ByFresh Off The GridUpdated
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Easy to cook and easy to clean, these one pot camping meals are perfect for your next camping trip.
We love cooking outside, but unfortunately, many home recipes don’t lend themselves well to being cooked at a campground. For most car campers, the relatively limited camp kitchen setup (two-burner stove, no oven, no microwave, no electronic appliances) means you need to be a little more creative with the way you cook.
Thankfully, there’s a simple solution: one pot meals!
One-pot camping meals (or one skillet meals) can be made with just a single piece of camp cookware. Instead of using separate pans, for example, to boil water for pasta, simmer a sauce, and saute vegetables, one pot meals simplify the process and make the camp cooking experience so much easier!
We love making one pot meals when we’re camping and here are just a few of the reasons why:
Less Mess: One of the biggest advantages of one pot cooking is having fewer dishes to wash at the end of the meal. At home, this is nice. But when you’re cooking at a campsite, without a dishwasher (or even a sink!), not having to scrub multiple pots and pans at the end of the night means you get to spend less time cleaning and more time hanging out in front of your campfire.
Timing: Every home cook knows how difficult it can be to get each part of a recipe ready at exactly the right time. This problem can be even worse at a campsite where you can’t just pop something in the oven to keep it warm. By cooking a meal in one pot, everything is ready at once.
Scalability: Whether you’re cooking for two or an entire trail crew, one pot meals can be easily scaled depending on the size of your group. Although you might find you need a bigger pot!
We’ve collected a variety of one pot recipes for you to try out on your next camping trip. Spend more time enjoying your time outdoors and less time doing dishes! Enjoy!
Blueberry Banana Pancakes
Caramelized bananas and bright, juicy blueberries create an extra special twist on a camping breakfast classic.
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Chickpea Hash
A protein-packed update to breakfast hash, this chickpea and vegetable breakfast skillet is a healthy way to jumpstart your morning.
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Dutch Baby
With a custardy interior and butter-fried golden edges, this Dutch Baby pancake (aka German Pancake) is one of our favorite camping breakfasts. All you need is a Dutch oven!
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Mountain Breakfast Skillet
Fried potatoes, peppers, onions, cheesy scrambled eggs, and sausages, what more could a hungry camper ask for in a breakfast?
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Dutch Oven French Toast
This Dutch Oven French Toast Bake is a great breakfast idea when feeding the family. Toasty edges and tender on the inside, it’s everything you love about French toast – just a lot more of it!
Want to skip the dishes entirely? Try this Foil Packet French Toast instead!
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Cast Iron Frittata
This frittata is bursting with the summer flavors of ripe tomatoes and fresh basil and is topped with melty cheese. It cooks in one skillet right over your campfire or camp stove.
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Chilaquiles
Crispy tortillas simmered in a spicy tomato sauce and topped with a few eggs. Chilaquiles takes less than 30 minutes to make, and are vegetarian, too!
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Campfire Nachos
A beloved happy hour classic, now being served at a campground near you. What better way to end the day outside than with a cold beer, warm campfire, and a big pot full of cheesy nachos?
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Plump tortellini and spicy Italian sausage floating in a rich, luxurious broth, this quick and easy tortellini soup is one of the coziest one-pot camp meals you can make!
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Dutch Oven Chicken Marbella
Sweet, savory, crispy, and saucy, this Dutch oven recipe for Chicken Marbella delivers a “gourmet” campfire experience but without any of the work.
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Lentil Sloppy Joes
A plant-based twist on a summer classic, these red lentil sloppy joes pack in just as much flavor (and protein) as the original – but without all the funky extras.
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Smoky, spicy, and deeply satisfying, this hearty one-pot meal is a camp-friendly adaptation of red beans and rice.
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One Pot Protein Pasta
Combining red lentil pasta with garlicky sauteed kale, this super easy one pot camping meal delivers a ton of protein while still being vegetarian-friendly.
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Beef Stroganoff
This one pan beef stroganoff will warm your heart and fill your stomach.
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Sweet Potato Peanut Stew
If you’re looking for something hearty, comforting, AND healthy the next time you’re out camping, you need to try this vegan, West African-inspired sweet potato peanut stew.
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Cheesy Asparagus One Pot Orzo
Quick cooking orzo, lots of vegetables, and melty cheese! This is aquick and easy meal that never fails to please.
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Your Dutch Oven does double duty with this recipe! Cook up a big pot of chili and a tasty cornbread topping all in one.
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Dutch Oven Enchiladas
These enchiladas are packed with onions and peppers, beans, and cheese, making them an awesome vegetarian meal that cooks right on the campfire.
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One Pot Chili Mac
Blending the best of both worlds, chili mac combines the smoky and spicy flavor of chili with the rich and creamy texture of mac & cheese. It’s a camping classic and using this recipe, you can make it using just a single pot!
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Dutch Oven Blueberry Cobbler
With a delicious blueberry filling, a fluffy biscuit topping, and a dollop of whipped cream, this Dutch Oven Blueberry Cobbler is a perfect dessert to enjoy around the campfire.
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Quick and Easy Apple Crisp
This no-bake Apple Crisp is designed to be an afterthought of a dessert. Something so simple that you’ll be hard-pressed to come up with a reason not to make it!
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Hungry for more?
Check out these easy camping meals, great camping dinners, and the best camping desserts to share around the fire!
This post was first published in March 2017 and updated in 2023 with additional recipes.
Fresh Off The Grid
Megan & Michael are the creators of Fresh Off The Grid, a blog dedicated to helping you fuel your adventures by sharing camp cooking recipes, backpacking meals, and outdoor travel guides. Their recipes and outdoor cooking expertise have been featured in Backpacker Magazine, Outside, REI Co-Op Journal, Food & Wine, and New York Times Cooking.
