Roasted Duck breast with Dried Fruit

Easy caravan cooking: your essential recipe guide

Photo courtesy of Campingaz

Inspiration

Eight caravan-friendly recipes to try on your next trip

Cooking while caravanning doesn’t have to be complicated. While the kitchen in your caravan may be a bit smaller than at home, it has everything you need to rustle up some seriously tasty meals, and you always have the option of expanding with a portable stove or barbecue outside.

All you need is some inspiration for meals to cook that aren't simply "pasta with pesto" – and that's exactly what you'll find here.

Whether you’re on a weekend escape or a longer road trip, these simple, flavour-packed recipes are ideal for life on the go. They require minimal equipment and ingredients but deliver maximum satisfaction – perfect for those who love good food without the fuss.

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Macaulay Nichol, Content Editor: Caravans

Macaulay Nichol Content Editor: Caravans

Macaulay Nichol Content Editor: Caravans

Macaulay has a lifelong passion for the UK’s domestic tourism industry, having spent his childhood exploring the British countryside and seaside.

Gas barbecue on a pitch next to a motorhome

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Chicken and halloumi flatbreads with ranch slaw
Photo courtesy of Campingaz

Chicken and halloumi flatbreads with ranch slaw

Quick to make and full of texture, this recipe combines golden halloumi, spiced chicken and a fresh ranch-style slaw, all wrapped in warm flatbreads.

Ingredients:

250g halloumi, 250g chicken breast, 4 flatbreads, half a pointed cabbage (finely shredded), half a red onion (very finely sliced), 1 large carrot (roughly grated), handful of coriander (finely chopped), 3-4 stalks of oregano (leaves only), 1 tsp sumac, 2 tsp paprika, zest and juice of half a lemon, 3 garlic cloves (crushed), 4 tbsp mayonnaise, 1 tsp Dijon mustard, olive oil, salt & pepper

Method

  • First, make your dressing by combining the lemon zest and juice in a bowl with the garlic, two tbsp of mayonnaise, and salt and pepper to taste. Mix well
  • Make the slaw by putting the cabbage, red onion, carrot, coriander, mustard, remaining mayonnaise, and one tbsp of olive oil in a bowl, and mix well. Season with salt and pepper to taste
  • Chop the chicken and halloumi into bite-sized chunks. Add the oregano and two tbsp of olive oil to the halloumi. Rub the chicken with the sumac, paprika, two tbsp of olive oil, salt, and pepper
  • Turn on one of the burners on your camping stove and set it to a high heat. Place a small skillet over the hob and preheat for a minute. Add a drizzle of olive oil to the pan then place the halloumi into the pan. Cook for two to three minutes until golden brown before turning and cooking for another two to three minutes. Remove to a warm plate and keep covered
  • Wipe the halloumi pan clean of any debris, oil a little and then add the chicken. Cook for three to four minutes and then turn and cook for a few minutes more. Ensure that the chicken is cooked right through (it should appear white on the inside). Once cooked, remove to a warm plate and keep covered
  • While the chicken is cooking, light the burner underneath the griddle plate and set it to high. Place your flatbreads onto the plate and cook for a minute or two on each side to warm them and give them some colour. Serve hot and enjoy!

Grilled trout with summer salad

Fresh and simple, grilled trout paired with a citrus salad is a refreshing dish that’s perfect for warm evenings.

Ingredients:

5 fresh trout, 1 lemon, 3 tbsp sunflower oil, 2 handfuls of rocket, 3 handfuls of mixed salad, 2 oranges, 1 grapefruit, 1 handful of kalamata olives, 6 tbsp olive oil, 1 tbsp Dijon mustard, 3 tbsp wine vinegar, 1 tsp honey, 1 pinch of chilli, salt, white pepper

Grilled trout with summer salad
Photo courtesy of Campingaz

Method

  • Make three diagonal slits on both sides of the fish, no more than 0.5cm deep. Then season the trout with salt and pepper, sprinkle with lemon juice and brush lightly with sunflower oil
  • Heat the grill to a medium heat and cook the fish for 10-15 minutes, turning occasionally. When cooked, the meat should come off the bone nicely, but should not be dry
  • While the fish is cooking, cut off the orange and grapefruit rinds and cut the flesh into segments
  • Place them in a bowl and add the olives, rocket and mixed salad leaves
  • In another bowl, combine the olive oil, Dijon mustard, wine vinegar, honey, chilli and a pinch of salt and white pepper to make a salad dressing
  • Toss the salad in the dressing and serve alongside the grilled trout
Two cheese and rocket panini
Photo courtesy of Campingaz

Two cheese and rocket panini

A gooey, satisfying panini filled with Brie, Emmental, sun-dried tomatoes and peppery rocket – ideal for a quick but tasty lunch.

