Dutch Oven Enchiladas - Camping Recipe by Fresh Off the Grid (2024)

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Cheesy, spicy, and oh so filling – these veggie-stuffed Dutch Oven Enchiladas are one of our new campfire favorites.

Dutch Oven Enchiladas - Camping Recipe by Fresh Off the Grid (1)

We never know when it will strike, but we rarely go an entire week without an Enchilada Night. It’s just such a perfect weekday meal: It uses a lot of staple ingredients, it’s quick and easy to make, and always leaves feeling satisfied (sometimes a little too satisfied, oy!) So it would seem an excellent candidate for a camping meal, if it weren’t for that whole needing an oven thing…

But never fear, a cast iron Dutch oven is all you need!

When it comes to campfire Dutch oven recipes, enchiladas is one of the easiest places to start. The reason being: there’s not a whole lot of actual cooking going on. Sure, you are warming ingredients and melting cheese, but that’s all super forgiving stuff. So if you’re new to Dutch oven cooking or thinking about getting into it, kick things off with enchiladas!

How to make enchiladas in a Dutch oven

Now making enchiladas is a pretty straightforward process, but we have a few tips that can make a real difference.

1.) Use flour tortillas, if you can. While we prefer corn tortillas for tacos, for enchiladas we find that extra malleability of flour tortillas is a huge help. (If you are on a gluten-free diet or otherwise must use corn, the best trick to keep them from breaking is to warm them up before rolling.)

2.) Enchiladas are only as good as its sauce. Spicy, bright, and slightly tangy are the flavors we look for. Homemade is obviously the ideal choice, but when camping it’s more likely you’ll be using pre-made sauce. We’ve tried a lot of different canned sauces, some good, some not so good. Here are our favorite store-bought options:

Frontero: Comes in a pouch, so it compacts down in the trash after you’re done using it.
Las Palmas: Traditional canned variety that comes in mild or spicy (we prefer the spicy version!).
Trader Joe’s: Comes in a glass bottle which may not be ideal for camping, but it has a great taste.

3.) Toppings! Cilantro, diced red onion, a spritz of lime juice, cotija cheese, sour cream, or sliced jalapenos are all excellent ways to take your enchiladas to the next level.

Pre-trip prep

To save yourself some time at the campsite, you can make your enchilada filling at home ahead of time. Store it in a container in your cooler until ready to use.
At camp, just skip ahead to the enchilada rolling step, cover with sauce and cheese, and bake.

Dutch Oven Enchiladas - Camping Recipe by Fresh Off the Grid (4)

Dutch oven cooking equipment

Dutch Oven: This recipe was written to fit a 4qt (10”) Dutch oven. We use this one from Lodge. If you want feed a larger group, scale the recipe up to fit into a 12” oven.
Chimney Starter: If you’re using charcoal instead of embers, a chimney starter will really help get them started. This one packs flat for easy storage.
Lid Lifter: Dutch oven lids get HOT once covered in coals, so using a lid lifter will help keep your hands out of the way when checking on things.
Heat Resistant Gloves: Alternatively, you could use these heat resistant gloves to move your oven around.

>> Get our full Camping Kitchen Gear checklist here <<

Other Dutch oven recipes

Dutch Oven Mac and Cheese
Dutch Oven Chicken Marbella
Dutch Oven Chili
Dutch Oven Nachos
Dutch Oven Apple Cobbler

Dutch Oven Enchiladas - Camping Recipe by Fresh Off the Grid (5)

Dutch Oven Enchiladas

These Dutch Oven Enchiladas are such an easy camping meal! Stuffed with veggies, covered in sauce, and topped with melted cheese, this recipe is one that everyone will enjoy.

Author: Fresh Off The Grid

4.69 from 85 votes

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Prep Time: 5 minutes minutes

Cook Time: 20 minutes minutes

Total Time: 25 minutes minutes

4 enchiladas

Ingredients

  • 2 tablespoons oil
  • 1 red bell pepper, cut into strips
  • ½ red onion, sliced into thin half-moons
  • 4 cloves garlic, minced
  • 1 tablespoon cumin
  • 2 teaspoons salt
  • 14 oz can enchilada sauce
  • 2 cups cheese
  • 1 cup cooked black beans
  • 4-6 flour tortillas

Garnishes

  • cilantro, jalapenos, lime, etc.

Instructions

  • Prepare your coals or get your campfire going so that you'll have embers to cook with.

  • Over medium heat, heat the oil in a Dutch oven. Add the peppers and saute for a few minutes until they are starting to soften. Add the onions and saute until the onions are soft and translucent and the peppers are soft. Add the garlic, cumin, and salt, and saute 30 seconds, until fragrant. Remove from heat and transfer the vegetables to a plate or bowl.

  • Add 1/2 cup enchilada sauce to coat the bottom of the Dutch oven.

  • To build the enchiladas, place onions and peppers in a line the center of a flour tortilla. Add a few spoonfuls of black beans and top with cheese. Roll the tortilla around the fillings, then place the enchilada, seam side down, into the Dutch oven. Repeat with the remaining ingredients. This recipe will make 4-6 enchiladas depending on the size of your Dutch oven.

  • Cover the enchiladas with the remaining sauce and cheese. Place the lid on top.

  • Return the Dutch oven to your campfire. Place it over indirect heat (the grill grate over the campfire works great) and stack 14-16 coals on the lid. Cook about 10 minutes, until the cheese is melted.

  • Serve topped with jalapenos, cilantro, and a squeeze of lime & enjoy!

