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This Instant Pot Meatloaf includes the awesome flavors of Philly cheesesteak, plus a homemade meatloaf sauce, and meatloaf seasoning for a juicy, flavorful meatloaf made in an Instant Pot pressure cooker.

However, it still has the wonderful flavors of traditional meatloaf by including the amazing meatloaf sauce, or glaze, and a homemade meatloaf seasoning. This is definitely not your Grandma’s meatloaf. This one is bursting with flavor.

Why You’ll Love This Recipe

This Instant Pot Meatloaf is unique because it includes the wonderful flavors of a Philly Cheesesteak Sandwich, including sautéed onions, green peppers, mushrooms, garlic, and lots of melty provolone cheese. So it is basically a mashup of meatloaf and Philly Cheesesteak.

Like my other Instant Pot recipes, by making this Philly Cheesesteak Meatloaf in an Instant Pot, you’ll love all these benefits.

Keep Your Cool. You won’t have to heat up the kitchen by heating up the oven, which is a big benefit in the hot summer.
Juicy Meatloaf. Next, it makes an incredibly juicy meatloaf; and
One Pot Meal. You’ll have fewer dishes to wash, which my husband, the dishwasher, thinks is absolutely wonderful.
Flavorful. My husband, AKA the dishwasher, is also my taste tester and he gives this Philly Cheesesteak Meatloaf 2 big thumbs up, and kept saying what a wonderful cook I was while he was devouring the meatloaf.

Don’t have a Instant Pot? No worries, I’ll include instructions on how to make this recipe in the oven and slow cooker.

Growing up my father made a delicious meatloaf quite often because it was inexpensive to make and could easily feed 5 hungry kids. He would make it at least once a week and, if there were leftovers, then it was meatloaf sandwiches the next day.

So I grew up loving meatloaf. But I hated meatloaf in restaurants because they were never as flavorful as my Dad’s meatloaf. Unfortunately, I did not get his recipe before he passed away. So over the years I have made meatloaf often, continuing to tweak the recipe, to get that wonderful flavor that my Dad’s meatloaf had.

After many years of making meatloaf, I think I have perfected it so that it has an outstanding flavor, one you won’t find at any restaurant, like Cracker Barrel. We think it is way better than the Cracker Barrel meatloaf. Sorry Cracker Barrel.

What Do I Need To Make This Recipe?

The affiliate links below will allow you to see the product on Amazon.com. If you choose to purchase one of the items, I will receive a very small commission on the product and does not increase the price.

Equipment

6-quart Instant Pot Duo60 – I use the 6-Quart Instant Pot Duo from Amazon.com for my recipes. It is the medium size and I like it as probably most recipes are written for the 6 quarter. However, they have many models of Instant Pot, including in a 3-quart size, or an 8-quart size.
Chef's Knife I like this 8-inch knife from Amazon.com for chopping, mincing, etc. I like the quality of this knife.
Cutting Board from Amazon.com – You can choose from all different materials and shapes and sizes for what works best for you.
Measuring Cups from Amazon.com – Be sure to use the measuring cups designed for liquids for liquids only and not for dry ingredients for the most accurate measurement.
Measuring Spoons – from Amazon.com – I keep several sets of measuring spoons on hand so I have them when I need them and they are not in the dishwasher.

Ingredients

Below I discuss the ingredients that make this meatloaf unique. However, if you are looking for the specific measurements of all of the ingredient, be sure to scroll down to the bottom of this article, just above the comments, for the printable recipe card, which includes all all the ingredients and the specific amounts of each one.

