31+ Easy Camping Side Dishes You’re Gonna Love!
When you are planning your menu and deciding which camping food items you want to include, consider the entire meal. We often focus on the main course, but the sides you serve are important to round out the full meal. Here are some of the best easy camping side dishes you’re gonna love!
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Make Ahead Camping Side Dishes
When you think of the most popular make-ahead summer side dishes do potato salads come to mind? This popular cold dish seems to make it on every picnic table for every summer holiday!
1. Refrigerator Cucumber Salad
This fresh & easy salad tastes like summer in a bowl! The veggies are nestled in a simple homemade dressing for at least 6 hours. It’s better to let the flavors marry for a day or two, so, it’s the perfect make-ahead side dish for your next trip!
This no-fuss side dish makes a great meal when paired with easy camping recipes like sandwiches and wraps. This is one of the best ways to make a really fast dinner after a long day on the hiking trail.
2. Potato Salad With Bacon And Chives
This make ahead camping potato salad is always a crowd-pleaser. It actually tastes better after the flavors meld a day or two.
Continue the bacon theme by making this Bacon Basil Tomato Ciabatta Sandwich Recipe as your main dish.
3. Southwest Salad
This salad is a black bean and corn side dish that can be made two days in advance of when you are going to eat it. And, if you are headed to a party, it is one of the best camping potluck side dishes because it is easy to scale for larger crowds and it is always a big hit!
If I have leftovers of this recipe, I like to use it to make burritos. Try making a great breakfast burrito by spooning some salad on a tortilla then topping with scrambled eggs. Serve this savory option along with French toasts for a sweet and salty combination.
4. Greek Tomato And Feta Pasta Salad
I love making cold side dishes for potlucks that can be made a few days in advance like this make ahead pasta salad. This is one of those recipes that actually tastes better after the flavors have time to marry for a day or two.
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The simple olive oil-based homemade dressing is tossed with veggies, feta cheese, green onions, Kalamata olives and bowtie pasta. A great way to use leftovers is by adding cubed grilled chicken and serving as a quick lunch.
Looking for more camping pasta recipes? We’ve got them!
5. Polish Potato Salad Recipe
This easy retro side is great for grilled meats and sandwiches. The tender potatoes are tossed with hard boiled eggs, onion and celery in a simple homemade sauce.
Cold salads are great options when you want the convenience of make-ahead meals on your trips. The last thing you want to do is work all day in your camp kitchen when the whole family is out exploring!
These Dutch Oven French Dip Sandwiches make a great main dish. You prepare the raw ingredients at home and freeze in a plastic food storage bag. Defrost at camp then just “dump and cook” using a Dutch oven over an open fire or in a large frying pan over a camp stove. This is an easy way to have a hot meal that requires less time at camp. Try them the next time you need a quick hot meal.
Get more easy make ahead camping meals that include “dump and cook” and “dump and reheat” recipes.
Make sure you transport them to the campsite in food containers with tight-fitting lids.
Rubbermaid Easy Find Lids Food Storage Containers
No Cook Side Dishes For Camping
6. Panzanella Salad
This hearty panzanella salad is a great option for Italian side dishes but is substantial enough to serve as a main course for a heavy lunch or light dinner.
7. Honey Mint Syrup Camping Fruit Salad
When you are looking for really good summer sides for grilling, try a fresh fruit salad. No cooking is required and the flavor in this fruit salad is amazing! It goes really well with a simple grilled hot dog, burger or brat.
The combination of orange, lemon and lime juice provide a nice sweet and tangy flavor while the fresh mint adds the perfect finishing touch. If you include bananas, make sure you add them at the last minute so they don’t turn brown and get too soggy.
The perfect breakfast allows you to stay in your sleeping bag as long as you want! This salad makes an easy camping breakfast on its own, but, pairs well as a side dish for a simple fried egg too.
If you have leftovers, try serving as one of your camping dessert recipes. It’s a nice change from roasted marshmallows and melted chocolate sandwiched between graham crackers! You can jazz it up by mixing a little powdered sugar and cream cheese, spreading it on a slice of pound cake and topping with a heaping spoon of this fruit.
8. Mexican Three Bean Salad
If you are looking for super easy, no-cook camping side dishes, try this salad. What is amazing is that this salad is one of our camping food recipes no refrigeration required so you don’t need cold food storage space for the ingredients used in this recipe.
