One Pot Spaghetti Camping Recipe: Simple 5 Minute Prep!

August 4, 2023

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Looking for good and hearty camping dinner recipes you can make in one single pot? This easy one pot spaghetti camping recipe has a ton of flavor from the spicy sausage and the fresh basil … and it only takes 5 minutes to prep!

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How To Make Camping Spaghetti In One Pot

This is one of our easy camping meals that is really fast to prep AND does not sacrifice flavor in the process.

Step 1. Prepare the veggies and measure out all ingredients.

You only have to chop a bit of onion and garlic for this easy camping pasta recipe so the prep work is pretty quick.

Step 2. Set up your cooking gear.

If you are making this as one of our campfire recipes, you’ll need to get your fire going in order to cook over coals (not flames) … you can also use charcoal briquettes.

When you are making this as one of your winter camping recipes, it is really nice to use the heat of the campfire to warm your body as you cook your dinner!

If fire restrictions prevent you from using an open flame … or you just prefer cooking with propane, you can also make this as one of our camp stove recipes so get your stove ready for cooking on a level surface.

Step 3. Cook the veggies and the sausage.

I like making this as one of our Dutch oven camping recipes and I use my 12-inch oven, but, you can use a cast iron skillet (like I did when I took these photos) or a non-stick skillet if you are cooking over a propane stove.

Over the medium-high heat of a campfire or camp stove, saute the onion and garlic in the olive oil … stirring until they are softened.

Then, add the sausage … while it cooks, break it up so it has nice bite-sized pieces … cook it until it is just shy of being completely cooked.

Camp Cooking Tip: Sausage is a great ingredient to add lots of flavor to a dish because it already has Italian Seasonings mixed in the meat. If you want to substitute ground beef, you’ll want to add a very flavorful jar of marinara sauce or extra spices, like onion powder and garlic powder, to compensate for the lack of pre-seasoned meat.

Step 4. Add the liquid.

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Now it is time to add the liquid directly to the pot, it will consist of the spaghetti sauce and water which you will bring up to a boil.

Add the salt and pepper now too.

Camp Cooking Tip: You can avoid boiling pasta at the campsite by pre-boiling it at home and just re-heating it at the campsite or you can just boil it directly in broth or the sauce, like we are doing with this camping one pot pasta.

Step 5. Add the pasta to the pot and cook.

You are going to add the dried pasta to the sauce and stir it in to submerge it into the sauce so it can boil in there. (I like making camping pasta recipes that don’t require boiling the pasta in a big pot of water because it is so hard to drain it when cooking in the great outdoors.)

At this point, you need to reduce the heat to a simmer and let the spaghetti cook to your liking.

We like our pasta al dente and with a thin spaghetti it usually takes about 10 minutes to cook.

Camp Cooking Tip: When you are cooking over a campfire or with charcoal briquettes, just remove
as many coals as necessary to lower the heat. If you are cooking over a propane
stove, just turn the knob down. Remember that cast iron equipment retains heat
for longer periods of time that other camp cookware materials so it won’t be an
instantaneous heat reduction.

Step 6. Add the cheese and basil.

Using fresh basil and Parmesan cheese to top this simple pasta camping meal really makes the flavors come to life. Enjoy!

Spaghetti One Pot Camping Recipe by CampingForFoodies features a large black cast iron skillet setting on a tree stump against a background of beautiful rock formations and evergreen trees at a campsite, the pan is filled with pasta cooked in a sausage tomato sauce and topped with fresh basil and parmesan cheese with text over the image that reads spaghetti one pot camping recipe.

Pairings

When I’m making this dinner, my preferences are to keep the sides simple. I usually just serve a basic green leafy side salad and maybe a little garlic bread.

What To Do With Leftovers

Aluminum foil pie pans are considered essentials in my open fire cooking kit. I like planning dinners that will have leftovers so I can make a really simple lunch the next day at a moments notice.

It’s a breeze to make an easy campfire spaghetti bake by spreading a layer of sauce at the bottom of a large foil tray or several smaller foil pie plates, then add a layer of mozzarella cheese, a layer of leftover spaghetti, a handful of cherry tomatoes, then top with a little more cheese.

Cover with a piece of tinfoil and heat over campfire coals or grill. You’ll get a 5-star review if you make this on your next outdoor adventure.

More Camping One Pot Pasta Recipes

We have tons of one pot camping meals that don’t contain pasta but here are a few that do. If you like tomato-based pasta dishes, you’ve gotta try this Dutch Oven Pasta Stuffed Manicotti! It is restaurant-quality food designed for outdoor camp cooking with minimal effort!

This Dutch Oven Beef Stroganoff is classic comfort food that is made easy for the campsite by cooking everything in one pot.

Pre-cooked chicken makes this one pot Creamy Cajun Chicken Camping Pasta come together really quickly! Add some cream cheese for a velvety-smooth texture … and … a bit of heat from a jalapeno pepper and a spice blend. Your dinner will be on the table in about a half hour!

This Greek Tomato And Feta Pasta Salad is one of my favorite make-ahead dishes that boasts a tangy flavor from the feta cheese and Kalamata olives.

If you are willing to do a little more work and use multiple pots, this Pasta In Garlic Sun Dried Tomato Cream Sauce tastes AMAZING! It’s an almost-gourmet meal you should try on your next trip!

Sausage is a great ingredient to add lots of flavor to a dish. I also use it in my Dutch Oven Spaghetti And Meatballs which is an amazingly yummy homemade drunken meatball and sauce made with a splash of red wine.

If you’d rather prepare make ahead camping meals that you prep at home, then, defrost, dump & cook at camp, try this amazingly delicious and easy Pesto Tortellini Bake Freezer Meal.

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