23 Best Recipes for the Road

Cooking on the road

A home cooked meal is all part of motorhome holiday fun. But there are constraints using a mini kitchen — like fewer utensils, less bench space and no drawer full of handy herbs and spices.

Whether you’re a last minute dinner forager or someone who plans ahead, the creative, user-friendly space of your campervan kitchen will surprise.

Our advice on what recipes to cook?

• Choose dishes that only have a few ingredients — or feature ones you’ll use often.
  
  

• Select recipes that keep waste to a minimum — and don’t require large containers like some sauces and oils.
  
  
  

To save time, buy a premade store meal and add a few fresh ingredients to spice it up. For instance:

• Get a roast chicken from the supermarket — and complement it with a simple salad.
  
  

• Grab some hot chips — then fry a steak to accompany them.

Simple solutions like these work well when you don’t feel like cooking after a big day.

Our team has tried and tested all 23 road recipes in this ebook. Full of local ingredients, and including some of our Kiwi favourites, we hope you enjoy them as much as we do.

Recipes for the road

Breakfast

• Banana Pancakes

• Roadside Eggs

• Overnight Oats & Summer Berries

Lunch

• Wraps / Pita Pockets

• Bagels

• Camping Quesadillas

Dinner

• Fish Tagine

• Spiced Prawn & Tomato Curry

• Chicken Chilli

• Mince and Tomato Base

• Spaghetti Bolognese

• Nachos

• Stir Fry

• Steak & Chips

• Tortellini

• Chicken Burritos

• Sweetcorn Fritters

• Mussel Fritters

• Sausages with Kumara Mash

• Spiced Lamb with Couscous Salad

• Fish Tacos

• BBQ Parcels — Summer Veggie Delight, The Karma Kiwi, Meat Lovers

Snacks

• Cumin & Chilli Girdle Scones

• Kiwi Dip

Banana Pancakes

Serves: 2-4 (makes about 10-12 pancakes)

Time: 20mins prep

This recipe is great if you need to use up any leftover bananas from your trip.

You can substitute bananas with any fresh seasonal fruit you find on the roadside, like blueberries. 

Ingredients

Dry Ingredients

• 1 ½ cups flour

• 2 tablespoons sugar

• 2 teaspoons baking powder (optional)

• ½ teaspoon salt

• 2 tablespoons chocolate chips (optional)

Wet Ingredients

• 2 small, overripe bananas

• 2 eggs

• 1 cup (plus two tablespoons) milk

• ½ teaspoon vanilla essence

• 1-2 tablespoon(s) butter (optional)

For Cooking

• 1 tablespoon olive oil

For Serving

• Topping of your choice

Steps

1. Whisk all the dry ingredients together in a medium bowl (then set aside).

2. Mash the banana with a fork in a small bowl.

3. Add two eggs and whisk them in.

4. Then add the milk and vanilla essence and whisk them in well (then set aside).

5. Melt the butter in a small saucepan or frying pan.

6. Pour the wet mixture and the melted butter into the dry mixture bowl.

7. Fold the mixtures together with a rubber spatula (if you have one).

8. Heat the frying pan and add the olive oil.

9. Add pancakes to the pan and cook until a few holes show and the underside is golden brown.

10. Flip the pancakes and cook the other side.

11. Serve with your preferred topping

Roadside Eggs

Serves: 2

Overnight Oats with Summer Berries

Some of the Wilderness crew are huge fans of porridge and they love this smart approach. Overnight oats are both a filling breakfast and a great option if tomorrow has a day full of adventures scheduled.

You’ll need to make them the night before. But you’ll wake up to a tasty treat — a quick and easy, no mess breakfast before hitting the road or heading out the door.

See this excellent version of Overnight Oats by a favourite Kiwi recipe guru.

Wraps / Pita Pockets

Bagels

Try some of these classic bagel combinations:

• Cream cheese and smoked salmon

• Grilled cheese and ham

• Sliced banana and peanut butter

• Avocado and fried egg

Camping Quesadillas

Serves: 2

A firm favourite for all ages are Quesadillas.  They’re cheesy, delicious, and simple to make! They’re also handy when you need to use up any leftover bolognese or nacho mince for a filling.

