Best Van Life Recipes

Best Van Life Recipes

Ah, the van life! The carefree way of roaming the wide-open highways and dusty roads has taken over Instagram. But, with a lifestyle that often requires cooking on the road, what are some of the best van life recipes?

Well, there are a few staple recipes that you’ll want to know if you want to maximize your time on the road. Here are some of the best van life recipes for your next trip across the country.

Best Van Life Recipes: Oatmeal

Oatmeal is one of the best van life recipes because it’s easy to make and provides plenty of energy to get you through the day. Plus, it’s dirt cheap, especially if you buy whole oats.

Ingredients:

  • 1/2 cup whole rolled oats
  • 3 cups water, milk, or a combination of both (cow’s milk is preferable because it has a higher fat content)
  • A pinch of salt and sugar (optional)

How to Make It:

Try it as it is the first time you make this van life recipe. After that, mix in any additions such as dried fruit, cinnamon, or brown sugar. Check out this recipe for more ideas.

Best Van Life Recipes: Rice

Rice is another staple in van life because it’s easy to prepare in a rice cooker or stove. It also holds up well with freezing and thawing, making it a good choice for freeze-dried meals.

Ingredients:

  • 1/2 cup uncooked white rice (long grain preferred)

How to Make It:

If you use a rice cooker, add two cups of water and cook according to the manufacturer’s instructions. If you’re using a stove, add 3 cups of water and cook on medium heat, occasionally stirring until the rice is done.

Best Van Life Recipes: Oatmeal with Blueberries and Honey

This van life recipe is ideal for a high-protein meal and filled with natural goodness. You can use this recipe as a base and change it to your liking by adding blueberries or nuts. It is also a great meal to make while camping or in your home backpacking kitchen.

Ingredients:

  • 3/4 cup + 2 tbsp. oatmeal (preferably rolled oats)
  • 1 tbsp. honey
  • 1/2 tsp. cinnamon, or more to taste
  • 1 1/2 cup water (or milk, cow’s milk is preferable) and more if needed to achieve the desired consistency of oatmeal batter (cow’s milk is preferable because it has a higher fat content.)

How to Make It:

Combine the beans, oats, and cinnamon. Stir constantly as 2 cups of water comes to a boil, then add the oats. Once boiling, lower temperature to medium or medium-high and continue stirring. Ensure all the water is absorbed, and then cook the oats until they’re done – about 5 minutes should be enough if using an oven-safe dish. Serve with honey or brown sugar if needed.

Best Van Life Recipes: Chicken Paprikash

Chicken paprikash is very easy to make and tastes just like the real thing. The chicken and paprika are cooked with onions, bell peppers, fresh garlic, and sour cream to touch freshness. This recipe does take time to cook, but you can always use a slow-cooker to make it even easier while on the road.

Ingredients:

  • 2 lb. chicken, cut into 2-inch pieces (breasts and thighs recommended)
  • One onion, cut into quarters.
  • Three cloves garlic, minced or pressed through a garlic press (or 1/2 tsp. garlic powder)
  • One green bell pepper, thinly sliced into 1-inch wide strips. (Or substitute red or yellow peppers.
  • One red bell pepper, thinly sliced into 1-inch wide strips. (Or substitute yellow or orange peppers.)
  • One can of tomato soup (Or two cans of diced tomatoes)
  • 1/4 tsp. paprika (or smoked or sweet paprika)
  • 1/2 cup sour cream or yogurt (your choice)

How to Make It:

Add one tablespoon of oil into a skillet and place it on medium heat. After that, add the onions and cook until they are soft and translucent. Then, add the garlic and peppers (add more oil if it smokes)—Cook for another minute. Add in the chicken, paprika, and soup. Keep skillet covered and continue to cook for at least 20 minutes or until chicken is done. Stir it every 5-10 minutes to prevent it from sticking to the pan.

Best Van Life Recipes: Mulled Wine

When the cold weather hits, a warm drink is always welcome. This recipe for mulled wine is easy to prepare (no need for fancy spices) and will help you stay warm while camping or on the road.

