Cooking pasta while camping is a bit like navigating a delicate dance between wilderness and culinary finesse. Picture this: you’re out in the great outdoors, surrounded by towering trees and the gentle symphony of nature’s chorus. It’s a scene straight out of a postcard, and you’re ready to whip up a meal fit for a woodland king. But first, you need to tackle the task of pasta perfection over a campfire.
Now, let’s be real here. Cooking pasta isn’t exactly rocket science. It’s more like a rustic adventure fraught with challenges and the occasional pasta mishap. But fear not, intrepid campers, for with a few handy tips and a dash of patience, you can turn your campsite into a pasta paradise.
The first step in your culinary journey is, of course, finding a recipe. To give you some ideas, here are some of my favourite pasta recipes from around the web:
1. The Spicy Apron – One Pot Spaghetti
Ingredients
- 2 Tablespoons Cooking Oil
- 1 onion, Chopped
- 3 Cloves garlic, Minced
- 1 Pound ground beef, I use very lean so I don’t have to drain the fat
- 1 Teaspoon dried basil
- 1 Teaspoon dried oregano
- Pinch Red Pepper Flakes, Optional
- 2 Cups Beef Broth
- 1 28 Ounce Can Crushed Tomatoes
- 1 8 Ounce Can tomato sauce
- 1 4 Ounce Can tomato paste
- Fresh parsley, Chopped for garnish – optional
- 8 Ounces Dried Spaghetti, Broken in half
View the full recipe at thespicyapron.com
2. Fresh Off The Grid – One Pot Pasta
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 small onion, chopped
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 (14.5 oz) can tomatoes
- 1 (14.5 oz) can broth
- handful fresh basil, torn, or 1/4 tsp dried
- 1 tablespoon Italian seasoning
- ½ pound pasta
- salt to taste
- handful of parmesan cheese
View the full recipe at freshoffthegrid.com
3. Champagne Tastes Camping Pasta Recipe: PESTO PENNE
Ingredients
- 2 cups vegetable stock Use low-sodium broth if desired
- 3 cups water, divided (plus more if needed)
- 2 teaspoons garlic powder
- 1 pound penne (or another short pasta such as rigatoni) Use gluten-free certified pasta if needed. Chickpea pasta works well here.
- 6 ounces hot-smoked salmon (~1 fillet or 1 can) See “salmon alternatives” in Recipe Notes
- 6 ounces basil pesto (1 small jar)
- 2 tablespoons nutritional yeast Or swap grated Parmesan cheese (dairy or vegan)
- 12 ounce jar quartered artichoke hearts, drained
- 1 cup halved cherry tomatoes
- 2 tablespoons capers
View the full recipe at champagne-tastes.com
4. The Hedgescombers – One Pot Veggie Pasta
Ingredients
- 170 g linguine pasta
- 170 g cherry tomatoes , halved (about 14)
- 50 g baby button mushrooms
- 50 g black olives , halved (about 18)
- 15 g capers , (about 2 tbsp)
- 1 handful basil leaves
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- 2 tsp salt
- 1/2 tsp pepper
- 560 ml water
- 50 g Parmesan grated
View the full recipe at hedgecombers.com
5. Camp Kitchen – Easy Pesto Pasta
Ingredients
- 250-400g/9-14oz pasta of choice (penne, spaghetti, etc.)
- 1 jar basil pesto (~1/2 cup or more)
- 1-2 tsp salt
- handful of cherry tomatoes, halved
- 1/2 cup feta cheese, crumbled
- 3/4 cup pasta cooking water
- parmesan cheese, for topping
View the full recipe at campkitchen.ca
6. Simple Bites – One-Pot Macaroni & Cheese
Ingredients:
- 3 cups 2% milk
- 2 1/2 cups water
- 1/2 teaspoon fine sea salt
- 450 grams macaroni pasta or shells, like in the photos
- 2 Tablespoons unsalted butter
- 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
- 1 1/2 cups evaporated milk
- 2 cups cheddar cheese
- 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- dash of paprika
- Tabasco for serving
View the full recipe at simplebites.net
7. Live Eat Learn – Campfire Mac and Cheese
Ingredients:
- Elbow Macaroni: First up, you will need 2 cups of uncooked elbow macaroni. Any noodle would work, but let’s be real — elbow is classic!
- Alfredo Sauce: Next, 1 cup of alfredo sauce is the magic ingredient that adds so much flavor and creaminess.
- Cheddar: Include ½ cup of shredded sharp cheddar cheese, which provides a strong cheesy flavor (arguably the best cheese for mac and cheese).
