One-Pot Camping Meals: Quick to Prepare, Easy to Clean Up

What could compare to preparing a tasty meal while being surrounded by towering trees and looking out over a river after a day of trekking or boating? Setting up your portable stove in the back of your camper vehicle and savoring some delicious meals is always a great idea.

However, when you explore the wilderness, you might not have a lot of energy left for cooking and the clean-up that follows. Below, you’ll find recipes for one-pot camping meals that will save your time and effort both during meal preparation and after the food is done.

Why One-Pot Camping Meals?

One-pot camping meals are an easy, quick, and no-mess option for outdoor enthusiasts. Here are some reasons why you should give them a try:

• Less dirty dishes. When you travel to the wilderness, you often have to be mindful of your water supplies, which means wasting less water on washing dishes while camping. One-pot meals prevent you from cleaning a big mess.
• Ease of serving. One-pot meals don’t require a separate serving dish and stay warm for a longer time. Besides, you can store and reheat the leftovers in the same pot or pan you used for cooking.
• Adjustable number of servings. You can alter the serving size of every recipe on this list. The capacity of your pot and, in some situations, the size of your oven or stovetop are the only limitations.

Top 5 Delicious One-Pot Camping Meal Ideas

Here are five tasty one-pot camping recipes that will keep you full and save you time on cleaning during your camping trip:

1.     Blueberry Banana Pancakes

At home or outdoors, pancakes remain one of the all-time favorite dishes for many people. Here’s how to prepare this breakfast camping meal without creating a mess:

Ingredients

• 1 sliced banana
• ⅔ cup butter
• Milk
• 1 egg
• 3 oz flour
• 1 tsp. baking powder
• ½ tsp. cinnamon
• A pinch of salt
• 1 oz blueberries
• Coconut oil
• Maple syrup

How to Make?

At home, add butter, milk, and an egg into a bowl and whisk them together. Mix in the remaining dry ingredients. Transfer the resulting batter into a sealable container, refrigerate it, and transport it to the campsite in a cooler. It is best not to add the bananas and blueberries to the mix in advance - place them directly in the pan and then pour the batter on top.

You can use a seasoned cast iron skillet for cooking pancakes over a camp stove. Simply follow these steps:

1. Set the stove to medium heat and preheat the pan.
2. Pour a small amount of oil on the pan.
3. Place banana slices onto the pan, pour the batter mix onto it, and sprinkle some blueberries.
4. Flip the pancakes when one side achieves a golden color.
5. Serve the pancakes with maple syrup or any other topping of choice.

You can also prepare the batter at the campsite, yet be ready for some clean-up that follows.

2.     Breakfast Hash

This hearty meal is sure to fill you up for a day full of outdoor adventures. Here’s how to make it:

Ingredients

• 1/4 cup butter, cubed
• 40 oz of shredded hash brown potatoes
• 7 oz of cooked sausage, cut into 1/2-inch pieces
• ¼ cup of chopped onion
• ¼ cup of a green pepper finely chopped
• 12 large eggs, lightly beaten
• Salt and black pepper
• 1 cup of shredded cheddar cheese

How to Make?

A breakfast hash is easy to prepare and has many variations. here’s our favorite:

1. Heat the butter in a large 12-inch cast-iron pan over a camp stove.
2. Put sausage slices, shredded potato, chopped onion, and green paper into the melted butter.
3. Cook them on low-medium heat for 20 minutes or until the potatoes turn brown.
4. Then, move the mix to the side of the pan to make space for eggs.
5. Pour the slightly beaten eggs into the center of the frying pan and cook them over medium heat for a few minutes.
6. Sprinkle salt and pepper and lower the heat.
7. Mix the potatoes and eggs together and sprinkle shredded cheddar cheese.
8. Cover the pan with a lid and wait for a few minutes for the cheese to melt.

This recipe is typically enough to feed up to four people.