Ingredients:

  • 2 cups of sliced apples (Corelli, Fuji, Granny Smith, Gala, etc. are best)
  • 2 cups of sliced pears (Bartlett, Bosc, etc. are best)
  • Three oranges, peeled and sectioned (with at least 1/2 orange’s worth of pith removed)
  • 1/4 cup raisins (optional) or dried cranberries
  • 1/3 cup water or wine (preferably a red wine like merlot or cabernet sauvignon; you may also use apple cider instead of water)
  • 1/4 tsp. ground cinnamon
  • 1/4 tsp. ground ginger (optional)
  • 1/8 tsp. cloves or allspice (optional)
  • One bottle of red wine (750 ml worth is a good amount for a 4-person batch)

How to Make It:

Combine the apples, pears, water, and wine in a large pot and bring it to a boil over medium heat. Stir the mixture occasionally, reducing the heat every few minutes, or until the fruits are soft. Stir occasionally. Once the fruit is soft, add cranberries or raisins, cinnamon, ginger (if using), cloves or allspice (if using), and orange sections. (You may adjust the proportions of these ingredients according to your taste.) Simmer for another five minutes and then turn off the heat. You can also use electric kettle to boil water as an alternative to large pot.

Best Van Life Recipes: Macaroni and Cheese

It is one of the best van life recipes to make when you have access to running water because you’ll need a pot and stovetop to make it. However, it’s doable in a van without electricity (as long as you have a lighter and some parchment paper).

Ingredients:

  • 1 cup pasta (such as macaroni or similar)
  • 1/2 stick butter (or half and a half)
  • Salt and pepper to taste (optional)

How to Make It:

Then, follow the instructions on a package of dried macaroni at the store. It usually comes with directions for boiling on the stove. Then, drain. Mix in some cheese (using actual cheese is best), butter, and salt/pepper (use common sense). Then, top with more cheese and cook on shallow heat.

Best Van Life Recipes: Enchiladas

Enchiladas are a pretty popular recipe during spring break. That’s when the best van life recipes come out because it’s easy to cook and is always a hit with people. There are many varieties of enchiladas; for example, nachos enchiladas, chicken enchilada, and cheese enchiladas.

Ingredients:

  • Corn tortillas or flour tortillas (if you want a gluten-free recipe)
  • Shredded chicken
  • 1-2 cups of onion, chopped (depending on taste)
  • 20 oz. can tomato sauce
  • About a teaspoon of chili powder (or more or less, as desired)
  • Salt & pepper to taste (optional)​

How to Make It:

You mix all these ingredients. Then cook the enchiladas on a baking sheet in the oven, in a stovetop pan, or wrapped in aluminum foil like a burrito.

Best Van Life Recipes: Apple Cobbler

The best van life recipes are the ones that taste so bad-ass that people think you made it in a five-star kitchen. The one downside to cooking in a van is you don’t have an oven. Luckily, apple cobbler is one of the best van life recipes that doesn’t need an oven. It has all the things we crave – hot caramel, delicious apples, and flakey crust. Plus, it’s easy to make and easy to eat.

Ingredients:

  • Baked apples (2-4 large apples are enough, depending on the size of your van)
  • 1 cup sugar (don’t fill the van up with sugar!)
  • 1/2 cup water (can also use a mix of brown sugar and water)
  • One stick butter (or half and a half)​

How to Make It:

First, preheat the oven to 325 degrees Fahrenheit. Peel, core, and slice your apples. Make a syrup by stirring sugar and water together. Cook the apples until soft on medium heat. You can add cinnamon for extra flavor. When they’re soft, take them out of the pot and let them cool for about 20 minutes before putting them into the cobbler batter. Then, take a deep dish baking pan (like a pie pan). Then, mix the butter in with about 1 cup of the batter. Then, pour the batter on top of the apples. Cook it for 20 minutes or until the crust is nice and brown. Yum!

Best Van Life Recipes: Spaghetti

Spaghetti is another one of the best van life recipes you could make pretty quickly. This recipe is simple, requires only one pot, and can be made on a small stove or even off your campfire.

Ingredients:

  • 1/2 pound spaghetti (or thin spaghetti)
  • 1/3 cup butter and 1/3 cup olive oil (or you can use the butter equivalent)
  • Pepper and salt (optional)

How to Make It:

Then, pour some pasta into a pot or pan. Then, add olive oil and the other type of butter (and salt and pepper). Follow the directions on your stove for how to cook it.

