Perfect recipes for RV and camping trips
Cooking in the great outdoors
Breakfast granola
Granola takes about 20 minutes to make and it will keep for up to two weeks in an airtight container – a great make-ahead for your trip. Bran, oats, sesame seeds and walnuts are tossed in sunflower oil and maple syrup before baking. Then simply add dried fruits of your choice. You could also stir in some coconut flakes and add pumpkin seeds to the oat mixture before baking.
Peanut butter and banana oat bars
These oat bars will keep for around three days in an airtight container. Take with you for healthy snacks on the go. Oats, flour, cinnamon and coconut are mixed with mashed bananas, peanut butter, egg, raisins, milk and honey, then baked in the oven. They are very easy to make and you can also freeze them.
Lamb tagine
Fruity and spicy tagine is a great first-night meal. Lamb neck fillet is slow-cooked with spices, onions, garlic, ginger, tomatoes and dried apricots, then chickpeas are added towards the end. You can make it a day or two before travelling. Best of all, it's great served with couscous – a perfect camping ingredient, as you just put it in a bowl, cover with boiling water then leave it to absorb. For 100g/3.5oz couscous, add 150ml/5fl oz water.
Peanut butter caramel brownies
Everyone loves a brownie, so make these rich, fudgy and chocolatey ones to take with you, as they will keep for up to three days in an airtight container. Caramel sauce from a can or jar is mixed with peanut butter, the brownie batter and plenty of chocolate chips. The caramel sets as the brownies cool. Cut into squares, then pack between sheets of baking parchment.
Banana bread
Banana bread keeps so well, for up to three days. This recipe also contains espresso coffee and cocoa nibs. Try it toasted over the campfire then drizzle honey over it, or add a dollop of chocolate spread. It also freezes well, so you could make a couple of batches in advance of travelling.
Get the recipe for banana bread here
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Chilaquiles
In its most basic form, chilaquiles is a Mexican dish of fried tortilla chips simmered in a salsa-based sauce. And it's just delightful for breakfast. This shortcut version makes clever use of shop-bought salsa and the tortilla chips are simply stirred and warmed through the spicy sauce, rather than fried first. Add eggs and whatever other toppings you like – avocado, feta and red onion are all good ideas – to start your day right.
Shakshuka
Shakshuka is a Middle Eastern dish of onions, tomatoes and garlic, with eggs cracked into it and left to cook. It's one of the best camping breakfasts. A little paprika lifts it and adds a kick, so it's worth including in your camping spice store cupboard. Otherwise, plenty of salt and pepper will be fine. You could add sliced cooked red peppers from a jar too. Don't worry about the parsley – fresh herbs just don't work on camping holidays!
Pancakes
Made from store cupboard ingredients, these fluffy breakfast pancakes are an easy win. Our recipe is vegan and they're made with soya milk, but you can use any long-life dairy or plant-based milks, which don't require to be kept chilled until you open them. Replace the vegan butter with a little oil for ease. Serve with maple syrup and crispy bacon for non-vegans.
French toast
An easy indulgent brunch, eggy bread filled with chocolate spread and sliced bananas can't fail to please. It's a great use for stale bread, which works better in fact. You need a little milk, but you could also use reconstituted milk powder instead. If you don't have chocolate spread, use chocolate buttons. It's all made in one pan and rustled up in 10 minutes – so simple.
Drop scones
These little breakfast pancakes are quick to make. The recipe calls for two different flours, but just use whatever you have to hand. Use any milk you have too – you won't notice any difference – or make some up from milk powder, which is always handy to have when camping. You could serve them with maple syrup and fried apple or banana slices.
Corn fritters
A tasty fritter is a great way to make a meal out of a can of sweetcorn. You can serve them for breakfast, lunch or as a side to barbecued meat or fish. With onion, flour, eggs and a pinch of chilli, they are done and dusted in 20 minutes. Serve with a jar of tomato salsa or a favourite chutney.
Sausage cornbread
A campfire meal made in just one pan, browned sausages are cooked in cornbread made with fine polenta. Simply mix together the batter ingredients of polenta, flour, eggs, yogurt and baking powder, and pour over the sausages. Cut into wedges and serve with tomato ketchup or chilli sauce, with a fried egg on top.
Bacon, lentil and pasta soup
If the weather's not great, you can easily make a few tweaks to this warming and filling broth to make it camping-friendly. Use tinned tomatoes instead of fresh, and you could even substitute tinned green lentils for dried. Orzo is a small pasta shape which is delicious in soups, but macaroni would work too. You just need a hunk of bread on the side.
Black and kidney bean chilli
With minimal chopping and a few jars and cans to open, this recipe is a doddle. It's filling and tasty, with tomato passata, black and kidney beans from a can, a little garlic and some chilli. If you have cheese, grate some on top to serve. Instead of cooking rice, serve with a big bowl of tortilla chips. It's ready in just 15 minutes.
Fried cheese toasties
Moreish and a bit messy, so have plenty of paper napkins to hand, this toastie is loaded with melted cheese, crispy bacon, slices of cooked potato and pickled jalapeños. These jarred chillies are great to take camping, to spice up a potato salad, sandwiches and omelettes. If you have a big enough frying pan or skillet, you could make all four grilled cheese sandwiches at once. The trick is to put another heavy pan on top for maximum crunch and melt.
Spaghetti with garlic and chilli
With just four ingredients, this is a great pasta dish for campers. Cook garlic and chilli (use dried) in lots of olive oil, set aside, then cook your spaghetti, reserving a little of the cooking water. Toss it all together for an instant meal. The cooking water helps the sauce stick to the pasta.
