• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar

our recipesĀ + your inbox = the eatmail

Join now

Subscribe for new recipes + 3 fan-favorite ebooks

  • About
  • Contact

Live Eat Learn

Easy vegetarian recipes, one ingredient at a time

free ebook

Subscribe for new recipes + 3 fan-favorite ebooks

  • Recipe Index
  • Vegetarian 101
  • Travel
  • Meal Plans
  • Course
    • Breakfasts
    • Lunches
    • Dinners
    • Appetizers
    • Sweets
    • Drinks
  • Diet
    • Dairy Free
    • Gluten Free
    • Low Carb
    • Paleo
    • Raw
    • Vegan
  • Season
    • Winter
    • Spring
    • Summer
    • Fall
  • Ingredient
    • Avocado
    • Bean
    • Cauliflower
    • Chickpeas
    • Eggplant
    • Mushroom
    • Tofu
    • Quinoa
    • View All
  • Collections
    • All Time Favorites
    • Air Frying
    • Budget Friendly
    • Comfort Food
    • High Protein
    • Meal Prep
    • Meatless Monday
    • View All
  • Visit our kombucha site
    Visit our dog food blog
Home Eat Dinners Pastas

Campfire Mac & Cheese

5 from 5 votes
Recipe Print Share
Share on:
By: Sarah BondUpdated: Jan 07, 2023 12 Comments

This post contains affiliate links.

Going camping? Take this Campfire Mac and Cheese along! This decadent, creamy, cheesy dish is the perfect meal to enjoy post-hike. It’s yummy, hearty, and so easy to make!

Cooking a disposable aluminum container of campfire mac and cheese on logs over a campfire

Summertime means camping, and camping means campfire food! But you can do so much more with a campfire than simply roast s’mores.

This mac n cheese is so easy to prep, and it’s safe to eat as is! The only reason we cook it over a campfire is to melt all of that yummy cheese, making it feel like a decadent home cooked meal, wherever you are!

Holding a plate with a serving of campfire mac and cheese

Ingredients in campfire mac and cheese

You’ll need only 6 ingredients for this mac n cheese. Just noodles, sauce, milk, and loads of cheese!

  • Elbow Macaroni: First up, you will need 2 cups of uncooked elbow macaroni. Any noodle would work, but let’s be real — elbow is classic!
  • Alfredo Sauce: Next, 1 cup of alfredo sauce is the magic ingredient that adds so much flavor and creaminess.
  • Cheddar: Include ½ cup of shredded sharp cheddar cheese, which provides a strong cheesy flavor.
  • Parmesan: Match the cheddar with ½ cup of parmesan! I like to buy the block and grate it myself to avoid the caky flavor of store bought grated parm.
  • Mozzarella: Next, throw in ½ cup of low-moisture shredded mozzarella cheese, which gives are macaroni those decadent cheesy strands.
  • Milk: Finally, mix in ½ cup of milk. You can also use half and half for a richer sauce!
A skillet filled with campfire mac and cheese ingredients

How to make camping mac n cheese

Prepping campfire mac n cheese is just like making mac and cheese any other way. You’ll cook the pasta, combine the ingredients, and assemble them in a dish. The only differences is that you’ll wait to cook the assembled dish until you’ve reached (or created) your campfire!

Step 1: Prepare the pasta
Cook the macaroni in heavily salted water according to the instructions on the package.

Step 2: Combine the ingredients
Stir together the cooked pasta, alfredo, cheeses, and milk.

An aluminum tin filled with prepped campfire mac n cheese

Step 3: Assemble the dish
Spoon the mix into a disposable aluminum pan (8×8 inch). Optionally top with a bit more cheese! Cover tightly with aluminum foil and store in a fridge or cooler until you’re ready to cook it (up to 3 days).

If storing in a cooler, place the pan in a gallon-sized ziploc bag to prevent water from getting in!

An aluminum container filled with campfire mac and cheese, covered with tin foil, and labeled "mac & cheese"

Step 4: Cook the mac and cheese
Cook over hot coals or elevated over a fire. Cook until the cheese is melted and bubbling, about 20 minutes.

Cooking a disposable aluminum container of campfire mac n cheese on logs over a campfire

Campfire cooking tips

When cooking aluminum containers over a campfire, avoid putting the containers directly on the flame as it can burn through the pan! Hot coals, or even stones that are hot and have been in the fire, are best for getting even heat.

Not sure what to pack? Here’s our ultimate guide to campfire cooking.

Hungry for more campfire recipes? Be sure to try this Campfire Feta Bake or these Campfire Orange Rolls! And for a solid side dish, serve this macaroni with Campfire Veggies!

Campfire Mac & Cheese

5 from 5 votes
Prep: 15 minutes
Cook: 15 minutes
Total: 30 minutes
Author: Sarah Bond
Calories: 435kcal
Servings: 4 servings
Print Rate
Going camping? Take this Campfire Mac and Cheese along! Just 15 minutes of prep work, cook it on the fire or grill.

Ingredients

  • 2 cups uncooked elbow macaroni 150 g
  • 1 cup alfredo sauce 240 g
  • ½ cup shredded sharp cheddar 56 g
  • ½ cup shredded parmesan 56 g
  • ½ cup shredded mozzarella 56 g
  • ½ cup milk or half & half 120 mL

Instructions 

  • Pasta: Cook macaroni in heavily salted water according to instructions on package.
  • Stir: Stir together cooked pasta, alfredo, cheeses, and milk.
  • Assemble: Spoon into a disposable aluminum pans (8 x 8 inch). Optionally top with a bit more cheese! Cover tightly with aluminum foil and store in a fridge or cooler until ready to cook (up to 3 days).
  • Cook: Cook over hot coals, or elevated over a fire, until cheese is melted and bubbling, about 20 minutes.

