Shipwreck Casserole

By Roger Rizzo 28 September, 2025 4 mins read 0 Views

Shipwreck casserole is the ultimate “use what you’ve got” comfort food! Layer it with rice, potatoes, or pasta, toss in any veggies on hand, and make it as cheesy as you like. It’s hearty, budget-friendly, and nearly impossible to mess up!

Overhead shot of baked and ready to eat shipwreck casserole in a baking dish.

Why This Nostalgic Recipe Never Gets Old

Built for Flexibility: Whether you’ve got rice, potatoes, or pasta on hand, this recipe adapts to whatever’s in your pantry.Inexpensive to Make: Born in the Depression era, it proves that simple ingredients can still make a hearty, satisfying meal.Family-Pleaser: Picky eaters? No problem. You can just add the veggies and cheese everyone likes and skip what they don’t.

Shipwreck Casserole Ingredients

Protein: Use ground beef, sausage, turkey, or chicken, whatever you like best. For extra flavor, toss in some crumbled bacon! Always pre-cook and drain the meat (unless it’s very lean) to avoid excess grease.Veggies: Stick with about 3–4 cups. Fresh, frozen, or canned all work. Peas, carrots, and corn are classics.Tex-Mex Twist: Add bell peppers, jalapeños, beans, and a few teaspoons of taco seasoning for a fun flavor boost.

How to Make Shipwreck Casserole

I’m a huge fan of this Shipwreck Casserole! On busy nights when I don’t know what to make. If you love hearty, comforting meals, you should also try my Hobo Casserole and Shepherd’s Pie.

Cook Beef: Preheat the oven to 400ºF, and spray a 9 x 13-inch baking dish with nonstick cooking spray. Add ground beef to a large skillet and cook over medium heat until fully browned, about 5 to 7 minutes, breaking up the beef as it cooks. Add diced onion and minced garlic to the skillet and cook for an additional minute. Add Pasta, Milk, and Tomatoes: Add macaroni and cheese along with the cheese packet, diced tomatoes, milk, and butter to the skillet, then stir to combine.Combine with Veggies: Add peas and corn and bring the mixture to a simmer. Season with salt and pepper to taste.Bake: Transfer the mixture to the prepared baking dish and top with cheddar cheese. Cover with foil and bake for 30-35 minutes, until the cheese is melted and bubbling. Let the shipwreck casserole sit for 5 minutes before serving.

Ground beef and onions cooking in a skillet.

Ground beef and onions cooking in a skillet.

Tomatoes, butter, macaroni, powdered cheese, and milk added to the ground beef mixture.

All of the ingredients added to the baking topped with cheese and ready to go in the oven.

Easy Swaps to Make It Your Own

One of the best things about this casserole is how flexible it is! You can change it up based on what you’ve got in the pantry or what your family loves most. Here are a few simple ways to switch it up:

Mac & Cheese: If using the kind with cheese sauce (not powder), cut the milk to 1 cup and skip the butter.Potato Version: Skip the mac and cheese, milk, and butter. Spread 4–5 cups of frozen hash browns on the bottom, top with the meat and veggies, then bake 50–60 minutes until the potatoes are tender and the cheese is bubbling.Rice Version: Leave out the mac and cheese, milk, and butter. Spread ½ cup uncooked long-grain rice in the bottom, mix ⅔ cup water into the meat and veggie mixture, then pour it over the rice. Bake for about 1 hour, adding 5 minutes at a time until the rice is fully cooked.

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Shipwreck Casserole

Shipwreck casserole is a cozy, layered casserole made with ground beef, potatoes, vegetables, and tomato soup. Course Dinner, entree, Main Course, main dishCuisine AmericanKeyword budget-friendly, casserole recipe, easy dinner, layered shipwreck casserole, leftovers shipwreck casserole, mac n cheese shipwreck casserole, shipwreck casserole, shipwreck casserole recipe, vintage recipePrep Time 25 minutesminutesCook Time 1 hourhourTotal Time 1 hourhour25 minutesminutesServings 6servingsCalories 520kcalAuthor Alyssa Rivers

Equipment

1 9 x 13-inch baking dish

Ingredients

1poundlean ground beef1cupdiced onionabout 1 small onion1tablespoonminced garlicabout 3 cloves1(7.25-ounce)box macaroni and cheese1(10-ounce)can diced tomatoes1 ¼cupmilk3tablespoonssalted butter1cupfrozen peas1cupfrozen cornsaltto tastepepperto taste2cupsshredded cheddar cheese

Instructions

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit, and spray a 9 x 13-inch baking dish with nonstick cooking spray.Add 1 pound lean ground beef to a large skillet and cook over medium heat until fully browned, about 5 to 7 minutes, breaking up the beef as it cooks. Add 1 cup diced onion and 1 tablespoon minced garlic to the skillet and cook for an additional minute. Add 1 (7.25-ounce) box macaroni and cheese, along with the cheese packet, 1 (10-ounce) can diced tomatoes1 ¼ cup milk, and 3 tablespoons salted butter to the skillet and stir to combine. Add 1 cup frozen peas and 1 cup frozen corn and bring the mixture to a simmer. Season with salt and pepper to taste.Transfer the mixture to the prepared baking dish and top with 2 cups shredded cheddar cheese. Cover with foil and bake for 30-35 minutes, until the cheese is melted and bubbling. Let the casserole sit for 5 minutes before serving.

Notes

Storage Instructions

In the RefrigeratorStore leftovers in an airtight container.Keeps fresh for up to 5 daysReheat in the microwave in 30-second increments until heated through.In the FreezerFreeze the fully cooked casserole for up to 3 monthsThaw overnight in the refrigerator.Bake at 375ºF for 30–40 minutes, or until the center reaches 165ºF

Nutrition

Calories: 520kcalCarbohydrates: 34gProtein: 34gFat: 28gSaturated Fat: 14gPolyunsaturated Fat: 1gMonounsaturated Fat: 6gTrans Fat: 0.5gCholesterol: 106mgSodium: 694mgPotassium: 709mgFiber: 3gSugar: 6gVitamin A: 877IUVitamin C: 18mgCalcium: 417mgIron: 4mg