Meatloaf Seasoning. Many meatloaf recipes have little seasoning. Not this one. I have included a homemade meatloaf seasoning mix that adds tons of flavor from paprika, thyme, oregano, and more. You’ll love it.
Meatloaf Sauce. If you are going to have meatloaf, then you need a meatloaf sauce, usually it turns into a glaze. We still have the meatloaf sauce that tastes wonderful with the provolone cheese and other Philly Cheesesteak flavors.
Onions and Bell Peppers. Sautéing the peppers and onions adds so much flavor to the meatloaf.
- Sautéed onions and peppers add the wonderful Philly Cheesesteak flavor and texture to the meatloaf. The texture of Raw onions and peppers do not fit well with the rest of the meatloaf. When raw, they don't cook through well enough to my liking and have too much bite. They are not tender enough to match the texture of the rest of the meatloaf.
- Instead of slicing the onions and peppers as in a traditional Philly cheesesteak sandwich, I like to chop the onions and peppers and distribute them throughout the meatloaf so you get that Philly cheesesteak flavor in every bite without having to use a knife and fork to cut the onions and peppers into smaller bites.
Mushrooms.I added buttery mushrooms to this recipe since we love them on a Philly Cheesesteak Sandwich. Mushrooms are one of those foods that people either love or hate. Which one are you? If you love mushrooms, by all means, use them and sauté them with the onions and peppers before adding to the meatloaf mixture. If you don’t love mushrooms, just leave them out. For the type of mushrooms to use, I used sliced baby Bella mushrooms and then chopped those up. However, you could use white mushrooms or cremini mushrooms.
Cheese. I use provolone, like what is used in many Philly Cheesesteak recipes, as it lends itself well to a meatloaf recipe. I realize many Philly cheesesteak lovers use cheese whiz on their sandwiches but I wanted to use real cheese in the meatloaf and the provolone cooks better with the meatloaf. It is my favorite cheese to use in this Philly Cheesesteak Meatloaf. However, if you don't have any on hand, you could also use Mozzarella instead for that mild, melty, cheesy texture and mild flavor.

How To Make Instant Pot Philly cheesesteak Meatloaf

Instructions

Make Meatloaf Seasoning

Stir all seasoning mix ingredients together in a small bowl. Set aside.

Saute Vegetables

In a large skillet over medium heat, melt butter. When melted, add chopped onions, green bell peppers, and mushrooms, and cook for about 5 minutes or until the vegetables are soft and the edges of the onions start to turn a light golden color. NOTE: Yes, you could sauté the vegetables in the Instant Pot and then remove them, and deglaze the pan. However, for this recipe, I chose to sauté them in a skillet to cook them faster, and so I would not risk getting a “Burn Message” from the Instant Pot.
Add minced garlic and stir for about 1 minute. Remove from heat and let cool for about 5 minutes.

Create Foil “Pan”

Using 2 large pieces of foil, create a foil “pan” for the meatloaf to sit in. Lay the the 2 pieces of foil flat on the counter, perpendicular to each other (like they look like a cross.) Then fold up the sides. (You can wait until you place the meatloaf in the and then fold the sides around it.) Make sure it fits into the Instant Pot and is not too wide. See photos below to see what the foil pan looks like.

Make Meatloaf

In a large bowl, combine the ground beef, Italian Bread Crumbs, 2 eggs, sautéed vegetables, meatloaf seasoning, ketchup, spicy brown mustard, Worcestershire, and hot sauce, if desired. Do NOT add cheese yet! Stir until all ingredients are just combined. Don’t overmix.
Take half of the meatloaf mixture and place on top of the bottom of the foil “pan” and form into a loaf.
Place 2 slices of provolone cheese over the middle of the loaf. Cut slices, if necessary, to fit the loaf. Leave about 1/2″ to 1″ of meatloaf around the edge of the cheese slices.
Form a second loaf from the remaining ground beef mixture and place on top of the bottom half of the meatloaf and the cheese.

Make Meatloaf Sauce

In a small bowl, stir together all the ingredients under Meatloaf Glaze. Then brush the glaze over the top of the meatloaf.

Pressure Cook Meatloaf

Pour 1 cup of water into the bottom of the Instant Pot.
Place the trivet in the Instant Pot, handles facing up, and place the “foil pan” with the meatloaf inside it on top of the trivet.
Close the lid to the Instant Pot and move the pressure release valve to the “SEALING” position. Press MANUAL or PRESSURE COOK (depending on model) and then using the +/- buttons adjust the time to 25 minutes. NOTE: It will take 10 to 15 minutes for the Instant Pot to come up to pressure before it starts pressure cooking. The Instant Pot display will show “On” while it is coming up to pressure. When it starts pressure cooking, then it starts counting down the time from 25 minutes.

Natural Release

After the Instant Pot finishes pressure cooking for 25 minutes, it will beep 10 times and then will very slowly start releasing pressure.
DO NOTHING for 10 minutes. Don’t push any buttons, don’t touch anything for 10 mintues. Just allow the Instant Pot to release pressure naturally. This is called a Natural Release.
After 10 minutes of natural release, move the pressure release valve to the VENTING position to release any remaining pressure quickly. When the pressure has been completely released and the pin has dropped, then carefully open the lid of the Instant Pot.
If there is a lot of fat liquid around the meatloaf in the foil “pan”, carefully drain that fat and then place the foil “pan” with the meatloaf back in the Instant Pot.

