When I’m not posting about food, you’re pretty much guaranteed to find me in nature.
I’m a huge hiker, skier, and everything in between. When we’re doing those things, we are pretty much always camping.
By nature, I’m also a huge foodie, if it wasn’t obvious enough.
So it shouldn’t surprise you that whenever we’re camping, I’m the one cooking and coming up with the campfire meals.
It’s a camping tradition if you will, and I’m here to share my findings with you.
Tell Me More!
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Now, a lot of the time, you’re likely to have access to a charcoal or propane grill, cast iron skillet, or camp stove. All that fancy camping gear.
And I’m sure you’ve had a dutch oven pizza before, and thought it was delicious.
But that’s not what this recipe is.
On the off chance that all you have is a good old campfire, some tinfoil, a grocery store down the street, and a dream, this is where this handy recipe comes in.
Campfire foil pack recipes have the reputation of not tasting so good, but here’s a little secret:
They can be delicious, and there are a lot of great recipes out there.
And with the proper preparations and a few key ingredients, you too can make a campfire pizza taste like restaurant quality, all from the comfort of… the woods.
Step One: The Sauce
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Now, you can always use a store bought sauce.
On your way to the campground when buying your groceries, you can definitely stop and buy a squeezable bottle of pizza sauce. It’s a great way to save a whole lot of time.
But that’s not how we like to do it around here.
We make a great Neapolitan pizza sauce that’s perfect for making in bulk, freezing, and saving for occasions like visiting the campground.
All you need to do is take some whole tomatoes, strain them, and break them up by hand.
That’s it.
No salt, no pepper. Not even any garlic powder or olive oil. Just hand strained tomatoes.
If you want a United States based tomato sauce, try adding salt and pepper to the equation too. You also may opt for a pinch of oregano, and to cook it low and slow for a few hours.
Personally, I prefer to cook mine.
That’s the beauty with an Italian pizza sauce, there are so many ways to make it delicious.
Anyway, to bring camping, you’d want to put enough of this sauce for everyone inside of a mason jar, and pack it away with you to bring camping.
If properly sealed, this wouldn’t even need to be refrigerated.
Step Two: The Cheese
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This goes without saying, you can always use a pre shredded cheese that you bought from the store.
I’ll admit, I’ve done my pizza with this a few times, too.
But it’s not the best way. Not even close.
Store bought shredded cheese comes covered in cellulose to preserve the integrity of the strands. When it melts, the flavor becomes warped.
You’re going to want to shred the cheese yourself.
Better yet, do this before you leave, pack the pre shredded cheese into a large cooler to bring camping, and thank me later.
For this, you can use mozzarella cheese, or a cheddar if you’d like.
Step Three: The Pizza Crust
Let’s be honest.
Even though I’m sure you’ve thought of it, and I’m sure this has been done before, the last thing you want to do is bake your own pizza dough over a campfire (although that would be pretty badass).
You’re camping, remember?
This is supposed to be easy.
Your goal is to pack foods that’ll be easy on you, and be good in a foil packet.
For this, my top choice is actually french bread, or sub rolls that are sliced in half.
But you can use any old loaf of bread, frozen naan bread, pita bread, etc.
Judge it with your heart!
Step Four: The Toppings
Last but not least are the toppings.
All of your favorite pizza toppings are fair game here.
For this, I like to cut up some veggies (bell peppers, onions, etc.) and put them right on the pizza, or just use some pre-sliced pepperoni. You can grab this from your local grocery store.
Pizza toppings are wonderful, because they’re entirely up to personal preference. Whatever you want goes!
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Step Five: The Assembly
I’m sure this goes without saying, but in case you needed a little reminder:
You put sauce all over the bread of your choice.
Then, on top of the sauce, goes cheese. Lots and lots of cheese. As much or as little as you’d like, I’m not here to dictate how much you should be using.
And last but not least, the toppings.
Wrap your pizzas loosely in foil, and place them directly on the wood of the campfire.
I’d wait about 7 minutes before checking to see if it needs any more time. There is really no way to judge, especially since differently built fires with different kinds of wood don’t all omit the same level of even heat.
And that is how you make a great pizza right over the open flame of your campfire!
Campfire Pizza FAQS:
Q: Can I prepare this entirely at home for my next camping trip?
A: Foil and all! Prepare these right from the comfort of your kitchen, stick them in the cooler, and you’ll be good to go.
Q: What are your favorite toppings besides pepperoni?
A: I love mushrooms, peppers, and onions. You may want to cook these at home first, though, so they reach your desired level of consistency, especially if you’re feeding some picky eaters.
Q: Should I use a grill grate over the open fire?
A: You can, but it’s not entirely necessary to make a delicious pizza. By placing your foil packet away from the direct flame, and making sure it rests evenly over the fire, you should be able to achieve a nice, evenly toasted pizza.
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Easy Campfire Pizza Recipe | With Aluminum Foil
- Total Time: 53 minute
Ingredients
- 2 cups freshly shredded mozzarella cheese (can substitute with cheddar)
- 1 cup pizza sauce of your choice
- ½ cup toppings of your choice (optional)
- 4 slices bread of your choice, I prefer 2 sub rolls that are cut into halves
Materials needed:
- Aluminum foil
- Cooler
- Tongs (to remove hot pizza from fire)
- Roaring campfire, preferably inside of a fire pit
Instructions
- Spread tomato sauce over the base of the bread
- Cover in mozzarella cheese
- Add toppings (optional)
- Cover bread loosely with aluminum foil
- Place over the campfire, in an area where the fire isn’t as strong
- Check pizza after 7 minutes to see if cheese is melted and golden brown over the top of the pizza, and bread is toasted
Notes
Note: Prep time can be shorter or longer depending on when/if you prepare your ingredients yourself.
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 7-10 minutes
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 4 small pizzas for 2 people
