Delicious RV Camping Recipes from simple to elevated

Delicious RV camping recipes and easy meal ideas for everyone! Find simple camping meals, make-ahead favorites, and elevated RV recipes that make cooking on the road easy.

When You Think of Camping, What Comes to Mind?

Whether it’s the smell of campfire smoke, starry skies, or roasting marshmallows, camping means something different to everyone.

No matter how you define your outdoor adventures, I’ve rounded up some of the best camping recipes that are easy, delicious, and perfect for RV trips, tent sites, or even your backyard.

Not into camping? No problem—these easy make-ahead camping meals and campfire-friendly dishes are just as good from the comfort of your home kitchen. So whether you’re roughing it or glamping, these recipes bring the flavor wherever you are.

Camping, glamping, traveling, seeing the country is priceless. Time is a precious commodity. Enjoy life, this is not a dress rehearsal!

 

What do you think of when you hear the word camping?

Everyone thinks of something different, for some, it’s tent camping and roughing it, it could be backpacking with dehydrated foods.

It could be an overnight trip and make the food ahead or bring sandwiches, or bring items to make it easy so you don’t have to prep, cook, clean up… keep it simple.

Could be popping up a tent in your own backyard, no matter which way you prefer it, it can be anything you want it to be.

There are no rules.

• We’ve all heard about the healing power of nature, well it’s true, get outside, get some fresh air, and you’re bound to feel better. You can go from camping in the mountains to the beach, water, trees, fresh air it’s all good!
• It can also improve sleep and reduce stress, increase happiness, and reduce negative emotions (I’m not sure if tent camping will improve sleep, I prefer an RV myself)
• So enjoy your time, take a walk, listen to the birds, take in the scenery, and breathe!

RV Camping Recipes

…for others, it’s RV camping with either an indoor stove or outdoor cooking on a grill, Coleman stove, flat griddle, or over a campfire. I fall into this group, so I compiled some easy rv meals if you’re in the same group.

Whatever cooking option you use could be determined by having electricity or using a battery, propane, or firewood.

Being prepared is key, so you can make delicious meals for your entire trip.

 

Popular items to serve in minutes

CHARCUTERIE: bringing items to snack on is essential to me.

I’m a snacker, so items like salami, Prosciutto (or your favorite ham), and a variety of cheeses, olives, pickles, nuts, fresh or dried fruit (berries, apples, grapes), and don’t forget items like chocolate and crackers or pretzels.

You could add veggies like cucumbers, carrots, and peppers, bring a delicious dip like…

• feta basil dip
• deviled egg dip
• beer cheese dip
• jalapeno cheese sauce-great for serving tortilla chips
• jam or honey and nuts are also great additions
• bring some cans of refried beans (or make them in an instant pot) and heat them, top with cheese, and serve with tortilla chips
  
  
  

  

Remember, charcuterie trays can have a variety of items you love, they don’t need to be traditional. So pita chips (hard or soft), olives, hummus, feta cheese, and even some cucumbers would make a great board!

Check out my post on Summer no-cook snacks! 

Cooking options

We have a gas stove/oven inside the RV, and we use it mostly for breakfast, heating water for pour-over coffee, cooking oatmeal, or making some toast in a pan. We cook outside most of the time. 
I cook with a 12″ cast iron skillet for most meals. I also have with me a 4 qt pot and an 8″ skillet. All with lids.

•  We’ve used an electric induction “plate” with great results when we have electricity
• Most often we use a Coleman stove. We had it, and it works well if we’re serving just the two of us to 6-8 people, which we often do.
• If we were to buy something new, we might get a portable Blackstone flat grill. 
• Lots of friends use a portable propane grill.
• We have a round propane fire pit with a lid, great for staying warm on cool nights.
• We’ve added a Blackstone to our RV, and are enjoying the large cooking surface. I can’t wait to share new recipes with you! 

We’ve gone on short trips, quick RV Camping Recipes are important, and have been out for weeks at a time, even months. I have a lot of favorites we make again and again and a few camper recipes that come to mind…

Pasta and meat sauce

If you are only going away for a night or two and want to keep it simple, you can cook the pasta ahead of time and bring it with you cooked, then just heat your favorite sauce and add in the pasta it’ll heat easily. Pasta and Meat Sauce Recipe.

