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Shipwreck casserole is a vintage ground beef dish that includes layers of hamburger, potato, kidney beans, onions, and tomato soup. Zesty seasoning, bacon, cheese, and a buttery Corn Flake topping finish off the flavorful meal!
Looking for even more ground beef casserole recipes? Try this tamale pie, a pan of Mexican lasagna, this family-friendly bacon cheeseburger casserole with rice, and the longtime favorite Johnny Marzetti casserole, too!
Shipwreck Casserole is a Nostalgic Reader-Favorite Recipe
The idea for this recipe comes from a blog reader named Diane, who has fond memories of her grandmother preparing a similar dish each fall. Diane couldn’t remember the specific measurements, but sent me a list of the ingredients to layer in a dish: sliced potatoes, onions, bacon, kidney beans, and tomato soup. She called it “Autumn Dish” because her Gram prepared it for the Dime-a-Dish church suppers each fall. Since I love a good vintage casserole, I was intrigued! After a little bit more poking around, I ultimately discovered that this old-fashioned dish is commonly known as “Shipwreck Casserole” — and Diane isn’t the only one who grew up loving it!
A Ground Beef Casserole with Rich History
There are many different versions of shipwreck casserole, but the basics remain the same: a layered hamburger potato casserole that often includes kidney beans, bacon, and tomato soup. Like many other vintage ground beef recipes, this dish has been adapted over time and tweaked by home cooks for generations. Some folks like to add rice, while others use cream of mushroom soup or sausage.
Shipwreck casserole’s origins are unclear; however, evidence of the dish dates back to cookbooks from the 1940’s. Legend has it that the casserole gets its name because it was originally prepared after a shipwreck when sailors grabbed what food they could before abandoning the sinking vessel. This somewhat odd combination of ingredients came together in one dish and was then named “shipwreck casserole.”
Another theory (and probably the more likely assumption) is that the layered hamburger potato casserole gets its name because it’s messy, the ingredients tend to fall apart when served, and it looks like a disaster (or a “shipwreck”). Regardless of where the dish comes from, one thing is certain: this tomato soup casserole with ground beef, potatoes, kidney beans, and bacon is an easy dinner that’s been loved for generations!
Ingredient Notes and Tips for Success
- You do not need to boil the potatoes before you layer them in the dish. Instead, peel the potatoes and then slice them very thin (less than ¼-inch thick). You can do this carefully by hand with a sharp knife, or use a mandoline slicer to quickly and easily get the job done. This ensures that the potatoes are tender and cooked evenly after about 70 minutes.
- The total baking time may vary depending on the type of casserole dish that you’re using and on how thinly you slice your potatoes. If you slice your potatoes thicker, you can increase the baking time as necessary. Just tent the dish loosely with foil if the top starts to get too dark before the potatoes are done.
- One can of the drained and rinsed kidney beans adds hearty texture and flavor to the dish. It’s similar to adding beans to a zesty pot of beef chili!
- Two cans of condensed tomato soup act as the binder for the casserole. It’s thick, slightly sweet, and balances the other savory ingredients.
- If it’s more convenient, you can make shipwreck casserole in a Crock Pot instead of in a casserole dish. Those alternate instructions are included in the recipe card below.
How to Make this Shipwreck Casserole Dish
This easy shipwreck casserole is a simple dish that you can conveniently prepare in advance. It’s cozy comfort food that the whole family will love! You’ll find detailed directions in the recipe card below, but here’s the overview:
- Brown the beef, onion, and garlic in a skillet until the meat is no longer pink. Drain off the grease.
- Stir in the seasoning.
- Layer half of the potatoes, half of the beef mixture, half of the beans, and half of the bacon in a 9 x 13-inch baking dish.
- Pour one can of soup over the top and spread to cover.
- Repeat the layers once more.
- Cover with foil and bake in a 350°F oven for 1 hour.
- Remove the cover, sprinkle the cheese and buttered Corn Flakes on top, then return the dish to the oven for 10-15 more minutes. The casserole is done when the potatoes are tender, the cheese is melted, and the topping is golden brown.
- Garnish the casserole with fresh herbs like parsley, thyme, basil, or oregano for a bright, flavorful touch. Sliced green onions would also be good.
What to Serve with Shipwreck Food
Shipwreck casserole goes well with just about any of your favorite sides, such as a simple green salad dressed in buttermilk dressing or pepper jelly vinaigrette, Arkansas green beans, garlic roasted broccoli, Southern collard greens, spinach casserole, Aunt Bee’s 3-ingredient biscuit recipe, cornbread muffins, or this Southern cornbread recipe.
