Home-Style Instant Pot Meatloaf: Fast Easy Comfort Food

Home-Style Instant Pot Meatloaf turns America’s favorite comfort food into a fast and easy dinner option any night of the week!

Home-Style Instant Pot Meatloaf

It’s comfort food season and meatloaf is a classic. With a blend of ground meat and some exciting spices, this satisfying main dish becomes something to enliven your dinner table.

Want to know a secret that makes it EVEN better?

Making it in the Instant Pot! Pressure cooking the meatloaf makes quick work of dinner prep. It’s on the table in about 90 minutes with only 15 minutes of your personal time!

No Instant Pot? No worries! Try my Taco Meatloaf cooked in a conventional oven (the recipe makes 2 too!)

Home-Style Instant Pot Meatloaf

I don’t make meatloaf often but when I was reviewing new Instant Pot cookbook The “I Love My Instant Pot” Gluten-Free Recipe Book” by Michelle Fagone this classic jumped out at me to try.

I’ve reviewed other Instant Pot cookbooks by Michelle Fagone and have loved them. Instant Pot Smoked Paprika & Garlic Chicken Legs  and Instant Pot Chili Lime Chicken are two of her recipes that are favorites around my dinner table (and many others based on how many visits those recipes receive)!

I hoped making Instant Pot meatloaf would turn out as I imagined and it does not disappoint. It’s a blend of ground beef and ground pork with wonderful spices with a tangy glaze creates a moist flavorful meatloaf in 35 minutes actual cooking time.

The cookbook includes recipes for all meals of the day that are ALL gluten-free! This Home-Style Instant Pot Meatloaf is perfect for both those gluten-free and gluten-eaters (a note what to tweak if you don’t need a gluten-free recipe below).

Ingredients in Instant Pot Meatloaf

The combination of ingredients are key to make this comfort food something exciting.

• Ground beef
• Ground pork
• Chopped onions and
• Red bell pepper
• Eggs
• Tomato sauce
• Spices including smoked paprika and Italian seasoning
• Old fashioned (non instant) oatS are the binder instead of traditional bread crumbs

Check the recipe card below for all the ingredients (also shown in the photo above)!

TIME SAVING TIP: use a mini chopper to prep the onion and red pepper.

What makes this Instant Pot Meatloaf Gluten-Free?

Using old fashioned oats for the binder instead of traditional breadcrumbs as well as Tamari which is a gluten-free version of soy sauce.

An important note on oats for those gluten-free: oats themselves do not contain gluten however the way they are grown can introduce gluten. Always select oats marked ‘gluten-free’ for your recipes if following a gluten-free diet for medical need.

NOT gluten-free and want to make this Instant Pot Meatloaf? Still use old fashioned oats but use traditional soy sauce.

How Long Does Instant Pot Meatloaf Take to Make?

It takes about 15 minutes to create the meatloaf and 35 minutes cooking time.

The meatloaf then has a 10-minute natural release followed by 10 minutes sitting at room temperature (I felt mine could have sat another 5-10 minutes to cool to allow the slices to be released intact).

Total time including the Instant Pot coming to pressure would be (estimated) 90 minutes.

Special Equipment You’ll Need to make Instant Pot Meatloaf

• An Instant Pot (linked to the one I use)
• A 7-cup glass bowl (linked to the one I purchased for this recipe and is shown in the photos)

Prep Tip for Easy Removal of the Meatloaf from the Instant Pot

When the cooking and release cycles are over, there is still steam present after opening the Instant Pot AND the glass bowl will be hot. I allowed the steam to clear for a few minutes and used a kitchen towel to safely grab both sides.

There isn’t much clearance between the sides of the bowl and the Instant Pot making grabbing with oven mitts trickier.

Another option is to create a homemade foil sling as described in this Lime Cheesecake recipe. Review the instructions in the recipe card, create a sling to both lower the meatloaf into the Instant Pot and out when it is done (the sling stays in the Instant Pot during cooking).

How to Make Instant Pot Meatloaf – Step by Step:

Combine the glaze ingredients in a bowl and set aside (photo 1).

In a large bowl combine all the meatloaf ingredients (photos 2) with your hands (photo 3).

Gather a 7-cup glass bowl, the meatloaf and glaze (photo 4).

