Camping Recipes

Camping is one of the best ways to connect with nature and spend time with loved ones, and what better way to bond than over a delicious meal in the great outdoors? While hotdogs and hamburgers may be the classic go-to meals for camping, there are plenty of other options for campfire cuisine that are both easy and delicious.

Below you will find some camping recipes for breakfast, lunch, snacks, main dishes, side dishes, and desserts that will make your next camping trip a tasty success.

Camping recipes don’t have to be boring or repetitive. With a little creativity and planning, you can enjoy a variety of delicious meals that will satisfy your hunger and make your camping trip even more enjoyable. Try out some of these easy and tasty camping recipes on your next outing, and you’re sure to have a great time!

Also check these areas of my site for even more camping recipes:

• Dutch oven cooking
• Cooking on a stick
• Foil pack (Hobo) meals
• Trail food

Do you have any camping recipes you’d like to share? Contact me and I’ll share it on my site.

Video: Why Do We Need Camping Recipes?

Scouts are known for their outdoor adventures, and what’s better than cooking a meal over an open fire at camp? The camping recipes on this page teach scouts more than just how to prepare a delicious meal.

Cooking breakfast at camp is a great start to your day. You can make many simple and tasty breakfasts with basic cooking gear. Here are some options:

• Pancakes – Bring along pre-mixed batter or make it from scratch with flour, eggs, and milk.
• Scrambled Eggs – Easy to cook with cheese, onions, or peppers for extra flavor.
• Breakfast Burritos – Wrap scrambled eggs, cheese, and sausage in a tortilla.
• Oatmeal – Cook with water or milk and add toppings like fruits, nuts, or honey.
• French Toast – Dip bread in a mixture of eggs and milk, then fry.
• Granola and Yogurt – Mix granola with yogurt and fresh berries or bananas.
• Sausages or Bacon – Fry on a skillet for a hearty option.
• Fruit Salad – Chop up various fruits for a light and healthy start.

Pack your ingredients and enjoy a delicious breakfast to fuel your camping activities.

Mountain Man Breakfast Casserole

The Mountain Man Breakfast is a simple and hearty camping recipe cooked in a Dutch oven. It includes sausage, eggs, and hash browns, all mixed together and cooked until done. You start by cooking the sausage in the Dutch oven. Once it’s browned, add the hash browns and cook them until they are brown. Then, mix in the eggs and cook everything until the eggs are set. This meal is easy to make at a campsite. It’s a filling breakfast that gives you energy for outdoor activities.

Camp McMuffins Recipe

The Camp McMuffins recipe is simple camping recipe to make a tasty breakfast sandwich. First, cook eggs in a ring on a griddle to keep their shape. At the same time, warm up Canadian bacon on the griddle and toast English muffins on the side. Once everything is cooked, assemble the sandwich by placing an egg and a piece of Canadian bacon between the toasted muffin halves. Optionally, you can add a slice of cheese. This meal is easy to prepare and provides a delicious start to your day outdoors.

Easy Scrambled Eggs at Camp

This is a simple camping recipe for a quick breakfast. Before your trip, mix eggs, milk, salt, and pepper, and keep the mixture in a cooler. At camp, warm a pan on a stove or fire, then cook the egg mixture, stirring until set. This camping recipe allows you to enjoy scrambled eggs with little cleanup, making it a practical choice to start your day outdoors.

Campfire Cinnamon Rolls

The Campfire Cinnamon Rolls camping recipe is a fun and easy way to enjoy a sweet treat while outdoors. Simply buy pre-made cinnamon rolls and orange slices. Place each roll in an orange half, then wrap it in aluminum foil. Cook the wrapped rolls on campfire coals for about 15 minutes. The orange adds a tasty citrus flavor to the rolls. This camping recipe is not only simple but also a delightful way to make a warm dessert or breakfast at the campsite.

