Camping nachos
These make-ahead nachos are my go-to camping meal. Not only because nachos are one of my favourite foods, but because they’re super easy to prep from home and whip up quickly with minimal equipment!
Ingredients
Nacho mince (prepare in advance)
- oil for cooking
- 500 g beef mince
- 1 medium onion diced
- 2 cloves garlic chopped
- ½ teaspoon smoked paprika
- 1 teaspoon ground cumin
- 1 teaspoon ground coriander
- ¼ teaspoon chilli flakes optional
- black beans or red kidney beans, 400g can, rinsed and drained
- 2 tablespoons tomato paste
- 2 400g cans chopped tomatoes
- 1 cup frozen corn kernels defrosted
- 1 carrot grated
- 1 cup beef stock check label if eating gluten-free
Toppings
- 1 avocado
- juice of 1 lime juice or ½ lemon
- 400 g can chopped tomatoes
- 125 g sour cream
- 2-3 teaspoons chipotle sauce omit if you prefer plain sour cream. Check label if eating gluten-free
To serve
- ½ cup grated cheese optional
- corn chips 1 large bag
Instructions
- To prepare the nacho mince, heat a drizzle of oil in a large frying pan on high heat. Add mince and break up with a wooden spoon. Cook for 7–8 minutes until browned. Reduce heat to medium high, add onion and cook for about 5-7 minutes until very soft. Add garlic and spices and cook for 1 more minute.
- Stir through beans, tomato paste, canned tomatoes, corn, carrot and beef stock. Bring to a simmer then reduce heat to low and cover. Simmer, stirring occasionally, with lid partly off, until almost thickened (you want to retain some liquid so mince doesn’t dry out when you reheat it). Season to taste with salt and pepper. Allow to cool completely then freeze or refrigerate.
- To prepare nachos for eating, place mince in a large camping frying pan (or pot) and heat over the fire or on the camping stove. When piping hot, sprinkle over cheese (if using) and allow to melt. Remove from heat.
- While the mince is reheating, prepare the toppings. To make guacamole, mash avocado flesh in a small bowl. Stir through lime or lemon juice, season with salt and set aside. To make a quick salsa, simply drain canned tomatoes and season with salt and pepper. Combine sour cream and chipotle sauce.
- To serve, bring the pan of heated mince, corn chips and toppings to the table (or makeshift table) and let everyone help themselves, using the corn chips to scoop up the mince and toppings.
Notes
Prepare this nacho mince before you set off and transport it in a chilli bin, or freeze it first and let it defrost during the drive. Put the nachos together on your first night at the campsite – dinner will be a breeze! Camping meals can be a little tricky. Luckily I’m an avid camper so have lots of tips for you! Check out my blog post here with heaps of tips and tricks. This recipe is from NADIA magazine‘s December/January issue.