Tips & Tricks

If storing in a cooler, place the pan in a gallon-sized ziploc bag to prevent water from getting in!
Add a spoonful of mustard to the uncooked dish for an added pop of zingy flavor!

Nutrition Information

Serving: 1serving Calories: 435kcal (22%) Carbohydrates: 48.6g (16%) Protein: 22.4g (45%) Fat: 16.7g (26%) Saturated Fat: 10.3g (64%) Cholesterol: 43mg (14%) Sodium: 1782mg (77%) Potassium: 111mg (3%) Fiber: 1.3g (5%) Sugar: 2.5g (3%) Calcium: 280mg (28%) Iron: 1mg (6%)
Did You Make This?

Leave a comment below and tag @liveeatlearn on social media! I love seeing what you’ve made!

Tag on Insta! Leave a Rating Pin on Pinterest

You may also like...

  • Collage of vegetarian pasta recipes
    15 Easy Vegetarian Pasta Recipes
  • Cauliflower Mac and Cheese
  • When the mac and cheese cravings hit, this lightened up Butternut Squash Mac and Cheese recipe will do the trick! Ready on the stove in under 30 minutes.
    Stovetop Butternut Squash Mac and Cheese
  • Blueberry Grilled Cheese
Previous Post
Next Post

Reader Interactions

Leave a Comment Cancel reply

Have a question? Submit your question or comment below.

Rate this Recipe:




  1. Sophia says

    Posted on 3/28 at 10:29 pm

    ok so I tried this and it is absolutely DELICIOUS! this is definitely easier than I thought it was going to be and everyone loved it thanks for the recipe šŸ™‚5 stars

    Reply
    • Sarah Bond says

      Posted on 3/29 at 11:18 am

      YAY!! So happy to hear it! Camping season is almost here for us in Colorado and I’m so excited! šŸ˜€

  2. Jessica says

    Posted on 7/7 at 3:24 pm

    Could this be made in a cast iron skillet?

    Reply
    • Sarah Bond says

      Posted on 7/7 at 10:45 pm

      Yes! šŸ™‚

  3. Kiri says

    Posted on 7/18 at 2:24 pm

    Can I freeze this ahead of cooking?

    Reply
    • Sarah Bond says

      Posted on 7/19 at 12:21 pm

      I haven’t tried freezing this so I can’t say for sure! It’ll last for a while in a cooler of ice though if you’re bringing it camping.

  4. Shane says

    Posted on 7/29 at 11:21 am

    How many does this feed? It looks delicious!

    Reply
    • Sarah Bond says

      Posted on 7/29 at 1:00 pm

      This recipe feeds 4! Enjoy! šŸ˜€

  5. Katie says

    Posted on 8/21 at 9:08 pm

    What could I substitute for the Alfredo sauce? My fam isn’t a big fan of it.

    Reply
    • Sarah Bond says

      Posted on 8/22 at 12:00 am

      A block of cream cheese and a bit of seasoning (like garlic powder, onion powder, salt, and pepper) would probably be delish!

  6. Maggie says

    Posted on 8/26 at 1:25 pm

    Can I cook this at home in the oven instead?

    Reply
    • Sarah Bond says

      Posted on 8/29 at 5:39 am

      Yes absolutely! I’d probably cook it at around 375 for 20 to 30 minutes.

Primary Sidebar

Hello

I'm Sarah

A flavor-loving nutritionist and sensory science specialist showing you how to make easy vegetarian recipes, one ingredient at a time.

Let's Meet

Freebie alert!

3 reader-favorite cookbooks delivered straight to your inbox.

Get in now!

Subscribe for new recipes + 3 fan-favorite ebooks

Air Fryer Recipes

Air Fryer Buffalo Cauliflower

Plate full of crispy chickpeas with a wooden spoon.

15 Minute Crispy Air Fryer Chickpeas

Personal size mozzarella pizza cooked in an air fryer

Air Fryer Pizza

Air Fryer Mozzarella Sticks

Brussels sprouts on a plate with wooden serving spoons.

The Best 15 Minute Air Fryer Brussels Sprouts

Kale chips on a white plate.

10 Minute Air Fryer Kale Chips

Dinner This Week

Vegan tikka masala with naan and rice in a white bowl

M

Chickpea Tikka Masala

Roasted Chickpea Gyros

T

Roasted Chickpea Gyros

Vegan Thai red curry in a bowl on a red background

W

Thai Vegetarian Coconut Curry

Vegan nachos on a black plate on a white background - These vegan nachos are piled high with easy mushroom BBQ "pulled pork" and a cashew-based queso cheese sauce that will knock your dairy-free socks off.

R

BBQ Mushroom Pulled Pork

Roasted Cauliflower Street Tacos

F

Roasted Cauliflower Tacos

Lemon risotto in a bowl with basil on a yellow background

S

Lemon Basil Risotto

As featured on:

3 bonus books!

Join our Eatmail newsletter to get free copies of our top 3 cookbooks, new recipes, exclusive meal plans, and more!

Follow Along

  • Easy Vegetarian Facebook Group
  • Kombucha Brewers Facebook Group
Back to Top
  • Web Stories
  • About
  • Privacy Policy
  • Terms
  • Collaborate
© 2023 Live Eat Learn
Site Credits Designed by Melissa Rose Design Developed by Once Coupled Support by Foodie Digital
16.6K shares