Once it’s cooked, drain some of the pasta and then put it in a bowl. Add more olive oil and then more butter (and salt and pepper). Then, toss to thoroughly coat your pasta in this tasty olive oil and butter mixture.

Best Van Life Recipes: Breakfast Sandwiches

When you’re on the road for a day or more, you’re going to want to keep up your energy. And breakfast sandwiches are perfect for this. They are easy to pull together and easy to eat. Plus, they can be packed in tight spaces without taking up too much room.

Ingredients:

  • Two slices bread
  • One egg, scrambled or fried (as you prefer)
  • One slice of cheddar cheese or some other type of cheese (according to your preference and the place where you’re able to buy cheese)
  • Bacon, optional (you can also use ham if you prefer)
  • Mayonnaise, optional

How to Make It:

You should spread each piece of bread with butter on one side. Place the egg on one side and add cheese on the other. Bacon if you want to add it and mayo too if you prefer. Finally, top with the other piece of bread. Then, fold down over the filling and butter again. That will ensure an excellent, snug seal on your sandwich for later consumption.

You can also make bacon and egg muffins, which are a bit more involved. It’s just as easy as making breakfast sandwiches, though. Both of these options are excellent for packing into a bag for mealtimes.

Best Van Life Recipes: Burritos

Burritos are the best van life recipes to get you through your long days on the road. This one is relatively simple to make, too, even if you’re not precisely the cookies person in the world.

Ingredients:

  • 1 cup rice (can also use quinoa or oats)
  • One pound of meat (your choice on what kind)
  • Two cups of boiling water for the rice after adding the rice to your pot or pan
  • One can of tomatoes
  • Two tablespoons of the following spices: salt, pepper, curry powder (or any other spice you want to add)
  • Oil for frying or for sautéing the meat (or you can use water if you prefer)

How to Make It:

Cook rice as directed on your packaging. Also, fry or sauté your meat. Then, mix in a pot with the seasonings and spices. Place the tomatoes in after that and cook for another five minutes.

Finally, add rice and mix again. Now you’re ready to serve these tasty burritos on the road.

Best Van Life Recipes: Vegetarian Chili

Some people don’t like the idea of eating meat for every meal. If you’re one of those people, then this recipe for vegetarian chili is a perfect choice. It’s packed with vegetables that make it much more delicious than regular chili. It’s easy to make, too, so you don’t have to worry about taking hours to make a meal on the road.

Ingredients:

  • Two cups of black beans (can also use kidney beans if you prefer)
  • Two cups of lentils (can also use black or pinto beans with turkey meat in place of the lentils)
  • Two red bell peppers, chopped in half or small pieces (depending on your preference and the size of the peppers)
  • Five cloves of garlic, peeled and chopped to bits.
  • Four jalapeño peppers, chopped to bits
  • A can of tomatoes, one for each meal (one for each day in case you don’t have a fresh one)
  • Two cups of burgundy wine or any other wine (or you can use apple juice if that’s all you have)
  • One tablespoon of honey (or a tablespoon of sugar if that’s all you have)
  • One teaspoon of salt (or two tablespoons if that’s all you have)
  • One teaspoon of cumin (or a tablespoon if that’s all you have)
  • One cup of freshly chopped cilantro (or two tablespoons if that’s all you have)

How to Make It:

First, place your beans and lentils in a pot with enough water to cover them. Add spices and garlic, and bring everything to a boil. This recipe calls for 10 to 15 minutes to boil until the beans and lentils are soft. Then, add chopped peppers and tomatoes. Let stand for an hour or so. Check on them. If you don’t have a fresh can of tomatoes, then let it simmer for another five minutes or so. You want the sauce to be thicker but not too thick. You want it to be pourable again after you add the cilantro and other ingredients. If it’s too thick, add some water.

Lastly, add the remainder of the ingredients. Stir, and you’re ready to eat your vegetarian chili.

Summary

Well, these recipes are some of the best van life recipes that exist. They are easy to make and are filling enough to see you through your day or week on the road. And there are plenty of other van life recipes out there just waiting to be tried. Also we need to think about the reality of living on the road that washing dishes is not that easy as cooking.

So, get cooking as many as you can and put it in dish storage and be always ready to eat when needed. You can start living the carefree lifestyle of a true van-lifer! Hopefully, you now have a better understanding of what van living is all about. You now know what to look for when you start searching for your vehicle.