Omnia Oven: The Ultimate Camping Oven
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Perfect for campers, RVers, and #vanlife, the Omnia Oven is a portable stovetop oven that allows you to bake using a standard camp stove burner.
We’ve been traveling in our self-converted Ford Transit van for over a year now, and while we’re very happy with the overall design, the one thing we wish we had included was an oven.
We really enjoyed baking when we lived in an apartment, but had not anticipated just how much we would miss it after we hit the road. But at this point, what can we do? There is literally no room to add an oven into our design. Or is there… ????
Then we discovered the Omnia stove top oven and everything changed.
Running a camp cooking blog we see a lot of new camping gear, but few products are as innovative (and practical!) as the Omnia oven.
Designed and manufactured in Sweden, the Omnia’s unique construction redistributes the heat from a single stove burner into a circular baking chamber. Just place it on top of a standard propane camp stove, ignite the burner, and you’re ready to start baking. No charcoal or built-in oven required!
Why We Love It
↠ Bake using just a single burner camp stove
↠ No charcoal or embers to worry about like with a Dutch oven
↠ Compact size compared to other portable camping ovens
↠ Lots of great accessories to expand functionality
If you’re a camper, RVer, or living the van life and want to enjoy the taste of freshly baked bread, cinnamon rolls, or nachos, then we would definitely recommend checking out the Omnia stovetop oven. Read on to learn more about this oven, how it works, and how to bake with it!
What can you cook in an Omnia Oven?
There are three basic ways to cook with an Omnia oven:
Bake: Breads, muffins, scones, cobblers, lasagna, and a whole lot more. Nearly anything you can bake in a home oven, you can bake using an Omnia oven.
Steam: Using the included Omnia oven rack, you can steam vegetables, shellfish, or dumplings.
Braise: Using a two-burner stove, you can sear meat in a cast-iron skillet and then transfer it to the Omnia oven and do a slow braise. Add some vegetables, liquid (i.e. broth, sauce, etc), herbs, and then cook low and slow.
Anatomy of the Omnia Oven
The Omnia consists of three different separate pieces: base, body, and lid that work together to evenly distribute the heat from a single stovetop burner.
Base (stainless steel): The base is a shaped metal ring with a hole in the center and is placed over the burner.
Body (aluminum): The body is shaped like a bundt pan, with a central air column in the middle. The body nests on top of the base, but only the outer edge of the body comes in direct contact with the base. Underneath, an air gap is maintained that evenly distributes the heat and prevents scorching.
Lid (aluminum*): The domed lid sits on top of the body and traps the hot air that rises up from the burner through the central air column.
* As a material, aluminum does an exceptional job at rapidly and evenly conducting heat. However, aluminum is much softer than other metals, so proper care should be taken not to dent or damage it.
How it works
The base and body work similarly to a double boiler. The burner directly heats the base, which warms the air gap between the base and the body. This air gap then provides gentle, indirect heat to the bottom of the body.
The heat from the burner also travels directly up, through the base and body via the central air column, and is trapped by the lid. Small vents along the side of the lid draw the heat down over the food, before allowing the heat to escape.
The end result is that the body receives indirect heat from both the bottom and the top, mimicking the conditions found in a typical home oven. Food inside the body is heated evenly from all sides.
Omnia stove top oven vs Dutch oven
You might be asking yourselves, “Wait, how is this different from a Dutch oven?”
With a camping Dutch oven, you have the ability to sear, sautee, steam as well as bake. It’s basically a heavy-duty cast iron pot and an oven all in one.
On the other hand, an Omnia is just an oven and doesn’t have the ability to sear or saute.
However, the Omnia does have one HUGE advantage over a Dutch oven: it doesn’t require charcoals/embers. All you need is a camp stove.
The reality is having a campfire or burning charcoal is often impractical. Particularly when dispersed camping, during inclimate weather, or when cooking inside a RV, van, or a boat. Additionally, in many parts of the country, campfires are frequently banned during wildfire season.
And even if you can use charcoal where you’re camping, it can take a while to get them started – adding even more time onto the cooking process.
With the Omnia oven, all you need to do is light your camp stove and you’re ready to start baking.
Omnia oven accessories
There are a few additional accessories that you can pick up to extend the functionality and versatility of the Omnia.
