Camping Quesadillas

Quesadillas are one of the most rewarding meals you can make while wild camping. They’re quick, customizable, and incredibly satisfying after a long day on the trail. Best of all, they require campstove-friendly gear and ingredients that pack well in your backpack.

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Why Quesadillas Are Perfect for Wild Camping

Quesadillas check all the boxes for ideal backcountry food. They’re lightweight, cook in minutes, and can be adapted to whatever ingredients you have on hand. Unlike freeze-dried meals, they actually taste like real food, and you can customize them to your exact preferences. Plus, who doesn’t love melted cheese after a long hike?

What You’ll Need

Tortillas

Both corn and flour tortillas work beautifully for camping quesadillas. Flour tortillas tend to be more pliable and less likely to crack in your pack, while corn tortillas offer authentic flavor and are often more compact. The key advantage? Tortillas are flat, so they pack incredibly well without taking up much space in your backpack.

Cheese

Hard cheeses are your best friend on the trail. Cheddar, Monterey Jack, or Pepper Jack all travel well and won’t spoil quickly unless you’re camping in extremely hot conditions. Pre-shred your cheese at home and store it in a ziplock bag for even easier preparation at camp.

Camp Stove and Skillet

I’m a big fan of the Jetboil Flash for backcountry cooking. It’s compact, efficient, and boils water incredibly fast. Pair it with the Jetboil Summit Skillet, which is specifically designed to work with Jetboil systems and provides the perfect surface for cooking quesadillas evenly.

Fillings (Get Creative!)

Loaded quesadilla with cheese, black beans, chillies, chorizo, and spring onions.

While cheese alone makes a delicious quesadilla, adding other ingredients takes them to the next level. Here are some backpacking-friendly filling ideas:

Dehydrated beans: Check out my dehydrated refried black beans recipe for a protein-packed addition that rehydrates quickly at camp
Cured meats: Pepperoni, salami, or chorizo add flavor and don’t require refrigeration
Dehydrated vegetables: Sun-dried tomatoes, dehydrated peppers, or onions
Spices: Pre-mixed spice blends in a small container

Optional Garnishes

Elevate your camping quesadillas with these easy additions:

Hot sauce packets (lightweight and flavorful)
Salsa Macha – this oil-based salsa travels perfectly and adds amazing depth and a calorie boost
Fresh or dried cilantro
Sour cream packets
Lime juice packets, or fresh lime if you can

How to Make Quesadillas While Wild Camping

Step 1: Prep Your Ingredients

Set up your camp stove on a stable, flat surface away from your tent and any flammable materials. If you’re using dehydrated beans, start rehydrating them with hot water about 10 minutes before you want to cook.

Step 2: Heat Your Skillet

Place your skillet on the stove and heat it over medium heat. You don’t want it smoking hot – medium heat will melt the cheese without burning the tortilla.

Step 3: Assemble

Place one tortilla in the skillet. Quickly add your cheese and any other fillings on half of the tortilla. Don’t overfill – less is more when you need to fold it.

Step 4: Fold and Cook

Fold the tortilla in half, creating a half-moon shape. Let it cook for about 2-3 minutes until the bottom is golden brown and the cheese starts to melt.

Step 5: Flip

Carefully flip the quesadilla using a spatula or fork. Cook for another 2-3 minutes until both sides are crispy and golden.

Step 6: Serve and Enjoy

Remove from heat and let it cool for a minute (that cheese will be molten!). Add your garnishes and dig in.

Pro Tips for Camping Quesadillas

Don’t add oil: Most tortillas have enough fat that you don’t need to add oil to the pan, which saves weight and cleanup. A nonstick pan like the Summit Skillet, helps too.

Pre-portion at home: Measure out your cheese and fillings into individual bags for each meal. This makes cooking at camp much easier.

Make it a double: If you’re really hungry, use two tortillas with filling in between instead of folding one in half.

Watch your heat: Camp stoves can be finicky. Start with lower heat and adjust up if needed – it’s easier than scraping burned tortilla off your skillet.

Cleanup Made Easy

One of the best things about quesadillas is the minimal cleanup. Let your skillet cool, then wipe it out with a paper towel or bandana. If there’s any stuck cheese, add a little water, heat it briefly, and wipe clean. Follow Leave No Trace principles by packing out any food waste.

Final Thoughts

Quesadillas prove that you don’t need to sacrifice good food when you’re wild camping. With just a few simple ingredients and the right gear like the Jetboil Flash and Summit Skillet, you can enjoy hot, delicious meals that rival anything you’d make at home. They’re quick enough for a lunch break on the trail or satisfying enough for dinner after setting up camp. Heck, I’d eat them for breakfast (will with cheese and scrambled egg, maybe?).

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