Instant Pot Tennessee Meatloaf–a southern meatloaf recipe that will become your family’s favorite recipe! The sauce is to so addicting. You can make this recipe in the Instant Pot or the slow cooker.
Note: the SLOW COOKER instructions are listed in the recipe card below
Instant Pot Tennessee Meatloaf
Meatloaf is meatloaf but this is a darn good one. The sauce on top is so tasty. We gobbled this up in no time. This recipe comes from Willadeene Parton (Dolly’s sister) and it’s just good old fashioned comfort food. You can cook this meatloaf in the Instant Pot or the slow cooker of you can use the original recipe and make it in the oven. These hot summer days I’m not using my oven much though!
We served our meatloaf with baked potatoes (also made in the Instant Pot!) and some green salad. We didn’t have leftovers but if you do you can refrigerate in an air tight container for up to 5 days or freeze for up to 3 months.
- Use extra lean ground beef (I used 90% lean) for this recipe so that there isn’t excessive grease. You can also use half ground turkey or half ground pork.
- Make sure to loosely cover the meatloaf with foil so that it doesn’t get dripped on the whole time it’s cooking.
- I used a stainless steel pan* for pot-in-pot cooking. I also used my OXO sling/trivet*.
- Because the meatloaf is in a round pan it’s hard to cut into slices. It might not be the prettiest serving but it will taste good!
More Meatloaf Inspired Recipes…
Mac and Cheese Meatloaf Casserole
Instant Pot Southern Meatloaf Casserole
Recommendations
Instant Pot Traditional Meatloaf
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Instant Pot Tennessee Meatloaf
- Total Time: 40 minutes
- Yield: 4–6 servings 1x
Description
A southern meatloaf recipe that will become your family’s favorite recipe! The sauce is to so addicting. You can make this recipe in the Instant Pot or the slow cooker.
Ingredients
- 1 1/2 pounds extra lean ground beef
- 3/4 cup bread crumbs
- 1 egg
- 1/4 cup diced onion
- 1 tsp salt
- 1/4 tsp black pepper
- 1 ( 8 oz) can tomato sauce
- 1 1/2 Tbsp white vinegar
- 1 1/2 Tbsp brown sugar
- 1 Tbsp yellow mustard
- 1 Tbsp Worcestershire sauce
Instructions
Instant Pot Instructions:
- Use clean hands to combine the ground beef, bread crumbs, egg, diced onion, salt, pepper and half of tomato sauce in a mixing bowl.
- Pat the mixture into a pot-in-pot dish (I used this stainless steel pan*).
- In a small bowl stir together the rest of the tomato sauce, vinegar, brown sugar, mustard and Worcestershire. Spoon half of it over the top of the meatloaf.
- Loosely cover the meatloaf with foil.
- Pour 1 ½ cups water into bottom of Instant Pot. Place pan on a sling/trivet and lower the pan 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 25 minutes. When time is up let pot sit for 10 minutes and then move valve to venting. Remove the lid.
- Remove the pan and foil. Top with remaining sauce and put under oven’s broiler or air fryer lid for 3 minutes.
- Slice and serve.
Slow Cooker Instructions:
- Use clean hands to combine the ground beef, bread crumbs, egg, diced onion, salt, pepper and half of tomato sauce in a mixing bowl.
- Form the mixture into a loaf and place in the bottom of your slow cooker.
- In a small bowl stir together the rest of the tomato sauce, vinegar, brown sugar, mustard and Worcestershire. Spoon half of it over the top of the meatloaf.
- Cover and cook on high for 3 hours or on low for 4-6 hours.
- Remove lid. Top with remaining sauce and put under oven’s broiler for 3 minutes.
- Slice and serve.
Notes
Recipe adapted from Food Network, courtesy of Willadeene Parton
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 25 minutes (plus 10 minute NPR)
- Category: Beef
- Method: Instant Pot
*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.
My husband loves meatloaf and said this was the best meatloaf he ever had!! I’ve made it several times already. I use Italian bread crumbs.
★★★★★
We really loved it too! Thanks for the 5 stars Sherry!
Out of curiosity, do you think ground turkey would work? I have it defrosted in my fridge. 😉
Yes I do think it would work. Sometimes I feel like ground turkey puts off more liquid than ground beef. But I bet it will be fine!
I have the pot in pot pans you said you use and was wondering why you didn’t use the lid that comes with the pans instead of foil? Will it not cook right with the lid?
You can use the lid or foil. both will be fine!
Have not made it yet to rate it, but just wanted to throw in that I make meatloaf in Bundt pans. I have one for 3 qt and 1 for 6 qt. Got them at Amazon. Works great and easy to cut servings.
GREAT idea!
Does that pot in pot that you have the link to Amazon work in a 6 quart Instant Pot?
In the description it says Capacity 8 quarts, but in the heading it says Instant Pot Accessories 6/8 quart.
Before I order it, I want to make sure it will work in my 6 quart IP.
Thanks.
Yes it works great in the 6 or 8 quart pots!