Quesadilla Filling Ideas

• Roast chicken

• Taco-seasoned mince

• Tasty cheese, feta or mozzarella

• Black beans

• Avocado

• Diced tomatoes

• Sliced capsicum

• Mushroom

• Red onion

• Sweet corn

• Chopped spinach

• Olives

Steps

1. Heat one teaspoon of olive oil in a pan on medium-high and add your tortilla. Warm for 30 seconds, then add your ingredients to one half of the tortilla. Fold over the other half and press down with a spatula. 

   Tip: You can cook two quesadillas in one pan if you use one tortilla per quesadilla. By filling one side of each tortilla then folding them both in half, you’ll cook two in the pan at once.

2. Cook for four to five minutes, flipping halfway through until the tortilla becomes lightly browned. Use a spatula to press down on the tortilla as it cooks to help the ingredients stick. The cheese will hold it all together!

3. Remove from the pan and let it cool for a few minutes before slicing. Serve with your favourite salsa, guacamole, or sour cream.

Fish Tangine

Serves: 2

Spiced Prawn & Tomato Curry

Serves: 2

Chicken Chilli

Serves: 2

Mince and Tomato Base

To save yourself time and energy in the evenings try doubling up our basic mince and tomato base recipe to create two dinners in one! It’s a perfect base sauce for making spaghetti bolognese one night and beef nachos the next.

Steps

1. Chop an onion and fry it in olive oil until softened.

2. Add garlic and mince, and fry until brown.

3. Either add a tin of store-bought pasta sauce or a can of chopped tomatoes, tomato paste, and dried Italian herbs.

4. Stir through and leave it to simmer for 20-30 minutes.

5. Double this recipe, then cover and refrigerate one half for the next night.

Spaghetti Bolognese

Steps

1. Mix one large grated carrot into your mince and tomato base and fry in a pan until soft.

2. Add pasta to a pot of salted boiling water and cook for 7-9 minutes.

3. Drain the pasta and spoon your mince and tomato base over it.

4. Season to taste and add grated cheese on top to serve.

Beef Nachos

Steps

1. Chop half a green capsicum and fry it until softened. Add your mince and tomato base and one can of red kidney beans to the pan. Cook until heated through. Season to taste.

2. Spread two cups of corn chips onto a lined baking tray. Sprinkle with grated cheese and bake for ten minutes or until lightly golden and crisp.

3. In a bowl make a salsa using:

   ½ red onion

   1 large tomato

   1/4 cup fresh coriander (finely chopped)

   Juice of 1 lime

   Season to taste and set aside until time to serve.

4. To assemble the nachos, spread your bean mixture over the corn chips. Top with your salsa and garnish with:

   ¼ cup pickled jalapenos

   ¼ cup sour cream

Stir Fry

Stir fry is great for using up small amounts of leftover ingredients in your fridge like carrots, capsicum and mushrooms. A fast, healthy and stress-free dinner awaits.

Steps

1. Season thinly-sliced meat or tofu and cook quickly in a pan with some vegetable oil over a high heat.

2. Add chopped fresh vegetables and a dash of soy sauce or kecap manis.

3. Cook for a further few minutes.

4. Add dried noodles to boiling water.

5. Once cooked, drain and stir through the meat and veggies.

Steak & Chips

Steps

1. Pan fry or barbecue seasoned steaks and use the oven to cook frozen chips or roast partially boiled potatoes until crispy.

2. Serve with a crisp green salad

To save time, swing by a local fish and chip shop to buy a scoop or two of chips instead of cooking them.

Tortellini

Steps

1. Buy any good quality, well-prepared tortellini like Rana for instance.

2. Add a store bought sauce or make your own with quality extra virgin olive oil and lightly-steamed seasonal vegetables.

Voila! A simple, easy-to-make tortellini that only requires one pot.

Chicken Burritos

Serves: 2

This recipe is a simplified version of a family favourite that’s quick to whip up on the road.

