Go Back

Crock Pot Shipwreck Stew

Crock Pot shipwreck stew layers tender potatoes, rice, and beans in a rich tomato-beef broth, then finishes with melted cheddar on top. Slow-cooked on LOW for 6-7 hours until the rice is soft and the potatoes are fork-tender.
Print Recipe Pin Recipe
Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 6 hours
Total Time 6 hours 20 minutes
Servings: 8 servings
Course: Soups, Stews & Chili
Cuisine: American
Calories: 570
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

ground beef
  • 1.5 lb ground beef
onion
  • 1 onion
garlic
  • 2 clove garlic
potatoes
  • 1.5 lb potatoes Thinly sliced.
kidney beans
  • 1 can (15 oz) kidney beans Drained.
long-grain white rice
  • 0.5 cup long-grain white rice Uncooked.
celery
  • 2 celery Stalks, sliced.
tomato soup
  • 1 can (10.75 oz) tomato soup
diced tomatoes
  • 1 can (14.5 oz) diced tomatoes
beef broth
  • 1.5 cup beef broth
chili powder
  • 1 tsp chili powder
salt
  • 1 tsp salt
black pepper
  • 0.5 tsp black pepper
shredded cheddar
  • 1 cup shredded cheddar

Equipment

  • 1 Dutch oven
  • 1 cast iron skillet
  • 1 Dutch oven

Method
 

Brown the beef and onion
  1. In a cast iron skillet over medium-high heat, brown the ground beef with the diced onion for 8 minutes until the beef is no longer pink. Drain excess fat from the skillet.
  2. Add the minced garlic to the drained beef mixture and cook for 30 seconds until fragrant.
Layer in the crock pot
  1. Layer the thinly sliced potatoes, beef mixture, drained kidney beans, uncooked long-grain white rice, and sliced celery in the crock pot.
Build the tomato broth
  1. Whisk the tomato soup, diced tomatoes, beef broth, chili powder, salt, and black pepper until smooth, then pour over the layers in the crock pot.
Slow cook
  1. Cover and cook on LOW for 6-7 hours, until the potatoes and rice are tender and the liquid is bubbling gently around the edges.
Finish with cheddar
  1. Stir gently to evenly combine the layers, then sprinkle the shredded cheddar over the top.
  2. Cover and cook for 10 minutes until the cheese melts and looks glossy, then serve hot.

Notes

For the best texture, slice potatoes thin and keep the crock pot covered during the LOW cook so the rice softens evenly. Refrigerate leftovers in an airtight container up to 4 days; reheat gently on the stove or in the microwave with a splash of broth if thick. Freezing is not recommended because the rice can soften too much after thawing. For a lighter swap, use 93% lean ground beef and reduce the cheddar to 1/2 cup.