Two-Person Lunch and Dinner Meals for the Campground

It’s fun cooking for a crowd when camping, but in reality, many RVers cook for two. Here are some of our favorite two-person lunch and dinner recipes.

Related Tips for Cooking for Two Campers

Steak With Garlic Herb Butter and Pie Iron Tots 

The garlic herb butter takes a simple grilled steak to another level. And you can use leftover compound butter to season veggies, potatoes, or rice for other meals during your trip.

Prep Ahead

Make the compound butter before you leave—you won’t use all of the butter for the steak, so you can use it for other meals.

Ingredients

• 3 sprigs thyme
• 3 sage leaves
• 1 sprig rosemary
• 1 scallion
• 1 clove garlic
• ½ cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, softened
• 1 teaspoon kosher salt, plus more for seasoning the steak
• 1 12- to 16-ounce ribeye steak (or other cut of steak)
• Ground pepper, to taste
• 30 tater tots

Instructions

1. Remove the leaves from the thyme, sage, and rosemary stems. Chop finely with a knife. Mince the scallion and garlic.
2. In a medium-sized bowl, combine the chopped herbs, scallion, and garlic with the softened butter and kosher salt. Mix well to combine thoroughly. 
3. Scrape the butter mixture onto a piece of plastic wrap and use the plastic wrap to coax the butter into a log shape. Refrigerate until needed.
4. Season the steak well with salt and pepper. To cook the steak, place over a hot grill, grill grate over an open fire, or grill pan. Sear it on all sides for about 4 minutes per side and then continue to cook and flip until the temperature reaches your desired doneness. For medium rare, cook until the steak measures 123 degrees Fahrenheit on a meat thermometer. 
5. Remove the steak from the heat, top with 1 tablespoon of compound butter, and let it rest for 10 minutes. Slice and serve. 
6. For the tater tots, use an oven if available and cook per the package instructions. Or, use a pie iron and cook over an open flame. Heat the pie iron over the fire, spray each side with non-stick spray, and then fill with tater tots. Cook over high heat for 15 to 20 minutes or until the tots reach maximum crispiness—check throughout the process to ensure even cooking. 

---

Southwestern Chicken and Rice Skillet 

This one-pan dish will leave enough for leftovers. Eat as-is or chop up the chicken and stuff into large flour tortillas to make burritos the next day.

Prep Ahead

Coat the chicken in half of the seasoning packet. Store in a zip-top bag in the fridge or cooler before heading out on your adventure. You can also prep the veggies before you leave.

Ingredients

• 4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts or 1 pound of boneless skinless chicken thighs
• 1 1.25-ounce packet chili seasoning
• 1 tablespoon neutral oil
• ½  small onion, diced small
• 1 red bell pepper, diced small
• 1 jalapeno pepper, diced small 
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• 2 tablespoon tomato paste
• 1 cup long-grain white rice
• 2 cups chicken stock
• 1 can black beans, drained
• Avocado, scallions, salsa, and sour cream to garnish

Instructions

1. Season the chicken evenly with half of the chili seasoning packet.
2. Place a 10- to 12-inch skillet over medium heat. Add half tablespoon of oil. Allow the oil to heat up for 1 to 2 minutes and add the chicken. Brown the chicken on both sides and remove from the skillet.
3. Add another half tablespoon of oil to the skillet. Add the onion and peppers. Cook for 3 to 5 minutes until the vegetables are soft and the onion turns translucent.
4. Add the garlic, tomato paste, and rest of the chili seasoning packet. Cook for 1 minute.
5. Add the rice and stir to coat in the tomato paste mixture. Add the chicken stock and black beans, stir to combine, and bring the chicken stock to a boil. 
6. Reduce the heat to low, add the chicken to the pan, and cover. Let simmer on low heat for 15 minutes. Turn off the heat and let the skillet sit, covered, for another 10 minutes.
7. Uncover, fluff the rice with a fork, and serve. Garnish with avocado, scallions, salsa, and sour cream.

---

Grilled Pork Tenderloin With Apricot Mustard Glaze

Pork tenderloin is an ideal cut of meat to grill because it’s hard to ruin—even if you overcook it a little, it’s still going to remain melt-in-your-mouth tender. Plus, the size is perfect for two people because it provides dinner and a perfect sandwich the next day for lunch (see the following recipe).

Prep Ahead

Mix together the apricot mustard glaze before heading out on your trip. 