Ingredients:

Baguettes, 100g sun-dried tomatoes in oil, 2-3 handfuls of rocket, 250g Brie, 200g Emmental, 50g softened butter

Method

  • Cut the baguettes into halves
  • Cut the cheese into thin slices and place them on the lower halves of all baguettes
  • Slice the sun-dried tomatoes and place them into the baguettes with the rocket. If you are worried that the rocket will wither too much, add it to the baguettes right at the end
  • Close the baguettes and gently rub the softened butter all over the outside
  • Place baguettes on a medium-hot grill, close the lid, and leave to cook. If you press them down slightly on the grill, you will get a nice pattern
  • After a couple of minutes, turn the baguettes over so that they toast nicely on both sides
  • When the cheese is fully melted, take the baguettes off the grill and cut in half before serving

Roasted duck breast with dried fruit

A more indulgent option – rich duck breast paired with sweet dried fruits and crunchy hazelnuts, perfect for an evening treat.

Ingredients:

2 large duck breasts, 8 dried apricots, 4 dried figs, 30g raisins, 50g whole hazelnuts (shelled)

Photo courtesy of Campingaz

Method

  • Finely chop the dried fruit and crush the hazelnuts. Mix these together in a bowl
  • Score the skin, making sure not to cut through to the meat. Season generously with salt and pepper on the non-skin side
  • Place one of the duck breasts skin side down on a board and get some cooking string ready to tie the duck breasts together. Cover the duck with the dried fruit and nut mixture, then place the second duck breast on top, skin side up
  • Tie the two breasts tightly together, so that the filling doesn’t fall out
  • Heat your griddle or frying pan on a high heat. Then, brown the duck breasts on both sides
  • Tightly wrap the duck in aluminium foil and pierce the foil with a fork (four to six times) so that steam can escape while the duck cooks. Place the parcel on the griddle or frying pan again. Reduce the temperature and cook for another 10-12 minutes, turning the parcel halfway through
  • Remove from heat and let it rest in the foil for five minutes to ensure the meat is nice and tender 
Photo courtesy of Campingaz

Sesame crusted salmon

A quick sear gives this salmon a crispy, flavourful crust of sesame and poppy seeds, while keeping the centre moist and tender.

Ingredients:

900g of Scottish red-label salmon, 2 tablespoons of sesame seeds, 2 tablespoons of poppy seeds, 2 tablespoons of green anise seeds, 2 egg yolks, olive oil to taste, table salt and white pepper

Method

  • If bought as one whole piece, cut your salmon into multiple, regular-sized pieces and remove the skin
  • Mix the sesame seeds, poppy seeds and green anise together in a bowl with some salt and pepper to taste
  • Prepare the batter by mixing the egg yolks with two tablespoons of olive oil and one tablespoon of water
  • Brush one side of the salmon with this mixture and coat with the seeds to create a crust
  • Heat up some olive oil in a frying pan on your stove and cook the salmon on the crusted side until it is cooked as you’d like. We prefer it still a bit pink in the middle
  • Serve hot with a slice of lemon 

Pancakes with blueberries and almond butter

Bring a taste of home to your mornings with these fluffy pancakes, topped with blueberries and home-made almond butter.

Ingredients:

For the almond butter: 300g fresh almonds, ½ tsp cinnamon, ½ tsp ground cardamom. 

