Here’s 12 easy to cook one pot camping meals to enjoy when out camping, hiking or backpacking. You can make varied and delicious food with very few ingredients all in one pot.
It can feel totally overwhelming and almost impossible to plan meals, pack food and the correct gear to make tasty, varied meals when out on adventures. Especially when you’re catering for a group or family! These one pot camping meals have completely transformed camping cooking for us.
One of the biggest advantages of one pot camping meals is less mess! When you’re camping with limited washing facilities less mess is always a positive. They’re also really easy to make so you don’t need to be a skilled chef and by cooking a meal in one pot, conveniently everything is ready at once. Using these simple one pot camping recipes you can make incredible food with very little hassle.
Here are 12 one pot camping meals to get you started!
Remember to bring knives, a chopping board of some kind and a way of holding your pot or pan over your heat source. Grill racks are a great idea for this.
1. Egg and Potato Scramble – Serves 4
This super easy to make hearty breakfast will set you up for the day. Cooks in 25 minutes in one pan.
Equipment:
Any non-stick pan or skillet with high sides will work for this recipe.
Ingredients:
- 8 Eggs (Stirred)
- 2 Medium Potatoes (Diced)
- 1 Onion (Chopped)
- 2 Peppers (Chopped)
- 2 Tablespoons Butter
Recipe:
- Add 1 tablespoon of butter into the pan and put it over your fire. Let it melt and spread evenly around the pan.
- Add the potatoes, onions, and peppers. Cook until the potatoes are tender and the onions and peppers are nice and cooked. It takes about 15 to 20 minutes usually however keep checking as it depends on the heat of your fire
- Add the second tablespoon of butter, once melted in add your eggs letting them fill in the spaced between the other ingredients. To ensure an even cooking time you can cover the pan with a lid or tin foil. Let cook for 4 minutes and serve.
2. One Pan Full English – Serves 4
If you’re a full English fan then you’ll love this simple version. One pot camping meals don’t get much easier than this. It only takes only 15 mins!
Equipment:
Any non-stick pan or skillet with high sides will work for this recipe.
Ingredients:
- 4 Good-quality pork chipolatas
- 4 Rashers smoked back bacon140g
- Button mushrooms
- 6 Eggs (Stirred)
- 8 Cherry tomatoes (Halved)
- Handful grated cheese (Optional)
- 1 Tablespoon of snipped chives
Make it Veggie:
For a vegetarian version, swap the chipolatas for veggie sausages, lose the bacon and add more mushrooms.
Recipe:
- Heat oil in a pan and spread it around evenly, add the chipolatas and fry for roughly 3 mins. Add the bacon and turn occasionally, until it starts to crisp. Tip in the mushrooms and continue to cook for a further 3-5 mins. Drain any excess fat and move the ingredients so they are evenly spread out.
- Season your eggs and add them to the pan, swirling to fill the spaces. Gently move with a fork for 2 mins until they begin to set. Scatter over the tomatoes, cheese if you’re using it, and chives, then cover with a lid or tin foil for 2 mins until set. Cut into wedges and serve with your favourite sauces.
3. Smokey Bean Breakfast – Serves 8 -10
We love this hearty smokey bean breakfast. This recipe is one of our favourite one pot camping meals and can easily be halved. Cooks in 30 mins.
Equipment:
Any large non-stick pan or skillet with high sides will work for this recipe. Paella pans are great for this if you’re serving 8-10.
Ingredients:
- 4 Tablespoons of olive oil
- 6 chipolatas
- Cooking chorizo (diced)
- 6 Good-quality smoked hot dog sausages (Chopped)
- 2 Onions (Chopped)
- 500ml carton passata
- 300g BBQ sauce
- 2 x 400g Cans borlotti beans (Drained)
- 2 x 400g Cans haricot beans (Drained)
- 8-10 Eggs
Recipe:
- Heat the oil in a pan then add the chipolatas allow them to brown all over, push to one side of the pan and add your other sausages. Cook for a couple of minutes until the chorizo starts to release some of its oil, then push these to the side too. Add your chopped onions and cook until soft. Roughly 8 mins depending on the heat of your fire.
- Add the passata, BBQ sauce and some seasoning, bring to a simmer and bubble for a few mins, then stir in the beans and bring everything back to a bubble.
- Using the back of a spoon, create little spaces in the beans and crack in the eggs, dotting them over the surface. Cover the pan with foil and cook gently for 10 mins or until the eggs are cooked to your liking. Then you’re ready to serve.
