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My little brother asked my mother why it was called shipwreck casserole every single time she made it, and she never gave him the same answer twice. One night it was because everything goes down to the bottom; another night it was because it was what sailors ate when the ship went down. The truth is that nobody knows for sure where the name came from. What we did know is what it meant: a cheap night and a good one. Sliced potatoes, onions, browned ground beef, a little rice and a can of kidney beans, layered in one deep dish under a homemade tomato sauce, covered and baked slow.
Because everything goes in raw except the beef, the one thing that decides whether this casserole works is the order of the layers and the thickness of the potato slices. Potatoes go at the bottom and again on top, sliced thin and even, so they cook through in the sauce. The rice goes in the middle, under the beans, where it sits in the sauce and drinks it up instead of drying out on top. The lid stays on for most of the baking and comes off at the end so the top browns. Here is the order of the layers so the potatoes and the rice come out tender.
Why this shipwreck casserole works
- Thin, even potatoes. Slices the thickness of a coin cook through in the sauce at the same time as everything else.
- Rice in the middle. Tucked under the beans and over the beef, the rice sits in the sauce and cooks soft.
- Beef browned first. Browning the ground beef with the onion adds deep flavor and pours off the extra fat.
- A thin homemade sauce. Tomato sauce loosened with water and broth gives the rice and potatoes the liquid they need.
- Covered, then uncovered. The lid traps steam to cook the layers; the last stretch without it browns the top.
Ingredients
Makes one deep 9x13 inch or 3 quart casserole, about 6 generous servings. The measurements are in US cups with grams in brackets.
For the layers
- 1 pound lean ground beef (450g)
- 1 teaspoon fine salt, divided
- 1/2 teaspoon black pepper, divided
- 2 pounds russet or Yukon Gold potatoes, peeled and sliced 1/8 inch thick (900g)
- 2 medium onions, thinly sliced
- 1/2 cup long-grain white rice, uncooked (95g)
- 1 can (15 ounces, 425g) red kidney beans, drained and rinsed
- 1/2 cup chopped celery (optional)
For the tomato sauce
- 1 can (15 ounces, 425g) tomato sauce
- 1 can (14.5 ounces, 411g) diced tomatoes with their juice
- 1 cup beef broth (240ml)
- 1/2 cup water (120ml)
- 1 tablespoon brown sugar
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano
- 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1/2 teaspoon paprika
To finish (optional)
- 1 cup shredded cheddar cheese (100g)
Use regular long-grain white rice, not instant and not brown rice. Instant rice turns to mush, and brown rice will not cook through in the time.
How to make shipwreck casserole
- Heat the oven to 350 degrees (175°C). Butter a deep 9x13 inch or 3 quart baking dish that has a lid, or have a sheet of foil ready.
- Brown the ground beef in a skillet over medium-high heat, breaking it up, until no pink remains and it is browned in places. Pour off the fat. Season with half the salt and pepper.
- In a bowl, stir together all the tomato sauce ingredients until the sugar dissolves.
- Layer the dish in this order: half the potato slices overlapping in an even layer, sprinkled with a little of the remaining salt and pepper; half the onion; all the browned beef; the rice scattered evenly over the beef; the celery if using; the kidney beans; the rest of the onion; then the rest of the potatoes, seasoned with the last of the salt and pepper.
- Pour the tomato sauce slowly over the whole dish, letting it run down through the layers. Press the top potatoes down gently so they are wet with sauce.
- Cover tightly with the lid or foil and bake for 1 1/2 hours.
- Uncover and test: a knife should slide easily through the potatoes at the center and the rice should be soft. If not, cover and bake 15 minutes more.
- Uncover, scatter the cheese over the top if using, and bake 15 minutes more, until the top is browned at the edges and bubbling.
- Rest 10 minutes before serving, so the sauce settles and thickens.
Tips that make the difference
- A mandoline or the slicing side of a box grater gives even potato slices fast.
- Seal the foil tightly. Steam escaping means dry rice and hard potatoes.
- Check the middle, not the edges. The center is always the last part to get tender.
- Serve with buttered bread to catch the sauce.
Variations
- Pinto beans. Use pinto beans in place of the kidney beans.
- Ground turkey. Use ground turkey and chicken broth for a lighter dish.
- Green pepper. Add a sliced green bell pepper with the onions.
- Slow cooker. Layer in the same order in a slow cooker and cook on low for 7 to 8 hours.
Storage and make-ahead
Keep leftovers covered in the refrigerator for up to 4 days. It is even better reheated the next day.
Reheat portions in the microwave or in a covered dish in a 350 degree oven with a spoon of water.
Shipwreck casserole freezes well in portions for up to 3 months.
Frequently asked questions
Why is it called shipwreck casserole?
Nobody knows for sure. Families have their own stories: that everything sinks to the bottom, or that it was a supper made from whatever was left. The name has been in community cookbooks for generations.
Do I cook the potatoes or rice first?
No. Both go in raw. Thin potato slices and rice tucked into the middle cook through in the sauce while the dish bakes covered.
Why are my potatoes still hard?
The slices were too thick, the dish was not covered tightly, or it needed more time. Slice thin and seal the lid well.
Can I use canned soup instead of the sauce?
This version uses a simple tomato sauce made from cans of tomato and broth; it gives the rice the liquid it needs.
Put a loaf of bread on the table, let the children ask about the name, and give a different answer every time.
Shipwreck Casserole (Layered Potatoes, Ground Beef, Rice and Beans in Tomato Sauce)
Old-fashioned shipwreck casserole: layers of sliced potatoes, onion, browned ground beef, rice and kidney beans under a homemade tomato sauce, covered and baked slow at 350 degrees until tender. A cheap one-dish supper.
Ingredients
- 1 pound lean ground beef
- 1 teaspoon fine salt, divided
- 1/2 teaspoon black pepper, divided
- 2 pounds russet or Yukon Gold potatoes, peeled and sliced 1/8 inch thick
- 2 medium onions, thinly sliced
- 1/2 cup long-grain white rice, uncooked
- 1 can (15 ounces, 425g) red kidney beans, drained and rinsed
- 1/2 cup chopped celery
- 1 can (15 ounces, 425g) tomato sauce
- 1 can (14.5 ounces, 411g) diced tomatoes with their juice
- 1 cup beef broth
- 1/2 cup water
- 1 tablespoon brown sugar
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano
- 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1/2 teaspoon paprika
- 1 cup shredded cheddar cheese
Instructions
- Heat the oven to 350 degrees (175°C). Butter a deep 9x13 inch or 3 quart baking dish that has a lid, or have a sheet of foil ready.
- Brown the ground beef in a skillet over medium-high heat, breaking it up, until no pink remains and it is browned in places. Pour off the fat. Season with half the salt and pepper.
- In a bowl, stir together all the tomato sauce ingredients until the sugar dissolves.
- Layer the dish in this order: half the potato slices overlapping in an even layer, sprinkled with a little of the remaining salt and pepper; half the onion; all the browned beef; the rice scattered evenly over the beef; the celery if using; the kidney beans; the rest of the onion; then the rest of the potatoes, seasoned with the last of the salt and pepper.
- Pour the tomato sauce slowly over the whole dish, letting it run down through the layers. Press the top potatoes down gently so they are wet with sauce.
- Cover tightly with the lid or foil and bake for 1 1/2 hours.
- Uncover and test: a knife should slide easily through the potatoes at the center and the rice should be soft. If not, cover and bake 15 minutes more.
- Uncover, scatter the cheese over the top if using, and bake 15 minutes more, until the top is browned at the edges and bubbling.
- Rest 10 minutes before serving, so the sauce settles and thickens.
