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Last Updated on June 19, 2025 by Paul Clayton
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12 Best Camping Recipes for a Delicious Outdoor Meal
Cooking over the campfire is one of the reasons why camping is a comforting and enjoyable outdoor activity.
However, if you have little to no experience in the wild, you might think that camping restricts you to common outdoor foods like hot dogs and canned pork. While such foods offer great convenience and save time, they can quickly get tiresome.
Key Takeaways:
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- Beyond Basics: Camping meals don’t have to be limited to hot dogs and canned goods; a wide variety of delicious and satisfying dishes can be prepared outdoors.
- Preparation is Key: Many recipes benefit from pre-prepping ingredients (like marinades or dry mixes) at home to simplify cooking at the campsite.
- Versatile Cooking Methods: Campfire, grills, Dutch ovens, skillets, and even tin foil can be utilized for diverse cooking, offering flexibility based on your gear and preferences.
- Flavorful and Diverse Options: The article offers recipes that span various tastes, including vegetarian (chickpea curry), Greek-inspired (chicken skewers), hearty (sticky chicken, steak, and chorizo skillet), and crowd-pleasers (nachos, pizza, pancakes, and corn on the cob).
- Adaptability for Group Size & Preferences: Many recipes are easily scaled for larger groups or adapted with ingredient substitutions to cater to different dietary needs or preferences (e.g., removing peppers from nachos for kids, substituting meats).
- Efficiency in the Outdoors: Several recipes highlight quick preparation times (e.g., Maple Chorizo Skillet) or minimal cleanup (tin foil meals), ideal for outdoor cooking.
Fortunately, we’ve prepared a list of exciting camping recipes for delicious outdoor meals. From satisfying breakfasts to hearty dinners, our list covers everything.
Top 12 Camping Recipes for a Delicious Outdoor Meal
1. Quick Chickpea Curry
This easy-to-prep vegetarian curry is perfect for lunch or dinner when camping.
It’s packed with flavor and plant-based protein, leaving you feeling full yet craving more. Coconut milk enhances the taste, but you can use any milk available in your camping kitchen.
To prepare this meal on a campfire, here is what you need:
- 1 tablespoon of oil
- 1 onion
- 1 teaspoon of ground ginger
- 1 teaspoon of ground turmeric
- 1 teaspoon of salt
- 1 tablespoon of Garam Masala
- 1 teaspoon of cinnamon powder
- Cayenne pepper (optional)
- 2 tablespoons of tomato paste
- 14 ounces of coconut milk
- 14 ounces of chickpeas
- 1 lime
- Chopped cilantro
- ¼ cup of yogurt (optional)
Instructions
- Heat oil over the campfire in a pot and sauté the onions until they lose color, but don’t caramelize them.
- Add the spices, including Garam Masala, cinnamon, ginger, turmeric, and pepper, and stir them lightly for 30 to 50 seconds.
- Add the tomato paste and coconut milk, and season with salt before stirring to combine everything.
- Pour the chickpeas into the pan and cook over low heat for 10 to 15 minutes, frequently stirring, until the curry thickens.
- Once you achieve your desired sauce thickness, remove the pot from the campfire and reheat your preferred side dish. Squeeze some lime juice into the curry and add yogurt (if desired).
- Finally, garnish the meal with chopped cilantro and enjoy.
Some of the best side dishes for this meal include pre-cooked rice, pita bread, or toasted naan.
2. Chicken Tzatziki Skewers
The chicken Tzatziki skewers are a Greek-inspired recipe that tastes even better when prepared over a campfire.
It involves grilling and blackening chicken and vegetables on a campfire using a stick, and it can be served with any side dish.
You can prepare your chicken marinade and the Tzatziki sauce at home to make camp cooking much more effortless.
To make the tzatziki sauce, mix Greek yogurt, minced garlic, cucumber, and mint. Then, squeeze some lemon juice into the mix and season with salt.
