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Campfire pasta with vodka cream sauce in a bowl.
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5 from 1 vote

Campfire Pasta with Vodka Cream Sauce

This Dutch oven pasta with vodka cream sauce is easy to cook on a campfire or camp stove! It's a one-pot meal made with veggies, marinara, and cheese.
Prep Time5 minutes
Cook Time25 minutes
Total Time30 minutes
Course: Main Course
Cuisine: American
Diet: Gluten Free, Vegetarian
Servings: 4 people
Calories: 498kcal

Equipment

Ingredients

  • 1 tablespoon oil
  • 2 shallots, diced Or 1 small red onion
  • 2 sweet bell peppers (diced, seeds + membranes removed) Or 6 mini sweet peppers
  • 1 teaspoon garlic powder
  • ½ teaspoon red pepper flakes (Use less if you’re very sensitive to heat, but the cream really mellows out the peppers)
  • cup vodka
  • 1 cup halved cherry tomatoes
  • 28 ounce jar marinara sauce (pasta sauce)
  • 2 cups vegetable broth
  • 1 pound short-grain pasta (like penne, ziti or medium shells) Use gluten-free pasta if necessary, such as Banza
  • 1 cup water (optional) Use if needed
  • ½ cup heavy cream
  • ½ cup grated Parmesan

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.
    Add oil, diced shallots, peppers, garlic and red pepper flakes to the Dutch oven. Set oven uncovered on coals. Cook about 3 minutes, or until the shallots begin to sizzle.
    shallots and peppers in Dutch oven.
  • Add the vodka and cherry tomatoes, and cook about 1 minute, or until the liquid begins to simmer.
    Add the broth and tomato sauce. Bring to a boil.
    Add tomato sauce and broth to pepper and tomato mixture.
  • Add the pasta and stir. Make sure the pasta is covered in water, adding additional broth or water if needed.
    Simmer the pasta in the broth until the pasta is tender and most of the broth is absorbed (about 15 minutes, depending on the type of pasta and how hot your campfire is). Stir the pasta often while cooking, making sure to scrape the bottom of the pot often to prevent sticking.
    If you hear the pasta sizzling, it's sticking to the pot. Add a little more water and stir to release any bits of pasta that stuck.
    Added pasta to tomato sauce mixture.
  • Once the pasta is tender, remove it from the heat. Add cream and Parmesan and stir. If the pasta seems dry, add a little more cream or water and stir.
    Serve immediately.
    Campfire pasta with vodka cream sauce in a bowl.

Notes

Makes 4 generous servings or 6 smaller portions.
Fire safety note: Avoid storing the vodka (either in the bottle or portioned for the recipe) near your campfire, because it is highly flammable.
Camp stove variation: This recipe could also be prepared on a camp stove instead of on a campfire.
Nutritional information assumes penne pasta was used.

Nutrition

Calories: 498kcal | Carbohydrates: 57g | Protein: 15g | Fat: 20g | Saturated Fat: 9g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 2g | Monounsaturated Fat: 6g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 44mg | Sodium: 1651mg | Potassium: 953mg | Fiber: 7g | Sugar: 14g | Vitamin A: 3775IU | Vitamin C: 100mg | Calcium: 180mg | Iron: 4mg