Campfire Cooking Ideas: 10 Easy Camping Recipes
Camping is one of the most family-friendly activities you can do as a group. Yet there's no reason for anyone to go hungry or miss out on a delicious meal, even if you're miles away from civilization.
The idea of campfire cooking is one that is associated with hot dogs, s’mores, and other fun fare. But you don’t need to stop at traditional options! There are several ways to prepare food over a campfire. Preferably, one option is to use the cooking kit for campfires. It includes a Dutch oven, grill pan, pot, lid, and utensils. All you need to do is add some wood chips and charcoal briquettes to cook a grill. So before head out the camping you should bring the cooking kit. This makes cooking easy.
For tips on what kind of food to bring, read our article on camping cooking ideas. Here are our 10 favorite easy camping meals.
10 Best Easy Camping Meals
1. Campfire Nachos
- 1 can black beans, drained and rinsed
- 1 can corn, drained and rinsed
- ¾ cup red sauce (any recipe will do)
- ½ tsp cumin powder
- 3 Tbsp fresh lime juice
- 2 tsp tequila or orange liqueur
- 5 Tbsp light sour cream
- 2 Tbsp chopped jalapeño peppers
- 6 tortillas (we used whole wheat)
Place the black beans in a food processor and process until blended. Add the corn, red sauce and cumin powder. Pulse again until blended, but not completely smooth. (This will make it more like a chunky salsa.) Combine both sides of each tortilla with a spoonful of black beans mixture. Top with jalapeño peppers and two inches of the sour cream mixture. Add a little more red sauce and lime juice.
Serve immediately.
2. Chicken Tzatziki Skewers- ½ cup nonfat Greek yogurt
- 1 tsp salt
- ½ cup chopped cucumber
- 1 Tbsp chopped fresh dill
- 4 cloves garlic, minced
- ¼ cup lemon juice (1 lemon)
Combine yogurt, salt, cucumber, dill and garlic in a bowl. Chill for at least 30 minutes. Soak eight small skewers in water for one hour before using. Fill six rings of aluminum foil with the yogurt mixture about two inches apart. (You can also use wooden skewers.) Place the chicken, onion and lemon slices on four of the skewers. Add three or four more skewers to cover the chicken and onion. Put the remainder of the yogurt mixture in a shallow pan that has been sprayed with nonstick cooking spray. Place the remaining skewers in one layer on top of the pile. Bake at 350 degrees for 20 minutes, then turn all of the skewers over and bake for another 20 minutes. (You want them to be well done. Use a meat thermometer to make sure that the chicken breasts are completely cooked.) Serve each skewer in a ring of aluminum foil with a piece of pita bread.
To serve: Add lettuce and tomatoes to the top of the yogurt. Drain off excess liquid from pita or just fill with additional yogurt.
3. Easy Chickpea Curry
- 2 cans chickpeas (15 oz total), drained and rinsed
- 1 cup 2% milk
- 1 Tbsp curry powder
- 2 tsp brown sugar
- 1/8 tsp salt
- 1/8 tsp paprika
Mix all ingredients in a bowl. Heat in a saucepan, stirring constantly until it reaches the simmering point. Serve with crackers and fresh fruit. For a vegetarian version, use vegetable broth in place of the milk.
4. Cheese-Stuffed Tater Skins
- 1 package frozen tater tots (3 oz each)
- 1 cup shredded cheddar cheese
- 1 can cream of mushroom soup (6 oz)
Fry the tater tots until easily malleable, then cut in half with a kitchen knife. Scoop out the inside of each tot, leaving about a quarter inch all around. Mix the cheese and soup in a bowl, then fill each tater skin with a spoonful of the mixture. (You should get five or six skins out of this.) Bake at 450 degrees for 20 minutes. Serve with ranch dressing on the side.
5. Chicken Pad Thai
- 1 cup chicken stock (or 1 chicken breast)
- 2 cups cooked rice noodles (about ½ laang thai)
- 2 Tbsp oil
- 2 Tbsp soy sauce
- 2 green onions, chopped
- 4 oz. poached chicken breast, sliced thin and shredded
Stir together the stock and rice noodles in a large bowl with an electric mixer. Heat the oil in a wok or skillet. Pour over the rice noodle mixture and toss well to coat evenly. Add the soy sauce and green onions, then toss again. Cook over a medium-high flame until most of the liquid is absorbed. Add the chicken, then drizzle with additional soy sauce and toss until it's heated through. Serve with a side of vegetable stir-fry or steamed broccoli. For a vegetarian version: substitute tofu for the chicken.
