Instant Pot Meatloaf with Cheddar BBQ Sauce

Instant Pot Meatloaf with Cheddar BBQ Sauce is an easy recipe made in the pressure cooker and topped barbecue sauce and cheese. It’s the best!

Instant Pot Meatloaf with Cheddar BBQ Sauces may not be your classic meatloaf recipe, but it’s definitely our favorite! I used to make my mom’s traditional meatloaf recipe, but my picky kids would insist on dipping it in barbecue sauce before eating. So, I started making the meatloaf with BBQ sauce, and my family absolutely loved it

Because we live in the desert, I don’t use the oven when it’s hot out, which means we usually don’t have meatloaf that often. I started making mini cheddar BBQ meatloaf muffins and Italian meatloaf muffins to reduce the cook time, but making meatloaf in the pressure cooker is a game changer!

Meatloaf is now one of our favorite Instant Pot recipes because we can have it more often. Let’s just say that you can tell how much we love meatloaf by the name of this blog!

So if you’re wondering why anyone would want to make meatloaf in the Instant Pot, this is why!

I still use the oven to melt the cheese at the very end, but we’re talking just a few minutes here. So, no problem!

How to make Instant Pot Meatloaf with Cheddar BBQ Sauce

Start by combining all the ingredients in a large mixing bowl. Then, squish everything together with your hands. It’s cold, but seriously the best way to mix the ground beef and everything else together!

You’ll notice that this meatloaf recipe is made without breadcrumbs. I use shredded Parm instead, and it works perfectly well every time!

Place the ground beef mixture into the cake pan, and cover with foil so that it stays dry. Nobody wants a soggy meatloaf!

Next, add the water to the Instant Pot, and place your trivet into the pot — handles up. Put the cake pan onto the trivet, and you’re ready to cook!

How long do you cook meatloaf in the Instant Pot?

I use 2 pounds of ground beef here because we have a large family. The first time I made meatloaf in the Instant Pot, I used my 6 quart with a smaller pan, and took about 50 minutes. The next time, I dragged out my 8-quart Instant Pot, and the meatloaf was done in 40 minutes.

I do recommend using a meat thermometer to check the internal temperature — It should be 160 degrees. If you’re using only 1 pound of hamburger meat, 25 – 30 minutes would probably work.

Finish the meatloaf off by topping it with more BBQ sauce and some shredded cheddar cheese. Then, pop it under the broiler for about 5 minutes until the cheese gets all gooey and melty. Yum!

Recipe for Instant Pot Meatloaf with Cheddar BBQ Sauce

5 from 8 votes

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Instant Pot Meatloaf with Cheddar BBQ Sauce

Instant Pot Meatloaf with Cheddar BBQ Sauce is an easy recipe made in the pressure cooker and topped with barbecue sauce and cheese. It's the best!

Course Main

Cuisine American

Keyword instant pot meatloaf

Prep Time 10 minutes

Cook Time 40 minutes

pressure time 10 minutes

Total Time 50 minutes

Servings 8

Calories 350 kcal

Author Dee

Ingredients

• 2 pounds lean ground beef
• 1 egg
• 2 tablespoons barbecue sauce
• 1 tablespoon dried minced onion
• 1 teaspoon sea salt
• 1 1/2 teaspoons ground pepper
• 1/2 cup shredded Parmesan cheese

For pressure cooking

• 2 cups water

For the topping

• 1 tablespoon barbecue sauce
• 1 cup shredded cheddar cheese

Instructions

1. In a large mixing bowl, combine the first 7 ingredients, and mix well with your hands

2. Press meat evenly into 7-inch round baking dish, and cover with aluminum foil

3. Add 2 cups water to inner Instant Pot, and place trivet in pot

4. Place meatloaf on trivet, place lid on Instant Pot, set valve to Sealing position, and hit PRESSURE COOK for 40 minutes

5. Pot will take a few minutes to come to pressure, then cook for 40 minutes. When pot beeps, do a quick release by turning valve to Venting position ( you can use the handle of a wooden spoon for this)

6. When pin drops, open lid, and, wearing oven mitts, carefully lift trivet out of pressure cooker by the handles, and place on counter. Carefully remove foil. Internal temperature of meat should read 160 degrees, according to meat thermometer  

7. Drain any grease in pan, and top meatloaf with 1 tablespoon BBQ sauce and cheddar cheese. Broil, or place in 350 degree oven until cheese melts

Recipe Notes

Recipe was made in 8-quart Instant Pot electric pressure cooker.

To make in 6 quart, use a smaller pan, reduce water to 1 cup, and cook for 45 minutes. 

I hope you enjoy Instant Pot meatloaf with cheddar BBQ sauce as much as we do!