This salad is filled with protein and is one of our really satisfying vegetarian camping recipes that can be served as a cold side salad or wrapped in a tortilla for a main course.
If you have leftovers, store in refrigerator and serve as a chunky bean salsa with tortilla chips for scooping. If you want ideas for more no cook camping meals, check these out!
For safe storage and transportation of sharp kitchen utensils, use knives with blade guards.
Yummy On-Site Camping Side Dish Ideas
9. Dutch Oven Potatoes Au Gratin
These cheesy potatoes take a little extra time and effort but the finished dish is WORTH IT! It’s a rich and creamy side dish perfect for large families. The heavy cream, garlic, bacon, onions and potatoes are topped with Parmesan and cheddar cheese. Kids and adults love this casserole!
10. Burnt Broccoli Recipe
This easy parmesan crusted campfire broccoli starts with a super simple homemade marinade, combines lemon and Parmesan cheese, and is grilled to perfection over a campfire or camp grill.
11. Smoked Green Beans
If you use a portable pellet grill smoker and you like southern green beans, you need to try this recipe! The green beans, bacon, onions and garlic all get smoked in a cast iron skillet while your main meat dish is being smoked at the same time!
12. Dutch Oven Mac And Cheese
If you want a warm, creamy and cheesy side, try this mac n cheese on your next camp trip! It pairs well with ham, hot sandwiches slathered in bbq sauce and our Camping Dutch Oven BBQ Ribs.
If you want to prepare this ahead, cook the pasta and mix it with the cheese mixture. Then, spray foil pan with cooking spray and spoon the mac & cheese into the pan and cover with aluminum foil. Store in refrigerator and transport to the campsite. Remove the pan from your refrigerator or cooler and let it get to room temperature. Then, bake at 350 F degrees till bubbly.
13. Broccoli Sunshine Salad
This salad combines crispy, crumbled bacon with fresh broccoli and a simple homemade dressing. It’s the perfect pairing for quick sandwiches and grilled meats.
14. Dutch Oven Baked Beans
This cast iron 5-bean baked bean recipe features hamburger, bacon and five different beans in a simple homemade sauce. It pairs well with hot dogs, burgers, sandwiches and ribs.
15. Glazed Campfire Carrots
I like making simple camping vegetable side dishes to pair with grilled fish. These carrots go really well with my Soy And Garlic Grilled Halibut.
16. Camping Potatoes In Foil
These potatoes are some of our favorite camping sides for steak that you can make in one single foil packet to feed the entire family. Get more ideas to make entire campfire meals in foil!
17. Dutch Oven Jalapeno Cornbread
Can you think of better chili dinner sides? This cornbread is slightly sweet because of the corn and mildly spicy because of the jalapeno pepper making it a great pairing for a hot bowl of Campfire Chili.
When you are baking with your Dutch oven, this handy Dutch oven temperature chart will help you determine how many coals you need to maintain specific oven temperatures.
Use a Dutch oven carry bag to transport and store your Dutch oven and the accessories all in one place.
Camp Chef Dutch Oven Carry Bag
18. Dutch Oven Cornbread
Want a more classic-flavored corn bread? Try this one that uses cornmeal and creamed canned corn. It is easy, quick and delicious. If you have leftovers, top with a little butter and maple syrup or honey and enjoy for dessert!
Want to make cleanup super simple? Use parchment paper liners! You don’t have to go through the extra cost of buying pre-made liners. Check out our VIDEO to learn how to use Dutch oven liners and make your own for pennies!
19. Grilled Potato Wedges
Faux French fries make the perfect camping burger sides you can grill at the same time over a campfire, charcoal grill or propane camping stove with a grill pan. My Chipotle Mayonnaise Recipe takes these fries to the next level!
Get more of our simple camping grill recipes for your entire meal.
20. Campfire Corn On The Cob
One of our favorite summertime campfire side dishes is making corn in the husks over a campfire. When corn is at its peak season, we often serve this corn as a stand-alone meal.
If you’re feeling like you need a little more international tasting version, make a Mexican street corn by slathering the charred corn with a sauce made from combining a bit of sour cream, mayo, cotija cheese, garlic, cilantro, lime zest and juice.
There are so many yummy campfire recipes that are fun to make while cooking over an open flame!
21. Campfire Veggie Packets
When you are thinking of making healthy camping side dishes, just throw your favorite vegetables in a foil pouch and steam them alongside your main course. This is just one of our yummy keto camping food ideas.
