Love hobo dinners but don’t want to mess around with a campfire? I’ve been making them in a pan in the oven for years, and it is so much easier. No more cold spots and black edges either!
With just a few ingredients and a single pan, you can create a hearty and satisfying meal that the whole family will agree on.
HOBO OVEN DINNER
I have never been a fan of cooking over a campfire. The smoke, the dirt, the uneven temperature of the fire and coals – it all gives me anxiety!
As a girl, I remember going to girl’s camp and cooking foil dinners (aka hobo dinners). We could never get them right. Either the carrots and potatoes were still crunchy, or the edges were burnt.
And because we were constantly opening the foil packets to check on them, they usually ended up with a few ashes inside. Fun memories, but not the best tasting dinner. 😉
A college roommate taught me the trick of just baking everything all in one pan. So much less stressful!
I’ve been making them this way for years, and they are a family favorite.
Yes, and they work great! For this recipe, you simply layer all the ingredients in one pan and bake. Everything is cooked perfectly and ready at the same time.
Yes, you can wash and slice all of the vegetables ahead of time and refrigerated. I recommend placing the potatoes in cold water so that they don’t turn brown.
When you are ready to serve, drain the potatoes, assemble, and bake as directed in the recipe card.
If you don’t care if the potatoes turn a little brown, you can assemble the entire dish, cover it with foil, and store it in the refrigerator for several hours. You may need to add additional baking time because all of the ingredients will be cold.
HOW TO MAKE HOBO DINNER IN OVEN
- PREP – Slice the onion. Peel and wash the carrots and potatoes. (or leave the skins on) Cut into slices about 1/4″ thick.
Spray an 8″ pan with cooking spray. Preheat your oven to 375 degrees. - SEASONING – Stir together the garlic powder, salt, pepper, and smoked paprika in a small bowl.
- ASSEMBLE – Press the ground beef into the bottom of the prepared pan. Sprinkle a third of the seasoning over the top. Add half the potatoes, a third of the seasoning, half the carrots, and half the onion. Repeat the vegetable layers.
- BAKE – Cover the pan with aluminum foil. Bake at 375° for 50-60 minutes, or until the veggies are tender.
- TOPPING – Remove foil and sprinkle cheese over the top. Bake for another 5 minutes or until melted.
- SERVE – Serve hot and enjoy!
If you have any leftovers, they will keep in the fridge for 3-4 days. You can simply reheat in the microwave for 1-2 minutes.
VARIATIONS:
- Instead of using cheese, you can spread a can of cream of mushroom soup on top of the vegetables before baking. (Or you can use the soup and also add the cheese at the end as directed.)
- Barbeque sauce is another alternative to a can of soup. You can use store bought, or you own favorite recipe.
- These are also tasty with smoked sausage or ground pork sausage in place of the ground beef.
- You can’t go wrong adding some crispy bacon either to the layers or on top!
- Bell peppers are a tasty addition. Just chop or slice them and layer them with the other vegetables.
- Instead of the seasonings, you can use a packet of dry onion soup mix.
- Adjust any of the seasonings to your liking, or add different herbs and spices. Italian seasoning, thyme, basil, chili powder, and red pepper flakes would all be tasty. Get creative!
Can I make this recipe in foil packets instead?
Absolutely! Simply divide all the ingredients between 4 large sheets of heavy duty aluminum foil that has been sprayed with cooking spray. I recommend putting the vegetables on the bottom with the beef on top.
Roll up the edges to make a packet and seal all of the edges well. Place the packets on a baking sheet. They will only need to bake for 40-45 minutes at 375 degrees.
More Easy Ground Beef Recipes:
- Taco Salad Recipe with Doritos
- Swedish Meatball Sauce with Sour Cream
- Taco Pizza Recipe
- Ground Beef Lo Mein
- Bacon Cheeseburger Pie
- Chili Mac Recipe
- Enchilada Meatballs
- Beef and Cheese Taquitos
RECIPE FOR HOBO DINNER IN OVEN
Easy Hobo Dinner Recipe
Seasoned ground beef and veggies, baked to perfection in one pan, then topped with cheese. The easiest hobo dinner ever!
Ingredients
- 1/2 tsp garlic powder
- 3/4 tsp salt
- 1/2 tsp pepper
- 1/2 tsp smoked paprika
- 1 pound 90% lean ground beef
- 3 large russet potatoes (1 1/2 pounds)
- 1 3/4 cups sliced carrots (3 large)
- 1 onion, sliced or cut in chunks
- 1/2 cup grated cheddar cheese
Instructions
- Pray an 8" square baking dish with cooking spray. Preheat your oven to 375°.
- In a small bowl, stir together the garlic powder, salt, pepper, and smoked paprika; set aside.
- Wash, peel, and slice the carrots and potatoes about 1/4" thick. (You can leave the peels on if you prefer.) Cut the onion into chunks or slices.
- Press the ground beef into the bottom of the pan. Sprinkle about a third of the seasoning over it.
- Arrange half of the potato slices over the meat; sprinkle with about a third of the seasoning. Add half of the carrots, then half of the onions.
- Repeat the potato. seasoning, carrots, and onion layers. If you have any seasoning left, sprinkle it on top.
- Cover the pan with foil and bake for 50-60 minutes, or until the vegetables are tender.
- Sprinkle the cheese on top, and bake for about 5 more minutes, just until the cheese is melted.
Notes
-Feel free to spread a can of cream of mushroom soup over the top layer before you bake it. My family doesn't like it that way, but it is more traditional.
-If you prefer, you can also shape the hamburger into 4 patties, and place them on top of the vegetables instead of pressing the meat into the bottom of the pan.
-This recipe can easily be doubled and baked in a 9x13" pan.
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Nutrition Information:
Yield:
4Serving Size:
1Amount Per Serving: Calories: 573Total Fat: 19gSaturated Fat: 8gTrans Fat: 1gUnsaturated Fat: 8gCholesterol: 115mgSodium: 699mgCarbohydrates: 57gFiber: 8gSugar: 6gProtein: 42g
This one-pan hobo dinner is a complete meal that’s easy to make is perfect whether you are feeding a crowd, or just need a simple family dinner!
This was a super easy dinner to make and the whole family loved it! Thank you for the recipe, I’ll definitely be having this again.
I was curious to try this recipe and I’m so glad I did! We were all very satisfied and full, it was delicious!
Happy it was a hit at your house Natasha! š
My family loves these! So fun and delicious.
This is definitely the most convenient hobo dinner I’ve tried! So hearty and incredibly delicious!
Haha, yes, so much more convenient than having to make a fire! š
So happy you enjoyed it!
Thanks for the recipe!
You are so welcome James! Hope you try it and love it like we do!