Nothing beats a delicious meal after a long day hitting the trails or exploring the big city. One of the benefits of having a campervan is that cooking is convenient and doesn’t require setting up an outdoor kitchen or campfire.

Today, we’ll take a look at five delicious recipes that you can easily make in your campervan. Each recipe will focus on easy preparation and cleanup, with maximum flavor.

But first, it all begins with the right pots and pans.

In order to make the following recipes, we recommend investing in a quality dutch oven. Dutch ovens are versatile, acting as a simple pot for boiling water or as a stovetop casserole dish.

Dutch ovens come in a variety of sizes and styles, from porcelain options to cast iron. Regardless of which type you pick, we recommend getting at least a seven-quart size. This will give you ample room for one-pot meals.

#1: Stove Top Nachos

Using just a stovetop doesn’t have to limit your creativity in the kitchen. In fact, a stovetop paired with a dutch oven is a great way for making what would traditionally be an oven recipe on top of the stove, as is the case with these nachos.

For stovetop nachos, you’ll need the following ingredients:

• A bag of tortilla chips
• A bag of shredded cheese (usually cheddar or a Mexican blend)
• A can of refried beans or black beans
• Onions
• Jalapenos
• Tomatoes

To make stovetop nachos, follow these steps:

1. Place a layer of tortilla chips in the bottom of the dutch oven.
2. Scoop beans across each chip.
3. Add a layer of cheese.
4. Place the second layer of tortilla chips into the dutch oven and repeat steps 1-3 until you have three to four layers of chips.
5. Turn on your stovetop to medium-low heat.
6. Place the lid on your dutch oven.
7. Allow the nachos to heat up until the cheese has visibly melted.
8. Pull the nachos off the stove and add the rest of the fresh toppings.

The beauty of stovetop nachos is that you can be as creative as you want with your toppings. Pair with a few different hot sauces, and you have a satisfactory hot meal.

#2: One-Pot Spaghetti

Spaghetti is an easy meal for busy days on the road. This one-pot version makes cleanup simple and adds a little extra flavor to your noodles.

For one-pot spaghetti, you’ll need the following ingredients:

• A bag of spaghetti noodles
• A jar of spaghetti sauce
• A can of diced Italian tomatoes
• Parmesan cheese
• Red pepper flakes

To make one-pot spaghetti, follow these steps:

1. Start by filling your dutch oven with water.
2. Bring the water to a boil on your stovetop.
3. Add the spaghetti noodles.
4. Only partially cook the noodles in water, pulling them before they become al dente.
5. Drain the water from the noodles and add the spaghetti sauce and diced tomatoes.
6. Mix together and turn on the stove to medium-low heat.
7. Allow the noodles to cook to desired consistency in the sauce.
8. Top with parmesan and red pepper flakes.

By cooking the spaghetti noodles in the sauce, each noodle will be infused with more of the sauce’s flavor compared to boiling the noodles in water only. Feel free to add your own flair to the spaghetti, throwing in leftover ground beef or sausage.

#3: Build Your Own Rice Bowls

Rice bowls are a great campervan meal that can be adapted according to your dietary preferences. Get creative with your toppings and proteins, and make a little extra for a quick lunch on the road.

For this dish, you’ll need the following ingredients:

• Brown or white rice
• A protein of choice, e.g. tofu, chicken, or beef
• A jar of salsa
• A can of black beans
• A can of corn
• A fresh jalapeno
• A fresh onion
• A fresh tomato
• Cilantro
• An avocado

To make a build-your-own rice bowl, follow these steps:

1. Start by cooking your rice over the stove.
2. While your rice is cooking, chop all your chosen fresh veggies.
3. Once your rice has been cooked, pull from the stove and place a lid over the pot to keep the rice warm.
4. Next, heat up or cook your protein of choice.
5. Place the toppings out alongside the cooked rice and proteins and allow everyone to put together their own rice bowl.

As a bonus, bring out extra flavor in your rice by throwing in freshly chopped cilantro as soon as the rice has cooked. When it comes to the toppings for your rice bowl, the sky’s the limit! Get as creative as you wish and make the bowl your own.

#4: Parmesan and Lemon Shrimp Pasta

Another delicious easy-to-make pasta dish is our parmesan and lemon shrimp pasta. This pasta can be pulled together using two pots and features simple, fresh, flavors.

For this dish, you’ll need the following ingredients:

• One package of angel hair pasta
• Shredded parmesan cheese (5 oz.)
• One whole lemon
• ½ pound precooked shrimp
• Olive oil
• One clove garlic

To make this dish, follow these steps:

1. In a pot, bring a quart of water to a boil.
2. Add the angel hair pasta, cooking slightly less than al dente.
3. In a dutch oven, heat two to three tablespoons of olive oil on medium-low heat.
4. Add in a clove of freshly chopped garlic.
5. Saute until softened.
6. Toss in shrimp and angel hair pasta, stirring to coat the pasta in olive oil.
7. Add in the shredded parmesan, stirring to slightly melt the cheese.
8. Pull off the heat and squeeze the lemon juice over the dish, tossing until evenly spread.

For a different take on this dish, try using grilled chicken breast or a light fish.

#5: Four Bean Chili

For the colder months or a camping trip at high elevation, nothing beats a warm, spicy bowl of chili after a long day. This chili recipe is made in a single pot and features four different beans to add extra flavor to the dish.

To make four-bean chili, you’ll need the following ingredients:

• One can of black beans
• One can of dark red kidney beans
• One can of light red kidney beans
• One can of chili beans
• One can of corn
• One can of Rotel
• One can of diced tomatoes
• One can of crushed tomatoes
• One fresh yellow onion
• One clove of fresh garlic
• One fresh jalapeno
• 2 Tbsps olive oil
• Chili powder (to taste)
• Black pepper
• Salt
• Cumin
• Garlic powder
• Onion powder

To make this dish, follow these steps:

1. Start by dicing the onion, garlic, and jalapeno.
2. Next, heat the olive oil in the bottom of a dutch oven.
3. Toss the onion and garlic into the oil, sauteing until softened.
4. Add drained and rinsed black beans and kidney beans.
5. Add in the chili beans, Rotel, diced tomatoes, and crushed tomatoes.
6. Stir together, adding in the jalapeno, chili powder, black pepper, salt, cumin, garlic powder, and onion powder to taste.
7. Cook on medium-high with the dutch oven’s lid on for 30 minutes.
8. Add in the can of corn and stir together.
9. Cook for an additional 5-10 minutes, adding in extra seasoning as needed.

Find Your Next Adventure

A campervan makes it easy to eat delicious meals wherever the road or trail takes you. If you’re interested in purchasing a campervan equipped with a kitchen, take a look at our Pikes Peak and Longs Peak editions. These adventure vans are jam-packed with amenities, including a convenient stovetop where you can whip up your next meal.

Find the right campervan for your next adventure at Antero Adventure Motors.