Here is what you’ll need to prepare this delicious meal when camping:
- Olive oil
- 1 lemon
- 1 tablespoon of garlic
- 1 tablespoon of dried oregano
- ½ teaspoon of salt
- 4 boneless chicken thighs (skin removed)
- A bunch of cherry tomatoes
- 1 red onion
- 1 zucchini
- ½ cup of Tzatziki sauce
Instructions
- In a bowl, mix lemon juice, dried oregano, garlic powder, two tablespoons of olive oil, and salt.
- Add the chicken thighs and coat them with the marinade, then let them rest for at least 30 minutes.
- Insert the marinated chicken and vegetables, including onions, cucumber, and cherry tomatoes, into the skewers.
- Place a grill over the campfire and grill the skewers, turning them frequently to ensure even cooking.
- Once cooked, remove the skewers from the grill and serve with the Tzatziki sauce.
This camping meal is delightful. It’s an excellent choice for lunch or dinner, and you can pair it with other side dishes like rice to make it more filling.
3. Sticky Chicken with BBQ Sauce
If you have roasted chicken in your food supplies, you can spice it up with BBQ sauce instead of simply reheating it in a pot or wrapping it in foil.
The sticky chicken complements side dishes such as burgers, potatoes, carrots, roasted asparagus, and more.
You’ll need these ingredients to make the sticky chicken with BBQ sauce:
- 4 roasted chicken drumsticks and four chicken thighs
- 1 tablespoon of cider vinegar
- 1 tablespoon of Dijon Mustard
- 4 tablespoons of tomato ketchup
- 75ml of apple juice
- 4 tablespoons of sugar
- 1 tablespoon of soy sauce
Instructions
- Prepare the BBQ sauce by combining all the ingredients except the chicken in a pan. Then simmer the mixture until it thickens and begins to appear slightly shiny.
- Let the sauce cook for a few minutes before brushing it on the roasted chicken.
- Barbecue the coated chicken on a camping grill over the coals until they becomes sticky and browned.
- Brush the browned chicken with more sauce and place it on the barbecue.
- 12 Best Camping Recipes for a Delicious Outdoor Meal
- Cooking over the campfire is one of the reasons why
4. Campfire Nachos
Your camping crew will adore you for making this delicious Mexican-inspired camping dinner. What’s exciting about this meal is that it’s easy to make with easily accessible ingredients.
Here is what you’ll need for this recipe:
- Tortilla chips
- ½ cup of sliced olives
- ½ cup of sliced tomatoes
- ¼ cup of sliced onions (green preferred)
- 2 cups of a preferred blend of cheese
- 2 sliced jalapenos with seeds removed
- Avocado and sour cream
Instructions
- Layer about a third of your tortilla chips in a lightly oiled Dutch oven or skillet. Before assembling the layers, insert aluminum foil at the base of the pan to reduce clean-up work.
- Add 1/3 of the taco cheese, ½ of the tomatoes, green onions, and olives to the tortilla chips.
- Add ½ of the remaining tortilla chips and cheese to make the third layer.
- As a last layer, add the remaining chips, olives, cheese, green onions, and tomatoes, and then top with sliced jalapenos.
- Cover the skillet with foil or a lid and cook over a camping grill or campfire for 10 minutes.
- Remove the meal from the fire and serve it alongside sour cream and avocado or guacamole. Before serving, you can garnish with cilantro to enrich the flavor.
What I love about this recipe is its flexibility. If you don’t have olives, you can use drained black beans. You can also remove the peppers to make the recipe kid-friendly.
5. Tin Foil Ground Beef and Vegetables
This recipe is easy to make and doesn’t even require a skillet or Dutch oven. You only need to wrap everything in tin foil and cook on a grill over a campfire.
It’s perfect for large groups or campers spending time with their families outdoors, as you only need to double the ingredients to make more food for your crew.
Here are the ingredients needed:
- 2 cups of ground beef
- 1 chopped onion
- Mixed vegetables, including carrots, peppers, green beans, and corn
- 5 chopped garlic cloves
- 3 peeled and chopped potatoes
- Spices of choice
- A handful of Mozzarella and cheddar cheese
- 5 tablespoons of butter
- Salt and pepper
Instructions
- Layer the ground beef in tin foil and season lightly with salt and pepper.