Form a ball and flatten the top of the meatloaf. Place the meatloaf in a 7-cup glass bowl and brush the top with half of the glaze (photo 5).

Add the water to the Instant Pot and insert the steaming rack (photo 6). Please the glass bowl with the meatloaf on the rack (photo 7). Lock the lid.

Press the ‘MEAT’ button and cook for 35 minutes (the default time). When the cooking completes, allow a NATURAL RELEASE of pressure for 10 minutes followed by a QUICK RELEASE of any remaining pressure.

Home-Style Instant Pot Meatloaf cooling for 10-20 minutes just out of the Instant Pot

Unlock the lid and carefully remove the bowl with the meatloaf (note: it will be hot and steam will be present). Grab the bowl from two sides with a kitchen towel to lift the meatloaf out.

Allow it to cool 10-20 minutes (note: I found after 10 minutes it was still very hot toward the bottom and the slices did not come out fully intact).

Instant Pot Meatloaf after cooking and second glaze

Gently pour out any excess liquid/fat. Brush on the remaining glaze. Slice and serve the meatloaf.

More Instant Pot comfort food recipes you’ll love:

Creamy Mushroom Instant Pot Pot Roast

Instant Pot Gluten-Free Macaroni and Cheese with Green Chilies

The Best Instant Pot Lasagna {A Mindfull Mom}

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Print

Home-Style Instant Pot Meatloaf

This simple recipe for a comfort food classic is made even easier in the Instant Pot. Recipe can be made gluten-free or with gluten.

Course main dish

Cuisine American

Keyword gluten-free meatloaf, instant pot meatloaf

Prep Time 15 minutes

Cook Time 35 minutes

Total Time 1 hour 30 minutes

Servings 6 Serves 4-6

Calories 525 kcal

Author Toni Dash

Ingredients

Glaze

• ½ cup ketchup
• 1 tablespoon dark brown sugar
• 2 teaspoons Dijon mustard

Meatloaf

• 1 pound ground beef
• 1 pound ground pork
• 3 large eggs
• 1 cup old-fashioned oats gluten-free or regular depending on dietary need
• ½ cup peeled and finely diced yellow onion
• ¼ cup seeded and finely diced red bell pepper
• ½ cup tomato sauce
• 2 teaspoons tamari may substitute soy sauce if not gluten-free
• 1 tablespoon Italian seasoning
• ½ teaspoon smoked paprika
• ½ teaspoon garlic powder
• 1 teaspoon salt
• ½ teaspoon ground black pepper
• 1 cup water

Instructions

1. Combine glaze ingredients in a small bowl and set aside.
2. In a large bowl, combine all meatloaf ingredients (except water) with your hands.
3. Form mixture into a ball, flattening the top, then place meatloaf into a 7-cup glass dish. Brush top of meatloaf with 1/2 of glaze mixture.
4. Add water to the Instant Pot®. Insert steam rack. Place glass dish on top of the steam rack. Lock lid.
5. Press the Meat button and cook for the default of 35 minutes. When timer beeps, release pressure naturally for 10 minutes. Quick-release any additional pressure until float valve drops and then unlock lid.

6. Remove meatloaf from pot and let cool at room temperature for 10-20 minutes. 

7. Gently tilt glass bowl over the sink and pour out any liquid. Brush on remaining glaze. Slice meatloaf and serve warm.

Recipe Notes

Excerpted with permission from 'The "I Love My Instant Pot®" Gluten-Free Recipe Book' Copyright © 2018 by Michelle Fagone, published by Adams Media. All rights reserved

Nutrition Facts

Home-Style Instant Pot Meatloaf

Amount Per Serving

Calories 525 Calories from Fat 306

% Daily Value*

Total Fat 34g 52%

Saturated Fat 12g 60%

Cholesterol 201mg 67%

Sodium 940mg 39%

Potassium 674mg 19%

Total Carbohydrates 20g 7%

Dietary Fiber 2g 8%

Sugars 8g

Protein 31g 62%

Vitamin A 12.3%

Vitamin C 13.8%

Calcium 6.7%

Iron 21.4%

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.

Disclosure: I received a copy of ‘I Love My Instant Pot Gluten-Free Recipe Book’ for the purpose of review. All opinions are my own.