The BEST Instant Pot Meatloaf recipe, similar to Boston Market. Made simply with beef OR turkey, our meatloaf is moist and delicious.
Instant Pot Meatloaf
Moist and juicy meatloaf cooks up easily and quickly in the Instant Pot or any pressure cooker.
Meatloaf wasn’t a meal I loved. I set out to make the best meatloaf I could as my other half LOVES meatloaf. We took a simple approach; similar to Boston Market meatloaf. So many meatloaf recipes are overly flavored with lots of sweet add ins like barbecue sauce or are wrapped in bacon. we didn’t want all the “stuff” just an old fashion and delicious comfort style meatloaf; sometime simple. The result was fabulous.
Cast of Ingredients for Instant Pot Meatloaf
This Instant Pot Meatloaf recipe cooked in an Instant Pot, Ninja Foodi or Pressure Cooker ensures a moist and delicious meatloaf, like no other.
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Ingredients for Instant Pot Meatloaf
- Ground Beef or Ground Turkey
- Grapenut Nuggets and Panko – we found this combination gave the meatloaf a perfect and tender bite.
- Diced Tomatoes
- Garlic Powder
- Onion and Egg
It is the best meatloaf I have ever had and we switch off between using ground turkey and ground beef.
Ground Beef or Ground Turkey?
- My original recipe, which was made for the oven used ground beef. While very delicious, we decided to make it the next time with ground turkey and “beef” it up a bit. Worcestershire sauce is a wonderful flavor enhancer and gives turkey an almost beefy flavor. We found the ground turkey meatloaf to be seriously as delicious, if not more!
Pro tip: If using ground turkey for Instant Pot Meatloaf, add an extra 2 teaspoons of Worcestershire sauce.
Ground Turkey, Grapenut Nuggets, Eggs
Grapenuts and Panko
- We almost always add GrapeNuts Nuggets Cereal and Worcestershire Sauce when using ground turkey. Ground turkey generally is drier after cooking. Plus, the nugget cereal adds fiber, while Worcestershire and adds a huge flavor boost.
- The combination of the two starches work really well with ground beef and we found them to give the meatloaf the perfect texture of tender with a bite, not mushy.
Dice Onions Very Small
In keeping this meatloaf recipe simple, the only vegetable used are diced onions. We found adding in other veggies like green pepper, almost over powered the meat and gave it too strong a flavor.
Pro Tip: Make sure to dice the onion really well, or else you will have crunchy onions in the meatloaf.
Add Drained Diced Tomatoes which were Pulverized
We like to use a can of diced tomatoes, drained and we use an immersion blender to form the sauce. Half of the sauce it is used in the meat mixture and the other half is sweetened for the topping.
Tomato Sauce v Diced Tomatoes/Fresh Tomatoes
- Tomato sauce is concentrated tomatoes in a can and is not a just picked fresh tomato taste. Meatloaf should be light, tender, yet have a nice bite and not give the feeling of a hamburger in loaf form.
- Blended canned diced tomatoes are much less processed than tomato sauce and they give meatloaf a lighter and fresher taste.
Pro Tip: Fresh tomatoes can be used in place of a can of diced tomatoes.
Mix it all Together – Hands are Good!
In a Mixing Bowl and with clean hands, mix together the ingredients.
For other recipes using ground turkey, check out my Pressure Cooker Tex-Mex Turkey Chili, my Pressure Cooker Beef and Macaroni, and my Pressure Cooker Healthy Inside-Out “Egg rolls” recipes.
Shape Meat into Oval Loaf
The meat mixture should be about 6-8 inches long, depending on if you are using a 6 quart or 8 quart pressure cooker.
Foil Sling for Instant Pot Meatloaf
A foil sling is helpful if you are putting the meatloaf right on top of the trivet inside the Instant Pot. However, if you are also making potatoes, or potatoes and carrots, the grease will drip down into the water. Depending on how you like your mashed vegetables, this could be a good thing or not a good thing.
Place Loaf in Steamer Basket
To make matters easier, a steamer rack with handles, such as the one in the photo above is super easy to use. The handles are great for pulling out the meatloaf without any worry of tipping the foil and having the meatloaf end up on the ground. This Secura Steamer Trivet comes in both a 6 quart and 8 quart size, so choose the best size for your Pressure Cooker.
If you do not have a crisping lid and want to brown the top of the Instant Pot Meatloaf, it is a good idea to use the foil, so you can slide the meatloaf into an oven safe pan and brown the top.
Decide if you will make separate Instant Pot Mashed Potatoes or if you want to cook the potatoes at the same time as you are cooking the meatloaf.
Bottom Layer for Meatloaf and Mashed Potatoes
How to Cook Potatoes with Instant Pot Meatloaf
- Well, first of all, wow! Cooking the potatoes in the same pot with the meatloaf is totally awesome!
