Backcountry Cooking 101: Pizzas

There’s nothing quite like a hot meal at the end of a long day in the backcountry. You can’t beat the satisfaction of a hot cooked meal over the camp stove or campfire. 

These single serve backcountry pizzas are perfect for keeping things easy, light, and compact on your backpacking or bikepacking trips. Keep it light and simple with just a few ingredients if you’re counting ounces. Don’t mind the weight? Pack on the toppings. Either way, this is a hearty backpacking meal.  

Convenient: The ingredients are lightweight and easy to pack. Pack as many or as few topping options as you want! 

Customizable: There are endless topping possibilities to play around with. You get to decide what your pizza experience will be. 

Delicious: These little pizzas are a delicious meal option and bring fresh ingredients to the backcountry. We’re bias, but we think everything tastes better in the backcountry. 

Quick Cooking Time: Backcountry pizzas whip up in just a few minutes, making them ideal for making over the campfire or cooking with a portable backpacking stove. 

The cooking gear you need for backcountry pizzas can be as simple as your regular backcountry cook setup, or you can add one or two items to make these more gourmet. 

• Portable stove or campfire setup

• Lightweight pan with lid for cooking (the lid is option, but helps trap the heat, speeding up your pizza’s cook time.)  

• Aluminum foil (optional)

• Utensils: knife, spatula, and cutting board (optional, pizza is finger food after all) 

• Plates or serving dishes

• Tortillas (flour or corn), or pitas. 

o Pick a tortilla size that fits in the bottom of your pan

• Sauces (tomato sauce, pesto, or olive oil). We recommend ones in plastic squeeze bottles, or transfer sauce into a plastic container. 

• Cheese (shredded or slices)

• Toppings (pepperoni, veggies, pre-cooked meats, etc.). 

• Spices and herbs (oregano, basil, garlic powder)

Prepping toppings at home saves you time and avoids messy cleanup at camp. Chop your veggies and pre-cook your meat before you hit the trail so you can get to cooking these pizzas sooner than later. Package up your ingredients for your trip using resealable bags or containers. Airtight containers will help keep your ingredients fresh. 

If you’re using a camp stove, find a flat surface away from your sleeping area to set up your cooking space. Find a spot that is protected from the wind or use a wind screen to keep your flame protected and maximize heat efficiency. 

For cooking over a campfire, always build your campfire in an existing fire ring and practice safe campfire etiquette:

• Keep your campfire small 

• Only used down and dead wood and kindling for fuel 

• Don’t leave your fire unattended 

• When it’s time to put your fire out, douse it with water making sure there aren’t any hot coals left. 

o Add the sauce, spreading evenly 

o Layer the cheese on top 

o Layer your desired toppings 

o Fold in half or top with another tortilla (optional, best if you don’t have a lid for your pan) 

o Place your prepped pizza over medium to low heat 

o Cover the skillet or wrap in foil (optional) 

o Cook until the cheese melts and edges are crisp 

o If you’ve folded your tortilla in half or added a tortilla topper, flip to cook the other side 

1. When you’re cooking over a camp stove, keep the heat low to prevent the bottom from burning. 

2. If you don’t have a lid for your pan, fold the tortilla in half or top with a second tortilla to help trap in the heat and melt your cheese faster. If you’re using a pita, stuff the toppings into the pocket. 

3. Plan on enjoying your pizzas the first night or two of your trip to enjoy the ingredients when they’re still fresh. 

4. These pizzas can be enjoyed hot or cold (but we highly recommend eating them hot!) 

5. Opt for corn tortillas to make this gluten free or go cheese less for a dairy free option 

6. Want to make these over the fire? Pack a portable stove as backup in case fire restrictions change or there aren’t any fire rings available. No one wants to go hungry! 

7. Flying solo? Bring a smaller pan to cook in. Just make sure your tortillas or pitas fit. For groups of 2 or more, bring a larger pan to cook two at a time. 

8. Pack a lightweight stool or chair to sit comfortably while you cook and enjoy your meal. 

When you’re done cooking, let everything cool before cleaning. Use biodegradable soap for washing dishes. Practice Leave No Trace™ and pack out any leftovers or trash. 

Now that you have everything you need to make backcountry pizzas, pack your bags and head out on your next backcountry trip.

Be sure to share your pizza stories with us through our social media channels.

 

Happy (backcountry) cooking!