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How to Make Campfire Nachos

Do you enjoy camping but don’t know where to begin finding campfire recipes? You don’t need to stress searching for recipes easy enough to make while camping!

These delicious Campfire Nachos are quick and simple for even a first-time camper to make. And with several ways to vary the ingredients, these won’t bust your budget!

Continue reading to learn all about how to make Campfire Nachos on your next camping trip!

Closeup of a plate of Campfire Nachos with lime wedges.

Pack Your Ingredients for Your Campfire Nachos

Before you embark on your camping trip, you’ll want to be sure you have all the necessary ingredients to make your Campfire Nachos.

You might want to drain and rinse some of your canned items. This way, you won’t need to mess with a can opener.

While on your next grocery trip, pick up 1 pound of your preferred ground beef and an 8-ounce pack of shredded Mexican-style cheese. Be sure to keep your perishable foods at the proper storage temperature when you travel to avoid your food spoiling.

Next, swing down the middle aisles of your store to pick up one taco seasoning packet, an 8-ounce bag of tortilla chips, one can of black beans, one can of corn, a 4-ounce can of sliced black olives, and one can of fire-roasted diced tomatoes.

The only fresh items to purchase from the produce section are green onions and limes.

Ingredients for Campfire Nachos.

Now that you’ve got your ingredients, you’re ready to make your grilled campfire nachos recipe!


How to Make Campfire Nachos

When you’re ready to make your Campfire Nachos, prep all your ingredients so you don’t miss a step as you cook!

Begin by setting a cast iron skillet over a grill grate on medium heat. Brown your ground beef, stirring constantly until the beef is cooked all the way through.

A skillet of browned meat on a campfire grill.

Next, add ⅔ cup water and the taco seasoning packet. Stir the seasoning into the beef until evening mixed. Cook for 5 additional minutes.

Closeup of seasoned meat for nachos.

Scrape the cooked meat onto a separate plate and clean the skillet with a paper towel. Return it to the grill grate to reheat.

If you didn’t prepare the canned goods at home, do so now. Drain and rinse your can of black beans, corn, and sliced black olives. Drain your can of fire-roasted tomatoes, as well.

A bowl of canned black beans.
A bowl of canned white corn.
A bowl of sliced olives.

Dice your green onions. Then cut your limes into wedges.

A lime cut into wedges.

Layer the tortilla chips to fully cover the bottom of the skillet.

Tortilla chips in a skillet.

Next, evenly distribute the browned beef, beans, corn, black olives, tomatoes, green onions, and cheese over top of the tortilla chips.

Nacho toppings on the corn chips.

Cover the skillet with aluminum foil to keep the heat inside.

Skillet of campfire nachos covered with heavy-duty foil.

Cook until the cheese is melted, approximately 10-15 minutes. Remove the skillet from the grate and set on a sturdy surface.

Serve your nachos with lime wedges on the side as an optional added flavor.

A plate of heated campfire nachos.

Variations for Your Campfire Nachos

There are several ways you can mix things up to make these campfire nachos even better!

Start with the basics by adding even more toppings! Some common additions that work well are avocado, sour cream, hot sauce, salsa, cilantro, lettuce, or guacamole.

Another way to vary this yummy dish to is make these vegetarian! Simply leave off the beef. This will save a little extra money and will save you the hassle of keeping the meat at the right temperature as you travel!

Or, you could change the meat entirely. Try using ground turkey, diced chicken, or diced pork to replace the beef. With the taco seasoning packet to give plenty of flavor, you won’t need any additional seasonings!

A popular addition to this recipe is to add 1 can of mild diced green chiles on top. Or try dicing up a jalapeno pepper for an extra kick of heat! Don’t forget to discard the seeds before serving.


What to Serve With Your Campfire Nachos

Closeup detail of campfire nachos.

Try serving some Spanish Rice alongside your nachos to give your meal a Tex-Mex feel! Bring along an extra skillet so this can simmer while your nachos cook. This yummy rice will make your meal unforgettable!

If you’re looking to take your nachos to the next level, stir-fry some colored peppers and onions prior to browning your meat! Simply slice or dice your veggies, then stir fry them in a small amount of oil in your skillet for approximately 7-10 minutes over medium heat, or until they’re cooked to your liking. Set them aside, then dish them on top of your nachos when you serve them! Yum!

Make your belly happy by serving these Campfire Potatoes! This recipe cooks in about the same time as your skillet nachos. Plan to prep these potato packets and pop them on the grill grate before you get involved in cooking the nachos. They’ll be done cooking at the same time and you won’t have whiney campers asking when supper will be ready! It’s a win!


Time to Make Your Campfire Nachos!

Are you ready for your next camping trip? That’s all you need to know to make amazing Campfire Nachos! This meal is guaranteed to please your entire family. It’s versatile, cost-effective, and easy to make.

For more campfire recipes to make during your next camping trip, visit our Camping Food page!

Campfire Nachos

Campfire Nachos

Yield: 4 servings
Prep Time: 25 minutes
Cook Time: 15 minutes
Total Time: 40 minutes

Campfire Nachos are guaranteed to be a hit with your camping crew! This a fun and versatile one-dish meal or snack to share while everyone's gathered around the campfire the nachos are cooked over.

Ingredients

  • 1 lb ground beef
  • 1 taco seasoning packet
  • ⅔ cup water
  • 8-ounce bag of tortilla chips
  • 1 can black beans, drained
  • 1 can corn, drained
  • 4-ounce can sliced black olives, drained
  • 1 can fire-roasted diced tomatoes, drained
  • 2 green onions, diced (green tops only)
  • 8 ounces shredded Mexican cheese
  • 2 limes, cut into wedges

Notes

  1. Place a cast iron skillet over medium heat on a grill grate. Add the ground beef and cook until browned, about 10 minutes.
  2. Add water and taco seasoning packet and cook for 5 more minutes.
  3. Scrape the cooked meat onto a plate and clean the skillet with a paper towel. Return it to the grill grate.
  4. Prep the canned foods by draining and rinsing the beans, corn, and black olives. Drain the fire-roasted tomatoes.
  5. Dice the green onions.
  6. Cut the limes into wedges.
  7. Layer the chips to fully cover the bottom of the skillet.
  8. Evenly distribute the meat, beans, corn, black olives, tomatoes, green onions, and cheese over the top of the tortilla chips.
  9. Cover the skillet with aluminum foil to keep the heat inside. Cook until the cheese is melted, approx 10-15 min.
  10. Remove from heat.
  11. Serve with lime wedges on the side as an optional added flavor.
Pinterest image for Campfire Nachos recipe.
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