When you’re out in the great outdoors, it’s important to have satisfying and tasty lunch and snack options to keep your energy up. Here are some easy and delicious ideas:

• Sandwiches – Prepare with deli meats, cheese, and vegetables on whole-grain bread.
• Wraps – Use tortillas to make wraps with fillings like chicken salad, hummus, or veggies.
• Grilled Cheese – Cook over a camp stove or fire for a warm, comforting meal.
• Salads – Toss together ingredients like lettuce, canned beans, nuts, and dressing.
• Soup – Heat up canned or pre-made soup for a quick and easy hot meal.
• Pasta Salad – Make ahead with pasta, vegetables, and Italian dressing.
• Fresh Fruits and Vegetables – Easy to pack and don’t require preparation.
• Cheese and Crackers – Bring along hard cheeses that keep well.
• Popcorn – Pop it before your trip or use a camp stove.

These lunch and snack recipes are easy to customize and will keep you fueled throughout your camping activities.

Pizza Quesadillas

The Pizza Quesadillas camping recipe is a quick and easy way to make a tasty meal over a campfire. Start by spreading pizza sauce on one side of a tortilla. Sprinkle it with shredded mozzarella cheese and your choice of pizza toppings like pepperoni. Place another tortilla on top. Cook the quesadilla in a skillet over the campfire, turning once, until the tortillas are brown and the cheese is melted. This camping recipe combines the flavors of pizza in a simple, easy-to-handle quesadilla form, perfect for a fun and satisfying meal while enjoying the outdoors.

Easy Chicken Quesadillas

The Easy Chicken Quesadillas camping recipe is a straightforward and delicious meal option for outdoor adventures. Begin by cooking chopped onions and canned chicken in a skillet until the onions are soft. Add a tortilla to the skillet, sprinkle one half with cheese and the chicken-onion mix, then fold it over. Cook each side until the tortilla is golden and the cheese melts. This camping recipe is not only quick to make but also satisfying, making it an excellent choice for a warm, filling meal at the campsite.

Walking Tacos Recipe

The Walking Tacos camping recipe is a fun and easy meal perfect for outdoor activities. Start by cooking ground beef with taco seasoning. Open individual bags of corn chips and crush them lightly. Add the cooked meat directly into the chip bags, then top with your favorite taco toppings like shredded lettuce, diced tomatoes, shredded cheese, and salsa. This camping recipe allows each person to customize their taco and makes cleanup simple. Walking Tacos are ideal for camping because they’re convenient, customizable, and mess-free, providing a tasty and hassle-free meal option.

Main dish camping recipes are crucial for nourishment after a day outdoors. Here are some hearty and easy-to-make options:

• Spaghetti – Boil pasta and serve with pre-made or canned sauces. Add toppings like meatballs, sautéed vegetables, or cheese.
• Stew – Combine meats like beef or chicken with vegetables such as potatoes, carrots, and onions in a pot. Cook over a fire or stove.
• Grilled Chicken – Marinate chicken at home, then grill at camp for a smoky flavor.
• Chili – Cook ground meat with beans, tomatoes, and chili spices. Serve hot.
• Kebabs – Skewer chunks of meat and vegetables. Grill over a campfire.
• Tacos – Prepare ground meat with taco seasoning and serve with tortillas and toppings like lettuce, cheese, and salsa.
• Burgers – Grill burgers and serve with buns and your choice of toppings like cheese, lettuce, and tomato.

These meals provide good sustenance and can be easily cooked on a campfire or portable stove, making them perfect for any camping trip.

Camp Spaghetti Dinner

The Spaghetti Dinner camping recipe is an easy and classic choice for feeding a group while camping. Cook spaghetti noodles in boiling water until tender. In another pot, heat up a marinara sauce and optionally add pre-cooked meatballs. Once the spaghetti is cooked and drained, combine it with the warm sauce and meatballs. Serve the spaghetti with optional toppings like grated Parmesan cheese and crushed red pepper for added flavor. This camping recipe is simple, filling, and popular among campers, making it a reliable option for a satisfying meal around the campfire.

Camp Chicken and Stuffing

The Camp Chicken and Stuffing camping recipe is a comforting and easy dish to make while camping. First, lay boneless chicken breasts in a Dutch oven. Mix a can of cream of mushroom soup with water and pour it over the chicken. Sprinkle a box of stuffing mix on top and dot with slices of butter. Cover and cook over campfire coals for about 30 minutes, until the chicken is cooked through. This camping recipe provides a delicious, hearty meal with minimal preparation, making it perfect for a satisfying dinner at the campsite.

