Easy Taco Bell Dupe Camping Tacos Recipe
Looking for an easy camping taco recipe that tastes like a Taco Bell dupe? These campfire tacos are made with seasoned ground beef, soft tortillas, melty cheese, and your favorite toppings, then cooked over the fire for a crispy, cheesy campsite meal.
This recipe is perfect for car camping, backyard firepit cooking, tailgating, or any outdoor meal where you want something fast, fun, and seriously satisfying. The seasoned beef has that saucy fast-food taco flavor, while the tortillas and cheese get warm and melty over the fire.
For this camping recipe, we used the UCO Flatpack Smokeless Firepit & Grill, UCO Sweetfire Strikeable Fire Starter, UCO Camp Chef Knife, and UCO ECO Camp Plate.
Recipe credit: This camping taco recipe was inspired by Jean Choi’s Taco Bell copycat beef tacos from What Great Grandma Ate. We gave it a campfire twist using UCO outdoor cooking gear.
Why You’ll Love This Camping Taco Recipe
These Taco Bell dupe tacos are easy to make at camp because everything comes together in one pan over the fire. The beef is cooked with tomato paste, taco-style spices, beef broth, and cornstarch to create a thick, saucy filling that tastes like a fast-food taco filling, but better because you made it outside.
The UCO Flatpack Smokeless Firepit & Grill works well for this recipe because it functions as both a portable firepit and grill, sets up quickly, and includes a grilling grate for camp cooking. It folds flat for transport and is designed for camping, tailgating, backyard meals, and outdoor cooking.
Taco Bell Dupe Camping Tacos Recipe
Ingredients
For the tacos:
- 1 lb ground beef
- 10 soft tortillas or corn tortillas
- 1 cup shredded cheddar cheese or Mexican blend cheese
- Cooking spray or oil, as needed
- Hot sauce, for serving
Optional toppings:
- Shredded lettuce
- Diced tomatoes
- Diced onion
- Sour cream
- Salsa
- Jalapeño slices
- Cotija cheese
- Cilantro
- Lime wedges
Meat Seasoning
- 2 tbsp tomato paste
- 1 tsp chili powder
- 1 tsp paprika
- 1 tsp onion powder
- 1/2 tsp garlic powder
- 1/2 tsp cumin
- 1/2 tsp sea salt
- 1/2 tsp sugar
- 1/2 cup beef broth or bone broth
- 1 tbsp cornstarch
Camp Cooking Gear We Used
UCO Flatpack Smokeless Firepit & Grill
The Flatpack Smokeless Firepit & Grill is a portable grill and firepit made for outdoor cooking. It folds flat, sets up quickly, includes a grill grate, and helps reduce smoke while still giving you real fire cooking at camp.
UCO Sweetfire Strikeable Fire Starter
The Sweetfire Strikeable Fire Starter makes it easy to get your campfire or portable grill going. Each point is strikeable, made with bagasse and vegetable wax, and burns for up to 7 minutes, making it a helpful fire starter for camping, firepits, grills, and emergency kits.
UCO Camp Chef Knife
The UCO Camp Chef Knife is built for outdoor cooking, with a sharp stainless steel blade, non-slip handle, and protective sheath for packing and transport. It works well for slicing tortillas, chopping toppings, cutting meat, and prepping campsite meals.
UCO ECO Camp Plate
The UCO ECO Camp Plate is lightweight, reusable, and easy to pack for campsite meals. It’s great for serving tacos, campfire bites, snacks, and outdoor meals without relying on disposable plates.
How to Make Taco Bell Dupe Tacos Over the Fire
Step 1: Start your fire
Use the UCO Sweetfire Strikeable Fire Starter to light your fire. Let the flames settle until you have steady heat for cooking.
Step 2: Cook the seasoned beef
Place a pan over the UCO Flatpack Smokeless Firepit & Grill. Add the ground beef, tomato paste, chili powder, paprika, onion powder, garlic powder, cumin, sea salt, sugar, beef broth, and cornstarch.
Mix everything together in the pan and cook over the fire until the beef is fully cooked and the sauce thickens into a seasoned taco filling.
Step 3: Build the tacos
Spoon the cooked beef into soft tortillas. Add shredded cheddar cheese or Mexican blend cheese.
Step 4: Melt the cheese over the fire
Place the tacos back over the heat for a few minutes until the tortillas are warm and the cheese is melted.
Step 5: Slice and serve
Use the UCO Camp Chef Knife to cut the tacos into bite-sized pieces. Add lettuce, tomatoes, salsa, sour cream, jalapeños, cilantro, lime, and hot sauce.
Don’t forget the hot sauce.
Camp Cooking Tip
For the best Taco Bell-style texture, let the beef mixture simmer until the broth, tomato paste, spices, and cornstarch turn into a thick sauce. This helps the taco meat stay flavorful without making the tortillas soggy.
Best Toppings for Camping Tacos
The best toppings for camping tacos are easy to pack, easy to serve, and don’t require much prep. Shredded lettuce, diced tomatoes, salsa, sour cream, jalapeños, cilantro, lime, and hot sauce all work well for this recipe.
For an even easier campsite meal, prep your toppings at home and store them in small containers before your trip.
What to Serve With Campfire Tacos
- Chips and salsa
- Campfire queso
- Mexican street corn
- Rice and beans
- Grilled peppers and onions
- Campfire nachos
FAQs
Can you make tacos while camping?
Yes, tacos are one of the easiest camping meals because the filling can be cooked in one pan over a portable grill or campfire. For this recipe, ground beef, spices, broth, tomato paste, and cornstarch are cooked together over the fire, then added to tortillas with cheese.
What is the best camping grill for tacos?
A portable grill and firepit works well for camping tacos because you can cook the beef in a pan, warm the tortillas, and melt the cheese over the same heat source. The UCO Flatpack Smokeless Firepit & Grill is a good option because it works as both a firepit and grill and packs flat for transport.
How do you make Taco Bell-style taco meat?
To make Taco Bell-style taco meat, cook ground beef with tomato paste, chili powder, paprika, onion powder, garlic powder, cumin, salt, sugar, beef broth, and cornstarch. The broth and cornstarch help create a thick, saucy taco filling.
What fire starter is best for camp cooking?
A strikeable fire starter is helpful for camp cooking because it makes it easier to light your fire without carrying multiple ignition tools. UCO Sweetfire Strikeable Fire Starters are designed to strike on the box and burn up to 7 minutes per point.