- So that the potatoes and carrots don’t become waterlogged and or mush into oblivion, add a very Short Legged Trivet, so that the potatoes are not sitting in the water.
- The potatoes (and carrots) then go on top of that trivet and then the meatloaf.
Pro Tip: Leave the potatoes (and carrots) whole since meatloaf has a longer cook time. They will steam to perfection.
Turkey Meatloaf with Carrot Potato Mash
Check out my Healthy Carrot/Potato Mash to make delicious orange colored mashed potatoes. They sure are pretty.
Place the Meatloaf on the Trivet or on top of Potatoes
The meatloaf and vegetables fit nicely in the Instant Pot.
Meatloaf Sauce
Everyone loves a little sauce on top of their meatloaf. I bet this is one of the few recipes around, which does not use ketchup. Why? Because the meatloaf should not taste like a hamburger!!! Unless of course, you want it to and in that case make my delicious Instant Pot Cheeseburger Meatloaf.
Make the Sauce
- With the remaining pureed diced tomatoes, add in the sugar and whisk together well.
Special Sauce for Instant Pot Meatloaf
If you do not have a crisping lid, just put the meatloaf an oven safe Baking Dish and brown the top with the sauce.
Alternatively, leave the meatloaf in the pressure cooker and use your crisping lid.
- Mealthy CrispLid (buy from Mealthy) / Mealthy CrispLid (buy from Amazon)
- Instant Pot Crisping Lid (buy from Instant Pot) / Instant Pot Crisping Lid (buy from Amazon)
Pressure Cooker Turkey Meatloaf
Serve your Pressure Cooker Turkey Meatloaf with the potatoes and carrots cooked in the pot or try my Garlic Whipped Potatoes.
I like peas, or another green vegetable; do you? Drizzle the remaining sauce over each serving.
More Instant Pot Ground Beef Recipes to Make
- Instant Pot Korean Beef Bowls
- Instant Pot Beef and Macaroni
- Instant Pot Philly Cheesesteak Pasta
- Instant Pot Greek Gyros [Beef & Lamb]
Kitchen Equipment and Essentials
- Instant Pot, Ninja Foodi or Pressure Cooker
- J.A. Henckels Classic 7-inch Hollow Edge Santoku Knife
- Rösle Stainless Steel Flat Whisk – a MUST have, probably my most used utensil
- LamsonSharp Chef’s Slotted Turner – I totally love this spatula!
- Alton Brown Salt Box
- My FANTASTIC Teak Cutting & Charcuterie Board & Compartments
- Stainless Steel Tall/Short Trivet & Egg Cooker Set
- Stainless Steel Basket Rack w/ Holes for Meatloaf
- 3.5 Quart Stainless Steel Mixing Bowl
- Pyrex Oblong Glass Baking Dish
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Here is the handy printable recipe:
Ingredients
Meat Mixture
- 1.5 pounds Ground Beef or ground turkey
- 3/4 cup Grapenuts Nuggets
- 1/4 cup Panko Bread Crumbs
- 1 Tablespoon Worcestershire Sauce If using ground turkey, use TWO Tablespoons
- 1 large Egg
- 1 teaspoon Kosher Salt or to taste
- 3/4 cup Yellow/Brown Onion finely diced
- 1 teaspoon Granulated Onion Powder
- 1 teaspoon Garlic Powder
- 15 oz can Diced Tomatoes w/Juice drained, pulverized
- 4 large Russet Potatoes peeled/left whole
Meatloaf Sauce
- 3/4 cup Diced Tomatoes w/Juice (leftover from pulverizing diced tomatoes)
- 2 Tablespoons White Sugar
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Instructions
- Peel potatoes and place in a bowl of cool water and set aside.
- In a large mixing bowl, mix together all ingredients, except potatoes, diced tomatoes and sugar.
- Using an immersion blender, blend the diced tomatoes and add half to the meat mixture and mix together and set aside the rest to make the meatloaf sauce.
- Form the meatloaf into a tall oval shape and place on steamer rack.
- Add 2 cups of water into Instant Pot (pressure cooker) and place a short legged trivet into cooking pot. Lay whole Potatoes in a single row on top. Place the steamer rack on top of the potatoes.
- Lock lid in place and close pressure valve. Cook at high pressure for 20 minutes. When bBeep sounds, wait 10 minutes and then release the rest of the pressure.
- To make meatloaf sauce, add 2 Tablespoons of sugar to the blended tomatoes that were set aside and mix well.
- Remove meatloaf from pressure cooker and place into oven safe dish. Pour 3/4 of meatloaf sauce on top of meatloaf and place under the broiler for 5 minutes.
- Alternative, if you have a Crisping Lid, set temp to 400 degrees and time to 5 minutes, but keep an eye on it.
