You guys. Have you jumped on the Instant Pot bandwagon yet? Well, why not?! We can only assume it’s because you haven’t heard of its glory yet, so here’s the rundown:
Basically, it’s a pressure cooker. We know that doesn’t sound that exciting. But hear us out.
It’s an electric, programmable pressure cooker, which means that you can set it and forget it and that it naturally releases pressure on its own so you don’t have to worry about anything exploding. It has that convenience factor of a crockpot where you can put dinner in and walk away, but with the Instant Pot your food is done much, much faster. Like, really fast. It’s the perfect companion for turning a budget cut of meat into a tender, flavorful meal in no time.
Oh. It also has a sauté function, so you can brown things in the same pot before closing it up to cook. It also functions as a rice cooker, yogurt maker, slow cooker, steamer, and has pre-programmed modes for stew, soup, and all kinds of things. It’s easy to use, saves a ton of time, and has quickly become our very favorite kitchen appliance. It’s so great that we’re not entirely convinced there isn’t some sort of wizardry involved with this thing. We’re always looking for things that make life a little easier, and this does just that. To wit:
Meatloaf and mashed potatoes cooked all in the same pot. In 25 minutes. (Okay, the steam release will take a little bit of extra time. But it’s not like you have to be standing around the kitchen for that.) The meatloaf comes out tender and moist, but not soggy, and the potatoes are comforting and creamy, and you have one dish to clean. It’s delicious. It’s comforting. It’s quick. It’s filling. It’s kind of amazing.
INGREDIENTS
For the meatloaf:
2 pounds ground beef
1 cup dried breadcrumbs
2/3 cup ketchup, divided
1/2 cup onion, finely chopped
2 eggs
2-3 cloves garlic, minced
2 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce
2 teaspoons dried parsley
2 teaspoons salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
For the potatoes:
3 lbs Yukon Gold potatoes, chopped
1 cup chicken broth or water
1/2 cup heavy whipping cream or half-and-half
1/2 cup sour cream
4 tablespoons (1/2 stick) unsalted butter
Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper, to taste
PREPARATION
In a large bowl, mix together the ground beef, eggs, breadcrumbs, onion, garlic Worcestershire sauce, 1/3 cup on the ketchup, parsley, salt and pepper with your hands until evenly combined. Place mixture in a disposable loaf pan or form your own out of aluminum foil.
Arrange potatoes in the bottom of the Instant Pot in an even layer. Pour broth or water over the top. Place the wire rack that comes with the Instant Pot over the potatoes. Set meatloaf on top.
Close lid, make sure steam release is set to sealed, and set to manual mode (on high pressure) for 25 minutes. Once done, use quick release to release pressure.
Remove meatloaf using handles on wire rack and drain off any extra liquid. Brush with remaining ketchup and, if desired, place under broiler in oven for 3 minutes to caramelize.
Meanwhile, add heavy cream or half-and-half, sour cream, butter, and salt and pepper to the potatoes in the Instant Pot and mash until creamy. Enjoy!
