13 Creative Camping Meals You’ve Probably Never Tried

Tired of the same old campfire hot dogs and burnt marshmallows? It’s time to level up your outdoor cooking game with these amazing recipes that will make your camping trip unforgettable. These creative camping meals prove that cooking over an open fire can be just as delicious as anything you make in your kitchen at home.

From international flavors to clever cooking tricks, these recipes will have your fellow campers asking for seconds (and thirds). Most use simple ingredients and techniques that work perfectly around a campfire. Get ready to become the camp chef everyone talks about long after the trip is over.

1. Sprite-Marinated Pork Skewers

This Filipino-inspired camping meal uses soda as a secret ingredient to create incredibly tender and flavorful pork. The Sprite breaks down the meat fibers while adding a subtle sweetness that balances the salty soy sauce and spicy chilies. The result is juicy skewers with a beautiful caramelized coating that will have everyone coming back for more.

Ingredients

• 2 lb boneless pork shoulder, thinly sliced
• ½ small red onion, thinly sliced
• 12 red Thai chilies, chopped
• 8 garlic cloves, chopped
• 1 cup Sprite (or 7-Up)
• ½ cup soy sauce
• ⅓ cup vinegar (rice or cane)
• ¼ cup sugar
• 1 Tbsp black peppercorns
• 1 Tbsp kosher salt
• 6 dried shiitake mushrooms, ground to powder

Instructions

1. Freeze pork until slightly firm (~45–60 min), then slice into 1–2″ strips.
2. In a bag, mix onion, chilies, garlic, Sprite, soy sauce, vinegar, sugar, peppercorns, salt, and mushroom powder. Add pork and marinate 6–8 hours.
3. Skewer pork and bring reserved marinade to a boil in a pot.
4. Grill skewers over medium-high heat for ~2 min per side, basting frequently until caramelized and cooked through.

2. Orange-Peel Campfire Brownies

Who needs an oven when you have oranges and hot coals? This clever dessert uses hollowed-out orange peels as natural baking dishes. The orange adds a fresh citrus note that pairs perfectly with rich chocolate. Plus, the presentation is so unique that people will think you’re a camping wizard.

Ingredients

• 1 cup sugar
• ½ cup flour
• ½ cup chocolate chips
• ⅓ cup cocoa powder
• ¼ tsp baking powder
• ¼ tsp salt
• 6 oranges, halved and hollowed
• ½ cup vegetable oil
• 2 eggs
• Heavy-duty foil

Instructions

1. Mix dry ingredients at home.
2. At camp, hollow oranges carefully.
3. Add oil and eggs to mix, shake to combine.
4. Fill oranges two-thirds full, wrap twice in foil.
5. Bury in coals, bake 20–25 min. Let cool, then unwrap and enjoy.

3. Campfire Chicken Enchiladas (Dutch Oven)

Forget about complicated enchilada recipes that take hours. This Dutch oven version gives you all the cheesy, saucy goodness of traditional enchiladas with much less work. The pepper-jack cheese melts beautifully, and the black beans add protein and texture. This recipe easily feeds a hungry group of campers.

Ingredients

• 10 small/medium flour tortillas
• 1 Tbsp oil
• 1 onion, diced
• 2 bell peppers, diced
• 1 tsp taco seasoning
• ½ tsp salt
• 2 × 10‑oz cans enchilada sauce
• 14 oz black beans, drained
• 10 oz chicken, shredded
• 2 cups shredded pepper‑jack cheese
• Optional: pickled jalapeños, lime wedges

Instructions

1. Heat coals for top/bottom of Dutch oven.
2. Warm tortillas in foil over coals, set aside.
3. Sauté onion and peppers with oil until soft. Season, then remove.
4. Place sauce layer in Dutch oven; roll tortillas with veggies and chicken inside, place seam-side down.
5. Top with remaining sauce and cheese.
6. Cover, add coals on lid and bottom, bake ~15–20 min until bubbly.
7. Let sit, then serve with lime wedges.

