This recipe does double duty by cooking your Instant Pot meatloaf and mashed potatoes at the same time! With a maple tomato glaze on top, the meatloaf comes out juicy and so perfect each and every time.
The Instant Pot is such a great appliance to get dinner on the table efficiently. From Instant Pot fried rice to Instant Pot spaghetti and meat sauce, you can cook your food quicker, and create less dishes.
This Instant Pot meatloaf and mashed potatoes is my first pot in pot recipe- meaning that you cook two different items at the same time. I was blown away by how simple it was to cook, and love that it saved on dishes, too!
All you need is a vegetable side to serve up. Sautéd green beans or this staple kale salad would both work well!
Reasons you'll ♡ this recipe
- the meatloaf comes out so juicy, and is topped with a tasty maple tomato glaze
- the mashed potatoes cook up in underneath the meatloaf for maximum efficiency and fewer dishes
- you can scale the recipe down for smaller portions
Recipe video
Watch the video below to see how I make Instant Pot meatloaf and mashed potatoes! You can find more of my recipe videos on my YouTube channel.
Ingredient notes
- ground beef- I used lean ground beef for this recipe, but you could swap for ground turkey as well
- breadcrumbs- I used Italian seasoned breadcrumbs for these photos which is why they have some green in them; you can use regular unseasoned crumbs as well
- milk- the secret to a juicy meatloaf is to prepare a panade (mixture of breadcrumbs and milk). If you need this recipe to be dairy-free, swap for almond milk
- potatoes- you'll want a high starch potato for the fluffiest mashed potatoes; russet or Yukon gold are both good choices.
Step by step directions
1. Prepare panade- Start by mixing together the breadcrumbs and milk in a small bowl. Let it stand for 1 minute, until the mixture thickens.
2. Mix meatloaf- Combine the ground beef, eggs, worcestershire, salt, onion powder, garlic powder and panade mixture in a large bowl. Mix together using your hands or a spatula until just mixed in; do not over-mix.
3. Form meatloaf- Spread out a piece of aluminum foil, then pat the meatloaf into a loaf-shape that is even across the top; make sure it is no thicker than 3 inches.
4. Potatoes- Peel and slice potatoes, then add them to the stainless steel insert of your Instant Pot. Cover with water (as pictured above; just cover the tops).
5. Add meatloaf- Place a trivet over the potatoes- it's best if you have a long legged one, but you can make the one that came with the Instant Pot work as well. Loosely wrap the meatloaf in the foil, and place on the trivet.
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6. Cook- Place the lid on the Instant Pot, set the valve to 'sealing' and pressure cook on high pressure for 30 minutes. When the cooking cycle has completed, carefully perform a quick pressure release.
7. Mashed potatoes- Cancel the 'keep warm' setting on your Instant Pot. Using oven mitts, carefully remove the meatloaf and trivet from the Instant Pot and set aside on a cutting board.
Drain the water from the potatoes, then add in the milk, yogurt, butter, salt and garlic powder. Mash with a potato masher, or use an electric hand mixer to get the potatoes silky smooth. Taste and adjust salt as needed.
8. Glaze the meatloaf- in a small bowl, stir together the tomato paste, smoked paprika, worcestershire, apple cider vinegar, and salt. Use a silicone brush to brush the glaze evenly over the meatloaf.
9. Serve- Slice the meatloaf, and enjoy!
FAQ
Yes, I tested it with 1 lb of ground beef (a half batch recipe) and found that it only needed 15 minutes at high pressure with a quick pressure release. Check that your meatloaf has reached 165°F by inserting an instant read thermometer into the thickest part.
Mixing together the milk and breadcrumbs creates a panade, which prevents the proteins in the beef from shrinking and tightening during cooking (1). This keeps the meatloaf nice and juicy. Dairy milk is not required to achieve this and almond milk would work as a substitute.
No, you can omit the potatoes, but add 1.5 cups of water in the stainless steel insert of your Instant Pot. Use the trivet, and cook your meatloaf as directed, skipping the steps for mashed potatoes.
Useful equipment
- tall trivet
- digital thermometer
Storage & reheating
This Instant Pot meatloaf recipe makes a big batch, and the good news is that you can store it in the fridge or freezer for later!
- fridge- store the meatloaf and mashed potatoes in an air tight container for up to 4 days in the fridge.
