Cold Weather Camping Recipe

Warm up with this easy recipe for One Pot Broccoli Tuna Casserole.  Ingredients featured in this dish can help increase body heat, which is optimal when spending time outdoors in cold weather.  Bundle up with our backcountry twist on an American classic.

Can food help you stay warm?

Foods that contain more fat, protein, and carbohydrates can slightly increase body temperature during digestion.  Broccoli Tuna Casserole features fats (from tuna, oil and cheese), protein (from tuna) and carbohydrates (from rice and broccoli).

Pair this meal with a warm beverage, try our Pine Hot Toddys

How to make a winter one pot backcountry dinner

One of the most important things to take into consideration when cooking in cold weather is how your stove and fuel react to cold.  High alpine environments have lower amounts of oxygen, which effects fuel density and can make cook times longer.

Cold outdoor cooking

Backcountry stoves perform differently in cold weather.  The best way to get to know your stove’s limitations is to research what to expect when cooking in cold environments.  For example, canister stoves do not perform well when cold, and need to be warmed before use.  A helpful tip is to stick feet warmers to the bottom of the canister to keep the fuel warm when cooking.

Casserole ingredients

Cheesy Tuna Casserole tastes fantastic warm; the cheese melts and binds the ingredients together, for gooey delicious bites.  In case your cooking gear decides not to work, no worries!  All the ingredients are precooked (except the broccoli) and can be enjoyed cold.  Its always smart to have a backup plan, especially when traveling in the cold!

Here is what you need to make 2 servings of Broccoli Tuna Casserole:

• Olive Oil
• Salt and Pepper
• Fresh Broccoli (can substitute with dehydrated or freeze-dried for longer shelf life)
• Hard Cheese
• Fresh Garlic (can substitute with garlic powder for longer shelf life)
• Pre-cooked rice
• Canned tuna

Group meal

Looking for a tasty meal that can feed a lot of people?  To increase proportions, simply double the recipe below for 4 people, then double that recipe to feed 8 people.  When cooking Tuna Broccoli Casserole for a big group use a large backcountry pot, or cook in several installments if you only have a small pot.

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One Pot Broccoli Tuna Casserole

Prep Time

5 mins

Cook Time

10 mins

Total Time

15 mins

 

An easy to make one pot meal for spending time outdoors in cold environments.  Low fuel consumption, great flavors, healthy ingredients.

Course: Main Dish

Cuisine: One Pot

Servings: 2

Ingredients

• 1 package Pre-Cooked Rice
• 1 cup Chopped Broccoli
• 2 cloves Garlic
• 1 package Tuna
• 1/2 cup Parmesan Cheese
• 2 tbsp Olive Oil
• 3 pinches Salt
• 3 pinches Pepper

Instructions

1. Chop garlic into small pieces with backcountry knife. Slice or grate cheese.

2. Add 1 tbsp olive oil, garlic, and broccoli to pot. Turn stove on high for 20 seconds while continuously stirring broccoli.  Turn stove off, place lid on pot and let sit for 1 minute. Repeat this two more times or until broccoli becomes soft.  

3. When broccoli is cooked pour pre cooked rice and tuna into pot. Add salt and pepper. Stir ingredients together.  Add salt and pepper.

4. Turn stove on and cook for 20 seconds while continuously stirring. Turn stove off, place lid on pot and let sit for 1 minute. Repeat this two more times or until cheese is melted.  
   

5. Serve in bowls or eat right out of the pot to avoid extra dishes.  

Recipe Notes

Make sure you're throughly stirring while JetBoil is turned on.  This recipe can burn very easily if you're not paying attention, so keep casserole moving when cooking.