Short answer: the easiest camp stove meals use one pan, few ingredients and food you can prep at home: bacon and eggs, quesadillas, grilled sausages, steak, ramen and one-pot pasta. Chop and pack everything before you leave, keep it cold in a cooler, and most of these take 15 minutes or less at camp.
Here are 10 simple meal ideas for a small camp stove, from breakfast to dessert.
Before you start: 3 tips for small-stove cooking
- Prep at home. Chop vegetables, crack eggs into a bottle, and mix pancake batter in a squeeze bottle. Less mess, less washing up.
- Use a flat, steady surface. A wobbly stove on a rock is how dinner ends up in the dirt. A folding camp table keeps the stove level and off the ground.
- Cook outside, never in a tent. Gas stoves are for open air only.
Breakfast
1. Bacon and eggs
The classic. Cook the bacon first, then fry the eggs in the fat. A non-stick camping grill plate ($43.99) sits on a small stove and handles both; the tongs double as a handle.
2. Pancakes
Bring batter pre-mixed in a squeeze bottle. Cook small pancakes so they're easy to flip. Top with peanut butter and banana.
3. Breakfast burritos
Scramble eggs with pre-cooked sausage and cheese, then wrap in a tortilla. Wrap a few in foil for the drive home.
Lunch
4. Quesadillas
Tortilla, cheese, anything left over from last night. Two minutes per side. Hard to mess up.
5. Grilled cheese and soup
Heat canned soup in a small pot, then make grilled cheese in the pan. Perfect for a cold afternoon.
Dinner
6. Steak and peppers
Steak at the campsite is easier than it sounds. Let the meat come to air temperature, sear it hot, then rest it while you cook sliced peppers and onions in the same pan. Our folding camping pan ($38.99) fits two steaks, and the handle folds so it packs flat. Check that your stove's pot supports are wide enough for the pan you bring.
7. Sausages
Pre-cooked sausages just need heating and a little color. Serve in buns with mustard.
8. Upgraded ramen
Boil water, add noodles, then stir in an egg, frozen vegetables and a spoon of peanut butter or chili crisp. A mini camping stove ($22.99) is all you need for a small pot of water (gas canister sold separately).
9. One-pot pasta
Cook short pasta in just enough water, then stir in jarred sauce and cheese. No draining needed.
Dessert
10. Cinnamon apples
Slice an apple, cook it in butter with cinnamon and a little sugar until soft. Eat it as is or spoon it over a cookie.
Keep it cold, keep it clean
- Pack raw meat at the bottom of the cooler, sealed in bags, so it can't drip on other food.
- Wipe the pan with a paper towel while it's still warm, then wash it with a little biodegradable soap.
- Pack out all trash and food scraps.
FAQ
What is the easiest food to cook while camping?
Quesadillas, pre-cooked sausages and ramen. They need one pan or pot, a few minutes and almost no prep.
Can you cook a steak on a camp stove?
Yes. Use a pan that fits your stove, get it hot, sear both sides, and let the steak rest for a few minutes before cutting.
Can I use a camp stove inside my tent?
No. Camp stoves should only be used outdoors, away from tents and anything that can catch fire.
Build your camp kitchen: stove, pan and grill plate together get 15% off (3 or more items, applied automatically at checkout). See the Camp Kitchen collection. Every order ships free to the US. Most orders arrive in 7–15 business days. Packing for a weekend? Use our car camping checklist.