces of foil works best and will keep its shape during the cooking process.
- Make sure the foil edges are higher than the loaf so that you can prevent any grease from leaking out of the loaf. Carefully place the loaf inside of the Instant Pot on the trivet.
Those first few steps are probably the most important in ensuring that your Instant Pot Meatloaf comes out perfectly. Well, that and cooking it for the appropriate amount of time!. 🙂
Instant Pot Meatloaf Recipe
Time needed: 30 minutes
How to Make Instant Pot Meatloaf
- Place trivet in the Instant Pot and pour 1 1/2 cups water into the bottom.
- Combine meat, egg, crackers, onion, bell pepper, milk, salt, pepper, and oregano. Mix until combined.
- Place a piece of foil on a flat surface and then add the meat mixture to the top of the foil. Press the meat mixture into a loaf. Fold the foil around the meat mixture and add a second piece to keep the form of a loaf.
- Carefully place the loaf on top of the trivet inside of the Instant Pot. Slide the lid into the locking position and make sure the vent is set to seal.
- Manual cook the meatloaf for 28 minutes. Allow for a 10 minute natural pressure release. Carefully do a manual release until the pin drops and then open the Instant Pot.
- Mix the ketchup, Worcestershire, and brown sugar. Add the ketchup mixture to the top of the meatloaf. Place the meatloaf into the oven under broil for three to five minutes, careful not to burn. Remove meatloaf from the oven and allow it to rest for 10 minutes before removing the foil, slicing and serving.
That topping of ketchup, Worcestershire, and brown sugar are amazing together and create the most decadent glaze that finishes this recipe perfectly.
What Do I Serve with Meatloaf?
I have always had meatloaf with mashed potatoes, but you can also serve it with a few additional sides. Consider serving with:
- salad
- macaroni and cheese
- green beans
- herb rolls
How do I store leftover meatloaf?
If you have any leftovers, store them in an airtight container and refrigerate them for up to 3 days.
YOU MIGHT ALSO ENJOY:
If you love this Instant Pot Meatloaf as much as we do, you might also like some of our other favorite easy Instant Pot recipes.
- Easy Instant Pot Beef Tips
- Instant Pot Chili
- Instant Pot Hawaiian Chicken
- Instant Pot Crack Chicken Pasta
- Instant Pot Mississippi Pot Roast
Instant Pot Meatloaf FAQs
You want to cook meatloaf for approximately 28 minutes to ensure the meatloaf is fully cooked. Then allow the meatloaf to naturally release for 10 minutes before carefully initiating a manual release.
Add quartered potatoes to the bottom of the Instant Pot and add any seasonings. Place the trivet with the meatloaf over the potatoes. Once the meatloaf has finished cooking, remove the meatloaf and add any additional ingredients as you stir and mash the potatoes.
Grab the full, free printable recipe card below with all of our notes and tips to make this meatloaf one of your favorite Instant Pot recipes. It’s a quick and easy dish that your whole family is sure to enjoy.
If you enjoyed this recipe, make sure to let us know by rating the recipe card. It lets us know you enjoyed it, and lets new readers see what a great recipe it is!
Instant Pot Meatloaf
Equipment
- Pressure Cooker
Ingredients
- 1 1/2 lb lean ground beef
- 3/4 cup milk
- 2 eggs
- 1 1/2 tsp salt
- 1 tsp pepper
- 1/2 tsp Oregano
- 1 small onion chopped
- 1/2 cup bell pepper chopped
- 3/4 cup saltine crackers finely crushed
- 1 1/2 cup water
Ketchup Glaze
- 1 cup ketchup
- 1/2 cup brown sugar
- 1 tbsp Worcestershire sauce
Instructions
- In a medium sized mixing bowl combine ground beef, egg, milk, seasoning, crackers, onion, and bell pepper. Place a piece of foil on a flat surface and loosely form a loaf. Shape the foil around the loaf to stabilize, and place a second piece of foil around to hold it securely into place.
- Add 1 1/2 cup of water to the bottom of the Instant Pot. Place the trivet into the bottom. Carefully add the loaf to the top of the trivet. Secore the lid of the Instant Pot and make sure the vent is set to seal. Manually cook for 28 minutes.
- Allow the Instant Pot to naturally realease for 10 minutes, and then carefully perform a manual release. Carefully remove the meatloaf from the Instant Pot to a baking sheet.
- Heat the oven to broil. Combine the ketchup, brown sugar, and Worcestershire sauce. Brush the ketchup glaze onto the top of the meatloaf. Place in the oven for two minutes, carefully watching to make sure the glaze doesn't brown or burn.
- Remove the meatloaf from the oven and allow it to sit for 10 minutes before removing the foil and slicing the meatloaf to serve.
Notes
Nutrition
*Nutritional information is a calculated guesstimate. Please note that this can change with different brands and modifications you may make to the recipe. For the most accurate information, use a nutritional calculator with the exact brands and measurements you’re using with each recipe.
©PinkWhen 2023
I used a half pound of sausage with a pound of burger. This was the best meatloaf we had ever had. The only problem was that there was no leftovers for later😉. Definitely adding this recipe to make list of meals to make more often.
Can I double this recipe and it still cook correctly In the instant pot?
Hmmm…I would be careful with that and am not sure without testing it. I think you would definitely want to add additional time to the manual cook time to make sure it is cooked all the way through.
My two year old LOVED this meal!
YAY! I am so glad 🙂 We LOVE it too!