6. Foil Wrapped Sweet Potatoes & Chili
- 3 sweet potatoes, peeled and cut into bite-size cubes
- 1 lb small chicken breasts, cubed and fried
- 1 Tbsp olive oil
Place the potatoes in a large bowl. Drizzle with olive oil and toss well. Add the diced chicken breasts to the potatoes and toss well so they're evenly coated. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 2 hours or overnight. Heat a skillet over medium heat with a little olive oil in it. Remove the plastic wrap from the potatoes and vegetables. Pour the potatoes and chicken into the hot skillet. Cook for 5-10 minutes, or until they're browned on all sides. Remove from the heat and serve with chili poured over each plate.
7. Campfire Apple Crisp
- 1 large apple, peeled and chopped into small pieces
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 2 cups packed brown sugar
- 1 Tbsp ground cinnamon
- ½ tsp nutmeg
- 2 cups all purpose flour
- ½ cup butter (1 stick)
Preheat the oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit. In a bowl, combine the dry ingredients with a fork. Press the butter through the sieve on top of a can of applesauce to get rid of some of its water content. Add the applesauce to the dry ingredients and combine. Add the chopped apple pieces, then arrange in a rectangular pan (a pie plate works well). Bake for 55 minutes, or until it's golden brown on top. Serve with vanilla ice cream or yogurt.
Cut the butter into small pieces and freeze them for at least one hour beforehand so that you can spread them through the flour mixture without them melting.
8. Macaroni & Cheddar Biscuits
- 2 cups elbow macaroni (1 box)
- 1 pound sharp cheddar cheese, grated (about 4 cups)
- ¼ cup chopped green bell pepper
- ½ cup shortening
- 1/4 tsp black pepper
Preheat oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit. Pour macaroni (uncooked) into a pot of boiling water and cook for 8 minutes. Remove from heat and drain thoroughly. Sift the flour, baking powder, salt and pepper into a large bowl. Using the paddle in your electric mixer, add the cheese, bell pepper and shortening (cut into small pieces). Add the cooked macaroni to the cheese mixture and stir well (it will be very wet). Sprinkle flour onto your counter or cutting board. Turn out dough onto the surface and knead until it's smooth. Roll into 1-inch balls and place on a lightly greased baking sheet. Bake for 15 minutes at 400 degrees. Remove from heat, then rest for 5 minutes before serving with honey butter or maple syrup.
9. Campfire Grilled Fish Tacos
- 1 lb fillet of your choosing (catfish, tilapia, salmon)
- 1 Tbsp lime juice
- 1 Tbsp chili powder
- ¼ cup vegetable oil
- ½ cup sour cream
- ½ cup salsa
- 8 taco shells or tortillas (your choice of size and heat)
Sprinkle the fish on both sides with the chili powder, then add the oil and lime juice. Mix well and let sit in the refrigerator for at least 1 hour. Turn your grill on to medium-high heat. Cook the fish for 4-6 minutes each side, or until it's cooked through (it will flake apart easily). Mix the sour cream and salsa together in a small bowl. Place the cooked fish on top of each taco shell and top with the sour cream mixture. Serve with a side of guacamole or pico de gallo.
Cooking Tip: For added flavor, add some minced garlic to the sour cream/salsa mix.
10. Grilled Mexican Style Street Corn
- 8 ears of corn, husks on (please use butter or lard and not vegetable oil!)
- ½ cup mayonnaise
- 1 Tbsp chili powder
- 1 Tbsp honey
- ¼ cup chopped cilantro
- 2 jalapeño peppers, finely minced
Cut the corn right down the center in half. Mix together all of the other ingredients in a medium sized bowl, then pour over the corn. Let them marinate in their own juices for 20 minutes before you grill them. Place the corn on the grill, turning every 3-5 minutes. Grill them until they're browned on all sides and the mayonnaise is warmed through (about 15 minutes). Serve immediately with sour cream and fresh lime juice.
Cooking tip: These can be grilled up in advance to be eaten at a later time. Keep them refrigerated until you're ready to eat them, then heat them up in a 350-degree oven for 10 minutes or so on each side.
Don't worry about the people that say you can't make corn on the cob in an oven. All you're doing is heating them up. Kind of like corn on the cob you get out of a can (which is actually surprisingly good). If you want to learn how to actually cook corn on the cob, I'll teach you how.
To know more you can find out more camping cooking ideas from the freshoffthegrid.com.
Final words
Campfire cooking is a great way to get back to the basics. What I love most is that you can cook food that's fun and delicious while spending quality time with your family or friends. There's nothing quite like sitting around a campfire with a group of people, all of you talking together and laughing, either at the amazing food you're eating or at the stories from the day (or both). It's incredibly relaxing, which makes it something anyone can enjoy no matter their age. So next time you go camping, remember to bring along some of my campfire recipes to help make your trip a success.
