Meal prepping and planning are extra challenging when you’re living and traveling in a small space. The beautiful simplicity of RV life also lends itself to meals made on the fly, whether on a small camp stove or the campfire. Here are four great one-pot meals you can cook on your next RVing trip.
Simplistic Shakshuka
Shakshuka is one of the filling one-pot meals to make for breakfast or dinner while traveling in your RV. With eggs and canned tomatoes as the primary ingredients, you can keep your shakshuka simple by serving it with bread for dipping. Make it stand out with other vegetables, feta cheese, or fresh/dried herbs.
Ingredients
- 1 can diced tomatoes
- 4 eggs (2 eggs per person; you can add more to make more servings)
- 1 small onion (or half a large onion)
- Oil of choice
- 1 clove garlic
- 1 potato (optional), diced
- 1/2 baguette (optional)
Instructions
Add a tablespoon of your preferred oil to a skillet. Sauté garlic and onion and garlic until the onion is translucent.
If adding potatoes, include a little sea salt for seasoning. Cook potatoes until you can pierce them with a fork. Create a ring in the middle of the mixture, and crack the eggs into the center, adding more oil first if necessary. Pour diced tomatoes around the mixture.
Cover the ingredients with a lid to trap the steam to cook the eggs. Once the egg whites are cooked, it’s ready to eat! In fact, the total cook time is only a little over five minutes. Serve with bread.
Campfire Nachos
A cast iron Dutch oven allows you to make nachos, stews, and many recipes almost anywhere. Layering ingredients in this recipe is particularly important for taste.
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon neutral-flavored oil
- ½ lb tortilla chips
- 1 (7.75 oz) can of El Pato hot tomato sauce, or equivalent
- a cup of shredded Mexican cheese blend
- 1 (14.5 oz) can of black beans, drained
- 1 large avocado, cubed
- 4-5 green onions, sliced
- a handful of fresh cilantro, chopped
- 1 small lime, cut into wedges
Instructions
Lightly oil the bottom of your Dutch oven.
For the first layer, spread ⅓ of the chips at the bottom of the Dutch oven. Top them with the following: ¼ can black beans, ¼ can El Pato, ¼ cup cheese, as well as a handful of avocado, cilantro, and green onions. Repeat this step for the second layer. For the final layer, use the remainder: ⅓ chips, ½ can black beans, ½ can El Pato, ½ cup cheese, as well as the remaining avocado, cilantro, and green onions.
Cover the Dutch oven. Place it on a metal grill over your campfire or on your camper stove until the cheese has melted. For extra zest, serve with lime wedges.
Dutch Oven Monkey Bread
This cinnamon and sugar bread is a simple crispy and sweet recipe that you can eat for breakfast or dessert. This recipe calls for using a six-quart cast iron camp Dutch oven.
Ingredients
- 4 tablespoons butter (1/2 stick butter)
- 1/4 cup white sugar*
- 1/4 cup brown sugar*
- 2 tablespoons cinnamon*
- 1/2 cup chopped walnuts*
- 1 (16 oz) tube refrigerator biscuits
- Powdered sugar glaze is optional for drizzled topping (combine powdered sugar with a bit of milk and vanilla extract to make a simple drizzle.)
Ingredients marked with * can be measured and prepared before you leave for the road.
Instructions
Preheat the Dutch oven to 350 degrees F. Mix the nuts, white sugar, brown sugar, and cinnamon. Tear the biscuits into small pieces and drop the pieces into the same bag. Seal the bag and shake to coat the pieces well.
Melt butter in the Dutch oven. Pour the coated pieces into the oven, stirring them with the butter to form an even layer.
Cover the monkey bread and bake it for 20-25 minutes until cooked. If using coals, make sure there is no coal directly in the center, so the bread is evenly cooked. Top with powdered sugar and drizzle, if desired.
Corn Fritters
These campfire corn fritters make for a delicious meal on their own or as a side. You’ll also need a Dutch oven for this recipe.
Ingredients
- 1-1/4 cup self-rising cornmeal mix
- 1-1/4 cup all-purpose flour
- 1/4 cup sugar
- 1 tsp salt
- 1 tsp garlic
- 1 tsp garam masala
- 1/4 tsp turmeric
- 1 cup milk
- 2 large eggs
- 1/4 cup melted butter
- 1/4 cup canned corn kernels
- 1/4 cup vegetable oil for frying
Instructions
If using a campfire, prepare it for intense indirect heat. You may also fry these on the stove.
Combine all dry ingredients in a bowl, mixing thoroughly: 1-1/4 cup self-rising cornmeal mix, 1-1/4 cup all-purpose flour, 1/4 cup sugar, 1 tsp salt, 1 tsp garlic, 1 tsp garam masala, as well as 1/4 tsp turmeric.
Mix the milk and eggs into the dry ingredients until a thick batter forms. Then, stir in the corn kernels and melted butter.
Pour two inches of oil into the Dutch oven/pan. Allow the oil temperature to reach about 325 degrees F. Drop an overflowing tablespoon of batter into the oil and cook for up to four minutes, flipping the fritters halfway through. Take care not to burn yourself due to splattering oil. Once the fritters are golden brown, remove them and drain the oil on paper towels.
Take Care When Cooking in a Camper and Enjoy the Simple Life
There are some differences between cooking in a house and cooking in an RV. It’s mostly down to reduced space, which means the size of your equipment is often also reduced. Using portable fuel and cooking with reduced ventilation in enclosed spaces also presents potential risks for fire hazards. Be careful and exercise caution if you’re cooking these one-pot meals in your RV for the first time. It’s handy to have a small fire extinguisher nearby.
These four one-pot meals are easy and delicious to make when traveling in an RV. One of the best things about home, no matter where you are, is sitting down with a meal and enjoying the splendor of the day, especially when it comes with a good view.
