backpacking meal

Saucy, hearty, and deeply satisfying, this backpacking red lentil marinara pasta is exactly what we want after a long day on the trail. The pasta brings the carbs, the red lentil sauce brings the protein, and the olive oil and cheese bring the fats.

Backpacking Red Lentil Marinara

½ cups broth

(15 ounces) tomatoes (& juices)

red lentils

garlic (minced fine)

oregano

basil

sugar

salt

pasta

olive oil

Place the broth, tomatoes and their juices, lentils, garlic, and dried oregano and basil in a pot and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer over medium-low until the lentils are tender, about 15 minutes. Add salt and sugar to taste.

Spread the sauce onto dehydrator trays in thin, even layers along with the basil. Dehydrate at 135F for 8-12 hours until completely dry.

Store in an airtight container until ready to use.

To pack for the trail, pack about 1/2 cup pasta per serving of sauce (depending on how big of a meal you’d like). Separately, pack parmesan cheese and 1 tablespoon olive oil per serving.

Pack for the Trail

To cook on the trail, place the sauce, pasta, and oil in a pot with just enough water to cover. Bring to a boil, then simmer until the pasta and lentils are tender, about 12 minutes. Top with parmesan cheese and enjoy!

On Trail Preparation

https://embed.mediavine.com/videos/tfzrhrlix9tunwczhaup

Saucy, hearty, and deeply satisfying, this backpacking red lentil marinara pasta is exactly what we want after a long day on the trail.

Dehydrated Red Lentil Marinara

This dehydrated lentil chili is a warm and hearty backpacking meal that's loaded with plant-based protein to keep you fueled on the trail. Cheap to make, quick to cook, and guaranteed to fill you up!

Red Lentil Chili

onion

diced bell pepper

zucchini

garlic (minced)

cumin

chili powder

can fire roasted diced tomatoes

kidney beans, drained

tomato paste

vegetable broth

Heat the oil in a large pot or Dutch oven over medium heat. Once the oil is hot, add the onions, peppers, and salt and saute until beginning to soften. Add zucchini and cook until vegetables are soft and beginning to turn golden in spots. Add garlic, cumin, and chili powder and saute until fragrant (about 30 seconds).

Add the tomatoes, beans, tomato paste, and 2 cups broth, stir to combine. Bring to a simmer, then add the lentils. Simmer for 20 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the lentils are tender, adding more water if needed. Stir in sugar and adjust seasoning to taste. Remove from heat.

To dehydrate, spread the chili onto dehydrator trays lined with solid fruit leather sheets, ensuring the chili is in a thin, even layer. Dehydrate at 135F for 8-12 hours, until the chili is dry and crumbly.

Package in sealable bags and store in a cool, dark place or your freezer for longer storage.Pack the dehydrated chili and a small bottle of olive oil (3-4 tablespoons total) in your bear barrel.

To prepare in camp: At mealtime place the chili, ~1 cup water per serving (enough to mostly cover the chili), and 1 tablespoon oil per serving in a cookpot. Bring to a boil, then reduce to a simmer and cook for about 10 minutes, stirring frequently, until the beans and lentils and tender.

https://embed.mediavine.com/videos/e3m8ues0xgbqtwutciuz

Dehydrated Red Lentil Chili

A warming soup with crispy-crunchy tortilla toppings, this dehydrated tortilla soup is a great backpacking dinner option that just happens to be vegan.

Backpacking Tortilla Soup

(15 ounces) can black beans

(15 ounces) can fire-roasted tomatoes

corn

cilantro

jalapeno

vegetable bouillon cubes

garlic powder

Tortilla chips

oil (packed in a squeeze bottle)

True Lime (optional)

Dice the onion, de-seed and chop the jalapeno, and drain the black beans.

Place beans, tomatoes, corn, onion, cilantro, and jalapeno on dehydrator trays. Keep everything in thin and even layers.

Dehydrate at 135F for 8-12 hours, until everything has dried.

Divide the dried ingredients into 2 servings, adding 1 vegetable bouillon cube, ¼ tsp chili powder, ¼ tsp garlic powder, and ¼ tsp cumin per serving. Pack tortilla chips and oil separately.

In camp, add the soup ingredients into a pot with 12 oz. water. Simmer until the beans and corn are soft, adding more water if needed (about 10 minutes).

Stir in a tablespoon of oil and top with the tortilla chips.

https://embed.mediavine.com/videos/ujcga65xukwbtubz0ekw

This Dehydrated Tortilla Soup is a flavorful, lightweight backpacking meal that you will look forward to eating on the trail!

