My favorite part of camping is easily the food. I'll put up with sleeping in a tent, but I'll gladly cook over a campfire any day or night of the week. You can bring a camp stove, but really there's nothing more fun than cooking over a campfire with a dutch oven. I can spend longer looking up dutch oven camping recipes than I do actually getting to the campsite.
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Dutch oven cooking over a campfire means one-pot meals (though you might want to bring two pots if you want to cook dessert at the same time), which means less cleanup and that's always a good thing when you're camping. And most dutch recipes meant for cooking tend to the easy side of things; plus, you can do a lot of the prep work before you leave the house.
Dutch oven recipes meant for camping also tend to be versatile. Can't find sausage in the campground grocery store? Use ground beef instead. Swap the veggies and fruit around based on what's in season where you're camping; it's a good opportunity to try something new, too.
One important note: You can technically use your favorite dutch oven for camping, but it's a little bit harder. You'll need to use a propane stove or make sure your campfire has a level rack that will hold the dutch oven. There are cast iron dutch ovens specifically made for outdoor use with a flat lid (where you can place coals) and three legs to make it easier to sit over the hot coals, plus a sturdy to pick up or even hang the pot over the fire.
15 Dutch Oven Camping Recipes You Need to Try
Stuffed Baby Bells Dutch Oven Campfire Appetizer
Stuffed peppers are an easy dinner any weeknight. Make them and bake them around a campfire and they become an extra special dinner.
Get the recipe here.
Campfire Nachos
Yes, you can make nachos as a camping meal. Crunchy, cheesy, and tasty, nachos are perfect for snacking around a campfire.
Get the recipe here.
Dutch Oven Pizza
Pizza may sound weird for camp food, but if your kids are complaining about your next camping trip, try tempting them with pizza cooked over a campfire.
Get the recipe here.
Dutch Oven Lasagna
Camping doesn't mean you have to pass up your favorite Italian-inspired meals. This delicious lasagna gets that perfect crisp cheesy top and is exactly what you want after a long day in the woods or on the river.
Get the recipe here.
Cheesy Dutch Oven Potatoes
Campfire cooking is all about cozy food and cheesy potatoes definitely fit the bill.
Get the recipe here.
Campfire Beef Stew
Beef stew is comfort food at its best and this easy recipe is one you'll want for the campsite and to make again when you get home.
Get the recipe here.
Chicken and Cheese Dutch Oven Enchiladas
These dutch oven chicken enchiladas are the perfect dish to enlist the kids' help in making dinner. It's fun to make the enchiladas (and possibly a little messy, but you're outside so it doesn't matter), and the recipe is kid-friendly, too. Plus, it's easy to swap the chicken out for black beans or veggies.
Get the recipe here.
Dutch Oven Cinnamon Roll
Just because you're camp cooking doesn't mean you can't make a special breakfast. Everyone will love waking up to these cinnamon rolls.
Get the recipe here.
5 Layer Dutch Oven Country Breakfast
For camping, your breakfast recipes should be hearty and easy. You want something that will fuel you up for outdoor activities but not take a lot of prep time because you also have to make coffee. This recipe checks all those boxes and is delicious besides.
Get the recipe here.
Mountain Man Breakfast
This twist on everybody's favorite hash brown casserole is perfect for a crisp morning around the campfire.
Get the recipe here.
Dutch Oven Campfire Biscuits
These dutch oven biscuits are a must for a weekend camping trip. Pack some homemade jam or make gravy for a hearty biscuits and gravy breakfast. And if you have any left over, pack them with some ham and cheese for a lunch on the trail.
Get the recipe here.
Dutch Oven Cornbread
A cast iron skillet is the best way to cook cornbread, so naturally a dutch oven is the best way to cook cornbread while camping. This version adds in green chiles and cheddar cheese for a tasty snack or side dish.
Get the recipe here.
Easy Dutch Oven Cobbler
Pop quiz: You're driving down a back country road and you see a road-side fruit stand. What do you do? Stop and buy all the fruit, of course! If you're in luck, you'll hit blueberry season and you can make this delicious dutch oven blueberry cobbler. If you're not in luck, you'll hit strawberry or blackberry season, and well, that doesn't seem like a problem to me since you can just as easily use your favorite berry in this recipe.
Get the recipe here.
Dutch Oven Upside Down Peach Cake
While you can easily do a peach cobbler, this dutch oven dessert caramelizes the peaches as they cook and you'll never want to eat them any other way.
Get the recipe here.
Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough Oreo Brownies
S'mores aren't the only gooey, chocolatey dessert you can fix while camping. Use your dutch oven to make the best brownies, too.
Get the recipe here.
