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Campfire Spaghetti Bake

Campfire spaghetti bake with Dutch oven pasta layers of cheesy spaghetti and meat sauce, baked until golden and bubbly. This hands-on camping meal delivers a hearty, spoonable dinner with a melty mozzarella top.
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Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 40 minutes
rest 5 minutes
Total Time 1 hour 5 minutes
Servings: 8 servings
Course: Main Dish
Cuisine: Italian-American
Calories: 720
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

Ground beef mixture
  • 1 lb ground beef
  • 1 jar (24 oz) spaghetti sauce
  • 1 lb spaghetti Cooked spaghetti (drained) before mixing.
  • 2 cup shredded mozzarella cheese Use half for mixing and half for topping.
  • 0.5 cup Parmesan cheese Grated; used on top.
  • 1 tsp Italian seasoning
  • 1 tsp garlic powder
  • 1 cooking spray For greasing the Dutch oven.

Equipment

  • 1 Dutch oven
  • 1 cast iron skillet

Method
 

Brown the beef
  1. Brown the ground beef in a skillet over campfire until fully cooked, then drain excess fat.
  2. Keep the heat steady so the beef browns rather than steams.
Mix the pasta
  1. Mix the cooked spaghetti, browned beef, spaghetti sauce, half the mozzarella, Italian seasoning, and garlic powder until evenly combined.
Bake in the Dutch oven
  1. Spray the Dutch oven with cooking spray, add the spaghetti mixture, and spread it into an even layer.
  2. Top with the remaining mozzarella and the Parmesan cheese in an even layer for a golden, bubbly finish.
  3. Cover the Dutch oven and place it on campfire coals, with coals on top of the lid, then cook for 30-35 minutes until the cheese is melted and bubbly.
Rest and serve
  1. Let the bake cool for 5 minutes before serving so the layers set.

Notes

Pro tip: For the thickest, most sliceable texture, drain the cooked spaghetti well before mixing and spread the mixture evenly in the Dutch oven. Store leftovers in the refrigerator up to 4 days in a covered container; reheat in the Dutch oven or microwave until hot. Freezing is yes—freeze portions up to 2 months and thaw overnight in the fridge before reheating. For a lighter option, substitute part-skim mozzarella for the shredded mozzarella to reduce calories while keeping the bubbly cheese top.