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Campfire Spaghetti Bake

Campfire spaghetti bake is a Dutch oven pasta dinner with cheesy baked spaghetti and hearty meat sauce. Cook it over campfire coals until the mozzarella melts into a golden, bubbly top.
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Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 40 minutes
Rest 5 minutes
Total Time 1 hour 5 minutes
Servings: 8 servings
Course: Main Dish
Cuisine: Italian-American
Calories: 680
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

Campfire spaghetti bake
  • 1 lb ground beef
  • 1 can (24 oz) spaghetti sauce
  • 1 lb spaghetti, cooked
  • 2 cup shredded mozzarella cheese
  • 0.5 cup Parmesan cheese, grated
  • 1 tsp Italian seasoning
  • 1 tsp garlic powder
  • 1 cooking spray

Equipment

  • 1 Dutch oven

Method
 

Brown the beef
  1. Brown the ground beef in a skillet over campfire until it is no longer pink and the fat is rendered. Drain off excess fat so the bake won’t be greasy.
Mix the spaghetti
  1. In a large bowl, mix the cooked spaghetti, browned beef, spaghetti sauce, half the mozzarella, Italian seasoning, and garlic powder until evenly combined. Stop mixing when the sauce is distributed and the pasta looks glossy.
Assemble and bake in Dutch oven
  1. Spray the Dutch oven with cooking spray, then add the spaghetti mixture and spread it into an even layer. Aim for a flat surface so the cheese melts uniformly.
  2. Top with the remaining mozzarella and the grated Parmesan so the whole surface is covered. You should see cheese all the way to the edges.
  3. Cover the Dutch oven and place it on campfire coals with additional coals on top of the lid. Cook for 30-35 minutes until the cheese is melted and visibly bubbly.
Rest and serve
  1. Let the spaghetti bake cool for 5 minutes before serving so it sets slightly and slices cleaner. Visual cue: the bubbling should slow and the top should look set but still glossy.

Notes

Pro tip: drain the beef well and spread the pasta mixture evenly—this helps the top go golden and bubbly rather than greasy. Store leftovers in the refrigerator up to 3 days in a covered container; reheat in the microwave or oven until hot. Freezing is not recommended because the pasta and cheese texture can become watery after thawing. For a lighter option, use lean ground beef and part-skim mozzarella.