Campfire Chili Mac Soup in a Dutch Oven with Cheddar and Corn Chip Crunch
Brown ground beef with onion and pepper in a Dutch oven over medium coals or a medium camp stove flame. Stir in spices, tomatoes, beans and broth, simmer 10 minutes, then cook elbow macaroni right in the pot for 8 to 10 minutes. Top bowls with cheddar, sour cream and crushed corn chips. Total time is about 55 minutes.
This is chili mac with a ladle. It has all the usual parts, beef, beans, tomatoes and elbows, but in a brothy pot you can eat from a mug with cold hands. It's the dinner to make when the temperature drops after sundown.
Everything cooks in one Dutch oven, and the macaroni cooks right in the soup, so there's no separate pasta water to haul around. Chop the veggies at home, keep the beef cold, and you can get dinner on the table in under an hour.
Campfire Chili Mac Soup in a Dutch Oven with Cheddar and Corn Chip Crunch
- Prep
- 15 min
- Cook
- 40 min
- Serves
- 6
- Difficulty
- Easy
- Heat
- Medium coals or medium stove flame
- Pack weight
- 9 lb
- Campfire
- Camp stove
- Backpacking
- Cooler required
- One burner
- Some water
- A few dishes
- Prep ahead
Ingredients
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Gear you'll need
- 6-quart Dutch oven with lid
- Campfire grate or camp stove
- Long-handled spoon
- Heat-proof gloves
- Ladle
- Cutting board and knife
- Can opener
- Empty can or jar for grease
Steps
-
Brown the beef
Set a 6-quart Dutch oven over medium heat and add the oil. Add the beef and break it into small crumbles. Cook 8 to 10 minutes, until no pink remains and it reaches 160°F. Spoon off extra grease into a can or jar.
-
Soften the vegetables
Add the onion and bell pepper to the beef. Cook 4 to 5 minutes, stirring, until the onion turns soft and see-through. Stir in the garlic for 30 seconds.
-
Toast the spices
Stir in the chili powder, cumin, paprika, oregano and tomato paste. Cook 1 minute, stirring constantly, until the paste darkens a little and smells rich.
-
Add the liquids
Pour in the crushed tomatoes, fire-roasted tomatoes with their juice, both beans, the broth and the water. Scrape up any browned bits from the bottom. Bring to a boil.
-
Simmer the base
Cover and move to a gentler heat, or pull the pot slightly off the hottest coals. Simmer 10 minutes so the flavors come together. Season with salt and pepper.
-
Cook the macaroni
Stir in the dry macaroni and bring back to a steady simmer. Cook uncovered 8 to 10 minutes, stirring every couple of minutes so the pasta doesn't stick. Add a splash of water if the soup gets thick.
-
Finish and serve
Taste a noodle to make sure it's tender. Ladle into bowls and top with cheddar, a spoonful of sour cream, crushed corn chips and scallions. Serve right away, because the pasta keeps soaking up broth.
Trail Notes
Dice the onion and pepper at home and mix the chili powder, cumin, paprika and oregano in a small bag. Freeze the beef flat in a zip bag and use it as an ice pack, then cook it within a day or two of thawing in the cooler.
Keep raw beef at 40°F or below and wash your hands and knife after handling it. Cool leftovers fast and get them into the cooler within 2 hours, or 1 hour if it's above 90°F. Eat them the next day and reheat to 165°F.
No cooler? Skip the beef, use a third can of beans and add a can of corn, and the soup still works. Leftover noodles drink up broth overnight, so add a splash of water when you reheat.
Strain food bits out of your dishwater and pack them out with the trash. Scatter the strained water at least 200 feet from streams, lakes and camp. Seal the grease in a can or jar and pack it out. Never pour it on the fire or the ground.
Round out your camp day
Picked to work with the same kit as this recipe.
BreakfastCast-Iron Hash Brown Egg Skillet with Melted Cheddar
LunchCampfire Honey-Lime Chicken and Rice Foil Packets
Snack or treatDutch Oven Pizza Biscuit Pull-Apart Bites with Warm MarinaraMore one-burner camping meals →Planning a trip? Get the free 3-day meal plan →
Campers ask
Can you cook pasta directly in chili soup at camp?
Yes. Add dry elbows to the simmering soup and cook 8 to 10 minutes, stirring often. The pasta releases starch, which makes the broth a little thicker.
How do I keep the macaroni from getting mushy?
Serve it as soon as the noodles are tender. Leftover pasta keeps swelling, so thin the soup with a splash of water when you reheat it.
Can I make chili mac soup on a camp stove instead of a fire?
Yes. Use a flat-bottomed Dutch oven or large pot over medium heat and follow the same steps. Lower the flame to a steady simmer once the soup boils.
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