Shrimp tacos

with pan-roasted corn and a side of black beans that I add some taco seasoning to. Shrimp tacos.

Quick items

I often bring frozen salmon (or other fish) and have it in the freezer for a tasty, quick meal with a vegetable.

Thaw it in cold water; it takes about 30 minutes. I cut the fish into small pieces, so that way if it’s thin on one side and thick on the other, it all cooks evenly and really quickly. I add some oil to the heated pan, and it gets a nice crispiness on it, so yummy.

Served it with Instant homestyle mashed potatoes, not regular instant mashed potatoes… these are super creamy and not dry at all. For the asparagus, I cut it all small and added butter to the hot skillet and roasted it until tender, added some garlic salt, and served it all with lemon. Simple and delicious.

Always a favorite

Fried rice (If only cooking for two, I bring precooked rice like this it really makes making meals quick and easy).

I make it with bacon and eggs for breakfast, or with sausage or chicken for dinner.

I make sure to bring this style of leftover containers so if I make more portions than we’ll eat in one sitting. I can put them in the fridge or freezer.

I also make Turkey Meatballs and make these mashed potatoes I get at the grocery store or Sam’s club. The homestyle variety is nice and creamy, unlike others I’ve tried.

Black Bean Soup Recipe

ONE of my all-time favorites to make, with a few items, you can have a hearty meal on the table in no time, plus add a heaping scoop of rice and it’ll feel all cozy like cuddling under a blanket!

Dessert

When I want something sweet, I often make Blueberry Crisp in a skillet or Skillet Apple Crisp.

I’ve brought a brownie mix with us, and our oven works really well, and baked it up nicely. it worked out well when we were camping with other families; everyone enjoyed a warm brownie. 

If you bring an Instant Pot with you camping, give this Instant Pot Rice Pudding a try.

Some items that I make and bring to make the time spent camping easier are:

Hard-boiled eggs for Egg Salad or these fun spring rolls. If you like making spring rolls, give chicken Caesar spring rolls a try.

Bring eggs: There are so many recipes using eggs:

• Egg drop soup– ready in minutes
• Egg salad– eat it off a fork or in a sandwich, add some bacon… yum
• Spaghetti and eggs– this is one of my all-time go-to recipes (and the reason I always have pasta cooked in the fridge)
• Pizza omelet– craving pizza, but this one is low carb!
• Scrambled egg fried rice– a great reason to always bring rice!
• Deviled egg dip– this one is great for breakfast, lunch, snack, or anytime

I bring avocados for making guacamole and avocado toast. I love BLT’s so any of these BLT recipes are fun too.

Tortillas:

• Tortillas come in handy for breakfast burritos filled with eggs and your favorite items.
• Lunch and snacks- refried beans and cheese burritos
• I cook tortillas on the Blackstone for tacos, chips and you can toast them up for some apple pie a la mode taco… everyone loves a fun dessert!
• Tortilla empanadas on the Blackstone are always a huge hit! (can be made on a burner too)
• Another apple dessert Warm Cinnamon Apples!
• And make sure you bring some cheese to snack on these Apple Cheddar Quesadillas (or grilled cheese with apples). Other flavor varieties are spinach and mushroom, brie and grapes, and ham, cheese, and tomato, all great options.
• Another fun option for quesadillas is a great-tasting pizza sauce with mozzarella cheese, and you can add in your favorite toppings like pepperoni.
• Southwest chicken– a great meal option, roll in burritos and brown in a skillet or Blackstone
• This dry rub carne asada is a go-to for a delicious dinner.

If you’re a fan of California Rolls, give this bowl a try. You can use the pre-cooked rice I mentioned to keep it real simple.

And this Italian White Bean Soup is always a winner.

And if you’re a soup lover, give this corn soup a try!

Cook inside or outside, you choose!

Bring chips, because snacking is essential, and this pineapple salsa is quick and easy!

Chicken Caprese is another flavorful dish to make in a skillet.

 

And this Green Chicken Chili is so flavorful! Sometimes I bring cooked chicken so as soon as the soup comes to a boil, it’s done.

Slow down, have fun, and enjoy!