Green Chili Stew

The Green Chili Stew camping recipe is a flavorful and hearty option for outdoor cooking. Start by browning cubed pork in a pot. Add diced onions and garlic, and cook until soft. Then, pour in chicken broth, followed by chopped green chilies, and seasonings like salt and pepper. Simmer the mixture until the pork is tender and the potatoes are cooked. This camping recipe is ideal for warming up on chilly nights and provides a robust meal that’s easy to prepare and cook over a campfire or portable stove.

Hearty Minestrone

The Hearty Minestrone camping recipe is a one-pot meal similar to a cross between chili and spaghetti. To make it, you brown ground beef with onion and green pepper, then add water, spaghetti sauce, chili hot beans, broken spaghetti pieces, thinly sliced pepperoni, and dried basil. Cook until the spaghetti is tender. Serve the dish topped with grated Parmesan cheese. This hearty recipe is ideal for cooking in a Dutch oven over a fire or on a camp stove, providing a robust meal while camping

Ham and Sweet Potato Foil Packs

The Ham and Sweet Potato Packets camping recipe is a delicious and simple meal perfect for a fall campout. To make it, you will need ham, sweet potatoes, and Granny Smith apples. Start by preparing your charcoal fire. Cut the ham into bite-sized chunks, peel and cube the sweet potatoes, and core and cut the apples into pieces. Distribute these ingredients evenly among four pieces of heavy-duty foil, adding a bit of brown sugar and butter to each packet before sealing.

Chicken and Dumplings Bring Scouts Together

Camp Chicken and Dumplings is an ideal recipe for Scouts to cook outdoors. It combines simple ingredients like chicken, vegetables, and dumplings in a one-pot meal. The recipe encourages teamwork, as Scouts share tasks like chopping vegetables and mixing dough.

It’s perfect for a cold evening, providing warmth and energy after a busy day. Preparing the dish also teaches important outdoor cooking skills, including managing heat and following directions. Cooking together strengthens bonds among Scouts and builds confidence. This hearty and comforting meal is a great way to end a day of fun and learning at camp.

Quick Jambalaya

The Quick Jambalaya camping recipe is simple to prepare with common camp cooking equipment. It involves sautéing onions, bell peppers, celery, and sausage, then adding tomatoes, water, and bouillon cubes to boil. Rice and shrimp are stirred in and simmered until the rice is tender. This dish can be spiced up with additional Cajun seasoning. It’s an ideal recipe for Scouts with basic cooking skills looking to make something more exciting than typical campfire food.

Hawaiian Chicken and Rice Foil Packs

The Hawaiian Chicken and Rice Foil Pack is a simple and flavorful camping recipe. To make it, you’ll need chicken breasts, Minute Rice, water, pineapple, bell peppers, and mild BBQ sauce. First, mix the rice with water and spoon it onto foil pieces. Place a chicken breast on each, topped with pineapple and peppers, then drizzle with BBQ sauce. Seal the foil and cook. This dish is perfect for a hearty meal at camp.

Easy Stew Topped Mashed Potatoes

The Beef Stew Topped with Mashed Potatoes camping recipe is a hearty meal ideal for group camping. You begin by browning beef cubes in a Dutch oven, then add cream of mushroom soup, onion soup mix, baby carrots, and green beans, letting it simmer until the beef is tender. Meanwhile, you prepare instant mashed potatoes, which involves boiling water with margarine and salt, then mixing in milk and potato flakes. Serve by placing mashed potatoes on a plate and topping with the beef stew.

Grilled Honey Lime Pork Chops

The Grilled Honey Lime Pork Chops camping recipe is designed to be both simple and flavorful. You’ll need to marinate six pork chops in a mixture of lime juice, honey, soy sauce, and minced garlic before you leave for your camping trip. At the campsite, marinate the pork chops for an hour before grilling them over a charcoal fire. This dish is ideal for a quick, delicious meal with minimal cleanup, and can be nicely paired with French bread, salad, and fruit for a complete meal​.

