Country Style, Old Fashioned Meatloaf In the Instant Pot
Country Style Instant Pot Meatloaf – is a southern weeknight staple! A combination of moist ground pork and beef make up the base of this old-fashioned meatloaf. It’s full of savory spices, onions, and peppers. Eggs and oats are used to bind it all together! It’s then topped with tangy Dijon mustard mixed with a brown sugar and ketchup glaze – yum!
This recipe for Home-Style Meatloaf has all of the classic flavors of traditional meatloaf, is gluten-free, and is made in an Instant Pot.
When I think of comfort food, old-fashioned southern-style meatloaf is at the top of my list! Actually, it’s at the top of a lot of people’s lists. Did you know that meatloaf ranks among the top 100 classic comfort foods in America? It’s great for an easy and filling family weeknight meal as well as special occasions.
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
- ½ cup peeled and finely diced yellow onion
- ¼ cup seeded and finely diced red bell pepper
- ½ cup tomato sauce
- 2 teaspoons tamari
- 1 tablespoon Italian seasoning
- ½ teaspoon smoked paprika
- ½ teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon ground black pepper
- 1 cup water
Equipment Needed
- Oven safe glass pan (or aluminum foil if you don’t have a pan)
- Small bowl
- Large bowl
- Basting brush
- Instant Pot
- Steaming Rack (that pairs with Instant Pot)
How To Make Meatloaf in the Instant Pot
First things first, you’ll want to prepare your pan. This meatloaf can be cooked in an oven-safe glass pan (if the pan is safe for the oven, it’s safe for the Instant Pot). If you don’t have a glass pan, like me, you can make do by forming an Instant Pot-safe bowl out of foil. Make sure that the seams are sealed so that it doesn’t leak any juices. For easier cleanup, spray the inside of your pan with cooking spray.
Step 1: Start making the glaze by combining the glaze ingredients in a small bowl. Set the glaze to the side.
Step 2: In a large bowl, combine all meatloaf ingredients (except the water) with your hands. Form the mixture into a ball, flattening the top, then place the meatloaf into a 7-cup glass dish (or the foil bowl as I mentioned above). Brush the top of meatloaf with 1/2 of glaze mixture.
Step 3: Add water to the Instant Pot. Insert a steam rack and then place the glass dish on top of the steam rack. Lock the Instant Pot lid.
Step 4: Press the Meat button and cook for the default of 35 minutes. When the timer beeps, release pressure naturally for 10 minutes. Quick-release any additional pressure until the float valve drops and then unlock the lid.
Step 5: Remove the meatloaf from the pot and let cool at room temperature for 10 minutes. Gently tilt the glass bowl over the sink and pour out any liquid. Brush on the remaining glaze. Slice the meatloaf and serve warm.
Storing Your Old Fashioned Southern Meatloaf
If you happen to have any leftovers of this yummy meatloaf, they can be stored in a sealed container in the fridge for up to 4 days. If you want to freeze your cooked meatloaf, let it cool first, then make sure that it is in an air-tight container. If you want to portion it out, divide it up prior to freezing. Let it thaw completely before reheating.
Substitutions & Variations
If you want to make this meatloaf gluten-free, switch the oats with gluten-free bread crumbs.
What To Pair With Your Southern Style Meatloaf
- This meatloaf pairs perfectly with potatoes – mashed, baked, roasted, au gratin, whichever style is your favorite!
- Wanting to make this a true southern-style comfort meal? Add a side of cornbread or hush puppies.
- If you want to pair veggies with your meatloaf, corn, or green beans, make a perfect side dish.
Just about any dessert will pair well with this Instant Pot meatloaf, but my favorite is definitely banana pudding – yum!
Do I need to cook the onions prior to putting them into the meatloaf mixture?
If your onions are cut small enough, they can be placed directly into the meatloaf mixture and will cook through in the oven. If you prefer them to be softer (or you want larger pieces), you can always saute them first.
Home-Style Meatloaf
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
- ½ cup peeled and finely diced yellow onion
- ¼ cup seeded and finely diced red bell pepper
- ½ cup tomato sauce
- 2 teaspoons tamari
- 1 tablespoon Italian seasoning
- ½ teaspoon smoked paprika
- ½ teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon ground black pepper
- 1 cup water
Instructions
- Combine glaze ingredients in a small bowl and set aside.
- In a large bowl, combine all meatloaf ingredients (except water) with your hands.
- 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.
- Add water to the Instant Pot®. Insert steam rack. Place glass dish on top of the steam rack. Lock lid.
- 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.
- Remove meatloaf from pot and let cool at room temperature for 10 minutes. Gently tilt glass bowl over the sink and pour out any liquid. Brush on remaining glaze. Slice meatloaf and serve warm.
Notes
Nutrition
Be sure to come back and let me know how your Instant Pot Country Style Meatloaf turned out!
The “I Love My Instant Pot” Gluten-Free Recipe Book
This home-style meatloaf is just one of many delicious gluten-free recipes that you will find in Michelle Fagone’s The “I Love My Instant Pot®” Gluten-Free Recipe Book: From Zucchini Nut Bread to Fish Taco Lettuce Wraps, 175 Easy and Delicious Gluten-Free Recipes (“I Love My” Series).
Did you catch that – 175 recipes that are gluten-free. And delicious. If you find yourself responsible for cooking for someone with a gluten allergy or intolerance, this book is a life-saver. If you are in the mood for chicken, then you should try Michelle’s recipe for Chicken Fajita Bowls (pictured below).
Got beef? Here are two other meatloaf recipes that you might enjoy:
- Brown Sugar Glazed Meatloaf – The topping on this meatloaf is what sets it apart. It’s perfect for those who have a bit of a sweet tooth (like me!).
- Boarding House Meatloaf – This may or may not be the same recipe as what is served at Miss Mary Bobo’s restaurant in Tennessee. Regardless, it’s a delicious meatloaf and pairs well with mashed potatoes and green beans.
