When you're travelling out of a campervan, cooking in your vehicle is a great way to stretch your travel budget on your campervan holiday. Both backpackers and families alike can easily save money. To ensure you maximise time to explore and money for activities, it's good to have some quick and easy meals up your sleeve. An easy meal is one that can be made in no time on the road. Luckily, there are plenty of campervan friendly options available! Here are 12 simple recipes that will help you cook delicious, quick meals while on holiday.
What makes a good campervan meal
One of the benefits of choosing to travel in a campervan is the convenience and comfort of being able to cook your own meals at your campsite (or really wherever you end up!). All of our Mighty campers are well equipped with cooking facilities for you to create a masterpiece. This includes all the essentials such as pans, plates, tongs, and so on.
In saying that, you will often be cooking in a tight space with less equipment than you’re used to. Given you’re away from your home pantry, you may also be working with limited ingredients. For this reason, a good campervan meal is one that is simple to make, doesn’t take too long, uses minimal equipment, is nutritious, doesn’t require too many ingredients, and most importantly, tastes amazing. Let’s dive into 12 road trip meal ideas that you can add to your RV supplies list!
1. Hamburgers
Hamburgers are the classic Aussie summers day meal. And, contrary to what some may think, they don’t need to be unhealthy! Whether you prefer chicken, beef or the impossible burger patties, this is a simple and convenient dinner or lunch for the whole family.
Ingredients:
Beef patty/chicken or meat alternative
Buns
Tomato sauce
Lettuce
Tomato
Onion
Instructions:
Cook patties on a pan until cooked through. While waiting, cut up lettuce, tomato and onion and place to the side. Serve patties on a bun with desired toppings. Optional: enjoy while overlooking a beach or stunning vista on your travels (guarantee it will taste even better!).
2. Pan fried frittata
Pan-fried frittata is a quick meal that can be made in any campervan. The reason frittatas are so popular among campers is that you can use all the ingredients you have on hand. Plus, there's no need for an oven.
Frittatas are one of the easiest meals to make and also one of the most versatile. You can use up all your leftovers or whatever vegetables and cheese you have available. This makes this dish a great way to get creative with your food while travelling.
Ingredients:
Sage
Eggs
Mushroom
Cherry tomatoes
Spinach
Milk or cream
Instructions:
Whisk eggs with a splash of milk or cream. Add butter to the hot pan and fry the sage. Add the mushrooms, then add the egg mix with the rest of the ingredients and cook until the eggs are firm. Serve and enjoy!
3. Fluffy pancakes
Fluffy pancakes are a classic for those slow mornings on the road. Want to take it easy for the morning and have a treat? What better way to soak up the beauty around you than with fluffy pancakes topped with your favourite toppings?
Ingredients:
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 tsp baking powder
1 egg
sugar
3 tbsp milk, any kind will do. You can also use water or soy milk if you want the pancakes to be vegan.
Toppings (peanut butter, maple syrup, yogurt - or maybe even a little ice cream if you’re feeling like a treat)
Instructions:
Mix all of your dry ingredients together until well blended, and then add in your wet ones until it looks like regular pancake batter. If it's too thick, then just add more milk or water until it reaches the right consistency. Pour a small amount into the pan until it forms a circle. When it begins to bubble, flip it to the other side and cook until brown. Repeat for the remaining mix and serve with toppings.
4. Grilled halloumi wraps
If you are tired of regular old wraps, why not try these flavourful halloumi wraps? Wraps are the perfect mid-day lunch or a simple, fuss-free dinner. Plus, as halloumi is a great protein punch (with 7 grams per 28 grams/1 oz serving). A halloumi wrap is perfect for recovery after a long day of adventuring on the road.
Ingredients:
Wraps
Asparagus
Capsicum
Halloumi
Cherry tomatoes
Salad greens
Eggplant
Sliced red onion
Instructions:
Chop eggplant and capsicum into thick slices. Grill eggplant, capsicum and asparagus until golden brown. When the other veggies are close to done, cut the halloumi and do the same with the halloumi until soft and brown on each side. Add veggies, halloumi and greens to the wrap and bon appétit!
5. Spicy ramen noodles
2-minute noodles, or ‘ramen’, are a must-have if you need to cook with cheap camping supplies. Looking for a way to turn those convenient packets of ramen noodles into an impressive and wholesome dinner? Be sure to add this spicy ramen noodle recipe to your campervan shopping list! With loads of flexibility in ingredients and being super budget-friendly, this is a great campervan-friendly meal.
Ingredients:
Sesame oil
Green onion
Garlic
Ginger
Ramen noodles
Soy sauce
Rice vinegar
Sriracha sauce
Mushroom
Red pepper
Broccoli
Tofu/prawn/egg (optional extras)
Instructions:
Cook the ramen according to the package instructions. Drain and set aside. Cook the green onion, ginger and garlic in a pan until golden brown. Add mushroom, red pepper and broccoli and cook until soft. Then add in ramen noodles and the rest of the ingredients, and toss together until combined.
