An old-school one-pot meal loaded with ground beef, potatoes, beans, rice, and spices smothered in a thin tomato-based sauce. It may look messy, but it is cheap, filling, and easy to make.
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Why Shipwreck Casserole is the perfect budget-minded vintage recipe
With everyone looking for ways to stretch the grocery budget, now is a great time to try out more classic casserole recipes like this one for Shipwreck Casserole.
So, what is Shipwreck Casserole? It may sound like a disaster, but it is cozy comfort food. It's a ground beef casserole with potatoes, kidney beans, and rice baked in tomato sauce is a hearty and satisfying meal that can feed a large family without breaking the bank.
Why you'll love this old-fashioned casserole
Cheap and easy is the name of the game here. The ingredient list is full of household staples that won't require a trip to the store, and you can throw everything together in a few minutes and have dinner on the table in an hour. No mess, no stress!
Check out the section on Shipwreck Casserole recipe variations for ideas about changing things up.
Ingredients you will need
For Shipwreck Casserole with potatoes, you'll need:
- Ground beef
- Salt
- Fresh ground black pepper
- Potatoes
- White onion
- Celery
- Kidney beans
- Uncooked rice
- Dry oregano
- Seasoned salt
- Chili powder optional
- Water
- Tomato sauce
Use a classic seasoned salt like Lawry's for a more authentic flavor.
How to make Shipwreck Casserole
To prepare an easy Shipwreck Casserole:
- Peel and slice the potatoes, chop the white onions, and slice the celery into thin pieces. Add the prepped veggies into a two-quart casserole dish.
- Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat.
- Add the ground beef to the dry, hot skillet. Brown the ground beef well and then season with salt and freshly ground black pepper. Stir well.
- Drain the ground beef, if desired, and add to a two-quart casserole dish with the prepped vegetables.
- Drain and rinse the kidney beans and pour them over the ground beef.
- Add the uncooked rice.
- Stir the dried oregano, seasoned salt, more freshly ground black pepper, and the optional chili powder into the water and pour over the ingredients in the casserole dish.
- Add the tomato sauce to the casserole dish and stir well to combine all the ingredients.
- Cover the casserole dish with aluminum foil or a tight-fitting lid and bake for an hour.
- Remove the baked dish and place on a wire rack. Let stand for at least five minutes before removing the cover and serving immediately.
What to serve Shipwreck Casserole with
Although the beauty of Shipwreck Casserole with potatoes is that it is a one-pot meal, you can make it even better with a few sides, especially if they are vegetable-based:
- Green Salad: A fresh green salad with a light vinaigrette dressing can offer a refreshing contrast to the casserole’s richness.
- Steamed Vegetables: Simple steamed vegetables like broccoli, carrots, or green beans are a healthy and colorful addition.
- Roasted Brussels Sprouts: Roasted with a bit of olive oil, salt, and pepper, Brussels sprouts can add a crunchy and slightly bitter counterpoint.
- Garlic Bread: Crispy garlic bread is perfect for soaking up any delicious sauces from the casserole.
- Cornbread: A slice of sweet cornbread pairs nicely with the savory flavors of a shipwreck casserole.
Possible Shipwreck Casserole recipe variations
Like other casseroles, you can add anything on hand, which will be good. Here are a few suggestions that will go well with this recipe for Shipwreck Casserole:
- Bacon. Crumble cooked bacon and add it along with the other ingredients before stirring.
- Cornflakes. Lightly crush some cornflakes and spread them over the top of the casserole. Melt a quarter cup of whole butter and pour over the top of the cornflakes. Bake as above.
- Cheddar cheese. Remove the cover from the casserole five minutes before the end of the cooking time, and spread the shredded cheddar on top. Return the casserole to the oven until the cheese melts and starts to bubble.
- Veggies. Add corn or peas and carrots.
How to store extra Shipwreck Casserole
Leave the casserole in the dish and let it cool to room temperature. Cover and store in the fridge for up to three days, or wrap the entire casserole in aluminum foil and freeze for up to a month. Thaw the casserole in the refrigerator overnight before reheating.
What is the best way to reheat this easy Shipwreck Casserole?
You can warm multiple portions in a 350°F oven. Place the covered casserole dish in the oven for about 30 minutes, or until the interior reaches 165°F.
The microwave is best for reheating a single serving. Place the food in a microwavable bowl, cover with a plate, and heat for a minute and a half. Let it rest for about a minute before removing it from the microwave.
What is the origin of the recipe for Shipwreck Casserole?
Two main stories are floating around about how this particular recipe came to be. The more romantic one is that this was the dish that survivors of an actual shipwreck made after scavenging the food of their destroyed ship. Although very intriguing, it is most likely not true. The more mundane and probably the truth is that this casserole is a mish-mash of ingredients and looks like a wreck on the plate.
Whatever the recipe's origins, the dish has been around for a long time. There is even a very basic version that was published in a community cookbook during the 1940s.
More vintage casserole recipes
- Betty Crocker Hot Dog Casserole
- Canned Asparagus Casserole
- Corned Beef Casserole
- Pineapple Cheese Casserole
Shipwreck Casserole
Ingredients
- 1 pound ground beef
- salt and pepper to taste
- 1 ½ cups sliced potatoes
- 2 cups finely chopped white onion about 1 large onion
- ¼ cup thinly sliced celery
- 8 ounces tomato sauce
- 1 can (16 ounces) kidney beans drained and rinsed
- ¼ cup uncooked rice
- 1 ½ cups water
- 1 teaspoon oregano
- 1 teaspoon seasoned salt
- 1 teaspoon chili powder optional
- ½ teaspoon ground black pepper
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350°F.
- Brown the ground beef in a skillet. Season the beef with a small amount of salt and pepper while it is cooking. Drain.
- Transfer the beef to a 2-quart casserole dish. Add the potatoes, onion, celery, tomato sauce, kidney beans, uncooked rice, water, and seasonings. Stir to combine.
- Cover the dish with aluminum foil or a lid and bake for 1 hour.
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