Bacon & Date Campfire Pizza
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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. This is your chance to impress, especially if you’re camping with a group.
Usually, people opt for the traditional camping classics: hot dogs, burgers, steaks – the typical tailgating fare.
But if you want 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” 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, which walks you through 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.
→ Learn everything you need to know about how to pack a cooler!
You can, of course, customize the toppings however you like, but we went with an admittedly decadent combination of bacon, dates, gorgonzola, and arugula.
Complete your meals with one of these great side dishes for pizza and a cold drink!
Once you’ve committed to making pizza in the woods, why not shoot for the stars?
More “fancy” camp recipes you’ll enjoy
- Dutch Oven Marbella
- Prosciutto Wrapped Asparagus Bundles
- Grilled Bánh Mì Sandwich
- Grilled Peach Caprese Salad
- Grilled Gyro Kebabs
- Steak & Blue Cheese Cast Iron Skillet Nachos
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
- 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.
- 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.
- Remove and top with a handful of arugula.
- Repeat for the second pizza.
Notes
EQUIPMENT NEEDED
Sharp knife + cutting boardSpatula
Plates + utensils for serving
First time I check your blog! Very nice and warm. Keep up the recipes and your good work
I’ve never tried this because for me, the cheese has to melt. I’ve never considered using a crumbly cheese like this before! I’ll definitely be giving it a go.
Thanks!
I will make this today, I had my eyes on this for a couple of days. I’ll get back with what I manage to obtain.
It was a total win, thank you for sharing this recipe!
Love, love, love this pizza. The technique worked *perfectly*. we are going to do pizza this way at home from now on, too! this flavor combo was a huge hit for the whole family. Thank you!
Sarah – so happy to hear that you and your family enjoyed this!!
This pizza looks so yummy, gonna try this soon
I made this tonight and it’s now a new family favorite! It was actually pretty easy which makes it a win-win.
So happy you and your family enjoyed this, Julie!
We made this for the first time tonight and it’s now a new family favorite. It was also easy which makes this a win-win. We used different toppings though.