4. Miso-Grilled Potatoes

These aren’t your typical baked potatoes. The miso adds a deep, savory flavor that you just can’t get from regular butter and salt. Pre-boiling the potatoes at home saves time at camp, and grilling them over the fire creates a smoky char that makes them irresistible. This side dish works great with almost any main course.

Ingredients

• Potatoes (as desired), pre-boiled
• Salt (for boiling)
• Miso-garlic butter (bring or mix): miso, butter, garlic, optional vinegar

Instructions

1. Boil potatoes at home until tender; cool and pack.
2. Over fire, grill potatoes until charred (6–8 min), turning often.
3. Heat miso-garlic butter until smooth; toss with potatoes.

5. Pesto Flatbread “Pizza”

Sometimes you want pizza, but you’re in the middle of nowhere. This camping meal satisfies that craving without needing a pizza oven. The goat cheese melts into creamy pools, while the sun-dried tomatoes add bursts of concentrated flavor. It’s fancy enough for a dinner party but easy enough for camping.

Ingredients

• 2 naan or flatbread rounds
• ¼–½ cup pesto
• ½ cup goat cheese or fresh mozzarella
• ¼ cup roasted red peppers
• 2 Tbsp sun-dried tomatoes
• ½ cup canned chickpeas (optional)

Instructions

1. Place grilled grate over coals.
2. Top flatbread with pesto, cheese, peppers, sun-dried tomatoes, chickpeas.
3. Grill until the cheese melts and the flatbread is warm.

6. Southwestern Scramble

This protein-packed breakfast will fuel your outdoor adventures all morning long. The black beans add fiber and heartiness, while the spinach sneaks in some greens. The salsa on top brings everything together with a fresh, zesty kick. It’s much more interesting than plain scrambled eggs.

Ingredients

• 1 Tbsp olive oil
• ½ cup chopped onion
• 2 tsp minced garlic
• 1 handful spinach
• 1 cup canned black beans
• 4 lightly beaten eggs
• ½ cup Monterey Jack cheese (reduced-fat)
• ½ cup salsa

Instructions

1. Heat skillet on a grate over coals; coat with oil.
2. Sauté onion and garlic until translucent.
3. Add spinach and beans.
4. Pour eggs; scramble until cooked.
5. Remove, top with cheese and salsa.

7. Grilled Chicken Skewers with Tzatziki

Transport your taste buds to Greece with these herb-marinated chicken skewers. The Greek yogurt in the marinade keeps the chicken incredibly moist, while the oregano and mint create that authentic Mediterranean flavor. The cool, creamy tzatziki sauce is the perfect contrast to the warm, smoky chicken.

Ingredients

• 2 lbs chicken breasts, cubed
• 3 Tbsp olive oil
• 2 Tbsp Greek yogurt
• 2 Tbsp lemon juice
• 4 cloves garlic, minced
• 2 tsp dried oregano
• 2 tsp chopped mint
• Salt & pepper
• Tzatziki: ½ cucumber (seeded & grated), ½ cup Greek yogurt, garlic, lemon juice, mint, olive oil, salt, pepper
• Pitas for serving

Instructions

1. Marinate chicken in oil, yogurt, lemon, garlic, oregano, mint, salt & pepper (30 min).
2. Mix tzatziki ingredients; chill.
3. Skewer and grill chicken ~8 min per side until golden and done.
4. Serve with tzatziki and pita.

8. Grilled Ratatouille Skewers

This colorful vegetable dish proves that camping food doesn’t have to be all meat and carbs. The combination of eggplant, zucchini, peppers, and tomatoes creates a rainbow of flavors and textures. Grilling brings out the natural sweetness in the vegetables while adding a nice smoky char.

Ingredients

• Eggplant, zucchini, peppers, tomatoes
• Olive oil, salt, pepper, and herbs as desired

Instructions

1. Thread veggies onto skewers.
2. Brush with oil, season.
3. Grill over fire until tender and charred.

9. Barley & Mushroom Salad

This hearty grain salad is perfect for camping because it tastes even better the next day. The barley has a satisfying chewy texture, while the mushrooms add an earthy depth of flavor. The sherry gives it a sophisticated touch that elevates this simple dish into something special.

