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Home Recipes Dinners Pastas

Campfire Mac and Cheese (Easy To Prep!)

5 from 25 votes
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By: Sarah BondUpdated: Sep 29, 2023 20 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!

Reader rating

★★★★★

“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 🙂” —Sophia

Add your review

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 (arguably the best cheese for mac and cheese).
  • 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!

Recommended Supplies

We created a comprehensive guide to everything you might need in your campfire cooking kit here!

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

Reader rating

★★★★★

“Took this camping over the summer and it was a HUGE hit!” —Bethany

Add your review

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 25 votes
Prep: 15 minutes minutes
Cook: 15 minutes minutes
Total: 30 minutes 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?

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  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 🙂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! 😀

  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! 🙂

  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! 😀

  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.

  7. Karin says

    Posted on 7/5 at 7:06 pm

    Wounding if I can store cooked ingredients in a ziplock bag instead of a aluminum pan trying to maximize space in my cooler

    Reply
    • Sarah Bond says

      Posted on 7/6 at 10:35 am

      Yes that would work!

  8. Angie says

    Posted on 7/25 at 6:44 pm

    I was thinking about cooking this in my Dutch oven on the campfire. How long do you think that would take?

    Reply
    • Sarah Bond says

      Posted on 7/26 at 12:57 pm

      Probably 30ish minutes!

  9. Bethany Sherman says

    Posted on 9/28 at 9:39 pm

    Took this camping over the summer and it was a HUGE hit! I want to take it as my contribution to a big family gathering of about 50 people. Do you have any thoughts or suggestions on multiplying in for a large group? I’m thinking I could just 4x it in a bigger pan with a bit longer cook time in the oven… thoughts? Thanks!!!5 stars

    Reply
    • Sarah Bond says

      Posted on 9/29 at 1:13 pm

      Yep this recipe is SUPER easy to scale up as needed! If you’re 4x-ing it maybe do it all in 2 big pans.

  10. Natalie says

    Posted on 10/9 at 9:16 pm

    We made this for our kiddos on their first official tent camping trip and we all LOVED it!! Definitely a hit!

    Baby number 4 is on the way and I’m curious if you have tried freezing and cooking at home in the oven? Just thought it might be a good one to have for when baby comes too!?5 stars

    Reply
    • Sarah Bond says

      Posted on 10/10 at 10:05 am

      I haven’t tried this one so I can’t say for sure! I feel like maybe the pasta will overcook when you thaw and reheat it. If you do try it, cook the pasta to just barely al dente before freezing! (And congrats!!)

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