Ingredients

• 2 tablespoons shallots, minced
• ½ cup apricot preserves
• 2 tablespoons Dijon mustard
• 2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
• ½  tablespoon kosher salt, plus more for seasoning the pork
• ½ tablespoon ground black pepper, plus more for seasoning the pork
• 1 pork tenderloin

Instructions

1. Whisk together the shallots, apricot preserves, Dijon mustard, apple cider vinegar, half tablespoon of kosher salt, and half tablespoon of ground black pepper in a small-sized bowl. Remove half of the mixture and set aside for pork tenderloin sandwiches tomorrow.
2. Heat your grill, grill pan, or open-fire grate over medium-high heat. 
3. Season the pork tenderloin evenly with kosher salt and ground pepper.
4. Sear the pork tenderloin on all sides allowing each side to cook for 2 to 3 minutes before turning a quarter turn. 
5. Once the pork is seared on all sides, move to a slightly cooler area of the grill or turn down the flame to medium heat. Brush the glaze on the pork tenderloin, turning a quarter turn every 2 minutes or so, continuing to brush as you turn. 
6. Cook until the pork registers 135 to 140 degrees Fahrenheit on a meat thermometer. 
7. Remove from the grill and rest under foil for 10 minutes before carving and serving.

---

Pork Tenderloin Sandwich With Red Cabbage Slaw

The red cabbage slaw—dressed with half of your apricot mustard glaze—elevates leftover pork tenderloin into a tasty sandwich. This is a perfect dish for a picnic lunch or quick dinner.

Prep Ahead

If you aren’t using pre-cut vegetables, shred the cabbage and carrots at home and store them in a zip-top bag until you’re ready to dress the slaw and build your sandwiches.

Ingredients

• ½ recipe apricot mustard glaze (see recipe above)
• 1 to 2 cups shredded red cabbage (a quarter of a small head or pre-shredded from the grocery store)
• 1 large carrot, julienned (or pre-shredded from the grocery store)
• 6 ounces grilled pork tenderloin, sliced 
• 2 large hamburger rolls
• Mayonnaise, to taste
• Kosher salt, to taste
• Ground black pepper, to taste

Instructions

1. Combine the apricot mustard glaze, cabbage, and carrots in a medium-sized bowl and toss to combine well. 
2. Spread a layer of mayonnaise on the bottom of the hamburger buns and season with salt and pepper to taste. 
3. Top with pork tenderloin slices and red cabbage slaw. 
4. Place the top bun on the sandwich.

---

Thai Green Curry Ramen Noodles With Shrimp 

Instant ramen noodles are an easy-to-find, inexpensive option to keep stocked in your pantry. This recipe increases the nutrition quotient by adding a heaping of fresh veggies and the flavor quotient with green curry paste. Use one pack of ramen for a lighter, lunch-sized serving and two packs for a dinner serving.

Prep Ahead

This recipe comes together quickly, but you can make it even faster at the campground by pre-chopping your vegetables. 

Ingredients

• 1 to 2 packages of ramen noodles
• ½ tablespoon neutral oil 
• 1 shallot, sliced thinly
• 1 green pepper, sliced thinly
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 2 tablespoons green curry paste (bought in store or online)
• 1 small summer squash, cut into bite-sized chunks
• 1 small zucchini, cut into bite-sized chunks
• 4 ounces green beans, stemmed and cut into bite-sized pieces
• 1 14-ounce can of coconut milk
• 14 ounces water (use the coconut milk can to measure)
• 8 ounces frozen uncooked shrimp, thawed and peeled
• ½ tablespoon sugar
• ½ lime, juiced
• 1 teaspoon fish sauce or soy sauce 
• Cilantro, chopped for garnish

Instructions

1. Fill a medium-sized soup pot with water and bring to a boil. Add one to two packages of ramen noodles—without the seasoning packet—to the boiling water and cook for 3 minutes. Drain and set aside.
2. Place the pot back over medium heat. Add the oil to the pot.
3. Once the oil is hot, add the shallot and green pepper. Cook until soft and the onion is translucent, about 3 to 5 minutes. 
4. Add the garlic cloves and curry paste and cook for another minute. 
5. Add the squash, zucchini, green beans, coconut milk, water, and one of the ramen noodle seasoning packets. Stir and bring to a simmer. Simmer until the vegetables are tender, about 10 minutes.
6. Once the vegetables are tender, add the shrimp and cook for 2 to 3 minutes until the shrimp is cooked through and pink.
7. Add the sugar, lime juice, and fish sauce or soy sauce. 
8. To serve, divide the noodles between two bowls. Top with the shrimp and vegetable curry. Garnish with cilantro.

---

join the conversation

The Culinary Camper

More Recipes for Two

Keep Reading

Two-Person Breakfast Recipes for Camping