4. Baked Potato Boats
We love these simple but tasty baked potato boats for a quick lunch that will leave you full up. These are a great way to use up any leftovers you have as well. Cook in 20 mins (if your potatoes are cooked prior.)
Equipment:
Tinfoil (Any non-stick pan or skillet for the bacon)
Ingredients:
- 3 Baked potatoes
- 9 Strips of bacon (Cooked)
- Cooked ham
- Sharp cheddar cheese
- Stick of butter
Make it Veggie:
For a vegetarian version, swap the bacon and ham for a veggie alternative. Cheese and spring onion baked potato boats are delicious!
Recipe:
- Start with 3 baked potatoes (you can bake them in foil on the fire) and cut them each 5 times. Do not cut them all the way through, we want 6 equally sized segments across the potato. In each Segment add a small piece of bacon, ham, and cheese.
- Lay each potato out on its own piece of tin foil. Put a little bit of butter on the tops of each potato and spread it around. Seal up the potato in the Tin Foil, find a hot spot in your grill or fire, and cook for about 20 minutes.
5. Macaroni Cheese – Serves 2/3
Who doesn’t love macaroni cheese? This delicious lunch will keep you going throughout the day. Takes 15 minutes to cook.
Equipment:
Medium-sized pot.
Ingredients:
- 2½ Cups of whole milk
- 1 Cup of water
- 2 Cups of macaroni pasta
- 1 Tablespoon unsalted butter
- A handful of cheddar cheese
- ½ Tablespoon of dry mustard powder
- ½ Tablespoon of salt
- Sprinkle of black pepper
Recipe:
- Get your fire going then pour milk and water into a medium pot and bring to a boil. Next, add the macaroni pasta and stir. Cook the pasta, stirring often, until tender, this will take roughly about 7 to 10 minutes.
- Take the pot off the fire and immediately stir in butter, grated cheese, mustard powder, salt and pepper. Mix well so the pasta is cheesy, gooey and delicious. Serve hot.
6. One Pot Lasagna – Serves 8
This one requires a few more ingredients however it’s a really delicious meal full of hearty Italian flavours. Still only requires one pan and is perfect at the end of the day for a group. Cooks in 40 mins.
Equipment:
Any large non-stick pan or skillet with high sides will work for this recipe.
- A Handful of Bow tie pasta
- 2 Tablespoons olive oil
- 2 Skinless, boneless chicken breasts, sliced or diced
- 1 Tablespoon of Italian seasoning/ mixed herbs
- Sprinkle of Salt
- 1 Medium onion (Diced)
- 2 Cloves garlic (Crushed)
- 1 Cup of chicken broth or veg stock
- 1 Jar marinara sauce, good-quality
- 1 Tablespoon red pepper flakes
- A handful of grated mozzarella cheese
- ½ Cup of whole milk ricotta cheese
- ¼ Cup grated Parmesan, plus more if needed and for serving
- 12 Fresh basil leaves, cut into chiffonade or chopped, plus more if needed and for serving
Make it veggie:
Swap your chicken for any preferred veggies, and use veg stock.
Recipe:
- Cook the pasta drain and set aside. Heat the oil in a large skillet and season the chicken with the Italian seasoning/mixed herbs and some salt. Add the chicken to the skillet and cook until golden brown, 2 to 3 minutes per side depending on your fire heat. Remove the chicken to a plate and set it aside.
- Add the onions and garlic to the same skillet and cook, stirring, for 3 minutes. Add the broth/ veg stock then scrape the bottom of the skillet to loosen the bits. Cook for another 2 to 3 minutes to let the broth reduce. Add the marinara sauce and red pepper flakes, bring to a simmer and simmer for 10 minutes.
- Add the drained pasta, mozzarella, ricotta, Parmesan and basil. Add the cooked chicken on top. Toss to combine, then add more of the mozzarella, ricotta, Parmesan or basil until the sauce is just how you like it. Serve with a sprinkling of Parmesan and a little basil on top.
7. Rissotto – Serves 4
Rissotto is a popular camping meal because it’s so filling and you can pack it with veggies. This recipe takes 45 mins.
Equipment:
One medium-sized cooking pot.
Ingredients:
- 1 x Red onion
- 1 Tablespoon lazy garlic (or 2 crushed cloves)
- Olive oil
- Arborio rice (1 cup for 2 people)
- Vegetable stock (double stock to the rice, e.g. 1 cup rice = 2 cups stock)
- A handful of peas
- A handful of Spinach
- One red pepper (Chopped)
1 x tin (400g) Passata / chopped tomatoes
Recipe:
- Chop Onion and sautee in a pan with your garlic and olive oil. Then add uncooked arborio rice, stir until glossy with olive oil.
