21 One Pot Camping Meals

This post may contain affiliate links.

Easy to cook and easy to clean, these one pot camping meals are perfect for your next camping trip.

Megan and Michael sitting by a campfire Megan is serving Michael food from a Dutch oven

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!

Subscription Form (#4)

Save this post!

Enter your email and we'll send this post to your inbox! Plus, you'll receive our newsletter full of great tips for all your outdoor adventures.

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!

Michael holding a plate stacked with pancakes

Blueberry Banana Pancakes

Caramelized bananas and bright, juicy blueberries create an extra special twist on a camping breakfast classic.

Chickpea hash with two eggs on a blue plate next to a cast iron skillet

Chickpea Hash

A protein-packed update to breakfast hash, this chickpea and vegetable breakfast skillet is a healthy way to jumpstart your morning.

Dutch Baby pancake with powdered sugar and berries

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!

Cheesy scrambled eggs and potatoes in a cast iron skillet

Mountain Breakfast Skillet

Fried potatoes, peppers, onions, cheesy scrambled eggs, and sausages, what more could a hungry camper ask for in a breakfast?

A slice of baked French toast on a blue plate. A fork is on the side with a bite sized piece of toast.

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!

Vegetable frittata in a cast iron skillet over a campfire.

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.

Michael is sprinkling chopped cilantro into a skillet full of Chilaquiles

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!

Nachos in a Dutch oven over the campfire

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?

Overhead view of Megan holding a bowl of tortellini soup

Sausage & Tortellini Soup

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!

Chicken, green olives, and dried prunes in a Dutch oven in a fire pit

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.

Red lentil sloppy joes on a blue camping plate with grilled corn.

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.

A blue bowl of red beans and rice with a Dutch oven in the background

Red Beans & Rice

Smoky, spicy, and deeply satisfying, this hearty one-pot meal is a camp-friendly adaptation of red beans and rice.

Michael sprinkling cheese into a skillet of pasta that is sitting on a campfire

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.

A cast-iron skillet filled with beef stroganoff resting on a wooden cutting board

Beef Stroganoff

This one pan beef stroganoff will warm your heart and fill your stomach.

Sweet potato peanut stew in a blue camping bowl in front of a campfire.

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.

A white enamel bowl that is filled with asparagus and pasta on a camping table

Cheesy Asparagus One Pot Orzo

Quick cooking orzo, lots of vegetables, and melty cheese! This is a quick and easy meal that never fails to please.

Serving chili and cornbread from a Dutch oven

Dutch Oven Chili & Cornbread

Your Dutch Oven does double duty with this recipe! Cook up a big pot of chili and a tasty cornbread topping all in one.

Enchiladas in a dutch oven on a table

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.

Megan holding a bowl of chili mac

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!

Blueberry cobbler in a dutch oven

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.

Apple crisp with whipped cream in a blue bowl

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!

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.

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

31 Comments

  1. These all look amazing! Perfect timing too as I’m going camping next weekend with my sisters. Might just have to test out those campfire nachos!!

  2. I absolutely love the one pot meals, in particular I love just wrapping food in tin foil and throwing it in the fire. Flavors that intertwine give you the opportunity to make some very unique dishes that aren’t only healthy but delicious! Great article!

    1. Thanks! We’ve been meaning to develop some tin foil packets recipes this summer. Do you have any favorite ingredients combos we should try?

  3. Wow, some amazing recipes and photos to go along. Thanks for taking the time to share them with us. We will definitely book mark this and try them out! Found your article on Pinterest. 🙂

  4. What great recipes and tips! We love to camp, and we are super envious of your journey and adventures! We like to make as much of our meals before hitting the road. We use a foodsaver to vacuum seal the meals and then freeze them. They usually keep for several days.

    1. Interesting. We’ve never used a foodsaver or tried vacuum sealing meals before. So does it help it keep longer or just compress it?

      Either way, definitely, we would like to check out at some point. Thanks for sharing.

  5. Do you typically make your cast iron meals over an open fire or on stovetop? Great recipes! Have been follow you on Instagram for some time now. We are getting ready for a three month road trip and will certainly be trying some of these 🙂

    1. Most of the time we cook on a camp stove, but when have the opportunity, we like cooking over an open fire. Unfortunately, there have been a lot of state / county wide fire bans during the past couple of years – especially out west, so often times a campfire isn’t allowed. Excited for your road trip! Sounds like it’s going to be a blast.

  6. Love your recipes! Everything looks so fresh and yummy. Can’t wait to try them. Thanks for sharing.

  7. Thanks so much. I’ve been trying to find camping recipes that are nutritious as well as adaptable to allergies. This is the first website I’ve found with that in mind. Picking out a few to give them a try.

  8. While aren’t really campers I did just get a new set of cast iron pans and I’m looking for recipes to make using them. These are perfect!

    1. We’ve been cooking with cast iron inside and outside for years. It’s definitely a relationship – you get out of them what you put in. Happy cooking!

  9. All recipes look’s very delicious. Food which was cooked on the fire has own special taste.

  10. The one pot protein pasta is going into our recipe box for our next outing. Thanks for the list. Good stuff.

    1. Enjoy! But as another commenter mentioned, follow the cooking instructions for the particular brand of pasta you pick up. Cook times vary brand to brand, so just be aware of that.

  11. I am so excited to try these. We are gluten free so this is very appreciated with all of the GF options. Thank you, thank you, thank you.

  12. I love camping its full of fun and adventures. Next time I am going for camping I am defiantly gonna try some of your recipe specially blueberry banana pancakes and dutch oven chicken marbella and I hope I made them as yummy as it looks in the pictures finger crossed.

  13. Ok you guys are PROS & super fancy with these recipes :p Thanks for sharing!!! Going camping this weekend! They all look so good. One I’m really drooling over is the chic pea hash!

    Katie | http://www.meshkomoments.com

  14. Thank you so much for this post! The last time we went on a road trip I didn’t want to look at another pasta dish or cheese and ham sandwich again! It’s hard to think outside the box sometimes but these ideas are awesome! We head out on another road trip next week and I’m determined not to fall into the same trap and get some good meals on the go! Thanks for the inspiration!

    Alicia

    1. Hah, I get suuuper burnt out on meals, too. Ask me how I feel about oatmeal and tuna sandwiches after I ate that 90% of the time on a recent trip!

      Hope this helped you mix up your menu this summer!

      Megan

  15. Not just great for camping! these are great for family meals at home too. One pot meals are certainly my favourite for campouts.

  16. These recipes are so awesome and easy! Thank you so much! So excited to try!

  17. C.Jentzsch says:

    What terrific meals. We are off to the MTNS in August and plan a variety of these to try. Dee licious ,……..

  18. Rose Moldenhauer says:

    Yes these are great. If you are not using coals or an oven but on top of a fire and grate, how would you cook this?

    1. Which recipe are you referring to specifically? Many of them can be done directly over a campfire w/ a grate, but the approach might change based on the individual recipe.

  19. Carrie Shaw says:

    These look great! I’ve been backpacking and camping for 40 years and need some new recipes. I’m heading off on a van camping trip this weekend so I’ll give some of them a try and let you know how they work out for me.