Shipwreck Casserole

• servings: 8 servings
• active time: 30 minutes
• total time: 1 hour 30 minutes

Ingredients

Nonstick cooking spray

2 tablespoons olive oil

1 pound lean ground beef

1 medium yellow onion, diced

4 cloves garlic, minced

1 green bell pepper, chopped

2 teaspoons kosher salt

1 1/2 teaspoons ground cumin

1 1/2 teaspoons paprika

1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

1 (28-ounce) canned diced tomatoes

1 (30-ounce) package frozen hash browns, still frozen, divided

4 cups grated cheddar cheese, divided

2 sliced green onions, for garnish (optional)

Directions

Preheat the oven to 400°F. Set the oven rack in the center of the oven. Spray a 9x13-inch baking dish with nonstick spray or grease with butter.

Brown the beef: In a large skillet over medium-high heat, add the olive oil followed by the ground beef. Cook the beef until it’s browned, breaking it up with a spatula as it cooks, about 5 minutes.

Make the filling: Add the onion, garlic, and bell pepper to the skillet and stir together. Cook for a few more minutes to start to soften vegetables. Season the mixture with salt, cumin, paprika, and pepper. Add the diced tomatoes to the skillet and simmer the mixture for 15 minutes over low heat, stirring regularly to prevent sticking. Cook until most of the moisture has evaporated out of the skillet and the mixture is a sloppy joe-like consistency. Remove from the heat.

Build the casserole: Add about 2/3 of the frozen hash browns to the prepared baking dish and loosely spread in an even layer. Top evenly with the ground beef mixture followed by 2 cups of the grated cheese. Top that with the remainder of the shredded hash brown, loosely spread over the top. Season the top of the casserole with a pinch of salt and pepper.

Bake: Bake the casserole, uncovered, for 45 minutes. Remove the casserole and top with the remaining cheese. Return to the oven until the cheese is melted and the potatoes are crisp, about 15 minutes. Remove the casserole and let cool for a few minutes before serving. Garnish with sliced green onions before serving, if desired. Store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 5 days. Love the recipe? Leave us stars and a comment below!

Nutrition

• Calories: 620 kcal
• Total Fat: 40 g
• Saturated Fat: 14 g
• Unsaturated Fat: 0 g
• Cholesterol: 94 mg
• Sodium: 853 mg
• Total Carbohydrate: 39 g
• Dietary Fiber: 6 g
• Total Sugars: 4 g
• Protein: 29 g