French Onion Meatloaf

This Instant Pot French Onion Meatloaf is the perfect comfort food. Ready in an hour and a half and topped with a caramelized onion gruyere gravy, this meatloaf recipe is made entirely in the electric pressure cooker. Serve it with mashed potatoes and a steamed vegetable, and you've got a spectacular meal!

Prep Time 25

Cook Time 1 8

Total Time 1 33

Servings large servings

Calories 492kcal

Ingredients

Caramelized Onions

4 tablespoons unsalted butter
2 onions sliced thin (about 3 ½ cups)

French Onion Meatloaf

2 lbs. ground beef
½ cup saltine crackers crushed
½ cup caramelized onions (reserve the rest for the gravy)
1 egg
2 teaspoons kosher salt
1 tablespoon fresh thyme
1 teaspoon black pepper
½ teaspoon red pepper flakes
½ cup beef stock

Gruyere Gravy

Pan drippings from the meatloaf
2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
½ cup caramelized onions
¾ cup beef stock
1 tablespoon fresh thyme
½ cup shredded gruyere cheese

Instructions

Caramelize the Onions

Slice the onions thinly using a very sharp knife or a mandoline.
2 onions
Turn on the Instant Pot to the Saute (Normal) setting for 30 minutes.
Melt the butter in the pan, and then add onions.
4 tablespoons unsalted butter
Cook, stirring constantly with a wooden spoon, until slightly browned/caramelized, then remove from pan.
Set the onions aside to cool slightly.
Do not clean the pan. Everything else will build off these caramelized onions!

Make the Meatloaf

Measure out the ground beef, saltines, caramelized onions and egg, salt, fresh thyme, black pepper and red pepper flakes into a large bowl.
2 lbs. ground beef, ½ cup saltine crackers, ½ cup caramelized onions, 1 egg, 2 teaspoons kosher salt, 1 tablespoon fresh thyme, 1 teaspoon black pepper, ½ teaspoon red pepper flakes
Use your hands to mix the ingredients together until well combined.
Form one or two loafs.
Turn on the Instant Pot to the Saute setting (Normal) for 10 minutes.
Sear the meatloaf on ALL sides. (If the meat begins sticking, add a little vegetable oil to the pot to assist. I found that there was butter/liquid leftover from the onions that worked just fine.)
When the meatloaf is browned on all sides and the Saute setting is complete, add the beef stock.
½ cup beef stock
Put on the lid, and program the Instant Pot to Pressure Cook (Normal) for 18 minutes.
When the pressure cook has completed, depressurize the Instant Pot.
Remove the meatloaf, leaving the pan drippings behind. (This will make the gravy!)

Make the Gruyere Gravy

Set the Instant Pot to the Saute (Normal) setting for 10 minutes.
Add the flour into the pan drippings, and stir using a wooden spoon.
Pan drippings from the meatloaf, 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
When the flour begins changing color, add the additional caramelized onions and the beef stock.
½ cup caramelized onions, ¾ cup beef stock
Season with the fresh thyme and any additional salt or pepper. (I didn't think any more was needed, but taste the gravy at this point and go with your tastebuds!)
1 tablespoon fresh thyme
When the setting has completed, add the cheese, melting at the very end.
½ cup shredded gruyere cheese
Serve warm over the meatloaf and enjoy immediately!

Notes

Please note the total time does NOT include the time it takes for the Instant Pot to pressurize.

If you want more gruyere in your recipe, throw ½ cup into the meatloaf!

This recipe can be made in the slow cooker, though it will take significantly longer and require more dishes. You can make the caramelized onions in a nonstick skillet in about the same amount of time, then sear the meatloaf in the same skillet. Pop into the slow cooker on low for 8ish hours. When the meatloaf is fully cooked through, pour the pan drippings back into the original skillet and make the gravy.

Nutrition