Outdoor chef shares 5 fall camping meals to keep you full and energised

A person eating chilli con carne.

Autumn camping meals should be packed full of flavour, hearty, and (most importantly) warm you up from the inside out. With a slight chill in the air, there’s a newfound appreciation for the campfire— or camp stove, if you prefer— as nothing beats hovering over its heat and whipping up a warm meal that leaves you feeling full and satisfied.

“There is certainly more challenge to cooking outdoors through autumn but on its good days it is arguably the most stunningly visual time to be in nature,” says Harrison Ward (aka Fell Foodie) author of the adventure cookbook Cook Out. “Give these moreish camp stove recipes a go if you are braving a night under canvas or out for a walk with crisp leaves underfoot.”

Need further food inspiration for your next campout? Check out these other 7 easy camping meal ideas.

Mushroom risotto

(Image credit: Kenny Block Photography)

"Outdoor cooking often requires a degree of patience, as does a properly crafted risotto," says Harrison. "Take it slow, adding stock in small quantities allowing the rice to absorb and not boil in the liquor."

You will need:

• ½ white onion
• 1 carrot
• 1 celery stick
• 2/3 garlic cloves
• 200g arborio rice
• 1 litre veg stock
• 20g dried porcini mushrooms
• 150g mushrooms (chestnut or shitake work well)
• 187ml white wine
• Sprig of fresh thyme, salt and pepper

Method (serves 3-4)

1. Heat stock and add dried porcini mushrooms, then decant into a flask to keep it hot
2. Chop you mushrooms into slices or quarters, then, place a pan on a low to medium heat and add oil
3. Add the mushrooms to the pan and cook until browned then set aside
4. Finely dice onion, carrot and celery, then add the diced veg to the pan and soften but not colour
5. Finely chop your garlic cloves and add to the mix. Then, Stir in your rice and add your white wine
6. Wait until the wine has reduced and then add a small amount of stock. Keep stirring, letting the stock reduce and absorb before adding a little more
7. Repeat this until the stock is finished and the rice is soft with a little bit of bite. Stir through fresh thyme, season to taste and serve

Chilli Con Carne

(Image credit: Kenny Block Photography)

"When I think of semi-modern outdoor cooked camping meals, a bubbling pot of chilli may be the most iconic."

You will need:

• 400g beef mince
• 1 white onion
• 3 garlic cloves
• 400g chopped tomatoes
• 400g kidney beans or equivalent
• 175g roasted peppers
• 1 tblsp tomato puree
• 1 tsp sugar
• 1 tsp oregano
• 1 tsp paprika
• 1 tsp chilli powder
• 50g bbq sauce
• Juice of ½ lemon, salt and pepper
• Rice
• Tortilla chips, red chilli, fresh coriander, pickled chill, natural yoghurt to garnish (all optional)

Method (serves 4)

1. Cook your rice in your small saucepan and set aside
2. Add a small amount of oil to your large pan and place on a high heat. Add the mince and cook until browned and remove from the pan
3. Dice 1 white onion and add to the pan, turning the heat down a medium.
4. Then, finely dice your garlic cloves and add to the pan, followed by the oregano, paprika and chilli powder, along with the tomato puree and cook for 2 minutes
5. Roughly chop the roasted peppers and add to the pan with your chopped tomatoes, drained kidney beans and the mince from earlier. Bring to a low simmer for 8-10 minutes
6. Finally, add your sugar, juice of ½ lemon, bbq sauce and seasoning to taste
7. Serve with rice and garnishes of your choosing

Fondue au Fromage

(Image credit: Kenny Block Photography)

"Food is meant for sharing. Fondue epitomises this culinary unity as skewer wielding patrons submerge pieces of bread and vegetables into molten cheese."

You will need:

• 187ml white wine (or non-alcoholic alternative)
• 1 garlic clove
• 1 lemon
• 150g emmenthal
• 150g gruyère
• 120g ball Mozzarella
• 50g cornflour/sauceflour
• Sliced baguette
• Cornichons
• Salt and pepper

Method (serves 4)

1. Add your wine to a saucepan with one crushed, peeled clove of garlic and bring to a simmer
2. Grate all of your emmenthal and gruyere. Remove the garlic clove and add the grated cheese to the pan. Stir until all the cheese has melted taking care that the mix does not burn.
3. Add the cornflour a little at a time to thicken the sauce, stopping when it has reached your desired consistency
4. Squeeze half a lemon into the mix, season, stir and then serve whilst warm and melted. If the mix begins to solidify as it cools, reheat on the stove
5. Serve with sliced baguette and crunchy cornichons

Beef Goulash

(Image credit: Kenny Block Photography)

"‘Gulyas’ translates to English as herdsman and the dish was a staple meal for Hungarian shepherds from the 9th century onwards. Balkan sheep farmers created the well-known stew to keep themselves fuelled when out tending to their livestock."

You will need:

• 1 white onion
• 3 garlic cloves
• ½ red pepper
• ½ green pepper
• 200g passata
• 600g cubed stewing beef steak
• 50-80g hot paprika
• 300ml hot beef stock
• Tomato puree
• 4tsp cornflour
• Sour cream
• Fresh parsley
• Vegetable oil
• Salt and pepper

Method (serves 4)

1. Put your saucepan on the highest heat on your stove. Cover your beef with 2 tsp cornflour and sear in the pan on all sides. Add your beef stock and heat in the pan before storing in a flask to keep warm
2. Dice an onion and add to the pan with a little oil on a medium heat. Thinly slice your peppers and add to the now softened onions
3. Finely mince 3 garlic cloves and add the pot with a generous squeeze of tomato puree and the paprika (use a minimum of 50g but more if you don’t mind the heat). Cook out for 3-5 minutes
4. Add your beef and hot stock back from the flask into the pan, and your passata. Bring to a low boil and simmer for 15-20 minutes
5. Add a dash of water to your remaining cornflour and mix into a smooth slurry. Add this to the pan when simmering to thicken the goulash
6. Season with salt and pepper to taste and serve in bowls with a generous scoop of sour cream and a sprinkle of parsley leaves

Lamb koftas

(Image credit: Kenny Block Photography)

"Middle Eastern? Mediterranean? North African? There are many geographic areas that claim to be the home of Koftas but regardless of this dispute we can all agree they are delightful. I cooked up this dish for my book whilst on the Dovedale round in the Lake District."

You will need:

• 400g lamb mince
• 1 tsp cumin
• 1 tsp cinnamon
• 1tsp pepper
• 1tsp salt
• Handful pomegranate seeds, fresh mint and oil
• Flatbreads
• For the Tzatziki: 150g Yoghurt, 1 garlic, 50g grated cucumber, fresh mint, 1 lemon, salt, 1 tsp harissa paste

Method (serves 2)

1. Add the cumin, cinnamon, salt and pepper to your lamb mince and mix together. Shape into four elongated cylindrical pieces
2. Add oil to your frying pan and heat on a medium heat. Add the koftas to the pan and cook on all sides until browned, they will be cooked through in 8-12 minutes
3. Whilst they are cooking, finely chop your garlic clove and some fresh mint. Mix into your yoghurt with the cucumber, juice of half a lemon and a pinch of salt.
4. Finally lightly swirl a teaspoon of harissa paste through the yoghurt so you get a mottled tzatziki with spikes of vibrant harissa
5. Spoon the tzatziki onto the flatbreads and spread around the middle. Add your koftas on top before sprinkling over some chopped mint and pomegranate seeds