Ingredients

• 1 cup pearl barley
• Dried wild mushrooms soaked in hot water (reserved liquid)
• 1½ cups broth (veggie or chicken)
• 4 large carrots, sliced
• ½ sweet onion, chopped
• 4–5 crimini mushrooms, sliced
• 2 Tbsp olive oil
• 3 Tbsp sherry
• Salt, thyme, pepper
• ¼ cup sliced almonds

Instructions

1. Soak wild mushrooms, mix soak water with broth (2 cups), and bring to a boil.
2. Cook barley in broth until tender.
3. Sauté onion, carrots, mushrooms in olive oil; add sherry, seasoning.
4. Toss barley, veggies, almonds. Serve warm.

10. Spanish Omelet

This thick, cake-like omelet is a classic Spanish dish that works perfectly for camping. It’s basically layers of tender potatoes and onions held together with eggs. The best part is that it tastes great at room temperature, so you can make it ahead and slice it throughout the day for snacks or meals.

Ingredients

• 2 lbs waxy potatoes (e.g., Yukon Gold)
• Salt to taste
• 1 large white onion
• 8 eggs (room temp)
• Olive oil for frying

Instructions

1. Peel and thinly slice potatoes; fry in olive oil with chopped onion until soft.
2. Whisk eggs, mix gently with potatoes and onions. Season.
3. In a skillet, heat oil; pour in mix and cook until set. Flip (via plate) to cook the other side until browned. Slice and serve.

11. Chilean Ember Tortillas (Tortilla de Rescoldo)

These rustic flatbreads are cooked directly in the coals, giving them an incredible smoky flavor and charred spots that add character. It’s an ancient cooking method that creates bread with a crispy outside and soft inside. The coal-kissed flavor is unlike anything you can make in a regular oven.

Ingredients

• Flour, lard or butter, salt (optional: baking soda or yeast)

Instructions

1. Make soft dough from ingredients; form disks 20–50 cm wide.
2. Rake hot embers; place dough directly on embers.
3. Cook until charred and smoky.

12. Fruit Pie Pockets

These little hand pies are like having dessert and breakfast rolled into one. The pita pockets make perfect individual serving sizes, and the almond butter adds protein and richness. Warming them in the coals makes the filling bubbly and the outside crispy. They’re much easier than making pie from scratch.

Ingredients

• Pita pockets
• Fruit pie filling
• Almond butter
• Melted butter, sugar, cinnamon

Instructions

1. Fill the pita with pie filling and almond butter; seal.
2. Brush with butter, then sugar-cinnamon.
3. Wrap in foil; warm in coals ~10 min until soft and toasty.

13. Fired-Up Fajita Quesadillas

These loaded quesadillas combine the best parts of fajitas and quesadillas into one amazing handheld meal. The refried beans create a creamy base that holds everything together, while the sautéed peppers and onions add sweetness and crunch. Cooking them on a pizza stone over the coals gives them a perfectly crispy bottom.

Ingredients

• 2 tortillas
• ½ cup refried beans
• ¼ cup shredded Mexican cheese
• ½ cup sliced sautéed bell peppers & onions
• ¼ cup salsa

Instructions

1. Layer beans, cheese, peppers, onion, salsa on tortilla and fold.
2. On red-hot coals, cook on a pizza stone (flip once) until melted and heated through.

Give Them A Shot!

These 13 recipes prove that campfire cooking can be creative, delicious, and way more exciting than you might think. From international flavors to clever cooking techniques, these meals will make your next camping trip memorable for all the right reasons.

The best part about these recipes is that most of them use simple ingredients and techniques that anyone can master. Some require a little prep work at home, but the payoff is huge when you’re sitting around the fire enjoying food that tastes like it came from a fancy restaurant.

So pack your cast iron, grab some good ingredients, and get ready to impress your fellow campers. These meals will have everyone asking for your secrets and begging you to plan the next camping trip. Happy cooking!