For the pancakes: 2 eggs, 140g wheat flour, 40g sugar, 6g baking powder, 1 pinch salt, 1 pinch baking soda (sodium bicarbonate), 15cl buttermilk, 60g butter, 125g frozen blueberries, 40g fresh blueberries, a dusting of icing sugar

Photo courtesy of Campingaz

Method

  • Prepare the almond butter by placing the almonds in a food processor and pulsing it until it reaches a smooth and creamy consistency. It’s important to do this slowly to make sure the almonds don’t heat up too much. When you’re happy with the consistency, add cinnamon and cardamom. You can do this at home and put it in a jar to take to the campsite   
  • Crack the eggs and separate the yolks from the whites. Whisk the egg whites until fluffy
  • In a large bowl, mix the flour, sugar, baking powder, salt and baking soda. Add the egg yolk and buttermilk
  • Melt butter in a pan and let it cool slightly before adding this to the mix
  • Add the frozen blueberries and whisk everything until all the ingredients are combined. Then, gently fold in the egg whites
  • Heat a knob of butter in a frying pan or on your plancha cooking surface. When it’s nice and hot, pour a ladle of the batter into it and let it cook for one or two minutes. Once the pancake starts bubbling, flip it over and cook for another minute or two on the other side until golden brown
  • Add some fresh blueberries on top and sprinkle with a little icing sugar. Serve immediately with the almond butter 
Avery Island wings
Photo courtesy of Tabasco

Avery Island wings

Sticky, spicy wings marinated overnight with Tabasco, herbs and mustard – these are a sure-fire hit at any campsite cookout.

Ingredients:

1 cup soy sauce, 1/2 cup Dijon mustard, 1/2 cup water, 1/4 cup chopped garlic, 1/4 cup peeled and chopped fresh ginger, 2 tbsp chopped fresh Italian flat-leaf parsley, 2 tsp chopped fresh thyme, 2 tsp chopped fresh sage, 2 tsp chopped fresh rosemary, 18 whole large chicken wings or 24 small wings

Method

  • Whisk the soy sauce, mustard, water, Tabasco Sauce, garlic, ginger and herbs together in a bowl. Reserve 120ml of the marinade to be used for basting and sauce
  • Add the chicken wings and the remaining marinade to a zip lock bag, seal and turn the bag a couple of times to make sure the wings are well marinated. Refrigerate overnight
  • Fire up your grill. Remove the chicken wings from the marinade, then discard this marinade
  • Grill the wings over medium-low coals, turning often, until cooked through, about 15 minutes. Cook the wings slowly, so they cook thoroughly before the glaze burns
  • While grilling, heat the reserved marinade in a saucepan and use some of it to baste the wings a few times while cooking
  • Cut into one of the wings to make sure no pink remains near the bone, then remove the wings from the grill and serve

Jambalaya

The ultimate one-pot wonder – hearty rice, chicken, chorizo and prawns all simmered together for a meal that’s big on flavour and easy to serve.

Ingredients:

1 tbsp cooking oil, 1 large onion diced, 100g chorizo cut into slices, 400g chicken breast or thighs diced, 1 red pepper chopped, 1 courgette diced, 2 cloves of garlic crushed or sliced, 1 tsp smoked paprika, 1 tsp chilli powder, ½ tsp cumin, 1 tin of chopped tomatoes, 200ml cold water, 370g easy cook long grain rice (two small mugs full), 300g cooked king prawns (optional), small bunch of spring onions sliced, handful of roughly chopped coriander

Jambalaya
Photo courtesy of Warners Group Publications

Method

  • Heat the oil in a large pan and fry the diced onion for two minutes
  • Throw in the Chorizo and fry for a further minute
  • Add the chicken to the pan along with the chopped courgette and red pepper
  • Next pop in the garlic, smoked paprika, chilli powder and cumin and fry for two minutes or until the chicken starts to colour
  • Add the chopped tomatoes and water and stir well. Bring this to the boil and add the rice
  • Cook, stirring occasionally for 10 minutes or until the rice is cooked. If you have a lid for your pan pop it on to help the rice cook quicker. If the mixture looks dry then add more water at this stage
  • Stir in the king prawns and cook for another two minutes or until they’re heated through
  • Add the spring onions and coriander and you’re done

Cooking made simple

Whether you’re grilling over a campfire, cooking on a gas stove, or using a portable griddle, these recipes are designed to fit your caravan lifestyle. 

Easy prep, minimal clean-up and maximum flavour – the perfect combination for your next trip.

Gas barbecue on a pitch next to a motorhome

Upgrade your camping kitchen

Explore a great range of portable stoves and barbecues, cooking utensils, kitchen storage and cooking gadgets on the Out & About Shop! You'll get free delivery on your first order and on any subsequent order over £50.

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