Preparation and Storage Tips
- Make Ahead: You can assemble the entire casserole up to 24 hours in advance and keep it covered in the refrigerator until ready to bake. Before baking, allow the dish to sit on the counter and come to room temperature for at least 30-60 minutes.
- You can freeze the casserole before baking. Wrapped tightly, the assembled casserole will keep in the freezer for up to 2 months.
- How to Store: keep leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for 3-4 days.
- How to Reheat: If reheating an entire casserole, cover the dish loosely with foil and bake in a 350°F oven until warmed through (about 20-30 minutes). Reheat individual portions in the microwave for 1-2 minutes.
- 1 ½ lbs. ground beef
- 1 small onion, diced (about 1 cup total)
- 2 cloves garlic, minced (about 2 teaspoons)
- 1 teaspoon chili powder
- ¼ teaspoon kosher salt, plus more to taste
- ¼ teaspoon dried oregano
- ¼ teaspoon ground cumin
- Pinch of cayenne pepper
- 1 ½ lbs. (about 3 medium) russet potatoes, peeled and thinly sliced (less than ¼-inch thick)
- 1 (16 ounce) can kidney beans, drained and rinsed
- 4 slices bacon, cooked and crumbled
- 2 (10.75 ounce) cans condensed tomato soup, not diluted
- 1 cup grated sharp cheddar cheese
- 1 cup crushed Corn Flakes cereal mixed with 1 tablespoon melted salted butter
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Preheat the oven to 350°F. Grease a 9 x 13-inch baking dish with nonstick cooking spray; set aside. In a large skillet over medium-high heat, cook the beef, onion and garlic until the beef is no longer pink; drain. Stir in the chili powder, salt, oregano, cumin, and cayenne.
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In the prepared baking dish, layer half of the potatoes to cover the bottom of the pan (overlapping some is fine). Season the potatoes with a little bit of salt and pepper. Top with half of the beef mixture, half of the beans, and half of the bacon. Pour one can of soup over top. Repeat the layers once more, starting with the potatoes (seasoned with salt and pepper), then beef, beans, bacon, and soup.
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Cover the dish with foil and bake for 1 hour. Remove the foil, sprinkle the cheese and buttered Corn Flakes on top, and return the dish to the oven, uncovered, for about 10 to 15 more minutes, or until the filling is hot, the cheese melts, and the potatoes are tender. Garnish with fresh parsley just before serving.
Slow Cooker Instructions: Brown the beef, onion, and garlic in a large skillet. Drain off the fat, and stir in the seasoning. Layer the ingredients in the Crock Pot as instructed in the recipe above. Cover and cook on LOW for 4-6 hours or on HIGH for 2-3 hours, until the potatoes are tender. Sprinkle the cheese on top and continue cooking just until the cheese melts. Sprinkle with crushed chips, crackers, or Corn Flakes, if desired (the topping won’t get browned and crispy in the slow cooker, so you might prefer to omit this ingredient).
Serving: 1/8 of the casseroleCalories: 528kcalCarbohydrates: 62gProtein: 30gFat: 18gSaturated Fat: 8gTrans Fat: 1gCholesterol: 77mgSodium: 940mgPotassium: 1308mgFiber: 6gSugar: 11gVitamin A: 1043IUVitamin C: 22mgCalcium: 159mgIron: 13mg
Recipe Variations
- Any ground meat will work in this recipe. Instead of the ground beef, try ground turkey, ground pork, ground chicken, or ground sausage.
- For an extra cheesy casserole, feel free to add 1 cup of grated cheese into the layers (not just on top). Any good melting cheese will work — cheddar, American, Monterey Jack, Colby, Gruyere, or Pepper Jack.
- Add more veggies. Feel free to include crisp-tender steamed, roasted, or sauteed broccoli, green beans, carrots, corn, or even frozen peas.
- Don’t have Corn Flakes? You can substitute with Ritz cracker crumbs, French fried onions, or even crushed potato chips or tortilla chips. I don’t recommend using plain bread crumbs, since they’re lacking in flavor.
- Cooking for a smaller family? Cut all of the ingredients in half and bake the casserole in an 8-inch square dish. The baking instructions remain the same. You can even prepare the full recipe, but divide the ingredients between two 8-inch pans and freeze one casserole for later.
More Ground Beef Casserole Recipes
Originally published in March 2021, this post was updated in February 2025.