- Add stock slowly ensuring to stir non stop. As the rice begins to soak up water, add vegetables (peas, spinach, red pepper whatever you wish).
- Add the tin of chopped tomatoes or passata (sometimes we don’t use the entire tin as the risotto will go soupy) Salt and pepper to season. Stir and taste as you go until cooked. Add fresh basil and cheese on top if you fancy.
8. Lentil Dahl – Serves 2
One of the easiest camping stove recipes is Dahl as it is so cheap quick to make and the perfect camping meal for vegetarians. Takes 13 minutes to make.
Equipment:
Ingredients:
1 Tin (390g) green lentils
1 Tin (400g) chickpeas
Olive oil
1 Onion (Chopped)
1 Tablespoon garlic ( 1 clove)
2 Tablespoons of curry paste or powder
4 Handfuls of spinach
1 Tin (400g) peas
1 Tin (400g) chopped tomatoes
Naan or roti bread to serve
Recipe:
- Sauté onions with garlic olive oil then drain the lentils and chickpeas and add to the pan.
- Immediately after add chopped tomatoes and a generous dollop of curry paste or powder.
- Throw in any other vegetables you can use the ones we have suggested or any you have needing to be used up.
- Stir the mixture for a further couple of minutes until piping hot. Not too long or the lentils and chickpeas will go squishy.
- Serve hot with naan or roti bread!
9. One Pot Camping Meal Stew – Serves 4
There is nothing quite like a tasty stew on a camping trip. Especially as it requires little prep, will fill you up and you can pack it with plenty of vegetables. Takes around 45 mins – 1 hour to cook.
Equipment:
One medium-sized pot.
Ingredients:
- 2 Tablespoon olive oil
- 2 Garlic cloves (Crushed)
- 1 Onion (Chopped)
- 500g Mixed vegetables (Chopped carrots, fennel, squash, sweet potatoes and turnips are all great)
- 800g Skinless boneless chicken breasts (Chopped)
- A small glass of white wine
Make it veggie:
Swap the chicken for extra veggies.
Recipe:
- Heat oil over a source of heat, like coals or a fire. Cook onion and garlic until fragrant. Add mixed vegetables and cook for 5 minutes, then add chicken and cook until browned.
- Add wine and boil for 1 min, then season. Add around 400ml water, cover, and place in coals or on fire for around 30 minutes, until chicken is cooked and veg is tender.
10. One Pot Chilli – Serves 4
There are few foods as comforting as beef chilli. Cook this simple one pot camping meal in 20 minutes.
Equipment:
One medium-sized pot.
Ingredients:
- 500g Beef mince
- 1 White onion (Diced)
- 400g Chopped tomatoes
- 400g Kidney beans
- 1 Tablespoon cumin
- A handful of grated cheese (Optional)
Make it veggie:
Quorn mince is just as tasty.
Recipe:
- Add the onions and mince to a pan and fry until browned.
- Drain the kidney beans and add to the pan with the chopped tomatoes.
- Add a pinch of cumin and continue to cook until the mixture thickens.
- Serve with rice, bread or nachos! Add a sprinkling of cheese if you fancy.
11. Chocolate Bananas – Serves 6
A grilled banana stuffed with melted chocolate chips, so simple yet so delicious this recipe is bound to be a hit with the whole family.
Equipment:
Just tin foil.
Ingredients:
• 6 Bananas
• 335g Milk chocolate chips
Recipe:
- Peel the banana and slice it lengthwise, creating an opening in the middle.
- Place the banana on a square of tin foil. Cram as many chocolate chips into the sliced banana and loosely wrap the foil around it.
- Cook on the barbecue or grill until the chocolate has melted.
- Enjoy!
12. S’mores – Serves 4
No evening beside a campfire is complete without at least toasting some marshmallows, take it to a new level and make delicious s’mores.
Ingredients:
• 400g Any biscuit or cookie
• 400g Milk chocolate
• 300g Marshmallows
Recipe:
- Wedge pieces of milk chocolate between two biscuits.
- Toast a couple of marshmallows over the barbecue or griddle and sandwich the gooey marshmallows between the biscuits.
- Enjoy!
We hope that you find our one pot camping meals easy to make and delicious to taste. We’d love to see some examples of your own, share them with us on Facebook and Instagram. We love to see you enjoying the outdoors.