- freezer- wrap the cooked meatloaf in plastic wrap, then store in an air tight container or freezer bag. Store mashed potatoes in an air tight container or freezer bag. Both items can be frozen for up to 3 months.
- thawing- thaw overnight in the fridge.
- reheat- heat in a covered dish in the microwave or a 350°F oven until steaming hot; mashed potatoes may benefit from some extra butter or milk as they can dry out a touch after storing.
Swaps & variations
- ground beef- swap for ground turkey (avoid extra lean or turkey breast)
- tomato glaze- swap for hoisin sauce or BBQ sauce (check out this hoisin turkey meatloaf)
- mashed potatoes- swap for sweet potatoes (check out these cajun mashed potatoes)
- oven- spread the meatloaf mixture into two parchment- lined 9 x 5 inch loaf pans and bake at 350°F for 45-55 minutes, or the internal temperature has reached 165°F.
More ground beef recipes
Did you make this? Tag me on social @sweetpeasandsaffron and be sure to leave a comment and rate the recipe!
Instant Pot Meatloaf & Mashed Potatoes
Ingredients
Meatloaf
- ½ cup breadcrumbs note 1
- ½ cup milk note 2
- 2 lb ground beef note 3
- 2 eggs
- 1 ½ tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
- 1 ½ teaspoons salt
- 1 teaspoon onion powder
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
Glaze
- ¼ cup tomato paste
- ½ teaspoon smoked paprika
- ½ teaspoon Worcestershire
- 1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
- ¼ teaspoon salt
Potatoes
- 3 lbs russet potatoes peeled and cut into 2-3 inch chunks
- ¾ cup milk more to thin out if you'd like
- ½ cup plain yogurt
- 2 tablespoons butter
- 1 teaspoon salt increase as needed
- 1 1-2 teaspoon garlic powder
Instructions
- Prepare panade- Start by mixing together the breadcrumbs and milk in a small bowl. Let it stand for 1 minute, until the mixture thickens.
- Mix meatloaf- Combine the ground beef, eggs, worcestershire, salt, onion powder, garlic powder and panade mixture in a large bowl. Mix together using your hands or a spatula until just mixed in; do not over-mix.
- Form meatloaf- Spread out a piece of aluminum foil, then pat the meatloaf into a loaf-shape that is even across the top; make sure it is no thicker than 3 inches.
- Potatoes- Peel and slice potatoes, then add them to the stainless steel insert of your Instant Pot. Cover with water (as pictured; just cover the tops).
- Add meatloaf- Place a trivet over the potatoes- it's best if you have a long legged one, but you can make the one that came with the Instant Pot work as well. Loosely wrap the meatloaf in the foil, and place on the trivet.
- Cook- Place the lid on the Instant Pot, set the valve to 'sealing' and pressure cook on high pressure for 30 minutes. When the cooking cycle has completed, carefully perform a quick pressure release- transition the steam release handle to the 'venting' position to release any remaining pressure.
- Mashed potatoes- Cancel the 'keep warm' setting on your Instant Pot. Using oven mitts, carefully remove the meatloaf and trivet from the Instant Pot and set aside on a cutting board.Drain the water from the potatoes, then add in the milk, yogurt, butter, salt and garlic powder. Mash with a potato masher, or use an electric hand mixer to get the potatoes silky smooth. Taste and adjust salt as needed.
- Glaze the meatloaf- in a small bowl, stir together the tomato paste, smoked paprika, worcestershire, apple cider vinegar, and salt. Use a silicone brush to brush the glaze evenly over the meatloaf.
- Serve- Slice the meatloaf, and enjoy!
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Tips:
- fridge- store the meatloaf and mashed potatoes in an air tight container for up to 4 days in the fridge.
- freezer- wrap the cooked meatloaf in plastic wrap, then store in an air tight container or freezer bag. Store mashed potatoes in an air tight container or freezer bag. Both items can be frozen for up to 3 months.
Video
Nutrition Information
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Sam says
Absolutely love this recipe. It’s my second time making it for my family and it has come out perfectly each time…there are no leftovers! Definitely adding this to our monthly rotation.
Jasmine @ Sweet Peas & Saffron says
Hi Sam, we're so glad that you and your family have enjoyed this recipe a few times! Thank you so much for taking the time to come back and leave a rating and review. I hope you find more delicious recipes to enjoy here on SP&S!