- Add the chopped onions, mixed vegetables, garlic, and potatoes.
- Season with preferred spices and add Mozzarella and cheddar cheese.
- Top the ingredients with butter and wrap everything tightly in tin foil to prevent drips during cooking.
- Place the tin foil on a grill and cook for 30 to 45 minutes.
You can replace ground beef with chicken, turkey, or pork if you don’t eat it or prefer a different option. Add fish, smoked sausage, mushrooms, cabbage, or any other ingredient you like to spice up and enrich the meal.
6. Maple Chorizo Skillet
The maple chorizo skillet is a perfect match if you are looking for a camping meal to keep you fueled for your outdoor activities. It can be made quickly, within 30 minutes.
Here is what you need to prepare this delicious meal:
- 2 tablespoons of olive oil
- 3 medium-sized potatoes, scrubbed, cleaned, and diced into halves
- 1 large chopped bell pepper
- 1 chopped onion
- Salt
- Ground pepper
- 8 ounces of Spanish Chorizo
- 2 tablespoons of maple syrup
- 5 eggs
- A handful of chopped green onions
Instructions
- Preheat a cast-iron skillet on a campfire for 15 minutes.
- Add olive oil, then potatoes, and season with salt and freshly ground pepper.
- Cook the potatoes without stirring until they turn golden brown and become crispy.
- Stir in bell pepper, chorizo, onions, and maple syrup. Let the food cook for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally.
- Using a spoon, make pits and crack eggs into the wells. Then, season the eggs with ground pepper and salt, and cover the skillet with a lid or foil. Leave the food to cook for about 3 minutes.
- Remove the food from the fire and garnish with green onions and additional pepper, if desired.
7. Grilled Sausages and Veggies in a Bun
This is a flexible and straightforward camping meal that’s perfect for breakfast, lunch, or dinner with your family.
Preparing this delicious camping dish takes only a few minutes, and you can nail it with little to no cooking skills.
To prepare this meal, you will need these ingredients:
- 6 sausages (bratwursts preferred)
- 1 bell pepper
- 1 onion
- Hot dog buns
- Relish
- Whole-grain mustard
- 16 ounces of beer
Instructions
- Place cast iron on a campfire and add oil to grill your sausages for 4 to 6 minutes.
- Remove the sausages from the skillet and sauté the vegetables for a few seconds.
- Add beer and charred sausages, and then cover the skillet.
- Cook the onions and peppers without stirring until they are well caramelized and the beer reduces, about 15 to 20 minutes.
- Serve the sausages in buns and top them with caramelized vegetables, mustard, and relish.
8. Simple Grilled Steak
Grilling steak while camping is always a great idea, as it’s tasty and filling when paired with side dishes like baked potatoes and bread.
For this recipe, you’ll need the following:
- ¼ cup of olive oil
- 2 tablespoons of red wine vinegar
- ¼ cup of Worcestershire sauce
- 2 tablespoons of brown sugar
- 2 pounds of steak (flank steak preferred for quick cooking)
- ½ tablespoon of salt
- ½ tablespoon of ground pepper
Instructions
- Prepare a marinade by mixing some olive oil, brown sugar, Worcestershire sauce, and red wine vinegar in a dish.
- Place the steak and coat it with the marinade, then let it rest for 20 minutes.
- Remove your steak from the marinade and season it with salt and pepper.
- Place the seasoned steak on a heated grill or camping pan and cook over the campfire for 4 minutes on each side.
- Let the steak rest for about 5 minutes before cutting and serving with your favorite side dish.
If you don’t have Worcestershire sauce, make a quick substitute using white vinegar, soy sauce, and ketchup.
9. Campfire Dutch Oven Pizza
Pizzas are a must-have, especially when camping with kids. The good thing about cooking pizza outdoors is that there are many ways to make it, and you can come with pre-made dough.
