Instant pot meatloaf recipe is an easy, one-pot meal that the entire family will love. Tender and juicy and topped with a glaze that uses a sugar alternative, this keto meatloaf recipe is a real crowd-pleaser that’s easy on your time and your waistline.
Instant Pots make a lot of things easier. You can replace so many appliances when you have one. Although I typically think of the Instant Pot as a fast slow-cooker My favorite thing that it takes the place of is the oven.
Ovens take a lot of time to heat up, then they heat up the kitchen. They’re tough to clean, they need ventilation… When you really think about it ovens are pretty troublesome. I wouldn’t be surprised if they are mostly the reason people don’t cook at home as often as they’d like.
The thing that got me started on this is that one classic oven dish has me even more excited about the Instant Pot. I’m talking about Instant Pot meatloaf.
Since I’ve discovered I can do this it’s been a game-changer. The recipe is not only perfect for the Instant Pot, but it’s also low carb. Try this unique Instant Pot meatloaf recipe with my low carb ingredients and special glaze.
I know meatloaf is one of those sacred things that you always want to make like mom did, but trust me, mom would approve. Unless she’s vegan. Then she definitely would not approve.
Instant Pot Meatloaf!
Let’s take a moment to appreciate just how amazing it is that we can prepare this keto meatloaf recipe in the Instant Pot. It’s not like other cooking solutions where it’s more convenient but you sacrifice flavor, or the texture doesn’t come out right. No.
This is a good meatloaf and it’s fast and easy to make. I say ‘good’ because I don’t want you to mistake enthusiasm for hyperbole (but if you want to, you can insert an expletive after good, but before meatloaf).
It’s just a bonus that this meal happens to also be low carb. What makes it low carb also makes it extra tasty.
It’s no secret that meatloaf is made with bread crumbs. It’s not pure ground beef. There are other things in it to fill it out. Those things typically are carbs.
But what if you used something else to do the job of breadcrumbs in your loaf? suddenly you have a low carb keto meatloaf recipe. which is always desirable, especially when you are cooking for multiple people, increasing the odds that somebody is on a low carb diet.
The secret ingredient here is pork rinds. They not only take out the carb levels in this dish, but they also make it taste even better.
Why Meatloaf is a Family Favorite (A Very Brief History)
Meatloaf has a pretty interesting history. It’s also a bit contested because depending on what you consider meatloaf to be derived from It could either be 5th-century old, or only a couple hundred years old.
Meatloaf is definitely an American standard, but like many so-called American dishes, it may have come from Europe as far back as medieval times.
This version of meatloaf was sort of a prototype and you might not even call it that. It was diced meat scraps seasoned and joined with other ingredients such as fruit and nuts.
Apparently, while they watched jousts and ate soup from a bowl with a handle, they were also scooping up handfuls of meat and nuts, and whatever else was lying around.
Centuries of casserole dishes later, meatloaf eventually evolved into what we recognize today, but it’s always been a great way to reuse leftovers, so the spirit of its medieval origins is valid whether that original scrap heap is a clear meatloaf prototype or not.
Of course, feeding your family scraps is economical, which is why it probably rose in popularity during the depression, but the recipe had since been fine-tuned. The earliest recorded recipe for meatloaf as we know it today came from Boston in the late 1800s.
It was developed as a way to further stretch out the uses of meat and take advantage of cheaper cuts. However, the first use of starch and beef together in a meatloaf-like dish came from the colonial period in US History.
Back then it was cornmeal. Pork rinds are not starchy, but they do the trick and they harken back to the original recipe of the 1870s which called for a blend of beef and pork.
How to Form an Instant Pot Meatloaf
Once you have all of your ingredients together for this keto meatloaf recipes, you need to form the loaf. At this point, you can still change your mind and opt to make meatballs instead of Instant Pot meatloaf.
To cook meatloaf in an Instant Pot, you need to form it into the shape of a round loaf. This recipe calls for the use of an Instant Pot trivet and some pieces of aluminum foil that you will fold and form into a pan in the instant pot.
You need to fold and form the aluminum foil to the sides of the Instant Pot, so shape the loaf of meat outside of the pot and then lower it in.
You could take out the trivet, with the foil to put the loaf in and then reform the foil once it is all in place in the instant pot, but this may be more difficult to manage with the foil. as it is lightweight and air resistant, so it often behaves unpredictably.
Making the Perfect Meatloaf Glaze
As much as I love this Instant Pot meatloaf and its low carb aspect, the number one thing that makes this recipe great is the glaze. If you take nothing else from this recipe, take the glaze. Carb it up. Cook it in a toaster oven. It’s all good as long as it’s got this phenomenal glaze on top.
If you are used to just emptying a bottle of ketchup on your meatloaf and calling it a day, you need this recipe. And yes. The glaze for this keto meatloaf recipe is also low carb.
The ingredient list is short and simple, and you can make a higher carb version of this if you like. Otherwise, for the low carb recipe, you will need to pick up these specific items.
One of which is sugar-free ketchup. You can’t have meatloaf without ketchup and when you use sugar-free you can keep the carb levels down. This glaze also uses Dijon mustard and a brown sugar substitute that is low carb. One option you can easily find is Swerve.
These three ingredients are all you need to make a phenomenal meatloaf glaze. It’s sweet with just a little bit of tang and it will have everybody reaching out their plate for seconds. If you abandon the low carb elements, just use regular ketchup and regular brown sugar.