Silicone Mold: This silicone mold is super heat resistant and makes cleaning up a breeze (also available in a two-pack).
Muffin Ring: This silicone muffin ring mold gives you the space to make 6 muffins at a time. Alternatively, you can use silicone muffin thingies like these.
Baking Grid: This is helpful for heating things like rolls and can also act as a steamer rack.
Storage Bag: Nice to have but not essential, this storage bag fits the Omnia and all its accessories and will help prevent scratches and dings when you store it.
Bundle the Omnia and accessories to save ???? This “starter kit” includes the stove and all the above accessories–and you’ll have about $20 off the MSRP of buying everything individually.
Heat Resistant Gloves: As you might expect, the Omnia oven gets fairly hot. The handle on top of the lid allows you to open it fairly easily, but if you need to adjust its placement over the burner, you will want to have some heat resistant gloves.
Omnia oven recipe ideas
Need some inspiration on what to cook in an Omnia? Here are some of our recent favorites!
Frittata
This classic Italian baked egg dish is a great way to make breakfast for a crowd.
Ingredients
6 eggs (scrambled)
½ cup milk
1 teaspoon sea salt
¼ teaspoon freshly ground pepper
1 tablespoon olive oil
½ cup cherry tomatoes, halved
½ cup chopped Spinach
½ cup shredded cheese
Instructions
In a medium bowl, beat together the eggs, then add milk, cheese, chopped spinach, tomatoes, olive oil, salt, and pepper and mix until thoroughly blended.
Pour egg mixture into the silicone mold inside the Omnia. Cover and cook over medium heat for about 20-30 minutes.
The eggs will appear fully cooked on top and the frittata will begin to puff up when finished.
Transfer to a cutting board or serve from inside Omnia.
Cinnamon Rolls
This is a super quick and easy breakfast idea to have going on one burner while you’re making coffee on the other.
Pick up some store-bought cinnamon rolls, follow the instructions on the package, and place them inside the Omnia.
Cover the Omnia and bake over medium heat for 15-20 minutes, until the rolls have puffed up and cooked through.
Remove from the heat and add icing.
Nachos
Making nachos in the Omnia could not be easier. Layer in chips, cheese, salsa, beans, olives, jalapenos, cilantro, and whatever else you like. Make sure you have cheese layered throughout.
Then pop the lid on and bake. In about 15-20 minutes, all the cheese will be melted and you’re ready to go. It’s a perfect appetizer idea when camping.
Banana Bread
One of our favorite quick breads, Banana Bread is a perfect way to use up those over-ripened bananas.
Ingredients
1 ½ cups flour
1 cup brown sugar
2 teaspoons cinnamon
1 teaspoon baking soda
Pinch of salt
4 ripe bananas
½ cup softened butter
1 tablespoon bourbon, optional
Instructions
At home (or in camp) whisk together the flour, brown sugar, cinnamon, baking soda, and salt. Set aside.
Place the bananas in a medium/large bowl and smash with a fork until fairly smooth. Add the butter, egg, and bourbon and stir until combined. Add the dry mixture, stirring until it’s completely incorporated with the wet ingredients.
Pour batter into the silicone mold inside the Omnia. Cover and cook over medium heat for about 20-30 minutes.
The banana bread is done when a toothpick inserted into the middle comes out clean.
Can I make pizza in an Omnia oven?
So, the pizza question…
Yes, technically, you can make pizza in an Omnia. We’ve done it before. It works. However, there are some drawbacks.
Since pizzas are relatively flat and the total area inside the Omnia is reduced due to the center air column, the yield is pretty low. It takes about 20 minutes to bake and you end up with a circular ring of pizza that is roughly equivalent to two slices of pizza.
As somebody who can comfortably eat a slice per minute, this slow production time is, personally, a major problem.
The Omnia oven really shines when you can take advantage of the total volume inside of it, not just the flat floor space. If you want to make pizza, consider making a Chicago deep dish or Detroit style pizza. Or even better, a stromboli.
Same goes for things like cookies, which are also flat. If you want cookies, consider making a cookie bar. Or a blondie. Or brownies.
Where to buy the Omnia oven
Convinced that the Omnia needs a spot in your camp kitchen? You can pick one up on Amazon or at Camping World!