You can do all the prep work at home so the only thing you have to do at camp is cook the foil pack over hot coals. Just prepare the veggies and pile in the center of the tin foil sheet then add the butter, salt and pepper. Seal the packet and refrigerate it until you’re ready to cook at camp.
Our Grilled Flat Iron Camping Steak Recipe starts with a simple marinade that produces a sweet and savory blend of flavors that are out of this world!
22. Dutch Oven Biscuits
One of our favorite Dutch oven sides to serve with soups and stews is homemade biscuits. Get more simple recipes to make Dutch oven baked goods on your camping trips.
Use a Dutch oven lid lifter to turn your oven and lid in opposite directions throughout the cooking time for even baking.
Lodge Camp Dutch Oven Lid Lifter
Thanksgiving Camping Dinner Sides
23. Thanksgiving Foil Packets Spiced Potatoes
These individual packets making the perfect potato side dishes for a camping couple or large crowds. Get more ideas to make yummy camping meals for two.
24. Orange Scented Cranberry Sauce
One of my favorite camping sides for chicken and turkey is this cranberry sauce. We always serve it on Thanksgiving but it pairs well as a slightly sweet and tart accompaniment to plain grilled meats. You only need 4 simple ingredients to make one of the best camp stove recipes for the holiday and beyond!
25. Dutch Oven Stuffing
One of our favorite Dutch oven Thanksgiving sides is this classic sage sausage Dutch oven stuffing. We make this dressing separate from the turkey providing lots of options for how you want to cook the bird for your big meal.
See our entire menu and get all the recipes to make our camping Thanksgiving dinner.
A charcoal chimney starter is a quick and efficient tool for starting your charcoal for cooking.
Weber Rapidfire Chimney Starter
26. Cranberry And Toasted Almond Spinach Salad
This spinach salad is an easy side salad that goes well with a traditional Thanksgiving turkey dinner. I love using fresh leaf spinach rather than a delicate lettuce because it stays fresher longer in camp coolers. Get tips on keeping camping veggies fresh during your trips.
In addition to pairing well with meat, this is the perfect side dish for campfire pizza.
27. Tomato Sauced Potatoes
Italian-style big fan taste buds love adding this dish to a classic American turkey meal. In a large pot, sauté some onions and garlic in a bit of olive oil. Mix in cubed potatoes, tomato sauce, dried herbs, salt and pepper. Then add enough water to cover the potato mixture. Cover and cook over low heat until the potatoes are tender, about 30 minutes.
One Pot Camping Meals With Sides Included
The most quick and easy side dishes for camping are the ones you make in the pot with the main course.
28. Campfire Stew
This delicious beef stew features carrots and potatoes with the meat in a fantastic tomato-based sauce. This camping stew is so warm and hearty, it is one of our favorite winter camping recipes for cold weather trips!
29. Dutch Oven Sausage
This is an awesome one pot dinner that includes the side dish with brats that includes onions, peppers and potatoes.
30. Dutch Oven Latin Campfire Chicken
This recipe only takes 15 minutes to prep and the meal includes chicken, sweet potatoes and black beans all in one pot! See all of our Dutch oven camping recipes for breakfast, lunch, dinner and dessert!
31. One Pot Cast Iron Fish
Rice is an ideal side dish for fish … especially when you add interesting flavor profiles like in this recipe that has Spanish flavor influences. If you like fishing on your RV camping trips, this is one of our easy camping meals you can make with fresh fish!
32. Sausage Sauerkraut And Dumplings
Think about sauerkraut and dumplings if you are looking for really easy camping side dishes to go with pork. This recipe is a 3 ingredient meal that will be on your table in 20 minutes! This is one of our fastest camping dinner recipes we make on action-packed camp days when we are busy with lots of activities that don’t include cooking.
FREE Printable Camping Meal Plan Template
Prepare your next camping trip menu with ease. The best camping meal can fail if you forget the condiments! Use this FREE meal planner to plan your recipes, camping essentials and grocery store shopping effortlessly so you can completely enjoy your next camping adventure!
Get your FREE printable camping trip & menu planner before you create your next meal plan!
More Camping Food Options
Enjoy every single meal of your trips!
If you’re looking for awesome ideas for yummy camping food, you’re in the right place!
Here’s our entire camping recipes list.
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