Camping recipes for side dishes enhance outdoor meals with flavor and variety. Here are some tasty and easy options:

• Roasted Vegetables – Toss carrots, potatoes, bell peppers, and onions with oil and seasonings. Wrap in foil and cook over a fire or stove.
• Corn on the Cob – Wrap corn in foil with butter and herbs, then cook on coals.
• Baked Beans – Heat canned beans in a pot with added spices for extra flavor.
• Coleslaw – Mix shredded cabbage and carrots with a vinegar or creamy dressing. Prepare in advance and keep cool.
• Garlic Bread – Wrap bread with garlic butter in foil and warm over the campfire.
• Rice – Cook rice with broth instead of water for extra flavor, add herbs or vegetables.
• Salad – Assemble greens, nuts, dried fruit, and a simple dressing.
• Baked Potatoes – Wrap potatoes in foil and cook them over hot coals.

These side dishes are not only delicious but also provide essential nutrients, helping to fuel your activities and enhance your outdoor dining experience.

Campsite Honey Apples

The Campsite Honey Apples camping recipe is an easy and fun snack to prepare. You’ll need apples, honey, and cinnamon sugar. First, slice and core the apples, then coat them with honey in one Ziploc bag and dust them with cinnamon sugar in another. This creates a sweet, sticky treat that’s perfect for outdoor activities, though it can be a bit messy to eat. This recipe is great for Cub Scouts or camping trips and can be adjusted to taste.

Loaded Campfire Potatoes

The Loaded Campfire Potatoes recipe is a simple camping recipe featuring potatoes, onions, and bacon cooked in a cast iron Dutch oven. After cooking, the dish is garnished with cheese, sour cream, and chives, creating a hearty and satisfying meal that is ideal for outdoor cooking​

Sweet Corn Bread Recipe

The Sweet Corn Bread camping recipe involves baking a very sweet, cake-like corn bread in a Dutch oven over a charcoal fire. You’ll need to mix cornmeal, flour, sugar, baking powder, salt, oil, eggs, and milk, then bake the mixture in a greased Dutch oven. The cooking time is about 35 minutes, but make sure to check for doneness with a toothpick. This bread pairs well with spicy dishes and serves up to six people.

Herb Casserole Bread

The Herb Casserole Bread recipe is a simple camping recipe that can be prepared using a Dutch oven. It involves combining common dry ingredients like flour, sugar, and herbs in a large Ziploc bag, which is convenient for mixing. Yeast is dissolved in warm water and then added to the mixture along with cottage cheese and an egg. After kneading in the bag, the dough is left to rise and then baked in a greased Dutch oven over charcoal briquettes. This bread is ideal for a warm, homemade addition to meals during chilly outdoor adventures.

Camping recipes for desserts bring sweetness and joy to your outdoor adventures. Here are some popular options:

• S’mores – Roast marshmallows over a campfire and sandwich them between graham crackers with a piece of chocolate.
• Dutch Oven Cobblers – Layer your choice of fruit with sugar and a biscuit or cake mix in a Dutch oven, then cook over a campfire.
• Banana Boats – Slice bananas lengthwise, fill with chocolate chips and marshmallows, wrap in foil, and grill until melted.
• Campfire Cones – Fill waffle cones with marshmallows, chocolate, and fruits, wrap in foil, and warm by the fire.
• Grilled Fruit – Skewer pieces of fruit like pineapples, peaches, or apples, and grill them. Serve with a drizzle of honey or a sprinkle of cinnamon.
• Chocolate Fondue – Melt chocolate and dip fruits, marshmallows, or cookies using skewers.
• Pudding Cups – Prepare pudding at home and pack in sealed containers. Serve with whipped cream and toppings.
• Apple Crisp – Cook sliced apples with cinnamon and oats in a Dutch oven.

These desserts are perfect for sharing with friends and family around the campfire, providing a delightful finish to any meal while camping.