You can use a Dutch oven, tin foil, or a pie iron. Regardless of the method, whichever is ideal for camping cooking will yield a tasty breakfast, lunch, or dinner.
Here is what you’ll need:
- Pizza dough
- Pizza sauce
- Preferred toppings: Mozzarella, shredded cheese
Instructions
- Open the pizza dough and align it on a Dutch oven. If you don’t have a Dutch oven, cook the pizza on aluminum foil over low heat on a grill.
- Spread the sauce, add cheese, and top with your desired toppings.
- Add more cheese to the toppings and cover the oven with a lid.
- Cook the pizza over a low campfire or coals for 30-40 minutes.
- Serve the pizza and enjoy it with coffee, tea, or beer!
For the toppings, pepperoni, sautéed mushrooms, chopped leftover steaks or chicken, and grilled vegetables like zucchini, eggplant, and peppers are always good choices.
10. Campfire Poblano-Potato Bundle
You’ll love this Poblano-potato bundle if you’re looking for quick and simple camping recipes. You don’t have to boil the potatoes or use a skillet since you can cook everything in tin foil.
The ingredients needed include:
- 5 medium potatoes, cleaned and chopped into chunks
- 1 chopped onion
- 2 Poblano peppers, thinly sliced
- ¼ cup of melted salted butter
- ½ cup of heavy cream
- Spices of choice
- ¼ cup of chopped parsley
- Salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
- Cut 8 18-inch sheets of tin foil for roasting four portions.
- Mix all the ingredients in a large bowl and season with salt and black pepper.
- Divide the tossed ingredients into four portions and place them on the tin foil.
- Fold the foils tightly and place them on the grill to cook over the campfire for about 25 minutes.
Are you craving a savory and meaty flavor? No problem.
Add sliced sausages or bacon when tossing the mixture to make the recipe more enjoyable and tasty.
11. Corn on the Cob
Corn is easy to prepare and doesn’t require many ingredients like most recipes. It’s your go-to option if you’re backpacking and want to pack light.
You’ll need five corn cobs in husks, butter, salt, and pepper for this recipe. Then follow these instructions to cook corn on the cob:
- Grill the corn with the husk on for 15 to 20 minutes, turning frequently to cook all sides. Alternatively, you can remove the husk and wrap the corn in foil.
- Remove the corn from the fire and coat it with butter. Then, season it with salt, pepper, and paprika.
12. Campfire Pancakes
You can make pancakes over the campfire with a skillet for a hearty and delicious meal. Although they seem like a lot of work, you can simplify the process by mixing the dry ingredients at home.
If you want to prepare pancakes for breakfast, you can make the batter the night before.
Here are the ingredients needed to make pancakes when camping:
- 1 cup of wheat pastry flour
- ¼ cup of rolled oats
- 2 tablespoons of sugar
- 2 tablespoons of baking powder
- 1 teaspoon of salt
- ¼ cup of nuts or berries of choice
- 1 cup of milk
- 2 eggs
- 3 tablespoons melted butter or cooking oil
- ½ cup of maple syrup
Instructions
- Pre-mix your dry ingredients at home and store them in a plastic bag.
- Mix the wet ingredients in a bowl and add the dry ingredients.
- Whisk the mixture until it reaches a fine consistency.
- Add a tablespoon of butter or oil to the skillet to cook pancakes over the campfire.
- Pour the batter in circles to make about 2 or 4 pancakes at a time, depending on the size of your skillet.
- Cook for one minute, then flip and cook the other side for 30 to 50 seconds. Then, remove the pancakes from the fire and repeat the process with the remaining batter.
- Serve the pancakes while still warm and top with maple syrup, nuts, berries, or cherries.
Final Thoughts
Whether you love steaks or vegetable curries with plant-based proteins, cooking over a campfire or fire coals is a delightful experience.
And the good thing is that you don’t have to restrict yourself to bland recipes or rely entirely on no-cook foods.
Hopefully, our best recipes have inspired your camping cooking and encouraged you to prepare unique and delicious meals for your next outdoor excursion. Happy camping!
