This campfire salmon couscous bake uses fresh tomatoes, green beans, and lemon slices. Cook it in a Dutch oven over hot coals for a quick, tasty meal!
When we go camping, a lot of the time it makes sense to bring food that doesn't need refrigeration.
Lots of canned or shelf-stable ingredients.
And those meals are delicious – like campfire chili, pesto penne, and refried bean burritos!
But sometimes we opt to take a cooler with us – or maybe we're cooking over the fire pit at home. When we have access to fresher ingredients, I'm definitely bringing them into the mix!
This campfire salmon couscous bake features fresh green beans, tomatoes, and lemon slices. The veggies and fish steam while the couscous cooks in this bright, beautiful meal that's ready in less than 30 minutes!
What Kind of Equipment Will I Need?
You'll need a cooler to keep the fish chilled, like this Igloo BMX cooler.
You'll also need a campfire Dutch oven. These have feet so they can easily sit on the campfire coals. An oven mitt or thick kitchen towels are important for safe handling.
Bring along some parchment paper Dutch oven liners (to prevent the couscous from sticking to the pot).
We like to use titanium sporks for outdoor eating. While not essential, they're pretty handy!
Check out our guide to camping kitchen gear for some other basics!
Looking for more recipes that involve camping with a cooler? Try these campfire fish tacos, campfire enchiladas, campfire pasta with vodka cream sauce, campfire brats with peppers and onions, a campfire shrimp boil, or campfire fish lentil stew.
Can I Swap In Other Fish?
Sure!
Trout and salmon cook similarly, so trout would be a good substitute.
Can I Swap In Other Veggies in This Campfire Salmon Couscous Bake?
Yes, but stick to ones that will be tasty when steamed!
Asparagus would be a good swap for the green beans.
Can I Use Canned Veggies?
Fresh vegetables are the best for this recipe!
Canned vegetables work great in other recipes, like canned spinach in this campfire lasagna, or a canned green bean salad.
Can I Use Flavored Couscous?
Yes, just make sure the seasoning works with this recipe.
I often see garlic herb and Parmesan couscous: both would be delicious here!
How to Make a Campfire Salmon Couscous Bake
To begin, line the Dutch oven with the parchment paper.
Sprinkle a pinch of salt over the salmon fillets and set them aside for the moment.
When your campfire is down to the level of hot coals (but no active flames), add the couscous, broth, capers (if using), oil, Italian seasoning, and salt to the Dutch oven.
Next, add the tomatoes and green beans on top of the couscous mixture.
Nestle the salmon fillets into the veggies and couscous.
Lastly, layer the lemon slices on top of the salmon.
It will be a beautiful collection of summery colors!
Now cover the oven, and place it on the coals.
Cook the salmon and veggie mixture for about 20 minutes. The salmon should easily flake apart with a fork when done.
Remove from heat and serve immediately!
With the veggies and couscous, this makes a wonderful one-pot meal. Want dessert later? Try some decadent campfire hot chocolate with peanut butter whiskey!
Campfire Salmon Couscous Bake
Equipment
- serving spoon
- forks
- plates and napkins for serving
Ingredients
- 10 ounce box plain couscous
- 2 cups broth
- ¼ cup capers (optional)
- 2 tablespoons oil (or butter)
- 1 teaspoon Italian herb mix
- ½ teaspoon sea salt, divided
- 1 cup halved cherry tomatoes
- 8 ounces green beans, trimmed and rinsed
- 4 salmon fillets (or use trout fillets)
- 1 lemon, sliced
Instructions
- Prepare campfire: Heat coals until they are very hot, or let a campfire burn down until the wood is smoldering but without active flames.Line the Dutch oven with a parchment paper liner (to prevent the couscous from sticking to the pot). Sprinkle the salmon fillets with a pinch of the salt and set aside.Add couscous, broth, capers, oil, Italian seasoning and remaining salt to the Dutch oven. Stir to combine.
- Add the tomatoes and green beans on top of the couscous mixture.Nestle the salmon fillets into the veggies and couscous. Set the lemon slices on top of the salmon.
- Cover oven and place on coals. Cook about 20 minutes, or until the salmon easily flakes apart with a fork.Remove from heat and serve immediately.
Laura Bozeman says
This recipe looks amazing! What temperature would you recommend if using charcoal briquettes for cooking instead of firewood?
Sarah Trenalone says
Hi Laura! If you mean charcoal briquettes still in a campfire ring, I'd probably use a setup similar to what we do in our campfire lasagna where we do briquettes under the Dutch oven and then about 15 on top. That will change the cooking method to be more like an oven (instead of a stovetop), so the timing might be different. I'd recommend using a lid lifter to check on the salmon periodically until it's opaque and flaky.
If you mean briquettes on a grill, we haven't tried that so I'm not totally sure! But it's a pretty forgiving recipe time-wise, you'd just need to make sure you're checking on the fish and take it off the heat when it's done cooking.
I hope that helps!