The idea of campfire cooking is one that is associated with hot dogs, s’mores, and other fun fare. But you don’t need to stop at traditional options! There are several ways to prepare food over a campfire. Preferably, one option is to use the cooking kit for campfires. It includes a Dutch oven, grill pan, pot, lid, and utensils. All you need to do is add some wood chips and charcoal briquettes to cook a grill. So before head out the camping you should bring the cooking kit. This makes cooking easy.
For tips on what kind of food to bring, read our article on camping cooking ideas. Here are our 10 favorite easy camping meals.
10 Best Easy Camping Meals
1. Campfire Nachos
- 1 can black beans, drained and rinsed
- 1 can corn, drained and rinsed
- ¾ cup red sauce (any recipe will do)
- ½ tsp cumin powder
- 3 Tbsp fresh lime juice
- 2 tsp tequila or orange liqueur
- 5 Tbsp light sour cream
- 2 Tbsp chopped jalapeño peppers
- 6 tortillas (we used whole wheat)
Place the black beans in a food processor and process until blended. Add the corn, red sauce and cumin powder. Pulse again until blended, but not completely smooth. (This will make it more like a chunky salsa.) Combine both sides of each tortilla with a spoonful of black beans mixture. Top with jalapeño peppers and two inches of the sour cream mixture. Add a little more red sauce and lime juice.
Serve immediately.
2. Chicken Tzatziki Skewers- ½ cup nonfat Greek yogurt
- 1 tsp salt
- ½ cup chopped cucumber
- 1 Tbsp chopped fresh dill
- 4 cloves garlic, minced
- ¼ cup lemon juice (1 lemon)
Combine yogurt, salt, cucumber, dill and garlic in a bowl. Chill for at least 30 minutes. Soak eight small skewers in water for one hour before using. Fill six rings of aluminum foil with the yogurt mixture about two inches apart. (You can also use wooden skewers.) Place the chicken, onion and lemon slices on four of the skewers. Add three or four more skewers to cover the chicken and onion. Put the remainder of the yogurt mixture in a shallow pan that has been sprayed with nonstick cooking spray. Place the remaining skewers in one layer on top of the pile. Bake at 350 degrees for 20 minutes, then turn all of the skewers over and bake for another 20 minutes. (You want them to be well done. Use a meat thermometer to make sure that the chicken breasts are completely cooked.) Serve each skewer in a ring of aluminum foil with a piece of pita bread.
To serve: Add lettuce and tomatoes to the top of the yogurt. Drain off excess liquid from pita or just fill with additional yogurt.
3. Easy Chickpea Curry
- 2 cans chickpeas (15 oz total), drained and rinsed
- 1 cup 2% milk
- 1 Tbsp curry powder
- 2 tsp brown sugar
- 1/8 tsp salt
- 1/8 tsp paprika
Mix all ingredients in a bowl. Heat in a saucepan, stirring constantly until it reaches the simmering point. Serve with crackers and fresh fruit. For a vegetarian version, use vegetable broth in place of the milk.
4. Cheese-Stuffed Tater Skins
- 1 package frozen tater tots (3 oz each)
- 1 cup shredded cheddar cheese
- 1 can cream of mushroom soup (6 oz)
Fry the tater tots until easily malleable, then cut in half with a kitchen knife. Scoop out the inside of each tot, leaving about a quarter inch all around. Mix the cheese and soup in a bowl, then fill each tater skin with a spoonful of the mixture. (You should get five or six skins out of this.) Bake at 450 degrees for 20 minutes. Serve with ranch dressing on the side.
5. Chicken Pad Thai
- 1 cup chicken stock (or 1 chicken breast)
- 2 cups cooked rice noodles (about ½ laang thai)
- 2 Tbsp oil
- 2 Tbsp soy sauce
- 2 green onions, chopped
- 4 oz. poached chicken breast, sliced thin and shredded
Stir together the stock and rice noodles in a large bowl with an electric mixer. Heat the oil in a wok or skillet. Pour over the rice noodle mixture and toss well to coat evenly. Add the soy sauce and green onions, then toss again. Cook over a medium-high flame until most of the liquid is absorbed. Add the chicken, then drizzle with additional soy sauce and toss until it's heated through. Serve with a side of vegetable stir-fry or steamed broccoli. For a vegetarian version: substitute tofu for the chicken.