3.     One-Pot Chili

This spicy dish is a staple among easy camping meals - here’s how to cook it when you have just one pan at hand:

Ingredients:

• 1 1/2 Lbs of ground beef
• Diced onion
• A few garlic cloves crushed
• 30 ounces or 2 packs of kidney beans without water
• 28 ounce diced tomatoes
• 6-ounce tomato paste
• Green chilies
• 3 cups chicken broth (or water and chicken bouillon powder)
• 2 tbsp. chili powder
• 2 tsp. cumin
• 1 tsp. oregano powder
• 1 tsp. hot sauce
• 1 tsp. sugar
• 1/2 tsp. salt
• 1/4 tsp. cayenne pepper

How to Make?

Follow these simple steps to get this tasty meal ready in no time:

1. Fry the meat in a wide pot over a camp stove and dump the fat.
2. Add garlic and onions and cook until they have softened.
3. Mix in the spices, beans, chilies, tomatoes, and stock.
4. After bringing the mixture to a boil, lower the heat and simmer for half an hour.
5. Serve with sour cream and grated cheddar cheese on top.

You can also add any other toppings of choice, like fresh jalapenos, sliced scallions, or lightly crushed nachos.

4.     Zuppa Toscana

This recipe inspired by an Italian soup from the province of Tuscany is a perfect lunch and dinner option for days with colder weather.

Ingredients:

• 1 tbsp. extra virgin olive oil
• 1 lb. Italian sausage
• 1 lb. thick-cut bacon, diced into 1-inch pieces
• 1 chopped onion
• 1 tbsp. minced garlic and thyme
• 1 tsp. chili flakes and black pepper
• 1 tsp. salt and sugar
• 5 cups chicken stock
• 2 lbs. yellow potatoes diced into a 1-inch cube
• 3 cups chopped kale
• 1 cup cream
• 1 cup chopped fresh parsley, chopped
• Shredded parmesan

How to Make?

• Place a cast iron Dutch oven over a camp stove and heat the oil in it.
• Cook the sausage slices while stirring frequently. When they’re done, remove them from the Dutch oven and set them aside.
• Now cook the bacon pieces the same way and set them aside as well.
• Remove excessive oil from the pan while leaving only a tablespoon of it.
• Add onions to the pot, followed by garlic, pepper flakes, thyme, sugar, salt, and pepper, and cook for 1 minute. Keep stirring the ingredients while cooking.
• Pour in some chicken broth and bring the soup to a boil.
• Add the bacon and sausage slices you prepared.
• Mix in some potato slices and cook the soup for 15 minutes more. 
• Finally, add kale and cream, and leave the Dutch oven over the heat for a couple of minutes more.

Sprinkle the soup with parsley and parmesan cheese, if available. Your delicious soup is ready to be enjoyed!

5.     Cheesy Taco Pasta

While regular pasta is a classic among one-pot meals for camping, arriving at the site by car enables you to bring some extra ingredients that can spice up this dish.

• 1Lb of ground beef
• ½ tsp. salt and black pepper
• 3 ½ tablespoons taco seasoning
• 2cups water
• 1cup mild salsa
• 8oz uncooked Rotini pasta
• 1 ½ cup shredded cheese
• Chopped tomatoes, avocado, and cilantro
• Crushed nachos for topping

How to Make?

1. Take a deep and wide skillet and preheat it.
2. Add ground beef, salt, and pepper, and cook thoroughly.
3. Get rid of excessive fat and mix taco seasoning into the beef.
4. Add water, salsa, and pasta. 
5. Bring all these ingredients to a boil and leave the mix to simmer for 15 minutes. 
6. Turn off the heat and mix the cheese when the pasta looks ready.

Sprinkle salt, pepper, and your favorite toppings on the pasta, and enjoy this one-pot dish on your trip!

Additional One-Pot Recipes for Your Outdoor Adventures

Want to try other recipes for one-pot camping meals? Check out these ideas:

• Shakshuka
• Red lentil stew
• Skillet lasagna
• Chipotle black bean soup
• Lemon and feta campfire chicken

Car camping is a fun activity, and with nice food, you can take it to another level. We hope you liked this one-pot camping meals guide with meal ideas that are worth trying out not only in the wilderness but also in your home’s kitchen. Enjoy!