Chicken coating ingredients

• 1 tablespoon plain flour

• 1 teaspoon salt

• 1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper

• 1/2 teaspoon ground coriander

• 1/2 teaspoon paprika

• 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder

For the burritos

• 250g chicken breast (boneless and skinless)

• 4 flour tortillas

For serving

• Your favourite mayonnaise or sriracha mayonnaise

• Prepare your favourite salad ingredients like lettuce, tomatoes, bell peppers, grated carrot, red onion and avocado

Steps

1. Add all the chicken coating ingredients into a small bowl and whisk together.

2. Cut the chicken into strips and dip each strip in the coating mixture. Make sure each piece of chicken is covered in coating.

3. Lay them out on a baking tray lined with baking paper. Bake at 180°C/350°F for 30-40 minutes or until the chicken is cooked through. Alternatively, shallow fry them in a little oil.

4. Prepare the salad for the burritos while your chicken is cooking. Cut your lettuce, tomatoes, peppers, carrots, onions and avocado into strips.

5. Warm the wraps as per the package directions.

6. When the chicken is cooked, assemble your burritos.

Sweetcorn Fritters

Makes 10-12 medium fritters

Fresh sweetcorn is abundant in the North Island throughout summer and can often be found on roadside stalls. It’s best eaten off the cob — after slowly roasting on the BBQ or being boiled until just cooked. If you want to change it up, why not make a meal of it? 

Ingredients

• 2 cups corn kernels (fresh, canned or frozen)

• 3 spring onions (finely chopped)

• 1 small red capsicum (finely chopped - optional)

• 4 eggs

• ¾ cup self-raising flour

• ½ teaspoon baking soda

• Salt and freshly ground black pepper

• 4 tablespoons olive oil or other cooking oil

Steps

1. Mix together the corn, spring onion and red capsicum in a bowl.

2. Stir in the eggs. Then add the flour and baking soda, and mix through. Season generously with salt and pepper.

3. Heat two tablespoons of oil in a large frying pan over a moderate to high heat.

4. Add large spoonfuls of the mixture into the pan to form fritters. Cook them in batches until golden on both sides. Reduce the heat on the second side as needed, to cook them through. Add more oil to the pan for each batch.

5. Serve with your favourite sauce.

Mussel Fritters

Serves: 2

New Zealand green-lipped (or green shell) mussels are a shellfish which have traditionally grown on our rocky coastlines. In more recent years, they’ve been sustainably farmed in harbours and waterways from The Coromandel in the north to Stewart Island in the deep south.

Mussels are both healthy and super tasty. Fresh mussels are available in seafood markets, supermarkets and specialty stores across the country. 

Ingredients

• 12 fresh mussels (not in brine as the flavour will change)

• 1 egg

• 1 tablespoon Edmonds Standard Grade Flour

• ¼ teaspoon Edmonds Baking Soda

• Salt and pepper

• 2 tablespoons parsley or coriander (chopped)

• Oil for shallow frying

• Lemon wedges

Steps

1. Open the mussels by pouring hot water over them in a bowl, or steaming them slightly in an open pan with a little water. Remove from their shells and clean them. Chop into chunks.

2. Whisk the egg with a fork then whisk in the flour, baking soda, salt and pepper, and the herbs to taste. Add your chopped mussels.

3. Chill the mixture for one hour if you have time.

4. Heat the oil gently in a heavy-based frying pan and fry large tablespoons of the mixture until golden brown on both sides.

5. Drain on paper towels and serve with lemon wedges, crunchy bread and your favourite salad.

Sausages with Kumara Mash

Serves: 2

The humble snarler, snag or banger is a common staple on Kiwi dinner plates. But don’t settle for the mass produced variety available from supermarkets. Many local butcher shops have built a reputation for their handcrafted sausages — some even competing in the coveted Great New Zealand Sausage Competition.

If a butcher shop catches your eye when driving through a small town, stop by and ask them for a few of their best sausages.

Sausages need to be pan fried or oven baked until cooked through — then served with mash and a salad.

You can use any root vegetable for your mash. New Zealand’s indigenous sweet potato (known as kumara) is a favourite.

Ingredients

• 200g kumara (peeled)

• 1 tablespoon butter

Steps

1. Chop your kumara into large chunks and boil it until cooked through. Then drain well.

2. Add butter and let it melt in a warm pot.

3. Mash until creamy.

4. Spice it up with a little sweet chilli sauce. Adding a couple of tablespoons of natural yoghurt makes it even creamier.

