23 Vegetarian Camping Meals
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More beans, less franks. Freshen up your camp menu this year with a few of these delicious vegetarian camping food ideas!
While many traditional camping meals can be very meat-heavy, there’s a lot of compelling reasons to consider a more vegetarian approach instead. Below are a few of the reasons why we prefer to cook vegetarian meals while camping, plus a bunch of our favorite vegetarian camping recipes. It’s a lot easier than you might think!
Why eat vegetarian while camping
Cheaper: Meat is expensive, especially if you’re conscious about shopping for organic and humanely raised options. Incorporating some vegetarian meals can help lower that grocery bill before heading out to your campsite.
Less refrigeration: Bringing raw meat camping means you really need to be on top of your cooler game. Sealing everything in contains, packing enough ice, refilling when necessary, and making sure not to leave anything out for too long. While not all vegetarian meals eliminate the need for a cooler (some do), it certainly reduces your overall risk of foodborne pathogens. Reduces overall stress, too.
Feel better: We’re no dietitians, but after a couple of days of eating hamburgers and hot dogs, usually we aren’t feeling too hot. Most traditional camping meals tend to be pretty heavy, which is fine for a day or two, but it can take a toll on the system after a while. So we like to put a vegetarian twist where we can to make our camping diet a little more sustainable.
If you need a little inspiration on how to incorporate some vegetarian meals in your camping routine, we’ve got a few ideas to get you started. Check out the full list below.
1. Banana bread pancakes
Combining the flavors of banana bread with the classic camping breakfast: pancakes! Topped with walnuts, sliced bananas, and maple syrup, these pancakes make rolling out of your sleeping bag in the morning just a little bit sweeter.
2. Grilled halloumi breakfast sandwich
Grilled halloumi cheese, sweet Hawaiian rolls, a fried egg and spicy mayo come together to make a fantastic quick and easy camping breakfast.
3. Banana coconut French toast
This vegan French toast uses coconut milk and bananas for the batter, which give it a delicious and unexpected flavor! Shelf stable ingredients mean you don’t have to use up space in your cooler.
4. Chickpea breakfast hash
A protein-packed update to breakfast hash, this chickpea and vegetable breakfast skillet is a healthy way to jumpstart your morning.
Lunches and snacks
These vegetarian snacks and lunch ideas will help keep you energized for a full day of fun in the outdoors!
5. Campfire nachos
These Dutch Oven Nachos are super easy to throw together at lunchtime and can be totally customized with all your favorite toppings!
7. Trail mix
Trail Mix is such a great camping snack – just throw it in your day pack and hit the trail to explore for the day! This post has a ton of our favorite trail mix combinations.
8. West African 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 sweet potato peanut stew.
9. 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 completely vegetarian.
10. 5 can chili
This from stratch vegetarian chili uses non-perishable canned ingredients, making it a perfect go-to pantry meal.
11. Cast iron skillet cornbread
An easy cornbread recipe that cooks up in a cast iron skillet over your campfire. Perfect with a bowl of chili on your next camping trip!
12. Southwestern sweet potato bean burger
Combining healthy sweet potato, beans patties, and smokey southwestern spices, these veggie burgers are the perfect excuse to fire up the grill!
13. Dutch oven lasagna
Layers of baked pasta, crunchy edges of melted cheese, flavorful tomato sauce, and fragrant Italian seasonings. Can anything come close to the mouthwatering perfection that is lasagna?
14. Red lentil sloppy joes
These Red Lentil Sloppy Joes are a plant based update to the camp classic. It all cooks up in one pot, making cleanup easy!
15. Dutch oven enchilladas
These Dutch Oven Enchiladas are such an easy camping meal! Stuffed with veggies and beans, covered in sauce, and topped with melted cheese, this recipe is one that everyone will enjoy.
16. Easy chickpea curry
This vegan chickpea curry is SO easy to make! A creamy coconut based sauce is loaded with spices like garam masala, cinnamon, ginger, and tumeric. Serve with toasted naan and rice for a complete meal.
17. Sweet potato black bean tacos
Toothsome sweet potatoes, assertive poblano peppers, and flavorful black beans, wrapped up in a crispy corn tortilla. These vegan tacos deliver a smoky southwestern sensation with each and every bite.
18. Dutch oven mac and cheese
Dutch oven mac and cheese is the ultimate camp comfort food. This version is super easy to prepare!
19. Campfire pizza margherita
If you’ve never made pizza while camping before, then this campfire pizza Margherita is the perfect place to start!
20. Grilled ratatouille kebabs
A vegan kebab with a French twist, this campfire Grilled Ratatouille is a great way to incorporate some vegetables into your camping diet.
21. Grilled sweet potato fajitas
Grilled sweet potato “steaks”, roasted peppers and onions, and a New Mexican chile marinade, these vegan campfire fajitas are a new take on an old classic.
22. Dutch oven apple cobbler
Soft cinnamon-spiced apples, crumbly topping, and a sweet syrupy sauce, all baked to golden brown perfection inside a Dutch oven, this apple cobbler is a great dessert to enjoy around the campfire.
23. Campfire banana boats
Learn how to make campfire banana boats: a classic camping dessert and beloved campfire tradition.