cheesy-garlic MEATLOAF CASSEROLE instant pot or oven methods

• Servings: 8
• Prep Time: 10 min.
• Cook Time: 1hr, 10 min.
• Difficulty: intermediate
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I can’t say enough about this dish. I cooked this in my Ninja Foodi, which is similar to the Instant Pot, but it will easily bake in your oven too. This casserole tastes amazing and it’s so filling. Please forgive my photography, before I could take a good picture my husband took a big chunk out of the dish. I guess he couldn’t wait. I asked him to help me name it and he said “Triple Layer Gut Buster. You can’t stop eating till you loosen a pant button.” I laughed so hard so I really couldn’t get mad about him ruining my image. This goes nicely with a salad, or any vegetable. I hope you enjoy this a much as we did.

My husband’s chunk removed – check out those cutting skills!

Ingredients for the mashed potatoes:

• 3 lbs. Russet potatoes, peeled and cut into 1-inch chunks
• 1/2 cup sour cream
• 4 oz. cream cheese, cut into chunks
• 3 Tbsp. butter, divided
• 1 Tbsp. cooking oil, I used canola
• 2 tsp. salt
• 1 tsp. pepper
• 2 Tbsp. chives, minced (optional garnish)

Ingredients for meatloaf layer:

• 2 lbs. lean ground beef
• 1 medium yellow onion, diced
• 1/2 cup green, or red bell pepper, diced
• 1/2 diced cremini mushrooms
• 4 garlic cloves, minced
• 1/2 a sleeve saltine crackers, crushed
• 1- 14.5 oz. can Rotel diced tomatoes with green chilies
• 2 Tbsp. cooking oil
• 1 tsp. salt
• 1/8 tsp. pepper
• 1 cup cheddar cheese, shredded

Oven Directions:

1. Place your peeled, cut potatoes into a medium sized pot, and cover with water. Place lid on pot and bring to a boil. When it starts to boil, turn heat to med-low and allow to simmer until potatoes are fork tender, about 10 minutes.
2. While the potatoes are simmering, heat the oil and 1 Tbsp. butter in a skillet on med-low heat. Once heated, add the crushed garlic and sauté until translucent being careful not to brown as this will make the garlic bitter. remove from heat and set aside.
3. When the potatoes are cooked and fork tender, drain them and return to pot. To the potatoes add the garlic (scrap all that goodness on top of your potatoes, butter, and all.) the sour cream, cream cheese, and the remaining butter, then mash away*, then set aside. (I like my taters with texture, so I don’t mash until smooth, but you do you.)
4. Preheat the oven to 350˚F. In same skillet, over med-high heat, heat 1 Tbsp. oil. Once heated add the onions, and bell pepper. Sauté for 2 minutes, then add garlic and cook an additional minute. Remove to a plate, keep warm.
5. To the skillet heat the remaining oil over med-high heat and add the ground beef. While cooking break up the beef with your spatula into small chunks. Cook until done, about 5 minutes. Once cooked through, add the vegetables, crackers, diced tomatoes, salt, and pepper back to skillet and stir to combine. Taste your mixture and add salt if needed. *
6. Spread the meat mixture into a 2-1/2 qt. casserole dish, and top with the garlic mashed potatoes. Next, top those mashed potatoes with the shredded cheddar cheese and bake for 25 minutes, or until the cheese is melted and bubbly.

1. Place your peeled, cut potatoes into a medium sized pot, and cover with water. Place lid on pot and bring to a boil. When it starts to boil, turn heat to med-low and allow to simmer until potatoes are fork tender, about 10 minutes.
2. While the potatoes are simmering, heat the oil and 1 Tbsp. butter in a skillet on med-low heat. Once heated, add the crushed garlic and sauté until translucent being careful not to brown as this will make the garlic bitter. remove from heat and set aside.
3. When the potatoes are cooked and fork tender, drain them and return to pot. To the potatoes add the garlic (scrap all that goodness on top of your potatoes, butter and all.) the sour cream, cream cheese, and the remaining butter, then mash away*, then set aside. (I like my taters with texture so I don’t mash until smooth, but you do you.)
4. Preheat the oven to 350˚F. In same skillet, over med-high heat, heat 1 Tbsp. oil. Once heated add the onions, and bell pepper. Sauté for 2 minutes, then add garlic and cook an additional minute. Remove to a plate, keep warm.
5. To the skillet heat the remaining oil over med-high heat and add the ground beef. While cooking break up the beef with your spatula into small chunks. Cook until done, about 5 minutes. Once cooked through, add the vegetables, crackers, diced tomatoes, salt and pepper back to skillet and stir to combine. Taste your mixture and add salt if needed.*
6. Spread the meat mixture into a 2-1/2 qt. casserole dish, and top with the garlic mashed potatoes. Next, top those mashed potatoes with the shredded cheddar cheese and bake for 25 minutes, or until the cheese is melted and bubbly.

Notes:

My family likes texture in the mashed potatoes, so I don’t mash until smooth, but you do what you like… Texture, no texture there is no wrong way to go about it.  Everyone has different tastes so when it comes to salt I list what I like, but you may require more. Always do a taste test and adjust to your liking. Remember, it is easy to add and hard to take away.