Spiced Lamb with Couscous Salad

Serves: 2

New Zealand is world famous for its lamb. Having once grazed on lush, nutrient-rich pastures, you can tell the difference in how succulent it tastes.

You’ll be able to pick up a variety of high quality lamb cuts from most butchers and supermarkets.

Ingredients

• 1 cup chicken vegetable stock or water

• 1 cup instant couscous

• ¼ teaspoon salt

• 1 tablespoon olive oil

• Juice of 1 lemon

• ½ cup mint (chopped)

• 300g lamb loins or steaks

• 1 tablespoon ground coriander

• 1 tablespoon smoked paprika

• 1 teaspoon chilli flakes (optional)

• 2 tablespoons oil

• 3 tablespoons greek yoghurt

• 1 small handful mint leaves and almonds (sliced)

Steps

1. Bring your stock or water to the boil. Add couscous while continually stirring. Add salt. Cover with a lid and remove from the heat. Leave it for ten minutes. Remove the lid and stir your olive oil through. Leave it to cool. When cool, stir in your lemon juice and mint.

2. Dry the lamb and cover it with the coriander, paprika, cinnamon and chilli. Heat a large frying pan and add oil. Cook your lamb for two minutes on each side for a medium rare result, or three minutes for a medium result. Leave it to rest for five minutes.

3. Arrange the couscous on a large plate, add your sliced lamb and spoon the yoghurt over the top. Garnish with mint and sliced almonds.

Fish Tacos

Serves: 2

Ingredients

• 200g fish fillets

• ½ cup breadcrumbs

• 1/4 cup plain flour

• 1 egg (whisked)

• 1 tablespoon dried chilli flakes

• ½ avocado (diced)

• 1 tomato (diced)

• ½ red chilli (finely sliced)

• ½ small red onion (finely diced)

• Juice of 1 lime

• Small handful of coriander

• 6 small soft tortillas

• 1 cup finely shredded lettuce

• ½ cup sour cream

• 1 tablespoon chilli sauce

• Salt and pepper

Steps

1. Make the salsa by mixing avocado, tomato, chilli, coriander and onion in a large bowl. Season with salt and pepper and a squeeze of lime juice — then set aside. Alternatively, substitute the salsa with your favourite guacamole.

2. Slice your fish fillets into 12 evenly sized pieces.

3. Place the flour, eggs and breadcrumbs in three separate bowls. Mix cayenne pepper through the flour and add the chilli flakes to the crumbs. Using one piece of fish at a time, roll it in the flour, then the egg, followed by the bread crumbs — pressing on to coat. Repeat until all your fish is crumbed.

4. Heat two inches of oil in a pan or skillet to 180°C.

5. Shallow fry the fish pieces in batches for three to four minutes, turning once. Place your cooked fish on kitchen towels to soak up any excess oil. Then put them in your warm oven (or cover with a saucepan lid if you don’t have a motorhome oven) while cooking the rest.

6. Mix the sour cream and chilli sauce together before setting aside.

7. Use your hand to build each taco. Add shredded lettuce first, then salsa and a piece of fish. Top with the chilli sour cream and garnish with fresh coriander and a squeeze of lime juice.

BBQ Parcels

The traditional New Zealand Māori method of cooking in underground pits is known as a hāngī.

By creating food parcels using tin foil (aluminium foil)  and cooking them on a barbeque, your food will taste similar to a hāngī. This technique:

• Allows the natural juices to steam through the  entire ensemble

• Is fuss-free as the food practically cooks itself

• Reduces the number of dishes to wash

• Delivers a big flavour punch from each ingredient.

Our three flavour combinations will satisfy your taste buds. All feature much-loved  New Zealand ingredients that are easy to find at roadside fruit and vegetable stalls in summer.

Summer Veggie Delight | BBQ Parcel One

Ingredients

• Sweet corn

• Sliced courgettes

• Grated cheese

• Smoked paprika

• Salt and Pepper to taste

Choose quantities of veggies that will cater to your travelling group. 