Smoked mackerel pâté
Smoked mackerel has a long shelf life, as long as you can keep it cold, and you can whip up this easy pâté in 10 minutes, perfect for serving with bread or crackers. Mash up the flaked mackerel with cream cheese, horseradish and lemon juice with a fork, rather than using a processor.
Pasta and chickpea stew
This clever riff on an Italian classic is made entirely from store cupboard ingredients, with very little prep time. Cook canned chickpeas in vegetable stock with garlic (you can use garlic paste) until very soft, then add canned chopped tomatoes, a little oil and vinegar, dried herbs, chilli and a can of spaghetti hoops with the sauce rinsed off. You could use cooked orecchiette or macaroni instead. It tastes great!
Cheat's dan dan noodles
Straight-to-wok udon noodles are perfect for camping stir-fries. This cheat's version of a takeaway favourite is so easy, made with sausagemeat and five-spice powder to emulate the traditional Sichuan peppercorn-spiced pork. The recipe uses pak choy, but any green leafy vegetable will do. If you don't have tahini, add a drizzle of sesame oil instead. It's ready in 20 minutes and serves four people.
Carrot and apple salad
Even on a camping trip, there are days when you just need a healthy salad and this one fits the bill. Carrots and apples don't need to be kept in the fridge either. It has a lemon dressing but you could use bottled lemon juice, and spring onions could be substituted with finely sliced onion. Toasted walnuts add a welcome crunch. Any leftovers keep for two days too.
Parma Ham ploughman's toastie
Parma Ham keeps for ages, as long as it's cool, so try this glorious toastie with melted Cheddar, apple slices and tomato chutney (or your favourite alternative chutney). Don't fret if you don't have the spinach – it will still taste great. It's a perfect campfire lunch, ready in 10 minutes.
Warm new potato salad
A great potato salad is perfect as a side for fire pit-grilled meats, and this recipe couldn't be easier. Instead of a rich mayonnaise dressing, the warm potatoes are tossed in olive oil and red wine vinegar. And when camping, add a finely sliced red or white onion instead of the fresh herbs. Just ensure you season it well with sea salt and black pepper.
One-pan fry-up
At home, you'd probably use several pans for a fry-up, but a full breakfast for two can actually be done all in one! Here the trick is to use a large pan and cut the sausages in half so they cook more quickly. Fry the sausages, mushrooms, bacon and tomatoes in batches, then return it all to the pan and crack the eggs in. All you need is some ketchup or brown sauce. Genius!
Classic cheeseburger
A camping trip wouldn't be complete without a great cheeseburger eaten around the campfire. If you don't have access to a fire pit or barbecue, use a heavy frying pan instead. This is a simple burger, just as it should be. Go to town on your favourite pickles and fillings, and use pre-sliced cheese for ease.
Spatchcocked chicken with green beans
This technique of butterflying a chicken, so it lays flat on the grill and cooks evenly, is easy. Remove the backbone of the bird with a sharp knife, flip it over onto a board, then flatten and push it down with the back of your hand. Our recipe calls for a thyme and olive oil marinade, but just use dried herbs instead. Griddled green beans are great, but any side will work brilliantly with tender, crisp chicken.
Get the recipe for spatchcocked chicken with green beans here
Barbecued mackerel
If you're holidaying at the coast, it's always worth buying locally-caught fish to cook on the grill. Nothing can beat a super-fresh mackerel, which is simplicity itself to cook. Our recipe tells you how to remove the bone from the fish too. Add a splash of soy sauce or some chilli flakes to add extra flavour. A simple fish grill is a good addition to your camping kit, which makes the cooking much simpler.
Barbecued gnocchi and pesto skewers
Barbecuing blanched gnocchi takes it to the next level. Here the gnocchi is quickly marinated with red and yellow peppers, olive oil and jarred pesto, but you can add whichever vegetables you have, or try halloumi or tofu. The star of the show is the gnocchi. Once grilled, the little dumplings are drizzled with a pesto dressing. Gnocchi is usually vacuum-packed, so it keeps well.
Barbecued potatoes with chipotle and peanuts
Cooking potatoes over fire really does make them special, giving them a crisp skin and a fluffy centre. In this recipe, they're dressed with olive oil, lemon, chilli flakes and chopped peanuts. There's also fresh tarragon, but they will still taste amazing without it.
Get the recipe for barbecued potatoes with chipotle and peanuts here
One-pan lasagne
Think you can't make lasagne over a camping stove? Think again. In our recipe, everything (including the pasta) is cooked in one deep frying pan or skillet. Fried sausagemeat, dried herbs and a jar of tomato sauce make easy work of the ragù, then broken pieces of lasagne sheets create a cheat's layered effect. A Parmesan and ricotta mix dolloped throughout the dish and chunks of mozzarella on top add the all-important cheesiness.
Barbecued bananas
There's no end to the fun you can have with different fillings for barbecued bananas. Leave the banana in its skin, but make a cut through. Then you can push in marshmallows or squares of chocolate, wrap in foil and cook away from direct heat for about 20 minutes. Try our recipe which has a dark sugar and butter filling, to give a rich, treacle sauce.
Barbecued pineapple with salted caramel
Grilled pineapple makes such a great dessert. Here it's marinated in cinnamon, maple syrup and a little oil, before being grilled over indirect heat. There's a recipe for the salted caramel sauce to accompany it, but just cheat and take a jar of ready-made with you. You could also serve it with some squirty cream from a can.
Get the recipe for barbecued pineapple with salted caramel here
Strawberry cake
We guarantee this chewy, light cake will be gone in a flash after it's served. You'll need a cast iron pot in which to bake it, but otherwise uses easy-to-store ingredients – vegetable or olive oil is used instead of butter. Just remember to add new hot coals during cooking. You could also try chopped peaches in place of strawberries for something different.
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