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These campfire enchiladas are made in a cast-iron Dutch oven and filled with veggies, beans and (optionally) canned crab. Perfect for camping!
Camping in the fall or winter is its own kind of adventure.
It brings with it the crispness of a chilly night and the comfort of a campfire. Conditions are perfect for Dutch oven campfire meals!
With just a little planning, you can be digging into a warm, cheesy dish like these campfire enchiladas on your next trip.
Looking for other campfire meals? Try campfire pasta with vodka cream sauce, campfire fajitas, campfire fish lentil stew, campfire bratwurst and sauerkraut, or pesto penne!
Are These Traditional Enchiladas?
These are more of a Tex-mex style enchilada than a traditional Mexican-style, meaning the tortillas are filled, wrapped up, and then covered with sauce and cheese.
Can These Be Vegetarian?
Definitely!
This recipe is versatile, so adjust it based on your dietary preferences.
I added crab when I made this at the campsite, but it would also be delicious with just the veggies and beans. Or if you want to add extra cheese to the filling, that works too.
Can I Use Different Meat?
Absolutely.
We love crab meat, but feel free to use your favorite (already cooked and seasoned) meat. Shredded chicken would work perfectly. (You might also enjoy making these bbq chicken quesadillas at your campsite.)
What Equipment Do I Need for Campfire Enchiladas?
You’ll need the basics of a mixing bowl, spoons, can opener, measuring cup and spoon, and some aluminum foil.
In the camping context, you’ll also need a campfire Dutch oven with feet so that it can sit easily on coals. A flat lid is ideal for heaping coals on top.
You’ll also need some charcoal. I like the instant, easy-light kind. Otherwise, you’ll need lighter fluid.
Long-handled utensils for cooking over the campfire are a must to prevent any accidental burns. A lid lifter is important.
How to Make Campfire Enchiladas
Start by warming your tortillas, wrapped in aluminum foil, on the hot charcoal for a few minutes while you prep your other ingredients. Then set them aside, still wrapped.
Add oil, onion, peppers, tomatoes, taco seasoning, and salt to your Dutch oven.
I use Frontier’s Mexican fiesta seasoning as my taco seasoning.
Set the oven on the hot coals and cook until the veggies are tender.
Remove the Dutch oven from the heat, and scoop the onion and pepper mixture out into a bowl.
Add the beans to the cooked veggies and stir.
Pour enchilada sauce into the Dutch oven.
Unwrap the tortillas, and scoop some of the veggie and bean mixture onto each one, as well as the crab (or whatever other filling you choose).
Roll up each filled tortilla and set it down into the enchilada sauce in the Dutch oven.
Keep going until you’ve got a full pot of enchiladas.
If you have any extra filling, go ahead and sprinkle it in before everything gets covered with cheese!
Top the enchiladas with the rest of the enchilada sauce and a layer of shredded cheese.
With the lid now on the Dutch oven, place it back on the coals.
Scoop some of the coals on top of the lid too.
Now just let the enchiladas cook! It should take around 15 minutes, but maybe longer if you included juicy tomatoes that need to cook down.
You can always use your lid lifter to check on the enchiladas and see if they’re ready.
Once the cheese is melted and toasty-looking, remove the pot from the coals and let it cool down for a few minutes.
Your enchiladas are ready to scoop out. Serve and enjoy this cozy outdoor meal!
Campfire Enchiladas
Equipment
- charcoal briquettes
- long metal tongs (for moving coals)
- pot holders
- aluminum foil
- mixing bowl
- mixing spoon
- measuring cup + spoon
- large spoon or spatula (for serving)
- can opener (if cans aren't pop-top)
Ingredients
- 8 – 10 flour tortillas (already cooked) Use small or medium tortillas, not large burrito-style tortillas
- 1 tablespoon oil
- 1 onion, diced
- 2 bell peppers, diced (seeds + membrane removed) I prefer sweet red, yellow or orange peppers
- ½ cup halved cherry tomatoes (optional) Use if in season, otherwise skip
- 1 teaspoon taco seasoning
- ½ teaspoon sea salt
- 2 10-ounce cans enchilada sauce (red or green)
- 14 ounce can black beans, drained
- 6 ounce can lump crab meat (optional)
- 2 cups shredded cheese (Mexican blend)
Instructions
Prepare Campfire + Enchilada Ingredients:
- Preheat campfire coals until very hot. Once coals are hot, set aside around 15-20 coals aside for easy access (you'll be setting them on top of your Dutch oven).Wrap tortillas in aluminum foil and set them on the hot charcoals for a few minutes to warm them up. (I do this while dicing the vegetables.) Set aside (still wrapped in foil).Add oil, diced onion, peppers, tomatoes (if using), taco seasoning and salt to the Dutch oven. Set the oven on the coals and cook until tender.
- Remove the Dutch oven from the heat and scoop the veggies out into a bowl. Add the beans to the veggies and stir.Unwrap the tortillas and open the canned crab (if using).Pour one can of enchilada sauce into the bottom of the Dutch oven.
- Use the foil from the tortillas as a workspace (if needed). Add about ¼ cup of the veggie mixture to a tortilla. (Filling amount is approximate and will vary depending on the size of your tortillas.) Add a little canned crab to the tortilla.Roll the tortilla and set it seam-side down in the Dutch oven / enchilada sauce.
- Repeat, filling remaining tortillas and placing them in the sauce. If you've got extra filling, spoon it into the Dutch oven. I like to add it under the enchiladas, spooning in just before I add the last few filled tortillas.
- Top the tortillas with the remaining enchilada sauce. Sprinkle the shredded cheese on top.
- Close the Dutch oven lid. Set the oven on the hot coals and top the lid with 15-20 pieces of hot charcoal.
- Cook 15-20 minutes, or until the cheese is melted and golden. If you used tomatoes, you'll likely need to cook the enchiladas the full 20 minutes to let the liquid simmer down.Allow enchiladas to cool down for a few minutes before serving.
Notes
Nutrition
We made these tonight in the cast iron skillet in the oven. We used imitation crab, added some Neufchâtel cheese and used a ranchero sauce. The flour tortillas were perfect to soak up the sauce. So good. We’re gonna try with roasted chicken next.
That sounds delicious! I’ll have to make it in my oven soon too 🙂