12 Easy One Pot or Pan Camping Dinner Ideas (no fire required)

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When it comes to easy camping meal ideas, look no further than this list of one pot camping dinners! After years of car camping, I’ve narrowed this list down to the camp dinners that are my go-to’s – the meals that I make when I want something quick and delicious with minimal cleanup.

No fancy camp kitchen gear or a fire are required for these one pot camping dinners. If fire restrictions are in place, come back to this blog post again and again for camp stove cooking ideas.

Camp Cooking Gear You’ll Need:

1) Camp Stove

These meals are cooked with a propane camp stove. I use the Camp Chef Everest stove and love it! It’s a great size for camping, well made, and boils water really fast!

2) Pot with a Lid

Ideally, you want a least a 2 Qt. pot with a lid. I love this GSI pot, but it doesn’t come with a lid. I end up using one of my enamel plates when I need a lid and that works okay, but if you can find a pot with a lid, that would be best.

3) Cast Iron Pan

Some of these meals use a pot, others use a pan. There’s nothing better than cast iron! A good cast iron pan will last you for a lifetime with proper care and they’re perfect for camp cooking.

One Pot Camping Dinners

1) Jambalaya

This is an easy dinner that utilizes a boxed jambalaya mix — no need to pack a bunch of different spices camping.

I like adding fresh peppers and onions to my jambalaya, along with a can of fire-roasted diced tomatoes for a little extra flavor. If you want to add protein to this meal, I love using pre-cooked chicken sausage.

Not only does it go well in jambalaya, but it’s also already cooked so you don’t need to worry about handling raw meat at camp.

2) Ravioli

Ravioli (or some other pasta dish) is so easy and tasty! I mean, who doesn’t love a big bowl of pasta and cheese?

For this one pot camping dinner, I buy the ravioli in the refrigerated section of the grocery store. It usually comes in all different filling flavors. Then I also pack a jar of pasta sauce and sometimes some parmesan if I’m feeling fancy!

The best part is that I just cook the ravioli right there in the pasta sauce. No need to boil it first, I just bring it to a boil with the sauce and serve!

Here’s what you’ll need:

• ravioli
• jar of pasta sauce
• parmesan (optional)

3) Indian Food & Rice

This is a go-to meal idea that I always carry in my camping food bin. All you’ll need is a packet of Indian food and a packet of rice. Pour them into a pot, heat, and serve!

Here’s what you’ll need:

• 1 packet of Indian Food (I like the Maya Kaimal brand)
• 1 packet of white rice

4) Mac & Cheese

Mac and cheese – my love runs deep for this camping dinner.

There’s not much to this one. Simply pack a box of your favorite mac and cheese (I love Annies brand) and put the butter and milk in the cooler and dinner is ready in minutes!

Here’s what you’ll need:

• 1 box of Mac and Cheese
• butter
• milk

5) Ramen

Ramen appears in a lot of my easy camping meal videos over on YouTube! A hot bowl of spicy ramen on a cold fall night camping is so comforting. I like to crack an egg or two right into the boiling ramen for an extra boost in protein.

6) Mushroom Chicken Risotto

This is another recipe that utilizes a boxed mix like the jambalaya above. For this one, you’ll need one box of risotto. I use the Creamy Parmesan flavor by Lundberg Farms.

Then, to amp things up a bit, I saute mushrooms in the pot and pack pre-cooked shredded chicken to mix in. You can add whatever proteins and veggies you want, but the mushroom and chicken turned out delicious.

For pre-cooking the chicken, I simply poached it at home, shredded it, and stored it in the cooler. This is a great way to add protein to a meal easily at camp. It also takes on whatever flavors are in the dish.

Here’s what you’ll need:

• 1 box of parmesan risotto
• 1 handful of sliced mushrooms
• 1 cup of cooked shredded chicken (optional)
• olive oil

7) Basil Pesto Couscous

This is one of Nick’s favorite meals! It’s so quick and easy that we’ve actually taken it backpacking.

I love to use pearl couscous because it’s a little larger than regular couscous and doesn’t get as mushy. Then, simply mix in some olive oil and basil pesto for a quick meal.

Of course, there are so many ways you can change this up by adding different veggies and proteins.

8) Creamy Sausage and Spinach Penne

A bowl of pasta is always a good idea! This camping dinner comes together in less than 30 minutes and with only 6 ingredients.

It’s one of my favorites.

One Pan Camping Dinners

9) Tacos

Tacos are one of my favorite meals of all time! We have them pretty much every week whether we’re at home or camping.

You can make the taco meat mix at home and store it in the cooler if you want things to be really easy at camp. Then, it’s all about the toppings!

10) Sloppy Joes

Sloppy joes take me back to my childhood!

They are so simple but so delicious. I like to serve these with a side of coleslaw. I just buy a kit at the grocery store so things are really easy at camp.

11) Shrimp and Veggie Stir-Fry

Stir fry is another easy dinner that uses a pre-made stir fry sauce.

I love to load up on a variety of vegetables. Shrimp is so easy because it cooks in just a few minutes. Pack some pre-cooked rice or just use a rice packet to keep this meal in one pan.

12) Quesadillas

Lastly, on my list we have quesadillas. Keep these simple or change it up… there are a lot of ways to do quesadillas.

One of my favorites is a steak and pepper quesadilla! Don’t forget the pack the sour cream and salsa.

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What About Dessert?

Good question! If you want some easy camping dessert ideas to go after these meals, I’ve got you covered.

Below are some reader-favorite desserts to try:

• Grilled Peach with Honey Bourbon Cream
• Campfire Banana Boats (15 ways!)
• Berry Coconut White Chocolate S’mores

I hope you enjoy these one pot camping dinners on your next camping trip! Which one will you try first?