Bacon & Date Campfire Pizza

This sweet and savory campfire recipe brings a gourmet twist to a classic cast iron skillet pizza.

Dinner is when your skills as a camp chef are on full display. Especially if you’re camping with a group, this is your chance to really impress. Usually, people opt for the traditional camping classics: hot dogs, burgers, steaks – the typical tailgating fare. But if you are looking to take things to the next level and really wow your fellow campers, we’ve got the ultimate crowd-pleaser: campfire pizza!

Making pizza over a campfire is a lot easier than you might think. The only “special” piece of equipment you need is a cast iron skillet. If this is your first time making pizza over a campfire, we suggest you check out our How to Make Campfire Pizza guide that goes over the full technique.

For the dough, you can either use our “from scratch” rapid-rise 30 minute pizza dough recipe or pick up some premade dough. Either will work just fine. Pre-made dough from the supermarket will hold up for a few days in a cooler, but it’s best to make this meal on the first or second night of your camping trip.

You can, of course, customize the toppings however you like, but we went with an admittedly decadent combination of bacon, dates, gorgonzola, and arugula. Once you’ve committed to making pizza in the woods, why not shoot for the stars?

Cast Iron Pizza with Bacon and Dates

Cook Time: 30 minutes

Makes: 2 10" pizzas

Calories: 853 kcal

Author: Fresh Off the Grid

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Ingredients

• 4 strips bacon chopped
• 1 lb pizza dough divided
• 1 cup pizza sauce
• 2-3 medjool dates pitted and chopped
• ½ cup gorgonzola cheese crumbled
• ½ cup arugula

Instructions

1. Over your campfire grill or your camp stove, fry the bacon in a 10” cast iron skillet until the fat renders out and it’s beginning to crisp up, 3-4 minutes. Remove the bacon pieces and set aside.

2. Stretch the first portion of dough into a roughly 10” circle and then carefully press it into the skillet (it will still be hot!). Place over the fire and cook for a few minutes, until the underside is starting to turn golden brown. Remove the skillet from the heat and flip the dough over with a spatula. Add half the sauce, cheese, bacon and dates to the top of the pizza. Return to the heat and cook for another couple of minutes, until the dough is cooked through and the cheese is starting to melt. It helps if you’re able to cover the skillet with a lid, large plate, or tin foil.

3. Remove and top with a handful of arugula.
4. Repeat for the second pizza.

EQUIPMENT NEEDED

Sharp knife + cutting board
Spatula
Plates + utensils for serving