Shipwreck Casserole

This budget-friendly shipwreck dinner may not be pretty, but it’s an amazingly delicious and crowd-pleasing way to feed a hungry family. 

Shipwreck Dinner Ingredients

These are the simple ingredients you’ll need to make this shipwreck dinner recipe: 

• Ground beef: Start with a pound of lean ground beef. You can also use ground turkey.  
• Macaroni and cheese mix: Stir a package of macaroni and cheese mix into the ground meat. 
• Canned tomatoes: You’ll need a can of diced tomatoes. 
• Milk: A cup of milk helps create a rich and creamy sauce. 
• Frozen vegetables: A combination of frozen peas and frozen corn adds color and flavor. 
• Salt: Seasoned salt enhances the overall flavor of the easy dish. 
• Cheese: Shredded Cheddar cheese helps bring the whole thing together. 

How to Make Shipwreck Dinner

If you have a can opener, you're halfway there. You’ll find the full, step-by-step recipe below — but here’s a brief overview of what you can expect when you make this shipwreck dinner: 

1. Cook the beef until brown and crumbly. 
2. Stir in the mix, tomatoes, milk, and frozen vegetables. 
3. Bring to a boil, then simmer until the pasta is tender. 
4. Season and add the cheese. 

Tips from recipe creator Bcsgibson: 

• For variety: Add Rotel instead of plain tomatoes, one cup of frozen prepared fajita veggies, and some taco seasoning to make a "Gulf of Mexico Shipwreck." Add Italian seasoning, garlic, onions, and mozzarella to make a "Sicilian Shipwreck." 
• Although the recipe calls for frozen vegetables and uncooked ground meat, leftovers work just as well.
• Use Creole-style seasoned salt if you like a bit of spice in your easy dinners.

How to Store Shipwreck Dinner

Allow the shipwreck dinner to cool, then transfer it to an airtight container. Store it in the refrigerator for up to four days. Reheat in the microwave or on the stove. If you’d like to keep it longer, you can freeze the shipwreck dinner for up to three months. 

Allrecipes Community Tips and Praise

“We made it and it was surprisingly simple and flavorful (seasoned to taste),” says Courtney Robinson. “This will be a monthly staple for my family and friends to enjoy.”

“This is so easy and makes a wonderful dinner that tastes even better the second day,” according to Jana Futch Martin. “I would recommend this recipe to anyone. I made it with powdered mac and cheese and it turned out well.”

“This one skillet dinner makes cleanup almost as easy as making the dinner itself,” according to Kansasgurl767. “I substituted Italian sausage and Pepper Jack cheese to kick up the spice factor.”

Editorial contributions by Corey Williams