Creamy Taco Recipe: Easy, Tasty & Fun One-Pot Camping Meal
This nacho-style Creamy Taco Recipe will satisfy your taste buds with simple ingredients that require very little preparation. My whole family agrees, it’s one of the best one pot camping meals for celebrating Taco Tuesday and game day events in the great outdoors!
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Recipe Prep
One of my favorite things about creating easy camping meals is whipping together ingredients that I keep stored in my pantry and are readily-available in any grocery store. Here we’re using 3 different canned ingredients to create amazing flavors and textures.
It is optional to add a variety of toppings. Think about what you like on your homemade tacos. Depending on your favorite toppings, you may need to chop some ingredients like green onions, cilantro, avocado (don’t forget to toss in a little lime juice to maintain a bright green color) and diced tomatoes.
Cooking Methods & Equipment
If you are making this as one of our easy campfire recipes, you’ll need to get your fire going and anticipate about 30 minutes of cooking time.
You can also make this as one of our camp stove recipes which is really nice when campfires are prohibited.
You’ll need a skillet or Dutch oven for cooking this meal.
Recipe Steps
Step 1. Prepare your ingredients, heat source and equipment as directed.
Step 2. Brown beef in a large skillet or cast iron Dutch oven. Depending on the fat content of the meat, you may need to drain some grease out of the pot before adding more ingredients.
Step 3. Stir in the spices and canned goods.
Step 4. Add the two types of cheeses to the hamburger mixture and stir to incorporate. When the cheese is melted, it’s time to serve.
Step 5. Spoon the creamy taco mixture over tortilla chips and garnish with your favorite toppings, if desired.
Variations
If you don’t want to serve over chips, you can also just use taco shells but you’ll need to fill the bottom of the shell with something that will hold the creamy texture of the meat. Try a layer of veggies, like shredded lettuce, or Mexican rice.
Substitutions
If you have dietary restrictions and need to prepare gluten free camping food, make sure you use gluten-free chips and taco seasoning (or use the spice mixture listed in the recipe card).
If you’re watching your carbs and need to make keto camping food, skip the corn chips and serve as a low carb taco bowl over cauliflower rice or over leafy greens as taco salads.
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If you’re on a low-fat diet, ground turkey can be substituted for the pound of ground beef to make a leaner meal.
What To Serve With This Recipe
When I’m serving this as one of my camping dinner recipes, I don’t serve anything on the side because the meat, cheese and beans are already in this easy meal.
If I want to stretch it to feed more people, I just double the recipe or I will add a few camping snacks on the side and create a heavy-appetizer spread.
This Sweet Onion Salsa Recipe is a family favorite, especially when we have fresh tomatoes out of the garden.
I like making this Fresh Guacamole Appetizer when I’m serving taco recipes because it’s a nice starter and can be used as a condiment on the main dish with a dollop of sour cream.
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Leftovers
If you have leftovers, keep the creamy taco sauce in the fridge or cooler in an airtight container and turn it into soup the next day.
Add the leftover taco meat to a soup pot with 1 pint whipping cream and enough beef broth to thin it out to a nice consistency. I like serving creamy beef taco soup with a few tortilla strips and fresh cilantro on top. (Use chicken broth if you substituted ground turkey in the original recipe.)
Similar Recipes
These Dutch Oven Enchiladas consistently get a 5-star rating every time I serve them. It’s one of my favorite Dutch oven camping recipes that uses pre-cooked chicken.
My favorite fall recipes often include rice or potatoes. This Dutch Oven Mexican Chicken is baked right in the rice with flavor-packed seasonings. Check out all of our Dutch oven Mexican recipes before planning your next menu.
From start to finish, these Camping Tacos will be on your table in 20 minutes!
This Diablo Sandwich is filled with Tex-Mex flavors. This warm, hearty and spicy sandwich is one of my favorite winter camping recipes.
These Chili Lime Shrimp Tacos are grilled then served on corn tortillas with shredded cabbage and drizzled with an amazing creamy jalapeno sauce.
This Camping Fajitas Freezer Meal combines sliced chicken with spices, onions, green and red bell peppers. You make it at home, freeze it in a gallon-sized freezer bag, then, just dump & cook at camp. Check out all of my make ahead camping meals.
If you want a similar easy recipe for breakfast, try these Camping Breakfast Burritos.
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Creamy Taco Recipe
SUGGESTED EQUIPMENT
Ingredients
- 1 pound lean ground beef (can substitute ground turkey)
Spices & Canned Goods
- 1 (1 oz) package taco seasoning see * Note to substitute individual spices
- 1 (15 oz) can black beans drained, (can substitute pinto beans or drained chili beans)
- 1 (15 oz) can fire roasted tomatoes undrained, (similar to Rotel tomatoes)
- 1 (4 oz) can green chilies undrained
Cheeses
- 1 cup shredded cheddar cheese
- 1 (4 oz) package cream cheese (cubed into 1-inch pieces)
For Serving
- 1 (10 oz) bag corn tortilla chips
- Optional: your favorite taco toppings
Instructions
- In a large skillet or cast iron Dutch oven, brown ground beef over medium high heat until no longer pink. Drain excess grease, if necessary.
- Add spices and canned goods to the meat, stir to combine.
- Reduce to medium heat and add the cheeses to the pot. Stir occasionally until cheese is melted and fully incorporated. (In windy conditions you may need to use higher heat and cover the pot to get the cheese to melt.)
- Serve over tortilla chips and garnish with your favorite taco toppings.
Notes
Nutrition Information
More Yummy Meal Ideas
If you’re looking for awesome ideas for yummy camping food, you’re in the right place! Here’s our entire camping recipes list.
