Easy Campfire Spaghetti Bake Recipe
This campfire spaghetti bake recipe is the easiest camping meal that you will ever make! It’s delicious, filling, and feeds a crowd.
Ready to wow your camping crew with the easiest campfire pasta ever? This cheesy, meaty, saucy spaghetti bake is the perfect one-pan meal that feeds my boys with zero stress. It’s an easy camping meal that works great on a camp stove, grill grates, or even hot coals.
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There’s nothing better than digging into a warm, cheesy meal after a long day of adventuring in the great outdoors. My kids beg for this meal every camping trip, and I happily oblige because it’s so easy. We’re talking minimal prep, no mess, and loads of flavor—exactly what you want when cooking over a campfire grate or on a camp stove.
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Why You’ll Love This Recipe
This easy campfire spaghetti bake recipe is a total game-changer for campfire cooking. It’s quick to prep, cooks in one foil tray, and requires zero babysitting, so you can just sit back and relax by the fire.
No boiling water, no fuss, and no need to pack the entire kitchen! Just layer, cover, and let the hot coals do the work. Plus, it’s hearty enough to satisfy hungry campers after a long day of hiking, fishing, or just kicking back in a camping chair. Pair it with garlic bread for the ultimate outdoor dining experience.
For more easy camping meals, try these tinfoil packet fajitas, tinfoil packet Philly cheesesteaks, and teriyaki chicken foil packs. Or check out this roundup of 20+ foil packet recipes for the grill or campfire.
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Our Camp Cooking Essentials
- A pie iron camp cooker makes cooking over the open fire super easy. Check out these 20+ Pie Iron Recipe Ideas for tons of camp cooker inspiration! Or visit my how to use a pie iron post for tips.
- Foil pie plates make tinfoil packet meals even easier with the sturdy base that they provide.
- These grilling bags that I recently found are amazing! Simply add all of your ingredients to the bag at home, then throw it on the campfire or grill when camping in the great outdoors. Avoid the grill bags with plastic windows, though, as they melt.
- We love these BBQ cooking gloves because they make handling campfire food a whole lot safer!
Campfire Spaghetti Bake Recipe
Ingredients
- 1 pkg Spaghetti noodles, cooked – Swap spaghetti noodles with spaghetti squash for a low-carb version.
- 20 -30 Precooked meatballs – Because shaping and cooking ground beef at a campsite is too much effort. Frozen meatballs are your best friend!
- 1 jar Spaghetti sauce – Any marinara sauce or pasta sauce works. The saucier, the better!
- 1 cup Mozzarella cheese, shredded – Because melty cheese is life.
Instructions
1. Cook the spaghetti noodles.
Pro tip: I cook our spaghetti noodles at home, allow them to cool completely, and store them in a large freezer bag to take camping.
2. Spread the cooked spaghetti noodles over the base of a large 9×13 foil tray.
3. Evenly distribute pre-cooked meatballs on top of the pasta and pour over the spaghetti sauce.
Tip: I keep these meatballs** from Costco in the freezer of our trailer to use at a moment’s notice.
4. Top with a generous layer of mozzarella cheese, cover with foil, and place it on the campfire grate over medium heat for 30 minutes or until everything is hot and bubbly.
Tips for Camping Meal Preparation
- Prepare meals in advance at home whenever possible. Leave most of the mess at home, where running water is more accessible and cleanup is easier. Trust me on this one!
- Create “one pot” family style meals for quick dinners that don’t require a lot of thought.
- Use tinfoil packets, foil pie pans, or camp cookers. These tools help to make cleanup a breeze!
- Pack ingredients in 1-gallon freezer bags for flexible storage in small fridges and coolers.
- Plan meals that use similar ingredients to help make packing and planning easy. These cheesy vegetable campfire dip, loaded campfire cauliflower, and tinfoil packet nacho dip recipes are some of our favorites.
- Use my blank printable meal plan or camping meal plans to help organize your next trip.
Tips and Tricks
- Pre-cook everything at home to avoid dealing with boiling water and raw meat at camp.
- Use a foil tray, instead of a cast-iron Dutch oven, for easy cleanup and lightweight packing.
- Wrap leftovers in foil and reheat them the next day on the edge of the fire.
- Add a pinch of salt, garlic powder, or Italian seasoning to amp up the flavor.
- For a creamy twist to your campfire spaghetti, add a splash of vodka cream sauce or mix in ricotta cheese before baking.
- Pair it with garlic bread by wrapping slices in foil and toasting them over the coals while the pasta cooks.
- Skip the cheese if you want a dairy-free version, but let’s be honest…you don’t want to skip the cheese.
How to Make a Tinfoil Packet
- Cut two pieces of aluminum foil large enough to cover the entire meal (about 12″). Layer them one on top of the other. Optional: spray the interior with nonstick spray or line with parchment paper.
- Place recipe ingredients in the center. Bring up the longer edges of the foil and fold together. Grasp one end and roll it up, repeating with the other end.
- Alternatively, foil pie plates may be used to cook foil packet meals. Simply place the recipe ingredients into the pie plate and cover with aluminum foil before cooking.
- For best results, cook the foil packet on a grill over the open fire.
- Use caution when handling the foil packet, as it can become hot while cooking.
Frequently Asked Questions
How do I keep spaghetti from drying out on the campfire?
Make sure to fully cover the foil tray and use plenty of tomato sauce to keep everything moist.
Can I make this recipe in a cast-iron Dutch oven instead?
Absolutely! Just follow the same layering method and bake with the lid on over hot coals.
What other toppings can I add?
Try parmesan cheese, fresh parsley, red pepper flakes, or even diced green peppers for extra flavor.
How do I store leftovers?
Keep them in an airtight container in your cooler or fridge. Reheat over the fire or on a camp stove.
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Easy Campfire Spaghetti Bake Recipe
Ingredients
- 1 pkg spaghetti noodles cooked
- 20 – 30 precooked meatballs
- 1 jar spaghetti sauce
- 1 cup mozzarella cheese shredded
Instructions
- Prepare the ingredients that you need to make this spaghetti. Pro tip: I cook our spaghetti noodles at home, allow them to cool and then store them in a large freezer bag to take camping.
- In a large 9×13 foil tray, spread cooked spaghetti noodles.
- Layer with fully cooked meatballs and marinara sauce. Tip: I keep these meatballs from Costco in the freezer of our trailer to use at a moments notice.
- Top with Mozzarella cheese, cover with foil and bake over the campfire for 30 minutes or until warmed through.