- Parmesan: Match the cheddar with ½ cup of parmesan! I like to buy the block and grate it myself to avoid the caky flavor of store bought grated parm.
- Mozzarella: Next, throw in ½ cup of low-moisture shredded mozzarella cheese, which gives are macaroni those decadent cheesy strands.
- Milk: Finally, mix in ½ cup of milk. You can also use half and half for a richer sauce!
View the full recipe at liveeatlearn.com
8. The Cozy Cook – Taco Pasta One Pot
Ingredients
- 1 cup Cheddar cheese, shredded
- 1 cup Monterey Jack Cheese, shredded
- 4 oz. Velveeta cheese, cut into cubes (equal to 1/3 cup)* can sub with ¾ cup shredded cheese
- 1 lb. Ground Beef, 85% lean
- 1 Tablespoon Butter
- 2 cloves Garlic, minced
- 1 oz. packet Taco Seasoning
- 1 Tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
- 2 Tablespoons Tomato paste
- 1 cup Beef broth
- 1 cup Chicken broth
- 1 cup Whole milk, at room temp
- 1 (10 oz.) can Rotel Tomatoes with green chilies, undrained
½ lb. Medium pasta shells
View the full recipe at thecozycook.com
9. Trail recipes – Beef Alfredo
Ingredients:
- 3/4 cup pre-cooked and dehydrated pasta
- 1/2 cup dehydrated beef mince
- 3 tablespoons freeze-dried Cheddar cheese
- 1 tablespoon milk powder
- 1 teaspoon all-purpose flour
- 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
- Salt
- Pepper
- 1 teaspoon ghee
View the full recipe at trail.recipes
10. 100KRecipes – One Pot Spaghetti
Ingredients
- 1 clove garlic, minced;
- ¼ cup finely chopped onion;
- 1 lb ground beef;
- 1 packet (1 oz) taco seasoning;
- 1 can (14 oz) diced tomatoes;
- 2 cups water;
- 8 oz spaghetti, uncooked;
- 1 cup shredded cheddar cheese;
- 2 tbsp fresh parsley, chopped.
View the full recipe at 100krecipes.com
11. Create Kid’s Club – Camping Chili Mac
- 16 ounces gluten-free elbow noodles
- 38 ounce can of chili
- 3 cups of water
- 2 cups shredded cheddar cheese#
View the full recipe at createkidsclub.com
12. Savory Nothings – One Pot Cheesy Taco Pasta
Ingredients
- ½ tablespoon olive oil
- 1 pound ground beef
- 1 onion chopped
- 1 stalk celery chopped
- 1 tablespoon taco seasoning
- 3 cups chicken broth or more, depending on your pasta (some kinds need more liquid, but only add more as it cooks and is too dry)
- 1 cup salsa
- 1 (12-oz) box small pasta shapes regular, high fiber or whole wheat all work – though higher fiber pastas may need more liquid than regular
- 1 red pepper chopped
- ½ cup sweetcorn
- salt & pepper to taste
- ½ cup shredded Mexican blend cheese or more to taste
View the full recipe at savorynothings.com
13. Eating on a Dime – Quick Easy Recipe Skillet Lasagna
Ingredients:
- 1 lb Ground Beef
- 8 oz lasagna noodles (broken into bite size pieces)
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- 1/4 onion (diced)
- 1 Tbsp Minced Garlic
- 2 tsp salt
- 1/2 tsp pepper
- 1 Tbsp Italian Seasoning
- 2 cans Crushed Tomatoes (15 oz each)
- 2 cups Water
- 1 cup Mozzarella Cheese Shredded
- 1/2 cup Ricotta Cheese (Optional for Serving)
- Parsley (chopped)
View the full recipe at eatingonadime.com
14. Katies Cucina – One Pot Supreme Pizza Pasta Skillet
Ingredients:
- 1 lb. mild Italian sausage ground
- ½ cup uncured pepperoni sliced in half
- ½ onion diced
- 3 cloves garlic minced
- ½ red bell pepper diced
- 8 oz. Let’s Blend Italian – Monterey Finely Diced Mushrooms
- 1 lb. Rotini pasta
- 3-½ cups water
- 1 24 oz. jar of sauce
- 2 cups fresh mozzarella cheese
View the full recipe at katiescucina.com
Take a moment to appreciate the sights and sounds of nature surrounding you. There’s something truly magical about cooking al fresco, with the scent of pine trees mingling with the aroma of bubbling pasta sauce. It’s a sensory experience like no other, and one that’s sure to leave you feeling more connected to the great outdoors (and less hangry).
