So, you love to camp, but you’re a vegetarian? How about trying the 5 best vegetarian camping recipes of all time?! Or, maybe you’re not a vegetarian, but a friend or someone in your family is. Or, you just want a break from meat and want a veggie-focused meal that’s not the same old boring salad. If so, you’re in luck! We’ve scoured the net and our favorite cookbooks to bring to you 5 wonderful vegetarian camping recipes you’ll love. Best of all, you can make these tasty dishes when you’re camping. So, pack up the gear, grab the cooler, and let’s do it!
Foil Packet Breakfast Hash
Have you noticed that some campers like to be up early, and some like to sleep in? That can sometimes be a challenge for the cook, especially when feeding a larger group. But this vegetarian camping recipe is the solution. Yes, it’s vegetarian, but your omnivores will love it, too. And best of all, you do the prep work once and your diners can do the rest at their leisure. It’s a delicious breakfast hash, loaded with nutritious ingredients, that gets finished in individual foil packets on the campfire.
Ingredients:
- 1 onion, sliced thin
- 2 large white potatoes, cubed very small
- 1 large sweet potato, cubed very small
- 1 red bell pepper, diced
- A cup broccoli, chopped into small pieces
- 2-3 tsps. seasoning blend *
- 1 tbsp. olive oil
- 2 tbsp. butter
- 1 cup mild cheddar cheese, grated
- 12 Eggs (2 per diner)
- Heavy-duty aluminum foil
Directions:
Heat a large cast iron skillet to about medium heat. Add olive oil and butter. Add the white and sweet potatoes and sauté for a few minutes. Next, add onion, red bell pepper, and broccoli. Then, sprinkle liberally with your seasoning of choice. This could be salt and pepper or a favorite blend. We absolutely love Egghead Seasoning for egg dishes! It’s a flavorful mix to take with you that works with many other vegetarian camping recipes, too.
Continue sautéing over medium heat until the vegetables are cooked and potatoes are just beginning to brown. Then, take off the heat, allow it to cool slightly, and leave covered until your diners are ready for breakfast.
While you are waiting, prep your foil sheets. You’ll need 1 large square per diner, and we recommend using a heavy foil such as Reynolds Wrap Heavy-Duty Foil. (It has so many great uses, not just for vegetarian camping recipes. You should never go camping without it!) To prep a packet, spoon an individual serving of hash into the center of the dull side of a foil sheet. (The dull side sticks less than the shiny side!).
Sprinkle with some shredded cheddar cheese. Lastly, top with two eggs, then fold up the foil and seal it up. (Eggs can be left whole for a sunny-side up meal, or scrambled to turn the packet into a frittata-style meal.) Voilà! Now, the packet is ready for the campfire. Just about 5 minutes on the coals and it’s ready. Best of all, it can be eaten straight from the foil packet, so no dishes!
If breakfast is your thing then check out our recipe for easy camping pancakes, this meal will undoubtedly, fuel up the morning with a hearty breakfast
Tips:
The veggies can be prepped in advance so all you’ll need to do is dump them in the skillet. As far as, vegetarian camping recipes go, this one couldn’t be easier. Plus, you could also use different veggies. Use your favorites, or whatever you have on hand. Additionally, if everyone is dining at once, you can skip the foil and just add the eggs to the skillet.
Campfire Pizza
It just doesn’t matter if you’re a vegetarian or not, everyone loves pizza. Without a doubt, there’s no reason why you can’t turn it into a vegetarian camping recipe. This one is simple and easy, too!
Ingredients:
- 1 unbaked Pizza dough
- Pizza sauce
- 2 cups Mozzarella cheese (or an Italian blend), shredded
- Veggies of choice, chopped small
Directions: First, you’ll need dough. If you have a favorite pizza shop, consider asking them for unbaked dough. Many will happily sell you one! Or you can pick up one from the grocery store, or make your own favorite dough recipe from scratch. The trick is to freeze it for your trip. All you need to do is oil up a bag or Tupperware container with some olive oil, pop the dough inside and throw it in the freezer until you are ready to embark.
The dough will slowly thaw in your cooler. Once thawed, take it out to warm up, and then you are ready to make this easy vegetarian camping recipe.
Oil the bottom of a large cast iron skillet. Press your dough into the bottom of the pan. Cook over medium-low until it begins to turn golden on the bottom. Then, flip it over. Now it’s time to add the toppings. Start with the sauce. You can use your favorite kind, but we recommend using one that is specially made for pizza. Moreover, pizza sauce is thicker than regular sauce and won’t make your pizza soggy like a thinner one tends to do.
We’re big fans of Contadina’s Pizza Sauce, which is delicious and comes along in a squeeze bottle just perfect for using with vegetarian camping recipes. Next, add cheese, and then lastly, your veggies. (Or, make it a simple cheese pizza if you prefer.) Return the skillet to the campfire and continue cooking until your crust is cooked and your toppings are hot and bubbly.
Tip:
You can spice up this vegetarian camping recipe with some yummy vegan Louisville Pepperoni. (And it’s so good we bet the carnivores in your group won’t even be able to tell the difference!)
Vegetarian White Bean Crockpot Stew
Here’s a delectable vegetarian white bean stew that’s perfect for your camping crockpot. And if you don’t have one yet, what are you waiting for!? They’re a great way to make camp cookery easy, and excellent for vegetarian camping recipes. We love this versatile 6-quart Presto Slow Cooker, and they make an 8-quart version for larger camping crockpot meals, too.
