Nothing beats tucking into a family feast after a long day outdoors on a camping trip. You don’t need to find a pub to enjoy delicious grub; with a few cooking accessories and the right ingredients, you can cook up a storm from the comfort of your campsite.
However, when planning your camping trip, it can be tricky to narrow down your options and find recipes that are quick, simple and affordable, without too many ingredients to carry and store. But well-seasoned campers will know it’s a myth that you can’t eat well while you’re camping.
To save you from the inevitable barrage of crisps and cereal bars, we’ve put together a few easy and delicious recipes you can whip up on your next camping extravaganza – and they all come in at £5 or under!
Spice up your camping trip and kickstart your day with a Mexican breakfast fit for a king.
Servings: 6 Ready in: 30-40 minutes Cost (approx.): £4-5 Ingredients:
1 medium onion, sliced
2 red peppers, finely sliced
2 cloves of garlic, finely sliced
2-3 red chillies, finely sliced
2 x 400g tins passata
6 large eggs
Bunch of coriander
Olive oil
Salt and pepper
6 tortillas or pitta breads
Instructions:
Pour a splash of olive oil into a large skillet or frying pan, and place on a high heat over the camping stove. Throw in the onion, peppers, garlic and chillies, stir and season well, before cooking for 15 minutes until the veg is soft and caramelised.
Pour in the passata, bring to the boil, then simmer for 5 minutes until the sauce is starting to reduce. Then quickly crack in your eggs, season, and leave to poach for 3-4 minutes.
When your eggs are ready, serve your huevos rancheros into the tortillas or pittas with a sprinkling of coriander. If you’re feeling extravagant, bring cheese and guacamole for a feast that will really set you up for the day ahead.
An indulgent treat to refuel after a day of activities, this carbonara will leave you begging for more. Forage the mushrooms and rosemary for extra satisfaction!
Servings: 4
Ready in: 30 minutes
Cost (approx.): £4
Ingredients:
6 rashers of bacon
2 medium onions, sliced
400g mushrooms, sliced
2 cloves garlic, sliced
Handful of rosemary, chopped
150ml single cream
400g spaghetti
2 medium eggs
Salt and pepper
In a large frying pan, cook the bacon until it’s browned and crispy, then remove from the pan and set aside to cool. Meanwhile, bring a large pan of water to the boil, and cook the spaghetti according to the instructions on the packet.
Add a glug of oil to the pan, and cook the onions, mushrooms, garlic and rosemary over a medium heat until soft and golden brown. Return the bacon to the pan, turn down the heat and crack in the eggs. Mix to scramble and allow to cook for 30 seconds.
Drain the pasta and add to the frying pan along with the cream, stirring to an even consistency. Season well and serve, with a sprinkling of chilli if you want to give your pasta a kick!
A comfort classic, we’ve added chorizo to this cheesy pasta dish to give it a tasty twist, although it’s delicious without meat if you’re looking for a veggie alternative!
Servings: 4 Ready in: 35 minutes Cost (approx.): £5 Ingredients: 400g macaroni 3-4 tablespoons butter 250g grated cheddar cheese
130g pack of diced chorizo ½ cup of milk ½ cup of flour Salt and pepper
Cook the macaroni according to the instructions on the packet, drain and set aside with a drizzle of oil to keep the pasta loose. Melt the butter over a medium heat in a large, sturdy pan, before whisking in the milk as you slowly add the flour. Keep stirring until the sauce thickens, and season to taste.
Stir in most of the grated cheese until it’s melted, add the macaroni and chorizo, and cover. Cook for 5-6 minutes before removing the lid and adding the rest of the cheese. Leave to melt for a few final minutes, then serve. Easy cheesy, right?
A healthy take on fast food, this is a great crowd pleaser that’s easy to customise with your favourite ingredients.
Servings: 4 Ready in: 20-30 minutes Cost (approx.): £3-4 Ingredients:
225g self-raising flour 1 medium onion, diced 2-3 garlic cloves, finely chopped 250g cherry tomatoes, halved 4-5 tablespoons passata
3-4 tablespoons olive oil Handful of basil leaves 50g grated cheddar
Heat 3 tablespoons of olive oil in a frying pan, adding the onion and garlic. Allow to cook for 5 minutes before adding the tomatoes, along with the passata. Leave to simmer for 5-10 minutes, then remove from the heat, stir in the basil and set aside to cool.
For the pizza base, put the flour in a bowl and make a well in the centre. Add a tablespoon of olive oil, followed by 6-7 tablespoons of warm water - or enough to make a soft dough.
Place the dough on a lightly floured surface and roll out enough to fit in your frying pan. Heat a drizzle of oil in the pan and press the dough in, cooking for around 8-10 minutes or until the base is golden. Once cooked, spread the pizza base with the tomato sauce; scatter the cheese and leave to cook until the cheese has melted before serving hot.
An American classic, s’mores are fast becoming a hit here in the UK, as a moreish treat that will be the highlight of any camping meal – especially for the kids!
Servings: 6
Ready in: 5 minutes
Cost (approx.): £3
400g milk chocolate digestives
400g milk chocolate/buttons
250g marshmallows
Skewers Instructions:
Break your chocolate into chunks (unless using buttons, of course!) and place the marshmallows on skewers. Under adult supervision, toast the marshmallows over your stove or BBQ, until golden brown.
Place some chocolate on a digestive – the chocolate side facing up - before carefully squishing a cooked marshmallow on top. Press down with a second biscuit (chocolate-side down), until the centre is melted and gooey, and tuck in.
For an extra surprise, add popping candy into your s’mores, and switch milk chocolate for your favourite brand of chocolate bar!
These are just a few of our favourite camping recipes to inspire your next camping trip, affordable and easy to whip up with even the most basic cooking appliances. Whether you’re camping with the kids or enjoying a romantic getaway with your loved one (if so, remember to halve the ingredients in the recipes above!), these recipes are bound to ignite happy memories.
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