Dehydrated Tortilla Soup

Dehydrated Beef Stroganoff

beef ((454 g))

bread crumbs ((65 g))

onion (diced (200 g))

garlic (minced (20 g))

sea salt (divided)

beef bouillon

cornstarch

onion powder

oz mushrooms

oz noodles

heavy cream powder

At home, start with clean, sanitized equipment, hands, and work area. This is super important for food safety when dehydrating, so wash up with soap and hot water! Preheat your dehydrator at 145F as you prep the stroganoff.

In a bowl, mix the ground beef with the breadcrumbs until thoroughly combined. At this point, wash your hands again.

Heat a non-stick frying pan over medium heat and add the ground beef, minced onions, and minced garlic. Use your spatula to break the meat apart as you stir it around the pan.

Cook 15-20 minutes, until the ground beef has cooked all the way through and no pink spots remain and the onions are soft and translucent. Break apart any large clumps of meat.

Mix the cornstarch and bouillon with about a half cup of water to create a slurry, and pour into the pan, stirring to incorporate it into the sauce. Cook about one minute more, then remove from the heat.

While the beef is cooking, bring a pot of water to a boil and cook the noodles for a minute or two less than the package instructs you to.1

Line your dehydrator trays with fruit leather liners, parchment paper paper, or silicone sheets. Spread the beef, sliced mushrooms, and cooked noodles onto the trays, making sure not to over-pack the trays.2

Dehydrate at 145F for 6-12 hours.3

Remove the stroganoff from the dehydrator and allow it to cool completely before storing it.

Repackage the meal into single-portion zip top bags. You can add the powdered heavy cream at this time (1 tablespoon per serving). We also recommend packing about 1 tablespoon of oil per serving in a sealed container. Alternatively, you can pack single-serve olive oil packets.

To pack for the trail

Place the meal in your cook pot along with about 200mL water per serving. Cover the pot and bring to a boil, and boil for a minute. Stir, then remove from the heat and place your pot in a pot cozy for 10 minutes or until the meal has rehydrated.4

On trail

cheese (*omit

This has become one of my go to backpacking staple meals over the past few years. It always hits the spot!

https://mediavine-res.cloudinary.com/video/upload/t_original/v1587677644/tfzrhrlix9tunwczhaup.mp4

This dehydrated sweet potato peanut stew is loaded with a hearty mix of sweet potato, chickpeas, and kale.

Dehydrated Sweet Potato Peanut Stew

onion (diced (1 cup))

garlic (minced (1 tablespoon))

sweet potato (diced to ¼” cubes (2 cups))

(14 ounces) can diced tomatoes

broth

New Mexico chili powder

ginger

kale

(14 chickpeas

peanuts

peanut butter

Olive oil

Heat a high-sided skillet or pot over medium. Add the onions and a bit of water. Sweat until the onion is translucent, adding more water as it evaporates out. Add the garlic, sweet potato, tomatoes &amp; their juices, kale, chili powder, ground ginger, salt, and broth. Simmer until the sweet potatoes are tender, about 10 minutes. Stir in the chickpeas.

Spread the stew in an even layer on dehydrator trays that have been lined with a fruit leather insert or parchment paper. Dehydrate at 135F for 8-12 hours or until the chickpeas and sweet potatoes are completely dry. Package in airtight containers or zip-top bags along with the crushed peanuts.

Before departing on your trip, additionally pack the peanut butter packets and oil in a small container.

At Home:

Place the stew in your cookpot with enough water to cover. Simmer 15-20 minutes or until the chickpeas are tender, adding more water as needed. You’ll want a bit of liquid left at the end, but not enough to make it too soupy.

Mix the peanut butter and olive oil into the stew until thoroughly combined. Enjoy!

At Camp:

I've been dehydrating meals for bushwalking for a couple of years, and I have just done a trial run of this recipe to add to my meals for an upcoming 20 day hike.... I LOVE it! The peanut butter at the end really makes this dish. Definitely one of my top 3 meals haha. I didn't add kale, but I will have dehydrated spinach which I will add whilst on the trail. Thanks! :D

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Top Tags

Backpacking Red Lentil Marinara

Red Lentil Chili

Backpacking Tortilla Soup

Dehydrated Beef Stroganoff

Backpacking Red Lentil Marinara

Dehydrated Sweet Potato Peanut Stew

Top 6 backpacking meal recipes from across the web

The most viewed backpacking meal recipes by Recipe Cart users, saved from over 6,000 sites. Or, go to our Recipe Search Engineic_arrow_forward_48px

Top Tags

Backpacking Red Lentil Marinara

Red Lentil Chili

Backpacking Tortilla Soup

Dehydrated Beef Stroganoff

Backpacking Red Lentil Marinara

Dehydrated Sweet Potato Peanut Stew

The most viewed backpacking meal recipes by Recipe Cart users, saved from over 6,000 sites. Or, go to our Recipe Search Engine