Ingredients:
- 2 tbsp. olive oil
- 1 yellow onion, diced
- A cup of sliced carrot
- 1 cup sliced celery
- 6 cloves garlic, minced
- 4 tsps. Italian seasoning
- 1 (6 oz.) can of tomato paste
- 3 (15 oz.) cans of great northern beans, drained
- 4 cups water
- 2 cubes of vegetable bouillon
- 1 (13.5 oz.) can of full-fat coconut milk
- 3 cups chopped kale
- 1 teaspoon vinegar
- salt and pepper to taste
- for topping: parmesan cheese & fresh parsley (optional)
Directions
Set your crockpot on high. Add oil, onion, carrot, celery, and garlic. Sprinkle in Italian seasoning. Cook until your vegetables are softened. Next, add tomato paste, beans, water, bouillon cubes, and coconut milk. Bring up to a simmer, then set the crockpot to medium-low and continue simmering for about an hour.
Finally, add in the kale and vinegar. (Italian dressing or lemon juice will work also if you don’t have the vinegar—it just needs some acid to make all those flavors pop.) Continue simmering until the kale is wilted, then serve. We love this vegetarian camping recipe with a little sprinkle of parmesan and parsley on top and some crusty Italian bread!
Tip:
Chop your onion, celery, carrots, and garlic in advance to make this easy. You can even keep them together in a zippered plastic bag. This dish is also fantastic with red lentils. Just add half a cup of dry split red lentils when you add the water
Portabello Mushroom Burgers
Everyone loves a great burger, even vegetarians! Portabello mushroom caps have a wonderful, meaty texture and great flavor that works perfectly in a variety of vegetarian camping recipes. And as a burger, they just cannot be beaten when they pick up all that scrumptious smoky goodness from the campfire grill. This is a recipe your whole family will love!
Ingredients:
- 4 large portobello mushroom caps
- ½ cup Wishbone Zesty Italian Dressing
- 1 tsp. salt
- 1 tsp. ground black pepper
- ¼ tsp. garlic powder
- 1 tsp. olive oil
- 4 slices cheddar cheese
- 4 rolls of your choice
- 2 tbsp. mayonnaise
- 2 tbsp. ketchup
- 1 tbsp. hot sauce (optional)
- 1 tsp. Italian seasoning
- Toppings: sliced tomatoes, lettuce, sliced sweet onions
Directions:
Clean the mushroom caps with a damp paper towel and scrape out the gills. Next, place it in a plastic bag with the Italian dressing. (We love the Wishbone version linked in the ingredient list. It’s a fantastic, must-have camping food list item that always comes in handy. Trust us, you’ll find yourself using it for lots of other vegetarian camping recipes too!)
Allow the mushroom caps to marinate in the dressing for 30 minutes. Then remove it from the dressing—but keep it. You’ll be brushing it on the mushrooms while they cook.
Next, sprinkle the mushroom caps with salt, pepper, and garlic powder on both sides. Then, place them in a grill basket that’s been lightly rubbed with olive oil and put it on the campfire.
If you don’t have a basket, you could also use a cast iron skillet, but we recommend the basket. It’s a terrific, versatile camping accessory that allows all the special flavors of the fire to permeate your food. That smoky flavor makes all the difference! Check out this awesome non-stick grill basket from Waykea!) Cook for 3 minutes on each side, and baste each side liberally with the leftover Italian dressing as they cook.
While the mushrooms are grilling, mix the mayo, ketchup, and Italian seasoning. Add the hot sauce as well if you want a little extra spice. This will be the “secret sauce” topping that every burger needs. Lastly, add a slice of cheese to each mushroom. Then, serve on your roll of choice with the sauce and toppings.
Tips:
For an easy side dish, serve these with some creamy macaroni and cheese. Freeze-dried camping food like this fine offering by Mountain House is not just fast and convenient—it’s delicious too, and makes your vegetarian camping recipe complete. These fixings would also make wonderful camping tacos. Skip the roll and grab your favorite taco shells instead. Dice up the toppings, slice up the cooked mushrooms, and shred up the cheese instead of melting it. Then just load up your shells. Yum!
Happy Camper Peach Cobbler
Of course, our list would not be complete without something sweet. Here’s our favorite vegetarian camping recipe dessert—a fruit cobbler that’s simply to die for!
Ingredients:
- Batter:
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 cup sugar
- 4 tsps. baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1 cup milk
- 1/2 cup butter + 1 tsp., all melted
- Fruit Filling:
- 2 cans (15-1/4 oz.) sliced peaches in heavy syrup
- 1/4 cup sugar
- 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
Directions:
You’ll need your trusty cast iron Dutch oven for this one. Line it with heavy-duty aluminum foil, dull side facing up. Dab with melted butter (1 tsp.) to help keep your cobbler from sticking.
Next, mix up your dry ingredients in a bowl. If you’d like, you can even mix them up in advance and bring them with you in a zippered bag. (If you don’t have bags, get them here. They are very happy camper’s best friends!) Add the milk and ½ cup of melted butter. Stir just until moistened. Then, pour it into the bottom of your foil-lined Dutch oven.
Next, drain the peaches and save 1 cup of the syrup. Mix the syrup and peaches and spread on top of the batter. Sprinkle the top with sugar and cinnamon. Put the lid on and place the Dutch oven on the campfire over low heat. Cook for 30 to 40 minutes, or until batter has begun to brown.
Cool slightly before serving. This vegetarian camping recipe is wonderful with whipped cream or ice cream!
Tip:
This works with any fruit. Try it with a can of pie filling, or some thinly sliced fresh apples mixed with maple syrup and top with chopped walnuts for a heavenly variation!
The Most Important Ingredient of All
Enjoy these fantastic vegetarian camping foods the next time you go camping, but don’t forget the most important ingredient of all: fun. Make them with your family and friends, feel free to improvise, and add your own special twists! Camp cookery is an experience best shared with the people you love—and they’ll love these vegetarian camping recipes, too!