Instant Pot Southern Meatloaf Casserole—a Southern twist on shepherd’s pie. The beef filling is flavored with Worcestershire, tomato sauce and green peppers which gives it the flavor of southern meatloaf. Creamy buttermilk and chive mashed potato topping puts this dish over the edge.

Instant Pot Southern Meatloaf Casserole
Today’s recipe has all the flavors of southern meatloaf and mashed potatoes all in one dish. Although it might not be the prettiest food it sure tastes amazing! Comfort food to the max.
This recipe starts with making a ground beef mixture with Worcestershire, green peppers, celery and onions. Then cubed potatoes are added into a steamer basket (I used this one*) and placed on top of the beef mixture. Everything cooks at the same time for just 8 minutes.
After the pressure cooking time is up breadcrumbs, tomato sauce and tomato paste are stirred in with the meat mixture. The potatoes are mashed and stirred together with buttermilk and an egg yolk. The egg yolk takes the creamy richness of the mashed potatoes to a whole new level, and you’ll wonder why you never did this before.
Then the potatoes are spread over the top of the meat mixture to create a potato crust. I loved using my air fryer lid to bake and crisp up the potato topping. If you have an air fryer lid this is a great recipe to try it out on. Or you can always finish the casserole off in the oven.
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Instant Pot Southern Meatloaf Casserole
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Total Time: 20 minutes
- Yield: 6 servings 1x
Description
A Southern twist on shepherd’s pie. The beef filling is flavored with Worcestershire, tomato sauce and green peppers which gives it the flavor of southern meatloaf. Creamy buttermilk and chive mashed potato topping puts this dish over the edge.
Ingredients
- 1 pound lean ground beef
- 1 cup diced onion
- 1/2 tsp kosher salt
- 1 cup beef broth
- 2 ribs of celery, sliced
- 1 green bell pepper, cored and diced
- 1 Tbsp Worcestershire sauce
- 1/2 tsp garlic powder
- 1 (8 oz) can tomato sauce
- 1 1/2 Tbsp tomato paste
- 1/2 cup breadcrumbs
- 2 pounds Russet potatoes, peeled and cubed
- 1/3 cup buttermilk or half and half
- 3 Tbsp melted butter
- 1/2 tsp kosher salt
- 1/4 cup diced chives
- 1 egg yolk
Instructions
- Turn Instant Pot to sauté setting. When display says HOT add in the beef and break it up. Add in the onions. Brown for about 5 minutes. Drain off excess grease. Stir in the ½ tsp kosher salt.
- Stir in the broth and scrape bottom of pot so that nothing is sticking. Turn off Instant Pot.
- Stir in the celery, green pepper, Worcestershire sauce and garlic powder.
- Add potatoes to a steamer basket*. Lower the steamer basket into the Instant Pot.
- Cover Instant Pot and secure the lid. Make sure valve is set to sealing. Set the manual/pressure cook button to 8 minutes. When time is up let pot sit for 5 minutes and then move valve to venting. Remove the lid.
- Remove the steamer basket and set aside. Stir tomato sauce, tomato paste and breadcrumbs into the pot with the meat.
- Pour the potatoes into a medium bowl. Mash well. Stir in the buttermilk, butter, ½ tsp kosher salt, chives and egg yolk.
- Spread the potatoes over the top of the meat mixture. Use an air fryer lid to cook the casserole for 10 minutes at 350° F. If you don’t have an air fryer lid then pour the beef mixture into a 9×9 inch baking dish and spread potatoes over the top. Bake in the oven at 350° F for 20 minutes. Scoop up and serve.
Notes
Recipe adapted from Southern Living
- Category: Beef
- Method: Instant Pot/Air fryer lid

*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.
Will be trying all of these soon as once time changes I’m home for season. Thank you
You’re welcome Mary!
How can one adapt this recipe to slow cooker &/or oven method?
Cook potatoes following above recipe for the potato part, except boil them in a pan with some water. Brown meat, drain and follow the rest of that part of recipe. Spray a casserole dish and put in meat mixture and top w/potatoe mixture. Cook, uncovered, about 30 minutes in a 350 oven until potatoes are browned a little. Yummy
Note: i use frozen mixed vegetables in place of just green pepper.
★★★★★