This foil packet dinner combines premade sausage and pierogies with fresh peppers and a quick, homemade sauce.
The best part of this easy foil pack recipe is that you don’t have to worry about undercooked meat or overcooked vegetables, because everything inside only needs to heat up. It makes for a fool-proof dinner whether you’re cooking over the campfire or the grill.
This foil pack dinner is a family favorite and so easy to make. You can easily substitute or add other quick-cooking vegetables like zucchini, asparagus or green beans.
Consider adding crumbled bacon or cheddar cheese to the top of the foil packs for even more savory goodness!
a note from Jenny
You can make this recipe even easier by using a jar of pre-made alfredo sauce instead of the homemade cream sauce.
Here are 20 more easy camping foil packet meals.
Tricks for the Best Foil Packet Meals
Due to the high temperatures when cooking over the campfire, it’s important to use heavy duty foil to prevent burning.
Additionally, double-wrapping the foil packets helps to create a tight seal which improves the steaming process. Plus, you won’t lose any of the cooking juices when flipping if it’s double-wrapped.
How to wrap foil packets dinners
- Lay a sheet of heavy duty aluminum foil flat. Add the ingredients to the center of the foil, in a rectangle shape. (It doesn’t matter which side, shiny or dull, faces out!)
- Pull both long sides over the food, toward the center. Fold the edges over each other twice for a tight seam.
- Fold both ends in and roll up towards the center of the packet.
- This creates the first layer of your foil packet.
- Place the packet, seam side down, onto a second sheet of foil.
- Wrap this packet in the same way as the first layer.
How to cook foil packets on the campfire
Cooking over the campfire is also a tad bit unpredictable. The temperature of a campfire can varying significantly, and the placement of the grate and foil packets affects this as well.
I recommend using a cooking grate when cooking foil packets over the fire. This helps to prevent burning and gives the food time to also cook through steaming.
You can also place foil packets directly on top of hot campfire coals after the fired has died down.
To cook a foil packet over a campfire, follow the steps below:
- Place foil packets on a cooking grate over the fire, or on top of campfire embers or charcoal.
- I prefer to place the packet with the meat side down first. This helps cook the meat faster without overcooking the vegetables.
- Use tongs to flip the foil packets halfway through cooking time.
- You can open the packets to check that the contents are cooked through. If not, simply wrap it back up and put it back over the fire.
Camping foil packets can also be cooked over hot charcoal. Spread coals in a flat layer and place the packets on top. Flip halfway during cook time.
Remember:
- Double wrap each packet with heavy-duty aluminum foil
- Place the foil packets on a cooking grate or on campfire coals
- Watch out for steam when you open the packet to check on the food
Steak and potatoes foil packets or pesto caprese chicken foil packets are two more easy camping dinner ideas that can be prepped before your trip and cook right over the campfire.
Ingredient Notes
- Smoked Sausage: You can substitute with any type of pre-cooked sausage such as Polish Kielbasa or turkey sausages.
- Pierogies: There’s no need to defrost the pierogis before putting them in the foil packets. If they defrost somewhat in the cooler before cooking them, that’s fine too.
- Cream Sauce: You can make your cream sauce before your trip and store it in the cooler or fridge. If you want to skip this step, just use a jar of Alfredo sauce instead.
- Additional Toppings: I love adding chives or green onions to the top of this foil packet dinner, but cheddar cheese and crumbled bacon are also delicious as toppings!
Looking for other camping foil packet dinners or desserts? Linked are a few of my favorites!
How to Make This Recipe Before Your Trip
To make this meal even easier to prepare at your campsite, you can prep the full packets before your trip, or you can prep the individual ingredients for easy assembly when it’s time to start cooking.
- Prepare the foil packets following the directions in the recipe. Store the packets in the fridge or cooler until ready to cook.
- Slice the pepper and onions before your trip and store in a sealed container. Pre-mix the chicken broth, cream cheese, sour cream and seasonings and store in a sealed container. Keep both items in your cooler or fridge until you’re read to make the foil packs.
Steps to Make Campfire Sausage FOil Packs
In this section you’ll find a step by step tutorial of how to make this recipe with photos. The full recipe with exact measurements, steps and a printable card can be found at the bottom of the post.
Scroll through the images to see the steps –>
1. Make the cream sauce
Combine chicken broth, cream cheese, sour cream, and seasonings in a small bowl. Whisk until everything is combined.
2. Assemble foil packets
Spray a piece of aluminum foil with cooking spray, and place the onions and peppers on top. Add sausage slices and 3 pierogies on top of the vegetables. Top with 1/4 of the cream sauce.
Follow the steps listed above to form your foil packet.
3. Cook over the campfire
Place the foil packets over indirect heat or over a small campfire. Placing the packets in large flames will result in uneven cooking.
Foil packets can also be cooked over pieces of charcoal (see notes above)
Cook for approximately 10-15 minutes per side. Cooking times are approximate and will greatly depend on campfire temperature.
4. Add toppings and enjoy!
Top with chives, grab a fork and dig in! (Optional: add precooked bacon crumbles and shredded cheddar cheese on top,)
Let me know if you make this recipe on your next trip by leaving a rating and a comment. Thanks!!
Sausage and Peppers Foil Pack with Pierogies
Equipment
- heavy duty aluminum foil
Ingredients
Cream Sauce Ingredients
- 1/2 cup chicken broth
- 4 oz cream cheese
- 2 tbsp sour cream or plain Greek yogurt
- 1/4 tsp garlic powder
- 1/4 tsp onion powder
- 1/4 tsp black pepper
Foil Packet Ingredients
- 12-14 oz smoked sausage or Polish kielbasa , sliced
- 1 small red onion, sliced
- 1 large red pepper, sliced
- 12 frozen pierogies
- 1 small bunch fresh chives, chopped
Instructions
Make the Cream Sauce
- Combine chicken broth, cream cheese, sour cream and seasonings in a small bowl. Whisk together until combined. (Or, substitute this cream sauce with a jar of alfredo sauce and skip this step!)
Assemble and Cook the Foil Packs
- Slice the sausage, peppers and onions.
- Place the onions and peppers on a piece of aluminum foil, sprayed with cooking spray.
- Add sausage slices and 3 pierogies on top of the vegetables. Top with 1/4 of the cream sauce (about 2-3 tbsp). (Optional: add precooked bacon crumbles and shredded cheddar cheese on top.)
- Fold the aluminum foil over the top, closing the seam at the top. Then fold the sides in, forming a packet. Repeat this process with one more piece of aluminum foil to make a second layer of foil.
- Place the foil packets over indirect heat or over a small campfire. Placing the packets in large flames will result in uneven cooking. Foil packets can also be cooked on charcoal.Cook for approximately 10 minutes per side. Cooking times are approximate and will greatly depend on campfire temperature. You only need to heat the ingredients through in this recipe since everything is precooked.
- Remove from heat and top with fresh chives.