- While the meatloaf is in the oven, mash the potatoes (see my Mashed Potatoes Recipe).
- Spoon the remaining meatloaf sauce over individual servings.
Notes
Nutrition
PIN this Pressure Cooker Turkey Meatloaf & Potatoes {Instant Pot}!
I love meatloaf, but have never been able to make one at home. This recipe is a game changer! It’s delicious and even my picky husband and son liked it. A keeper to put into my meal rotations. Thank you!!
Thanks, Kris. I never liked it either until we (my hubs and I) decided that a simple meatloaf might be good and yes, it was incredible. Jill
What if you do not have a steamer trivet with your pressure cooker? I got the Bella 10qt Multi Cooker for christmas this year (Dec 2018) and it only came with a small wire rack and that’s it.
The pressure cooker turkey meatloaf was delicious. I made it with ground chicken instead though. I also added a half a teaspoon of liquid smoke. I stuffed red yellow and orange peppers with the meatloaf mixture. I had enough for for peppers and another small meatloaf. I put the four peppers into one instant pot and the small meatloaf into another instant pot. ( I have for instant pots). I am a Weight Watchers member so this is a great recipe for me. Thank you so much.
Made just like it says
This is very delicious and moist
No potatoes just the loaf
Glad you enjoyed. 🙂 Jill
Aluminum foil is very bad to cook with. Do you have an alternative?
Looks so good! Haven’t had meatloaf in a while – need to make soon! Yummmm!?
Thanks, Carol. Enjoy. Jill
I have been cooking for 60 years and without a doubt this is the best meatloaf I’ve ever made or eaten.
I followed the recipe as written using 85% beef.
Thank you for a special treat.
Hi Rita. How nice! I am so glad you enjoyed this meatloaf recipe. 🙂 Jill
Hi This old Gal,
I made this today using 1 cup of Aleia’s gluten free panko crumbs and 2 cups of veggie stock at the bottom. I really enjoyed your recipe. Thank you for all of your hard work!
Oh, and I used coconut sugar in the tomato sauce. As the others commenters mentioned the tomato puree is excellent!
What could I use in place of the steamer basket?
Just checked mine coming out of the broiler and it was still raw on the inside :(. I put it in for 20 mins on high pressure and let it NR for 10. What could I have done wrong.
I’ve been counting my macros for my fitness goals. Any suggestions on how I could make this in 6-ounce individual servings cups?
This was the best meatloaf I ever had! I just had to let you know. I made it in the bowl I use for the ‘pot in pot’ method in my Instant Pot, then I turned it out into my air fryer pan and did the final step in the air fryer. So moist and delicious, and it’s a turkey meatloaf! I love your tip about using pulverized canned tomatoes instead of tomato sauce. That made a big difference and was delicious! So fresh tasting. Thank you for the recipe.
Hi Judy~
You are very welcome. I am glad you enjoyed this recipe.
Jill
So, if you are using beef instead of turkey, do you change anything else?
If I’m making beef, do I leave the grapenuts out?
What is cooking time if meatloaf is frozen?
I can get gluten free panko bread crumbs, but what do you suggest I use instead of Grape Nuts to make a gluten free meatloaf?
Hi Andrea~
Oatmeal would work well. I chose Grapenuts because they hold in moisture AND they are in fiber. Oatmeal, would have the same great result.
Jill
Hi. I made the turkey meatloaf last night and it was a nice change up from a typical one I do and thanks for the idea about using an immersion blender with canned tomatoes to get sauce – great idea!
But was wondering if you thought I could get a more firm texture, of the meatloaf, if I cooked it less in the IP and more in the oven afterwards.
My hubs, and kiddo both said that they like the “normal” firmness of the meat in the oven vs
the IP (same for meatballs).
Thanks and I’m so thankful that you’re such a great resource for cooking in the IP (still a relative newbie).
I have to be gluten free, so using Grape-Nuts is out. Can you suggest a substitute? I do have gluten-free panko crumbs, though.
You can use quick oats instead of Panky and Grape-Nuts. My mom has always used osts.
I just saw a recipe where they use ground up pork rinds in a turkey meatloaf. Trying it tonight.
How much ground up pork rinds did you use? Any particular flavor? And how did that turn out?
You say the turkey is more dry than beef but then add cereal and Panko crumbs (drying) and no fat.
I don’t understand the reasoning here.
Is it to make a low fat meat loaf?
I would certainly add some fat to this in order to avoid a dry meatloaf or does just pressure cooking the meatloaf make it moist?
It certainly looks good.
I use a stove top pressure cooker which needs less time if I am not mistaken. : )
Hi If~
The add ins help keep the moisture in the turkey mix and does not make it more dry. Also, the condensation will also keep the turkey moist. You don’t need to add any fat.
Let me know how it goes.
Jill