Instant Pot Cowboy Meatloaf Potato Casserole

Instant Pot Cowboy Meatloaf Potato Casserole–meatloaf flavored with chili powder and BBQ sauce is topped with mashed potatoes, French fried onions and cheddar cheese.

Pin this recipe for later!

Instant Pot Cowboy Meatloaf Potato Casserole

This dish has meatloaf and mashed potatoes together in one casserole. It’s good home cooking just like Mom used to make. There is a bit of a kick from the chili powder in the meatloaf but nothing too crazy. Instead of using ketchup or tomato sauce in the meatloaf you use BBQ sauce which is a fun twist. The casserole is topped with a crunchy topping of french fried onions and melty cheese. You’re going to love digging into this delightful and hearty dinner.

Ingredients/Substitution Ideas

• Lean ground beef–90/10 works well. You can also use ground turkey.
• Dried onion flakes–or a quarter cup of minced fresh onion
• Italian seasoning
• Sweet Baby Ray’s BBQ Sauce–or another BBQ sauce of your choice. You can also use ketchup.
• Egg
• Chili powder–this adds a tiny bit of heat. You can use half as much if you don’t like heat.
• Kosher salt
• Russet potatoes–you can also use yukon golds or red potatoes.
• Butter
• Milk
• Crumbled bacon–I used real bacon crumbles but you can also fry up bacon and use that
• Crispy fried onions–like the kind you put on green bean casserole
• Shredded cheddar cheese–or another type of cheese you enjoy

Steps

1. Mix meatloaf ingredients: In a mixing bowl add the ground beef, onion, Italian seasoning, bbq sauce, egg, chili powder and kosher salt. Mix until combined. (I like to use kitchen gloves for this step and use my hands instead of mixing with a spoon).
   
2. Form the meatloaf: Spread the mixture in the bottom of a 7×3 inch pot-in-pot dish. Press it flat with the palms of your hands or the back of a spoon.
   
3. Prepare the Instant Pot: Pour 1 ½ cups of water into bottom of Instant Pot. Place the pan on top of a trivet with handles. Lower the pan into the bottom of the pot.
   Place another trivet over the top of the meatloaf dish and place the halved potatoes on top. 
   
4. Pressure cook: Cover Instant Pot and secure the lid. Make sure valve is set to sealing. Set the manual/pressure cook button to 25 minutes. When time is up let the pot sit for 10 minutes and then move valve to venting. Remove the lid. 
5. Mash potatoes: Use tongs to move potatoes to a medium bowl. Add butter in with the potatoes. Use a potato masher to mash the potatoes. Stir in the milk and bacon. Salt and pepper the potatoes to taste. 
   
6. Melt the cheese: Spread the potatoes on top of the meatloaf. Sprinkle the fried onions and cheese on top. Use your air fryer lid to melt the cheese for about 2-3 minutes at 400° F. If you don’t have an air fryer lid you can broil in the oven for about 5 minutes. 
   
7. Serve and enjoy!

Notes/Tips

• Serve alongside a side of baked beans and sweet corn. If you want to go all out serve it with cornbread and honey butter.
• This has a large potato to meat ratio. If you want, you can cut the amount of potatoes or increase the amount of meatloaf. I am a huge carb lover so it was perfect for me!
• I used my 6 quart Instant Pot*. You can also make this in your 8 quart pot.
• I used a 7×3 inch Fat Daddios pan*
• Store leftovers in an airtight container* in the refrigerator for up to 5 days or in the freezer for up to 3 months.
• Other recipes you can make with fried onions are Instant Pot French Onion Broccoli Casserole and Instant Pot French Onion Beef Casserole and Instant Pot Potato O’Brien Casserole.

Pin this recipe for later!

More Instant Pot meatloaf recipes to love…

• Instant Pot Meatloaf Bites
• Instant Pot Bacon Barbecue Meatloaf With Mashed Potatoes
• Instant Pot Southern Meatloaf Casserole
• Instant Pot Meatloaf And Baked Potatoes

Did you know you can filter the recipes on my website to search by meat type, IP or Crockpot, low carb, gluten free, etc.? Use the filter to find exactly what you are looking for.

Pin this recipe for later!

Want More Tried And True Instant Pot Recipes?

• Sign up to receive daily Instant Pot recipes (it’s FREE)
• Join the 365 Days of Instant Pot Recipes Facebook group 
• Subscribe to my YouTube channel 
• Buy the 365 Days of Pressure Cooking Cookbook

Print

Pin this recipe for later!

*Karen Petersen is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to amazon.com.