Easy Dutch Oven Campfire Goulash Recipe
This is one of our favorite warm, hearty and comforting Dutch oven camping recipes that is especially wonderful during cold weather camping trips. The Italian flavors in this Dutch oven Campfire Goulash are bold, tasty and easily achieved with simple ingredients.
How To Make Campfire Goulash In Your Dutch Oven
As one of our favorite one pot camping meals, this recipe is made in a single pot so you’ll just keep adding layers of flavor to the Dutch oven as you build this yummy goulash meal.
Step 1. Prepare your veggies.
- One of the most important things to do when you are making easy camping meals is to prep all of your ingredients before you start cooking. This particular recipe is super easy, you just need to chop a bit of onion, celery and garlic.
Step 2. Get your cooking equipment ready.
- I like making this as one of our regular winter camping recipes that I cook over a campfire but if I am making this when we are under campfire restrictions, I just use a propane stove. If fire restrictions prevent you from using an open flame … or you just prefer cooking with propane, you can also make this as one of our camp stove recipes so get your stove ready for cooking on a level surface.
- If you are making this as one of our campfire recipes, you’ll need to get your fire going in order to cook over coals (not flames) … alternatively, you can use charcoal briquettes.
Step 3. Brown the meat.
- The flavorful Italian sausage in this recipe needs to be browned in your 12-inch cast iron camp Dutch oven over medium heat. There is enough fat in the meat so you don’t have to add any oil to the pot for browning.
Hand Test For Cooking Temperatures
You don’t need a thermometer to determine the temperature of your heat source for cooking. Here are steps for the “hand test”.
- Hold the palm of your hand about 5 inches above the heat source (campfire coals, charcoal briquettes, propane grill etc.) you’re using for cooking. (Make sure nothing is flammable, like clothing or jewelry.)
- Pull your hand away from the heat before it hurts and note how many seconds have passed. Example: 6-7 seconds = medium heat.
| Heat Level | Temperature Range | Time |
| High Heat | 450-550°F (230-290C) | 2-4 seconds |
| Medium-High | 375-450°F (190-230C) | 5 seconds |
| Medium Heat | 350-375°F (175-190C) | 6-7 seconds |
| Low-Medium | 325-350°F (160-175C) | 8 seconds |
| Low Heat | 250-325°F (120-160C) | 9-10 seconds |
Step 4. Add the veggies.
- After the sausage is browned, you can add the onion, celery and garlic to the pot. You’ll only cook them a few minutes, just until they are softened. Make sure you keep stirring to ensure nothing sticks.
Step 5. Add the liquids.
- It’s time to add the broth, tomatoes and beans into the pot. This will quickly cool down the Dutch oven so just add the cover and bring the mixture up to simmer.
Lodge Camp Dutch Oven Lid Lifter
Step 6. Add the pasta.
- As soon as the mixture is simmering, you’ll add the macaroni to the pot. Then, raise the heat to bring the mixture to a low boil. Just leave the cover off of the oven and cook the macaroni until it is softened.
Camp Cooking Tip: If you are cooking pasta in a Dutch oven but the pasta is not cooking as fast as the liquid is evaporating, you will have to add more liquid. For this particular recipe, you may need to add about 1/2 – 1 cup water during this part of the cooking process.
Step 7. Thicken and serve.
- Now it is time to let the goulash thicken slightly, just keep it cooking uncovered until it reaches the consistency you desire. Sprinkle with parmesan cheese for serving. I also like to serve a nice crusty bread on the side with my camping pasta recipes.
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Scaling Servings
This is one of those easy camping meals for large groups because it is simply scaled up to feed as many people as you need, and, it’s an affordable option too.
Try These Similar Recipes
There are so many ways to get creative with our awesome camping dinner recipes!
- If you like this goulash, you’ll love this Campfire Stew too. The rich tomato-based sauce is the perfect pairing for the potatoes, carrots and the beef that is fork-tender after cooking for a couple of hours.
- Camp dinners don’t get much easier than this One Pot Creamy Cajun Chicken Camping Pasta that uses pre-cooked chicken and combines it with pasta, cream cheese, fire roasted tomatoes, a jalapeno pepper and some spices. The meal is rich, smooth and balanced nicely by the spices with a touch of heat.
- This Hobo Casserole is a no-frills classic comfort food dinner.
- Did you know some people have another name for goulash? It’s also called American chop suey! If you’re in the mood for real chicken chop suey, try my American Chinese Chop Suey made with readily available ingredients.
Watch How To Make It
Recipe
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Dutch Oven Goulash Camping Recipe
Ingredients
- 1 pound bulk hot Italian sausage (for a milder flavor substitute 1 lb ground beef or sweet Italian sausage)
- 1 small onion chopped
- 1 stalk celery chopped
- 4 cloves garlic minced
- 1 (32 oz) carton beef broth
- 1 (14 oz) can diced tomatoes undrained
- 1 (15 oz) can Great Northern beans undrained
- 1 (16 oz) package elbow macaroni dry pasta
- Water as needed, approximately 1 cup
- 1/4 cup shredded fresh parmesan cheese
- Salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
- In a 12-inch Dutch oven over medium heat, fry the sausage breaking it up as it lightly browns.
- Now add the onion, celery and garlic and cook until the veggies are softened, stirring frequently to make sure nothing sticks.
- Stir the broth, tomatoes and beans into the pot, cover and bring the mixture up to simmer. (see Note #1)
- Once simmering, uncover the pot and add the macaroni, raise the heat to bring the mixture to a low boil and cook uncovered till the macaroni is softened, about 10 minutes. You may need to add about 1/2 – 1 cup water (a little at a time) if the liquid is getting absorbed before the macaroni is softened.
- Continue cooking until the goulash is slightly thickened.
- Serve sprinkled with parmesan cheese.
Notes
- When the lid is on a cast iron Dutch oven pot, you’ll know it is simmering when you see steam coming from between the lid and the pot.
Great recipe. Perfect proportions. Reminds me of my Mom’s goulash. Love it.
Thanks Ryan! Happy Camping, Kim