4 Quick Backpack Recipes You Can Make on a Tabletop Grill

We all know that, for a very long time, the only things that we could eat while camping were basic snacks, granola bars, protein bars in some cases, and every other type of food that could fit in your pocket and not spoil.

Now, to be honest, they did a great job of fueling our need for adventure. Even if some of us suffered while eating them, we wouldn’t stop our adventure because of them.

However, times have changed a bit and we can now enjoy cooking on tabletop grills. They provide us with the food, nutrients, and vitamins that we need – but freshly cooked and on-the-go. 

Therefore, today we’ll take a look at four quick backpack recipes that you can cook on a tabletop grill. Consider this article as a starting point for any camper that has recently acquired a tabletop grill and wants to impress their friends on the next adventure!

Grilled Zucchini with Lemon Salt

For this recipe, you need roughly 30 minutes to prepare the ingredients and 12 minutes to grill them. You’ll need 6 whole, medium zucchini, ¼ cups of olive oil, 1 tsp. of salt, and 3 whole, zested lemons. 

The above ingredients will turn into a dish able to serve up to eight people.

During the preparation time, you have to lop off the top and bottom of the zucchinis and then slice them into quarters, lengthwise. Then, have the zucchini slices placed in sealable plastic bags. 

Drizzle them in olive oil, salt, pepper, lemon zest, and lemon juice. The bags are then sealed, and you have to work the marinade around the zucchini. Finally, the bags of zucchini can be bagged, and you can cook them whenever you want.

If you want to cook them on the spot, just skip the part with the sealable plastic bags.

Frittata

This time, we go the other way around, as this dish takes only 5 minutes to prepare, but 30 minutes to cook. You will need 6 pre-scrambled eggs, 1 onion, ½ zucchini, ½ diced or chopped tomato, ½ tsp. salt, 1 tbsp. olive oil, and 2 tbsp. grated cheese.

Then, when it comes to cooking, you must heat oil in a pan over medium heat. Once the oil gets hot, add the zucchini, onion, sauté, and tomato until they become tender. 

Add the pre-scrambled eggs in an even manner over the veggies and then sprinkle grated cheese over the frittata. Lastly, cover the pan with a lid and wait for roughly 20-30 minutes for the eggs to set in the middle.

Grilled Firecracker Potato Salad

For this particular type of salad, you’ll start by tossing potatoes with salt, pepper, and oil, and then place them in a grill basket or wok. They are to be grilled while covered, over medium heat, for up to 25 minutes – give them the occasional stir.

While the potatoes are grilling, take a small bowl and mix the dressing ingredients in it – ½ cup of mayonnaise, ½ cup of chopped onion, ¼ cup of Dijon mustard, 2 tbsp. of sweet pickle relish, ½ tsp. of paprika, and ¼ tsp. of cayenne pepper.

Lastly, you’ll need to add the dressing, celery, and eggs to the potatoes. 

If you don’t have a grill basket or wok or simply don’t want to bring one with you while camping, you can use a disposable foil pan to grill the potatoes – just remember to poke holes in the pan’s bottom.

Grilled Vegetable Platter

What’s quicker and easier to cook than a simple veggie platter? If what you want is fast food while camping, then this is the best – and healthiest – option.

You will need ¼ cups of olive oil, 2 tbsp. honey, 4 tsp. balsamic vinegar, 1 tsp. dried oregano, ½ tsp. garlic powder, 1/8 tsp. teaspoon pepper, dash of salt, 1 pound of fresh asparagus, 3 small carrots, 1 sweet red pepper, 1 medium yellow summer squash, and 1 red onion – wedge style.

The spices and common ingredients are to be whisked in a small bowl, marinated with roughly 3 tbsp. of marinade. Then add the vegetables, place in a resealable bag, and marinade for about one and a half hours at room temperature.

When you are ready to cook, just transfer the veggies to your tabletop grill and start cooking

The Bottom Line

Tabletop grills are the best choice for campers who want to eat healthy. Instead of stuffing your pockets with all types of snacks and fast food, you should really consider investing in a tabletop grill.

Naturally, it doesn’t come with the benefits of a standalone grill, but it can cook you healthy and delicious food while you’re in the middle of nowhere!