Lemon Berry Dutch Oven Cobbler

The Lemon Berry Dutch Oven Cobbler is a camping recipe that uses simple ingredients to create a delightful dessert. You’ll need a Dutch oven, aluminum foil, and charcoal. The main ingredients are frozen raspberries and blackberries, a lemon cake mix, and lemon-lime soda. To prepare, line your Dutch oven with foil, add the berries, sprinkle the cake mix on top, and pour over the soda without stirring. Cook using charcoal briquettes placed under and on top of the oven lid for about 30 to 40 minutes until done. This cobbler is praised for its lighter taste compared to butter-rich versions.

Ding Dong Cherry Cobbler

The “Ding Dong Cherry Cobbler” is a playful and easy-to-make camping recipe that combines traditional Dutch oven cobbler with a fun twist. You’ll start by mixing yellow cake mix with eggs, oil, and water. Cherry pie filling is laid at the bottom of a large Dutch oven, covered with half of the cake batter. Next, you arrange 12 Ding Dongs on the batter, then cover them with the remaining batter and top with marshmallows. This recipe is a great way to add some excitement and sweetness to campfire meals, especially appealing to kids and adults alike.

Smacos (S’Mores Tacos)

The Smacos camping recipe is a fun twist on s’mores, using a griddle to create a chocolate and marshmallow-filled taco. To make Smacos, spread a thin layer of margarine on a flour tortilla, flip it, add marshmallows and chocolate chips, then fold and grill until crispy. This quick and easy treat is perfect for Cub Scouts and can be made where fires aren’t permitted, offering a delightful alternative to traditional campfire s’mores.

Black Forest Dump Cake

The Black Forest Dump Cake is a straightforward camping recipe that combines chocolate and cherries for a delicious treat. To make it, you layer cherry pie filling and chocolate cake mix in a Dutch oven, then top with slices of butter. The oven is heated with charcoal both under and on top, cooking the cake until it’s hot and bubbly. This dessert is typically served warm and can be topped with whipped topping if ice cream isn’t available at the campsite. It’s a popular choice for an easy and satisfying campfire dessert.

Banana Boats

The Banana Boats camping recipe is a fun and easy treat to make around a campfire. You’ll need bananas, mini marshmallows, and chocolate chips. To prepare, slice a banana lengthwise to form a pocket, fill it with marshmallows and chocolate chips, then wrap it in foil. Cook the wrapped bananas over coals for about 5 minutes. This dessert is a hit with campers of all ages due to its delicious, gooey mixture of chocolate and marshmallow. You can also experiment by adding different ingredients like candy bars for variety.

Toasted Peeps Campfire Treats

The Toasted Peeps Campfire Treats camping recipe is a fun and simple way to enjoy leftover Peeps from Easter. You toast them over a campfire, much like regular marshmallows. As they toast, the sugar on the outside caramelizes, and the inside turns gooey. This recipe is particularly enjoyable because slightly stale Peeps can work even better than fresh ones, so it’s a great use for those Peeps that might have gone a bit hard. It’s recommended to stock up on Peeps when they are on sale and bring them along on camping trips.

Pumpkin Crunch

The Pumpkin Crunch camping recipe is a delightful dessert perfect for fall gatherings and campouts. To make it, you’ll combine pumpkin puree, evaporated milk, sugar, spices, and eggs in a Dutch oven lined with foil. This mixture is topped with a dry yellow cake mix and chopped pecans, then dotted with slices of butter. Cook it over a bed of charcoal briquettes until it’s set and a knife inserted in the center comes out clean. This treat is best served warm, ideally with a scoop of vanilla ice cream or a dollop of whipped cream to complement its rich and crunchy texture​.

Camping recipes play a crucial role in enhancing the outdoor experience. They range from simple snacks like roasted marshmallows to full meals like stews and casseroles cooked over a campfire. The appeal of these recipes lies in their ability to bring people together and provide comfort and enjoyment far from home.

Outdoor cooking requires adaptability and creativity. It allows campers to prepare a variety of meals with limited tools and ingredients. This adaptability not only makes camping meals special but also convenient for all types of outdoor activities.

In conclusion, the value of camping recipes extends beyond mere nutrition. They contribute to the overall camping experience by creating memorable moments and connections among campers. Whether you’re cooking a quick breakfast or a complex dinner, each meal adds something unique to your outdoor adventures.