6. Apple crumble
Whether you are enjoying a summer adventure or a winter escape, it doesn't get better than ending an evening with a warm apple crumble. This is one of our favourite desserts!
Ingredients:
Shredded coconut
Flour
Rolled oats
Butter
Sugar
Apple (or pear)
Cream or ice cream (to serve)
Rhubarb (optional extra)
Instructions:
Melt butter in a pan and add coconut, flour and rolled oats. Stir the mix until golden brown and then set aside. Add apple and rhubarb to the pan. Add a dash of water and sugar to the pan, and stir until stewed. Remove pan from heat and sprinkle crumble over the top. Serve and enjoy with a dash of cream!
7. Breakfast quesadilla
A breakfast quesadilla is a zesty and hearty way to start the day. Filled with simple and yummy ingredients, this will keep you energized all morning long.
Ingredients:
Tortillas
Eggs
Refried beans
Corn on the cob
Spinach
Cheese
Instructions:
Cut corn and separate kernels. Spread refried beans evenly over a tortilla. Add corn, spinach and cheese and top with another tortilla. Fry the tortilla stack until golden brown, and flip to brown on the other side. For an extra bit of protein, cook up an egg and serve on top.
8. Overnight oats
Overnight oats are a no-brainer, easy on-the-go recipe, perfect for early morning adventures or long driving days. Overnight oats are a great breakfast option for exploring Australia in a campervan because you can make them ahead of time. Then, just keep them in the fridge until you want to eat them. They’re also easy to transport in little containers if you want to take a batch on your trip with you. And, with a great mix of fibre, nutrient-dense ingredients and high in protein you will stay fuller for longer (so no mid-morning hungries!).
Ingredients:
Oats
Milk
Maple Syrup
Chia seeds (optional)
Greek yogurt
Toppings (dried fruit, nuts, seeds etc)
Instructions:
Mix 1 part oats, 1 part milk and ⅛ part chia seeds in a container. Add the greek yogurt, maple syrup, and milk - then mix to combine. Once stirred through, chill in the fridge for at least two hours or overnight. Next morning, top with your favourite toppings and dig in!
9. Grilled fish with salad
Grilled fish with salad is a no-fuss meal perfect for making the most out of a coastal Australia road trip. Head to your local fishery or shops and grab the local fish. Or even better, try and catch your own for dinner!
Ingredients:
Asparagus
Butter
Fish
Lemon
Green salad
Instructions:
Fire up the grill (or pan) and cook up the asparagus. Add a generous helping of butter and cook the fish in the butter. Serve with lemon and green salad.
10. Creamy chicken curry
Creamy chicken curry is a flavoursome minimal ingredient meal that is the perfect reminder that ‘simple’ doesn’t have to mean bland! Filled with simple ingredients, you can easily whip this up after a long day of adventuring.
Ingredients:
Curry powder
Garlic
Ginger
Onion
Chicken broth
Coconut milk
Chicken
Peas (or other diced veg)
Coriander or chives to serve (optional)
Instructions:
Cook garlic, ginger and onion in a pan until brown. Add diced chicken and continue to cook until cooked through. Then add curry powder and stir for one minute. Add coconut milk and broth, and let simmer for 10 minutes. Add peas and stir through before serving!
11. Muesli with plums
Muesli with plums is a great breakfast. It's easy to make, too: just grab some muesli and plums (or another fruit of your choice), add water, and cook! You can use any kind of muesli you like. However, if you want to go the extra mile and make your own homemade version it'll be delicious and more nutritious. This breakfast will set you up for the rest of the day on the road.
Ingredients:
Pear
Apple
Rolled oats
Greek yogurt (for serving)
Plums (for serving)
Instructions:
Grate pear and apple. Add all ingredients to a bowl with a dash of water. Mix well and place in the fridge overnight. Serve with plums and greek yogurt.
12. Beef nachos
Beef nachos are a crowd-pleasing snack that's easy to make in your campervan with a grill, or in a pan with a lid in a pinch! If you're making them for several people, you can easily increase the quantities of the recipe.
Ingredients:
400g ground beef (or meat substitute)
1 packet taco seasoning mix
1 red onion
Small bag of tortilla chips (you'll have plenty left over)
100g Cheese
Instructions:
Brown beef in a pan and drain off any excess fat. Add taco seasoning mix and stir until combined. Add tortilla chips to a baking tray and sprinkle over beef and cheese. Place under grill and heat through. Serve with a side salad if desired.
Ready to cook your own campervan meals?
Travelling in a campervan is a perfect way to experience the very best that Australia has to offer, all while enjoying the convenience (and budget-friendly) campervan meals. Want to get some more inspiration for camping food supplies and other road trip meal ideas? Check out our other recipes for the road.
