Lifestyle

9 delicious campfire recipes to get on the fire

Will you be camping or caravanning over the holidays? Try these nutritious campfire recipes that Carolyn Tate has tried and tested to fuel your nature-loving getaway.

By Carolyn Tate

Campfire cuisine: 9 easy meal ideas you can cook over a fire

There's something undeniably enthralling and primal about cooking your meal over a crackling campfire. And while damper in tin foil can be delicious and fill you up, there’s actually a wide range of delicious and nutrient-dense meals you can cook with just a campfire and a few utensils.

When you’re packing for your camping trip, try to plan ahead so you can bring everything you need. It can be helpful to also bring some essential campfire cooking tools, like heat-resistant gloves, long-handled utensils, and a grill plate if the campsite doesn't supply them.

Here are some delicious options to try on your next camping trip:

1. Campfire chilli recipe

There’s something so comforting about a bowl of steaming campfire chili, a hearty concoction of ground beef or vegetables, beans, tomatoes, and spices. Its simplicity and one-pot preparation make it an ideal campfire meal, and the bonus is it will fill the air with irresistible aromas as it simmers, ensuring the entire campground will be sniffing the air with envy.

The thing to bear in mind when cooking over a campfire is to make sure the fire has hot coals and not high flames. Huge flames licking your food will burn and lead to uneven cooking.

Ingredients:

Minced beef or chuck steak
Chopped root vegetables (such as potatoes, sweet potatoes and carrots)
Canned beans (kidney or black beans are ideal)
Canned diced tomatoes
Sliced onions
Pinch of chilli seasoning.

Cooking equipment needed:

Dutch oven, long-handled spoon.

Method:

Brown the meat (if you prefer a vegetarian option, you can omit the meat), add onions, beans, root vegetables and tomatoes. Simmer over the fire until cooked through, stirring occasionally. Serve with tortillas or corn chips for added crunch and fun.

2. Foil packet potatoes recipe

Foil packet potatoes offer a taste of campfire comfort with minimal effort. Sliced potatoes, onions, and seasonings wrapped in foil cook to perfection, creating a side dish (or meal – no judgement!) that's crispy on the outside and tender on the inside.

Cooking time will vary depending on the heat of your fire and size of potatoes – expect it to be 30 to 60 minutes. Tongs are helpful to retrieve the potatoes from the embers and a glove for squeezing the potatoes to see if they soft enough to eat.

Ingredients:

Sliced potatoes, onion, garlic, butter or olive oil, salt, and pepper.

Cooking equipment:

Aluminium foil.

Method:

Place the ingredients in a foil packet, seal it well, and cook over the campfire's coals, turning occasionally until the potatoes are tender.

3. Grilled veggie skewers recipe

Veggie skewers are really only limited by your tastebuds and what will stay on a skewer, and they allow you to ‘eat the rainbow’ which offers a range of vitamins and minerals.

Some veggies that come to life on a campfire are capsicum, zucchini, mushroom, and cherry tomatoes. Serve with a side of meat or a meat substitute like tofu or V2 burger patties, if you want to up the protein factor.

This recipe is ideal if you don't want to cart a heavy Dutch oven with you when you camp.

Ingredients:

Your choice of veggies, olive oil, balsamic vinegar, herbs.

Cooking equipment:

Metal skewers or wooden skewers soaked in water.

Method:

Thread the veggies onto skewers, brush with oil, herbs and vinegar, and grill over the fire until they're tender and slightly charred.

4. Quesadillas recipe

Campfire quesadillas bring a taste of Mexican flair to the bush or the beach, featuring gooey melted cheese, savoury fillings, and crispy tortillas. Their ease of assembly and quick cook time make them perfect for satisfying campfire cravings in a hurry.

Mountain Bread can be used in place of tortillas - they are long-lasting and easy to transport.

Ingredients:

Flour tortillas, shredded cheese, pre-cooked chicken or black beans, salsa, sour cream.

Cooking equipment:

Frying pan, spatula.

Method:

Place a tortilla in the dry pan, add cheese, chicken or beans, salsa, and another tortilla on top. Cook until the tortillas are crispy and the cheese is melted.

Bonus tip: if cooking for children or if you like something super quick and easy for yourself, Vegemite and cheese makes a quick and simple (if entirely inauthentic!) quesadilla too.

5. Foil packet fajitas recipe

The Mexicans really know how to camp, don’t they?! Fajitas are easy to cook over the campfire when you pop them into foil packets. The melding of capsicums, onions, seasoned protein and salsa creates a campfire dish bursting with spicy goodness.

It is much easier to slice and dice capsicums and onions in your kitchen than it is at the campsite. Keep things simple and prepare as many ingredients as you can at home and bring them in foil packets.

Ingredients:

Sliced capsicums; onions; chicken, tofu or refried beans; fajita seasoning; salsa; tortillas.

Cooking equipment:

Aluminium foil.

Method:

Create a foil packet with the ingredients inside, seal it tightly, and cook it over the fire until everything is cooked through. Serve with tortillas and let everyone build their own as they eat.

6. Breakfast burritos recipe

Start your day right with campfire breakfast burritos, a delicious combination of scrambled eggs, veggies, and protein, all wrapped in a warm tortilla. These portable delights offer a hearty morning meal that fuels your outdoor adventures.

Crack and scramble your eggs at home and store them in bottles for the trip. When you are ready to cook, make sure all your utensils are clean and within reach so you don't have to leave your food unattended while you search for your spatula or spoon.

Ingredients:

Eggs, capsicum, onions, breakfast sausage or vegetarian sausage, tortillas, cheese, hot sauce (optional).

Cooking equipment:

Frying pan, spatula.

Method:

Cook the sausage and veggies in the frying pan, then add the eggs and scramble (you can remove the sausages and veg or leave them in and mix it all up together). Then assemble the burritos with cheese and optional hot sauce.

7. Campfire pizza recipe

Indulge in the magic of a simple campfire pizza, and transform a few simple ingredients into a gourmet delight with that rustic wood-fired touch.

Ingredients:

Pizza dough (you can make this or buy it ready-made from many supermarkets – or bring pizza bases ready to go), pizza sauce, shredded cheese, your favourite toppings.

Cooking equipment:

Frying pan or grill plate

Method:

Roll out your dough, top it with sauce, cheese, and your toppings. Cook in the frying pan or on the grill plate until the cheese has melted and the crust is crispy.

8. Baked apples recipe

Campfire baked apples are a sweet treat that that is sure to become a firm favourite. Stuffed with cinnamon, brown sugar, and butter, they cook to become tender and caramelised, delivering a campfire dessert that's as delicious as it is easy to make.

While toasted marshmallows are always a hit, so too are baked apples.

Ingredients:

Apples, cinnamon, brown sugar, butter.

Cooking equipment:

Aluminium foil.

Method:

Core the apples and place them on their own large square of foil, then stuff them with cinnamon, sugar, and butter. Wrap in the foil and cook over the coals until tender.

9. Grilled corn on the cob recipe

The smoky sweetness of grilled corn on the cob is a classic campfire side dish – and it’s one of the easiest things to make. And if you think corn on the cob is boring, the charring of the kernels over the fire adds a delicious dimension to this simple pleasure, so it’s worth giving it a go.

Cook cobs for around 15-30 minutes on a fire, turning regularly.

Ingredients:

Fresh corn on the cob, butter, salt, pepper.

Cooking equipment:

Grill plate

Method:

Grill the corn in its husks over the fire, turning occasionally, until the kernels are tender and slightly charred. Serve smothered in butter, salt and pepper.