Steps

1. Cut sweet corn into manageable pieces — about three fingers in width.

2. Slice the top and bottom ends off your courgettes and cut medium-width pieces (around half a cm thick).

3. Arrange corn and courgettes on a sheet of tin foil with about a quarter teaspoon of butter per mini corn cob. Add a pinch of salt and pepper.

4. Lay out a double layer of tin foil — large enough to fit ingredients with space on all sides.

5. Fold the tin foil to create a parcel. Make sure there’s reasonable space between the ingredients and where the foil joins together. Roll and pinch the long sides of the foil to seal any gaps where steam may escape.

6. Place your parcel on a medium heat BBQ and cook with the grill covered for 15-20 minutes.

7. Five minutes before it’s ready, open your parcel and sprinkle smoked paprika and cheese on top. Close the parcel again and cook for a further five minutes to melt the cheese.

The Karma Kiwi | BBQ Parcel Two

Ingredients

• Diced kumara

• Diced potato

• Chopped white onion

• Chopped garlic

• Olive oil

• Salt and Pepper to taste

Choose quantities of veggies that will cater to your travelling group. 

Steps

1. Cut kumara and potato into bite size cubes.

2. Chop onion and garlic roughly.

3. Evenly distribute kumara, potato, onion and garlic over a double-layered tin foil sheet. Lightly drizzle olive oil on top. Mix so that every piece has a light coating of oil. Add a pinch of salt and pepper.

4. Fold tin foil to create a parcel. Make sure there’s a reasonable gap between the ingredients and where the foil joins together. Roll and pinch the long sides of the foil to seal any gaps.

5. Place on your medium heat BBQ and cook with the grill covered for 20 minutes, turning the ingredients with tongs after ten minutes.

Meat Lovers | BBQ Parcel Three

Ingredients

• Sausages 

• Red capsicum

• Chopped white onion

• Diced garlic

• Olive oil

• Dried mixed herbs

Choose quantities of meat that will cater to your travelling group

Steps

1. Slice your sausages into bite size pieces.

2. Roughly chop the capsicum and onion, and dice the garlic.

3. Evenly distribute ingredients onto a double-layered tin foil sheet, lightly drizzle olive oil and sprinkle with dried mixed herbs. Add a pinch of salt and pepper.

4. Fold the tin foil to create a parcel. Make sure there’s a reasonable gap between the ingredients and where the foil joins together. Roll and pinch the long sides of the foil to seal any gaps.

5. Place on a medium heat BBQ and cook with the grill covered for  15-20 minutes. Open your three BBQ parcels on a table so your diners can help themselves with tongs. No mess — no rush — easy.

Cumin & Chilli Girdle Scones

Makes 6

Ingredients

• 2 cups self-raising flour

• 1 teaspoon ground cumin

• 1/8 teaspoon chilli flakes

• ¼ teaspoon salt

• 25g butter

• ¾ cup milk

Steps

1. In a mixing bowl, combine the dry ingredients and rub in the butter to resemble fine breadcrumbs.

2. Add milk and mix to a soft dough.

3. Tip out onto a floured board and pat out into a two cm thick round shape.

4. Cut into six wedges and cook in a non-stick frying pan over a medium heat for about five minutes each side — until brown and cooked through.

Kiwi Dip

Serves 6-8

Kiwi dip is a great recipe to make when camping as it only requires three ingredients. It’s hugely popular in New Zealand and is often referred to as Kiwi dip, onion dip or original Kiwi dip.

You can serve it alongside potato chips, rice crackers, chopped fresh vegetables cut into bite sized pieces or pita bread. Perfect as a snack enjoyed with a glass of wine or beer.

Ingredients

• 250ml Nestle Reduced Cream

• 1 packet Maggi Onion Soup

• 1 tablespoon lemon juice

Steps

1. Place all ingredients in a bowl and mix well to combine.

2. Cover and chill for about 30 minutes before serving.

Kia pai to koutou kai!

'Enjoy your meal!'

Do you have a favourite motorhome recipe you'd like to share with us? 

We'd love to see what you're cooking! 

Send your photos and recipe to:

marketing@wilderness.co.nz