Instant Pot Keto Meatloaf Recipe
This Instant Pot meatloaf is so good, so easy, and so, so keto friendly. I know so many people doing the keto thing, an they’ve either given up meatloaf altogether or they eat it without any glaze. Shocking, I know.
Rather than give up meatloaf, stay on your keto track with this delicious recipe. It has all the flavors of classic meatloaf but without all the carbs, allowing you to enjoy this classic comfort food without derailing yourself.
Instant Pot Meatloaf Recipe Ingredients
When you think of meatloaf, you immediately think of bread crumbs and a sweet glaze. Well, for this keto meatloaf recipe, I’ve done away with both of those and used pork rind crumbs and an alternative sweetener to get all the great flavor and texture but without the carbs.
Outside of those substitutions, you’ll see that the ingredients for this meatloaf recipe are the ones that you’ll find in every other classic meatloaf recipe out there.
Meatloaf
- ground beef or ground beef and pork
- eggs
- sugar-free ketchup
- Dijon mustard
- Worcestershire sauce
- pork rinds, crumbs
- yellow onion
- garlic powder
- onion powder
- sea salt
- black pepper, ground
Glaze
- low carb brown sugar alternative sweetener (i.e. Swerve)
- Dijon mustard
- sugar-free ketchup
What did I tell you? Classic meatloaf ingredients. The pork rind crumbs take the place of the bread crumbs as the binder, and the sweetener alternative gives the glaze that sweet flavor with no added sugar or carbs.
Making the Meatloaf
Making this meatloaf is as simple as any other meatloaf recipe you’ve ever made. It’s essentially mixing the ingredients into a loaf and then cooking them. The only difference is using the Instant Pot to cook it up so fast but keep it moist and delicious.
It’s an easy, family favorite recipe that’s so easy to make. The full recipe is in the recipe card further down, but here are the highlights.
- Mix ingredients until well combined.
- Shape meatloaf into the shape of the Instant Pot.
- Mix glaze ingredients and spread over meatloaf.
- Cook.
These are just the broad strokes as the recipe card will have all the details. But those details don’t come out to be much more than what you just read.
How great is that?
Serving Instant Pot Meatloaf
This keto meatloaf recipe has all the flavors of the classic, so I like to serve it with classic sides. With a twist of course.
You’re most likely making this low-carb meatloaf because you’re doing the keto thing, so it’s only natural that you’ll serve this with keto-friendly sides. Here are some great ideas.
- Cauliflower Mashed Potatoes
- Green Beans
- Asparagus
- Carrots
Storing This Keto Meatloaf Recipe
This Instant Pot meatloaf will keep well in the refrigerator for three to four days in an air-tight container. For longer storage, you can freeze the meatloaf in an air-tight, freezer-safe container or heavy-duty freezer bag for a few months.
Slice the meatloaf up and wrap each piece tightly in foil or cling wrap, then freeze using either of the above-mentioned container methods.
FAQ
Q: How did you get the carbs out of this meatloaf?
A: Using pork rind crumbs in place of bread crumbs and a sugar substitute get the carbs out of this recipe, leaving a keto-friendly dish.
Q: What if I don’t like pork rinds?
A: That’s okay. You won’t actually taste them. They don’t add any flavor at all to the meatloaf. They just keep it together.
Q: What kind of sugar substitute should I use?
A: You can use any substitute you like. Swerve, Truvia, and even Monk Fruit are all good alternatives.
Q: How long will the meatloaf last?
A: This meatloaf will keep in the fridge for up to four days. You can also freeze it for a few months.
Give This Instant Pot Meatloaf a Try
This keto meatloaf recipe is delicious, easy to make, and most importantly for those living the keto lifestyle, low carb. It’s a recipe that gives you all the flavor of your favorite comfort food without all the added sugar and carbs.
So give it a try. Even if you aren’t doing keto, it’s still a great-tasting recipe and cutting carbs here and there is always a good thing.
Low Carb Instant Pot Meat Loaf
Equipment
- Instant Pot
Ingredients
Meatloaf
- 2 pounds ground beef or ground beef pork blend
- 2 large eggs
- 1/2 cup sugar-free ketchup
- 2 tablespoons Dijon mustard
- 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
- 1 cup pork rinds, crumbs
- ½ cup yellow onion, diced
- 1 teaspoons garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon onion powder
- 1 teaspoon sea salt
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper
Glaze
- ½ cup low carb brown sugar alternative sweetener i.e. Swerve
- 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
- ½ cup sugar-free ketchup
Instructions
- Get out and measure all of your ingredients.
- Add all meatloaf ingredients to a bowl.
- Gently work ingredients into the ground beef using your hands or a wooden spoon.
- Lay out 2 large pieces of aluminum foil, about 30 inches by 14 inches and fold each of them in half.
- Add trivet to Instant Pot, then gently shape the foil into the shape of the Instant Pot, leaving the sides a minimum of 3 inches high. Lay the second layer of foil and do the same. Fold edges of foil in, creating a makeshift foil pan for the meatloaf.
- Using your hands, shape the meat mixture into a round loaf shape
- About the size of an Instant Pot insert, then lay in your foil pan.
- In a small mixing bowl, add glaze ingredients and whisk until brown sugar alternative is well incorporated.
- Sir until blended,
- Spread over top of meatloaf.
- Add the foiled loaf onto the trivet.
- Add lid and lock in place. Set to Pressure Cook High for 25 minutes. Allow to naturally release for 15 minutes. Manual release until pin drops.
- Use trivet to lift meatloaf out of Instant Pot carefully.
- Slice and serve.
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