Cook a Meal Worth Eating Under the Stars with These Actually-Good Camping Recipes

We love getting outside, but we don’t love settling for weird (and not always veg-friendly) packaged camping food or relying on sugary gas station snacks. To create some actually-good camping recipes that pack light and cook quickly, we turned to Holly Priestley. Holly knows a bit about eating well with minimal kitchen facilities: She’s been traveling the U.S. living the Van Life since 2018. Learn more about Holly and her journey here.  

I love camping – I basically live a lifestyle of non-stop camping – but I hate most common camping food. Typical camping meals often include trail mix, dehydrated concoctions that are far more more carb than vegetable, or PB&Js. Each of these would be totally fine for a single day or some easy snacks, but not exactly nutritious or very satisfying for a longer or more health-conscious trip. 

Let’s level up your camping experience (or even just a busy night at home in your normal kitchen) to include flavorful foods that have more in them than just salt and carbs. I’m sharing a few of my go-to camping recipes that show how a few ingredients can be made into a variety of different entrees over the course of an outdoor weekend with slightly different ratios and seasonings. They’re inexpensive, they’re easy, and they don’t require refrigeration.

Setting Up Your Camp Kitchen

These recipes are all designed to be made with a pretty simple set-up. Along with your camping stove, plan to pack:
Cutting board
Chef’s knife
Cast iron skillet
Medium saucepan
Colander
Can opener
Spatula

Holly’s Vegetarian and Vegan Camping Recipes

Roasted Tomato & Pepper Pasta with Lemon Butter Sauce

Vegan Sweet Potato Burrito Bowls

Vegan Chickpea Stir-Fry

RELATED: All the Best Veggie Burger Recipes for Your Summer Cookout

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