Imagine it. You're out in the woods, and the tent is all set up, there's a nice breeze, so the bugs aren't too bad, you're looking out over the forest eating a bowl of smoky, cheesy campfire pasta bolognese. If that doesn't excite you, nothing will. If you aren't the camping type, don't worry. I've added a note to the recipe so that you can make this indoors just as easily as outdoors. And full disclosure, I made this in my backyard, not out in the woods, and you can too. As always, the recipe is directly below, but keep reading past it for more detailed information. Let's get to it!
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Campfire Pasta Bolognese Ingredients
The ingredients for this Campfire Pasta Bolognese are pretty straightforward. They are ground beef, onion, carrot, celery, tomato, garlic, rosemary, salt, pepper, red wine, beef stock, pasta, parmesan cheese, and burrata cheese. We'll talk about what exactly burrata cheese is in a minute. Now, you may expect this recipe to have tomato sauce because that is what most of us are used to as a bolognese. However, traditional bolognese has little to no tomato in it. The sauce is wine and stock-based. I generally prefer to add a bit of tomato paste to add richness and a bit of that tomato flavour, but I didn't have any, so I left it out. Honestly, the recipe isn't missing it. It tasted great as it is.
If you enjoy making pasta sauces from scratch, you might also love my tomato sauce recipe, which explores the philosophy behind simple, flavourful cooking. And for another hearty pasta dish that comes together beautifully, check out my spaghetti and meatballs recipe.
What is Burrata Cheese?
Have you ever had fresh mozzarella cheese? I'm not talking about the name-brand blocks you get at the grocery store. I mean real fresh mozzarella. What about ricotta cheese? Well, burrata is pretty much a ball of fresh mozzarella stuffed with ricotta. Sounds good, right! If you can't find burrata, you can use regular mozzarella, but I had some, and I thought this would be a great use for it. I wasn't wrong.
Burrata works especially well in this dish because when you pull it apart and place it on the hot pasta, the creamy centre melts into the sauce and creates something truly special. The key is to let the burrata come to room temperature for about 20 minutes before using it. This allows it to soften properly and melt more evenly when it hits the heat.
Campfire Cooking
To cook this pasta over a campfire, you need two things. Firstly, you need a pot that can withstand the heat of the fire. I used a Lodge Cast Iron Dutch Oven. Secondly, you need something to hang the pot off of. I have a cast iron tripod, specifically for this purpose, but you can tie three equal-length sticks together and make a tripod that way if need be. As a bit of a side note, this is the first time I've had a chance to use either the Dutch oven or the tripod, so it was a pretty exciting day for me.
A few tips for campfire cooking that I've picked up over the years:
- Let your fire burn down properly. You want hot coals, not open flames. Cooking over flames will scorch the outside of your food while leaving the inside raw.
- Keep extra firewood nearby. You'll need to add coals throughout the cooking process to maintain consistent heat.
- Use a lid whenever possible. A lid traps heat and turns your Dutch oven into a proper oven, which is exactly what we need for this recipe.
- Bring a pair of heavy-duty heat-resistant gloves. You'll be handling hot metal near an open fire, so proper protection is essential.
Cooking the Campfire Pasta Bolognese
The first step in any campfire cooking is obviously to get a fire going. You have to light the fire and let it burn down until you have some nice hot coals to cook over. Next, place the pot over the coals and let it heat for about five minutes. Add a touch of olive oil to the pot along with the ground beef and cook until browned.
Adding the Vegetables
Once the beef is brown, add the vegetables, garlic, and rosemary. Cook for five to ten minutes or until the onion and celery have softened.
Season and Deglaze
Season the sauce with salt and pepper and pour in the red wine to deglaze the pan. Let the wine cook until it has almost all evaporated. This should only take about two to three minutes. Deglazing is one of the most important steps here because all those caramelized bits stuck to the bottom of the pot are packed with flavour, and the wine lifts them right into the sauce.
Add the Beef Stock
The final step in building the sauce is to add the beef stock. Pour it into the pot, then wait until it comes to a boil. Put a lid on the pot, and lift it off the fire. Set the pot about six to eight inches above the fire and let it simmer for about 35 to 40 minutes.
Finishing the Campfire Pasta Bolognese
After the sauce has had some time to simmer, take the lid off, and taste the sauce. Add salt and pepper as needed. Now, stir in the cooked pasta and parmesan cheese. Pull the burrata apart and place it on top of the pasta. Return the lid to the pot and cover it with hot coals. Let the pasta sit for about ten minutes.
Carefully remove the coals from the lid, then remove the lid from the pot. The burrata should be melted and just starting to brown. That's when you know the pasta is perfect.
Serve the Campfire Pasta Bolognese
All that's left to do is serve the pasta. This should make enough for four to six people, depending on how hungry everyone is. If you want to stretch it a bit further, serve it with a green salad and some toasted bread.
Why This Recipe is Worth the Effort
If you're sitting around a fire and someone hands you a bowl of this Campfire Pasta Bolognese, you'll want to give them a big hug because that's exactly what they just gave you. This pasta is like a big hug in a bowl. It's everything you love about pasta bolognese but with a hint of smoke and that special je ne sais quoi that only comes from cooking something over an open fire.
You can absolutely make this in the house, and it will be delicious, but if you get the chance to cook this on a fire, take it. That subtle smoky flavour is something you simply cannot replicate on a stovetop. It transforms a delicious pasta into something truly extraordinary. Whether you're out in the backcountry or just in your own backyard, this is one of my favourite ways to cook for people I care about.
Recipe
Ingredients
- 1 teaspoon olive oil
- 1 lb ground beef
- 1 red onion, diced
- ½ stalk celery, diced
- 1 med carrot, peeled and diced
- 2 Roma tomatoes, diced
- 1 tablespoon minced garlic
- 1 tablespoon minced rosemary
- ½ cup red wine
- 2 cups beef stock
- ½ cup grated parmesan
- ½ med ball burrata cheese
- salt and pepper to taste
- 340 g Dried Gluten-Free Rigatoni. cooked 340 g is the dried weight
Instructions
- Get a good fire going and let it burn down so there are some hot coals.
- Set a castiron dutch oven over the coals and let it get hot for about 5 minutes.
- Pour the olive oil into the pot and add the ground beef. Cook until the ground beef is browned, about 5 to 10 mnutes.
- Add the onion, carrot, celery, tomato, garlic, and rosemary to the pot. Cook, stirring for 10 to 15 minutes or until the onions and celery have softened.
- Pour the red wine into the pot and cook for 2 to 3 minutes or until the wine has almost all evaporated.
- Add the beef stock and season with salt and pepper.
- Bring the pot to a boil, put a lid on it, and hang it about 6 to 8 inches above the fire.
- Let the sauce simmmer for about 35 to 45 minutes.
- Taste the sauce and adjust the seasoning as needed.
- Stir the cooked pasta and parmesan into the sauce. Pull the burrata apart into small pieces and place it on top of the pasta. Put the lid on the pot and cover with hot coals. Let it cook for another 10 minutes or until the cheese melts and just starts to brown. Serve.
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