Notes

MAKE IT AHEAD

The filling can be made at home ahead of time and packed in your cooler. At camp, start with step 3.

Nutrition (Per Serving)

Calories: 501kcal | Carbohydrates: 39g | Protein: 22g | Fat: 28g | Saturated Fat: 13g | Cholesterol: 59mg | Sodium: 2584mg | Potassium: 375mg | Fiber: 7g | Sugar: 10g | Vitamin A: 2180IU | Vitamin C: 41.9mg | Calcium: 473mg | Iron: 4.1mg

*Nutrition is an estimate based on information provided by a third-party nutrition calculator

Main Course

Mexican-Inspired

Fresh Off The Grid

Megan & Michael are the creators of Fresh Off The Grid, a blog dedicated to helping you fuel your adventures by sharing camp cooking recipes, backpacking meals, and outdoor travel guides. Their recipes and outdoor cooking expertise have been featured in Backpacker Magazine, Outside, REI Co-Op Journal, Food & Wine, and New York Times Cooking.

Dutch Oven Enchiladas - Camping Recipe by Fresh Off the Grid (2024)

FAQs

What can you cook in a Dutch oven camping? ›

Think simmering soups, steaming rice, boiling water for pasta, etc. Sear, pan-fry, sautee: A camping Dutch oven is also a great stand-in for a cast-iron skillet. Anything that can be cooked in a cast-iron skillet can be done in a Dutch oven too, like searing steaks, browning chicken thighs, sauteing vegetables, etc.

How many briquettes for Dutch oven? ›

Take your oven's diameter in inches and double it. This is the number of high-quality, standard-size charcoal briquettes you will need to heat your oven to 325 degrees every time. For a 10-inch oven, you need 20 briquettes. For a 12-incher, you need 24 briquettes, and so on.

Why are my homemade enchiladas soggy? ›

Most people drown their enchiladas in sauce before putting them in the oven, but that's the number one cause of soggy enchiladas. Because you've already coated your tortillas in the sauce, they won't need that much more.

Is a Dutch oven worth it for camping? ›

Dutch ovens, like the Camp Chef Classic Dutch Oven, have been used for wilderness cooking for ages and are a wonderful way to cook nourishing food in the great outdoors. They retain heat and enhance the transfer of heat through the food.

How do you cook in a Dutch oven over a campfire? ›

For this dish, place your Dutch oven over a fire on a metal grate or rack, which will be hotter for sauteeing. If you don't have a grate, let the fire burn down, and then bury the oven well into the coals so there's plenty of heat.

Is it better to cook enchiladas covered or uncovered? ›

It isn't necessary to cover enchiladas while baking. All of an enchiladas components are cooked and you are just heating them through when you bake them. Ideally your ingredients will be room temperature, not ice cold, when you assemble the enchiladas.

Are enchiladas better with corn or flour? ›

Enchiladas are laden with sauce and fillings, and you need a tortilla that will hold up to all the moisture, so you should always opt for corn over flour.

Can you pre make enchiladas or will they get soggy? ›

If you would like to make a pan of enchiladas in advance, follow the recipe instructions through step 3 (assembling the enchiladas). Wrap the pan tightly with foil. Then you can either refrigerate the enchiladas for up to 3 days, then bake as directed.

How big of a camping dutch oven do I need? ›

The 1.5 quart dutch oven is perfect for side dishes and desserts, but we recommend a 3 quart or 4.5 quart for people living alone and cooking mostly for themselves. The larger size will fit most recipes for 1-2 people and can better accommodate one-pan meals.

What is the best briquettes for a dutch oven? ›

I prefer using charcoal briquettes in many camp cooking settings when I cook in cast iron, simply for ease of use. Charcoal briquettes are excellent for aspiring outdoor chefs and a great option for those “light it and forget it” dutch oven dinners.

How to make enchiladas more crispy? ›

Rebecca, try this: Heat one cup vegetable oil in a medium skillet over medium-high heat until the oil bubbles immediately when you stick the edge of a tortilla onto the surface. Working one at a time, fry a tortilla, turning once, until it just starts to brown and crisp (about 10 seconds per side).

Is it OK to use flour tortillas for enchiladas? ›

A simple, quick, easy beef enchiladas recipe. Ground beef and onion are wrapped in flour tortillas, topped with Cheddar cheese and black olives, then baked. This is also great with leftover chicken, shredded beef, or turkey.

Do enchiladas taste better with corn or flour tortillas? ›

Corn tortillas go well with Mexican dishes like tacos, enchiladas, and tamales. They are also perfect for use in tostadas, sopes, and quesadillas. Flour tortillas are often used in burritos, fajitas, and chimichangas. They are also great for making quesadillas, sweet dishes like dessert tacos, and breakfast burritos.

Is there anything you shouldn't cook in a Dutch oven? ›

In an enamel-coated Dutch oven, prolonged cooking with acidic ingredients may discolor the interior coating but doesn't erode it. The bottom line is, if using a seasoned cast iron Dutch oven with highly acidic foods, ensure the pot is well seasoned and limit cooking to short periods.

Can I cook anything in my Dutch oven? ›

No matter the style or size, any Dutch oven will open up endless recipe opportunities. Create beautifully braised meat, pot roasts, hearty beef stew, healing chicken soup, or the creamiest mac and cheese. Use it like a slow cooker, a bread cloche, or a pot for frying.

Can you use a camping Dutch oven in a regular oven? ›

You can easily use it on a stove top or in a standard household oven.

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