Melt Cheese

Press CANCEL and then press SAUTE on low. Then place the remaining provolone slices on top of the meatloaf and leave it for 5 to 10 minutes or until the cheese melts. If you have a glass top for the inner liner pot, you can use that to cover the pot. Do NOT place the Instant Pot Lid on top.
Using the handles of the trivet, carefully lift the foil “pan” with the meatloaf out of the Instant Pot and remove the meatloaf from the foil “pan” and place on a serving platter.

Recipe Tips

Ground Beef. I recommend using an 80/20 ground beef mixture to have enough fat to add flavor but not too much in order to avoid building up too much excess fat while the meatloaf pressure cooks.
Meatloaf Seasoning. If you don’t want to make your own Meatloaf Seasoning per the recipe, you could buy the McCormick Meatloaf Seasoning.
Sautéing the Vegetables. Yes, you could use the Instant Pot SAUTE feature to sauté the onions, peppers, and mushrooms. However, for this recipe, I prefer to use a skillet because I can get a higher heat and cook faster. In addition, if you use the sauté function for the vegetables in the Instant Pot, once you remove the vegetables, you are going to have to scrape down the bottom of the pot to prevent any bits of food from burning. Since we are making the meatloaf in a foil “pan” it does not really gain that flavor from the bottom of the pot.

What To Serve With Meatloaf

Meatloaf goes with everything. However, here are a few of our favorite recipes to serve with it.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I Make This Philly cheesesteak Meatloaf in the oven?
- Yes. Mold the meatloaf into a loaf pan. Place half the ground beef mixture in the bottom of the loaf pan. Add 2 – 3 slices of cheese on top. Then cover with the remaining ground beef mixture. Brush the sauce on top, and bake in a preheated oven at 375 degrees F for 45 minutes. Then add remaining cheese, and cook for about 10 to 15 minutes more.
Is It Possible To Make This Recipe in the Slow Cooker?
- Line the crockpot with foil. Place the bottom half of the meatloaf on top of the foil. Add 2 – 3 slices of cheese on top. Then add the remaining meatloaf and brush with the meatloaf sauce. Cook on low for 6 hours or on high for 3 hours.
- Add cheese on top during the last 30 minutes of cooking.
How Do I Make Mashed Potatoes With The Meatloaf In the Instant Pot?
- Add 1 cup of water (same as meatloaf instructions.)
- Add 2 lbs of quartered potatoes (russet or Yukon Gold.)
- Place trivet on top and foil pan with meatloaf on top of that.
- Pressure cook time remains the same as the meatloaf – 25 minutes High Pressure, 10 minutes Natural Release.
- Remove meatloaf and trivet.
- Drain water from potatoes and return to the Instant Pot.
- Mash potatoes with potato masher.
- Add 1/2 cup heavy cream, 3 tablespoons butter, salt and pepper to taste.
- Stir until combined. Transfer to a serving bowl.

More Meatloaf Recipes

More Instant Pot Recipes

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Recipe

Comments

Jeanie says

November 04, 2021 at 10:20 am

This is really a 4.5 rating. Although it’s a time-consuming recipe, it makes a delicious meatloaf. I followed the recipe without any changes. I didn’t give it a five star rating for three reasons. One, I assume the sautéed veggies go into the meatloaf mix but the instructions never state that. Second, the two slices of cheese may have added flavor to the middle but I couldn’t taste it–it just melted in. Most important, the meatloaf didn’t hold together. I had chunks instead of slices. I wonder if, instead of making a foil pan, it could be made in a springform pan. The grease would, hopefully, drain off when the edge of the pan is released. I’m not sure if that would help the meatloaf stay together. I made mashed potatoes using the directions at the end of the recipe. I didn’t peel the potatoes, just cut them into chunks. When the NPR time ended, I lifted the meatloaf out and drained as much grease as I could and took out the potatoes, then put the meatloaf back in.. I finished the potatoes in a bowl while the cheese was melting on top of the meatloaf.

- Michele says
  
  November 04, 2021 at 6:34 pm
  
  HiJeannie,
  
  Thank you for taking the time to write a detailed review. I appreciate the feedback. I updated the instructions to clarify that the sautéed vegetables are added to the meat mixture.
  
  Thanks,
  
  Michele
  
Jeanie says

November 07, 2021 at 10:52 am

Any thoughts about using a springform pan? (See previous reply.)

- Michele says
  
  November 08, 2021 at 12:50 pm
  
  Hi Jeanie,
  
  I have not tried using the springform pan for this meatloaf. However, the grease should drain into the water. Try it and let me know how it works out for you.
  
  Thanks,
  
  Michele

Why You’ll Love This Recipe