6. Foil Wrapped Sweet Potatoes & Chili
- 3 sweet potatoes, peeled and cut into bite-size cubes
- 1 lb small chicken breasts, cubed and fried
- 1 Tbsp olive oil
Place the potatoes in a large bowl. Drizzle with olive oil and toss well. Add the diced chicken breasts to the potatoes and toss well so they're evenly coated. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 2 hours or overnight. Heat a skillet over medium heat with a little olive oil in it. Remove the plastic wrap from the potatoes and vegetables. Pour the potatoes and chicken into the hot skillet. Cook for 5-10 minutes, or until they're browned on all sides. Remove from the heat and serve with chili poured over each plate.
7. Campfire Apple Crisp
- 1 large apple, peeled and chopped into small pieces
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 2 cups packed brown sugar
- 1 Tbsp ground cinnamon
- ½ tsp nutmeg
- 2 cups all purpose flour
- ½ cup butter (1 stick)
Preheat the oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit. In a bowl, combine the dry ingredients with a fork. Press the butter through the sieve on top of a can of applesauce to get rid of some of its water content. Add the applesauce to the dry ingredients and combine. Add the chopped apple pieces, then arrange in a rectangular pan (a pie plate works well). Bake for 55 minutes, or until it's golden brown on top. Serve with vanilla ice cream or yogurt.
Cut the butter into small pieces and freeze them for at least one hour beforehand so that you can spread them through the flour mixture without them melting.
8. Macaroni & Cheddar Biscuits
- 2 cups elbow macaroni (1 box)
- 1 pound sharp cheddar cheese, grated (about 4 cups)
- ¼ cup chopped green bell pepper
- ½ cup shortening
- 1/4 tsp black pepper
Preheat oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit. Pour macaroni (uncooked) into a pot of boiling water and cook for 8 minutes. Remove from heat and drain thoroughly. Sift the flour, baking powder, salt and pepper into a large bowl. Using the paddle in your electric mixer, add the cheese, bell pepper and shortening (cut into small pieces). Add the cooked macaroni to the cheese mixture and stir well (it will be very wet). Sprinkle flour onto your counter or cutting board. Turn out dough onto the surface and knead until it's smooth. Roll into 1-inch balls and place on a lightly greased baking sheet. Bake for 15 minutes at 400 degrees. Remove from heat, then rest for 5 minutes before serving with honey butter or maple syrup.
9. Campfire Grilled Fish Tacos
- 1 lb fillet of your choosing (catfish, tilapia, salmon)
- 1 Tbsp lime juice
- 1 Tbsp chili powder
- ¼ cup vegetable oil
- ½ cup sour cream
- ½ cup salsa
- 8 taco shells or tortillas (your choice of size and heat)
Sprinkle the fish on both sides with the chili powder, then add the oil and lime juice. Mix well and let sit in the refrigerator for at least 1 hour. Turn your grill on to medium-high heat. Cook the fish for 4-6 minutes each side, or until it's cooked through (it will flake apart easily). Mix the sour cream and salsa together in a small bowl. Place the cooked fish on top of each taco shell and top with the sour cream mixture. Serve with a side of guacamole or pico de gallo.
Cooking Tip: For added flavor, add some minced garlic to the sour cream/salsa mix.
10. Grilled Mexican Style Street Corn
- 8 ears of corn, husks on (please use butter or lard and not vegetable oil!)
- ½ cup mayonnaise
- 1 Tbsp chili powder
- 1 Tbsp honey
- ¼ cup chopped cilantro
- 2 jalapeño peppers, finely minced
Cut the corn right down the center in half. Mix together all of the other ingredients in a medium sized bowl, then pour over the corn. Let them marinate in their own juices for 20 minutes before you grill them. Place the corn on the grill, turning every 3-5 minutes. Grill them until they're browned on all sides and the mayonnaise is warmed through (about 15 minutes). Serve immediately with sour cream and fresh lime juice.
Cooking tip: These can be grilled up in advance to be eaten at a later time. Keep them refrigerated until you're ready to eat them, then heat them up in a 350-degree oven for 10 minutes or so on each side.
Don't worry about the people that say you can't make corn on the cob in an oven. All you're doing is heating them up. Kind of like corn on the cob you get out of a can (which is actually surprisingly good). If you want to learn how to actually cook corn on the cob, I'll teach you how.
To know more you can find out more camping cooking ideas from the freshoffthegrid.com.
Final words
Campfire cooking is a great way to get back to the basics. What I love most is that you can cook food that's fun and delicious while spending quality time with your family or friends. There's nothing quite like sitting around a campfire with a group of people, all of you talking together and laughing, either at the amazing food you're eating or at the stories from the day (or both). It's incredibly relaxing, which makes it something anyone can enjoy no matter their age. So next time you go camping, remember to bring along some of my campfire recipes to help make your trip a success.