Instant Pot Meatloaf

Ingredients

• 680 glean minced beef
• 6 strips (about 80 g)bacon, minced
• 1 mediumonion, roughly chopped
• 6 clovesgarlic, roughly minced
• 2 extra-largeeggs, beaten
• 1½ tspdried oregano
• 1½ tspfennel seeds, ground
• ¾ tspWorcestershire sauce
• ¾ tspkosher salt
• ¼ tspblack pepper
• about 45 g (¾ cup)panko breadcrumbs
• 60 ml (¼ cup)milk
• 90 g total: 55 g freshly grated Parmesan and 35 g mozzarellacheese
• 500 ml (2 cups)unsalted chicken stock
• 398 ml (1½ cups)tomato sauce
• 156 ml (⅔ cup)tomato paste
• 1 tspbasil
• 1 tspdried oregano

Instructions

1. 1

   Mix the meatloaf

   Put all the meatloaf ingredients in a large bowl. Add the dry ingredients first, followed by the wet ingredients, and mix with your hands just until combined; avoid overmixing.

2. 2

   Check seasoning

   Cook a small piece of the mixture in a frying pan over medium-high heat. Taste it and add more seasoning to the mixture if needed.

3. 3

   Shape the loaf

   Gently shape and pack the mixture into a meatloaf that will fit in your pressure cooker. The thickest part can be close to 10 cm.

4. 4

   Make a foil sling

   Fold a piece of aluminium foil lengthways into a long strip, wide enough to support the whole meatloaf. Use it to lift and move the loaf.

5. 5

   Mix the sauce

   Combine the chicken stock, tomato sauce, tomato paste, basil and dried oregano in the pressure cooker. Stir until the tomato paste has dissolved into the mixture.

6. 6

   Pressure cook

   Set a steamer rack in the Instant Pot. Place the foil sling on the rack and carefully set the meatloaf on top. Cook at high pressure for 16 minutes, then allow a full natural pressure release.

7. 7

   Heat the oven

   While the meatloaf and sauce cook, preheat the oven to 230°C (450°F).

8. 8

   Check the meatloaf

   Lift the meatloaf out using the foil sling. Check with a food thermometer that its centre has reached at least 71°C (160°F), then set it aside.

9. 9

   Glaze and finish

   Heat the pressure cooker over medium-low heat, or use the Instant Pot Sauté setting adjusted to More. Bring the sauce to a simmer and reduce it for about 5–8 minutes, until it reaches your preferred consistency. Brush the thickened sauce over the meatloaf, then place it on the oven’s top rack for 10–15 minutes.

10. 10

    Serve the meatloaf

    Serve the meatloaf immediately.

11. 11

    Season serving sauce

    If serving the tomato sauce with pasta or another side, season it first with kosher salt and ground black pepper.

What is Instant Pot meatloaf?

Meatloaf is a familiar American dish made by shaping seasoned minced meat into a loaf and cooking it until set. This version uses the pressure cooker for the main cook, then gives the loaf a brief oven finish.

Bacon, fennel, oregano and cheese bring smoky, savoury flavours, while the tomato sauce cooks underneath. The foil sling makes it easier to lift the delicate cooked loaf out of the pot.

Nutrition and macros by portion

The nutrition label shows one serving as written: 396 calories, 37g protein, 19g carbs, 18g fat.

The beef, eggs and cheese provide most of the protein, while the breadcrumbs and tomato sauce contribute carbohydrates. Beef, bacon, cheese and the sauce ingredients also supply much of the fat; serve a slice with vegetables or salad for a more balanced plate.

Building flavour in the mixture

Beef and bacon: The lean beef forms the base, while minced bacon adds smoky richness. Chop the bacon finely so it distributes evenly through the loaf.

Cheese and seasoning: Parmesan and mozzarella bring salty, savoury notes and a softer texture. Fennel, oregano, garlic and Worcestershire sauce round out the seasoning.

Mix gently and shape evenly

Mix just until the ingredients come together; working the meat too much can make the finished loaf dense. Adding the dry ingredients before the wet ones helps them spread through the mixture.

Shape a compact loaf that fits the cooker, with a reasonably even thickness so it cooks consistently. The foil sling should be wide enough to support it from end to end.

Cooking in the pressure cooker

Rack and sling: The steamer rack keeps the meatloaf above the sauce, and the foil sling provides a way to lift it without breaking it apart. Lower the shaped loaf carefully onto the rack.

Natural release: Let the pressure release fully on its own after the 16-minute high-pressure cook, as directed. Check the centre with a food thermometer before moving on; it must reach at least 71°C.

Reducing and glazing the sauce

Simmer the sauce for about 5–8 minutes, stirring as needed, until it has thickened to your liking. The tomato paste helps give it body, but the final consistency is a matter of preference.

Brush the sauce over the loaf before its oven finish. The brief time on the top rack sets the coating and adds colour without replacing the pressure-cooker cook.

What to serve alongside it

Serve slices with mashed potatoes, roasted vegetables or a simple green salad. Pasta also works well, particularly if you season some of the tomato sauce with salt and black pepper before serving.

The sauce is made in the pressure cooker, so it can serve both as the meatloaf’s glaze and as an accompaniment. Keep some aside before brushing it on if you want extra at the table.

Recipe notes & tips

• Cook a small piece of the mixture before shaping the loaf so you can adjust its seasoning.
• Keep the mixture loose enough to shape gently rather than pressing it firmly together.
• Make the foil sling long and sturdy enough to support the full loaf.
• Use a food thermometer to check the centre has reached at least 71°C.
• Simmer the sauce until it is thick enough to coat the back of a spoon, or stop sooner if you prefer it thinner.
• Season extra sauce with kosher salt and ground black pepper before serving it with pasta or a side dish.

Variations

• Add chilli: Mix a little chilli powder into the meat mixture for gentle heat.
• Use different cheese: Swap the mozzarella for another cheese that melts well.
• Add fresh herbs: Stir chopped parsley into the mixture for a fresh note.
• Serve with pasta: Season extra tomato sauce and spoon it over cooked pasta.
• Make smaller loaves: Divide the mixture into smaller portions, adjusting cooking as needed and checking each centre with a thermometer.

Common mistakes to avoid

• Overmixing the meat: This can make the loaf dense; mix only until the ingredients come together.
• Making the loaf too large: It may not fit in the cooker; shape it to fit before cooking.
• Skipping the sling: The cooked loaf can be difficult to lift intact; use a foil strip beneath it.
• Guessing doneness: Check the centre with a food thermometer and look for at least 71°C.
• Leaving the sauce too thin: Simmer it for the stated 5–8 minutes, or longer if needed to reach your preferred consistency.
• Forgetting to season serving sauce: Taste it and add kosher salt and ground black pepper before serving it as a side.

How to store

Refrigerate leftover meatloaf and sauce in an airtight container for up to 3 days. Reheat slices with some sauce in the microwave or in a covered oven dish until hot throughout.

Frequently asked questions