You’ve hiked miles to the perfect campsite, pitched your tent as the stars come out, and woken up to the call of the wild. But then reality hits—your growling stomach and the daunting task of cooking a decent breakfast over a campfire – which for some reason just takes longer while camping. Sound familiar? After years of trial and error (and some memorable breakfast fails) across national parks and backcountry trails, I’ve solved this problem: make-ahead breakfast burritos.
Table of Contents
- What are make-ahead breakfast burritos?
- Ingredients needed
- How to make make make-ahead breakfast burritos for camping
- COOK THE CRISPY TOTS:
- SCRAMBLE THE EGGS:
- TOAST THE POBLANO PEPPER:
- COOK THE SAUSAGE:
- ASSEMBLE THE BURRITOS:
- WRAP BURRITOS FOR FREEZING:
- COOK THE BURRITOS:
- Serve:
- Girl carnivore expert tips
- Storage
- Reheating camping burritos
- What to serve with make-ahead breakfast burritos
- FAQs about Breakfast Burrito Meal Prep
- MORE CAMPING RECIPES
- Make-Ahead Breakfast Burritos Recipe
This game-changer born from countless early mornings by the campfire it my go-to against the “what’s for breakfast” camp chaos and cold cereal. They start your day with a hearty, flavor-packed meal without sacrificing precious adventure time. Loaded with ingredients to keep you fueled up, they’re ready when you are—whether that’s at dawn before a day of rock climbing or as a leisurely brunch by the lake. The best part? You can make them ahead of time also they’re ready whenever the craving hits.
What are make-ahead breakfast burritos?
Make Ahead Breakfast Burritos are the unsung heroes of easy camping meals. Made with hearty ingredients like eggs, potato tots, sausage, and cheese, this savory breakfast will keep you full all morning long! Plus, you don’t have to waste too much time cleaning up because you made your delicious burritos beforehand!
Ingredients needed
- Potato Tots – We use frozen Idaho Crispy Potato Tots for this recipe, but pretty much any variety of potato will work. If you don’t have frozen tots on hand, use up leftovers as the potato filling. We love to make these with leftover cast-iron fries.
- Eggs – Be sure to scramble the eggs pretty well so they aren’t super runny. Too much moisture can make the tortillas soggy.
- Seasonings – We use a blend of our Over Easy Egg and Everything Blend, salt, and pepper to season the eggs.
- Butter – Used to brown the sausage.
- Onion – Creates a sweet flavor base for the sausage.
- Poblano Peppers – We mix charred and chopped poblano peppers into the filling for a spicy-sweet kick of flavor.
- Sausage – Whatever variety of sausage you prefer works great.
- Flour Burrito Shells – Large flour tortillas work best for rolling up the burritos.
- Bacon – Cooked and crumbled.
- Black Beans – Drained and air-dried so there isn’t too much moisture.
- American Cheese – cheddar cheese or any cheese you prefer. You can even use shredded cheese.
- For Serving – Avocados, tomatoes, crema, green and red salsa, hot sauce.
How to make make make-ahead breakfast burritos for camping
These make-ahead breakfast burritos are the perfect easy camping recipe. They come together with just a few simple prepping steps and can be easily stored and reheated later on!
COOK THE CRISPY TOTS:
- Preheat the oven to 400 degrees or to what the directions on the packaged potatoes instruct.
- Arrange the potato tots on a baking sheet in a single layer.
- Bake until the potato tots are golden and crispy, shaking the tray gently halfway through cooking time to rotate the tots.
- When thoroughly crisped and golden on all sides, remove from oven and allow to cool completely.
SCRAMBLE THE EGGS:
- Whisk the eggs in a large bowl.
- Preheat a large non-stick skillet over medium-high heat.
- Pour the eggs in and allow curds to form.
- Gently, using a rubber spatula, fold in the eggs, a little at a time, as they form.
- When the eggs are just set, still showing a glean of moisture, remove them from the heat and season with salt and pepper as desired.
- Spoon the eggs onto a plate to prevent them from overcooking in the heat of the skillet, and allow them to cool completely.
TOAST THE POBLANO PEPPER:
- Using a flame from a gas range or over a grill, toast the poblanos over high heat on all sides, rotating as each side begins to blacken and blister.
- Place the peppers in foil and wrap.
- Allow the peppers to sit for 5 minutes until cool.
- By now, the skin will have softened, and you can peel it off the peppers, discarding it.
- Chop the now-peeled peppers, discard the seeds, and set aside.
COOK THE SAUSAGE:
- Add 1 tsp of butter to the empty skillet, and saute the onion until soft, about 3-4 minutes.
- Add the sausage and cook, breaking it up into small pieces and thoroughly browning for about 15 minutes.
- Add the chopped poblano peppers.
- Remove from heat and allow to cool completely.
ASSEMBLE THE BURRITOS:
- On a large clean work surface, arrange all of the tortillas out.
- Place 2 slices of cheese down the center of the tortilla.
- Arrange 12 crispy tater tots in rows of 3 in the center over the cheese.
- Top with equal portions of eggs, beans, sausage and veggie mix, and bacon.
- Carefully fold the sides of the tortilla up, over the filling, before rolling. Use your thumbs to hold in the filling as you roll.
- Place seam side down to keep from opening up while you complete rolling all the burritos.
WRAP BURRITOS FOR FREEZING:
- Tightly wrap each burrito in parchment paper.
- Then wrap each rolled burrito in an additional layer of heavy-duty aluminum foil.
- Line them all up on a baking sheet and allow them to freeze for 1 hour before storing them in a resealable freezer bag for up to a month.
- Date the bag with a permanent marker for later use.
- Place in the freezer until ready to use.
COOK THE BURRITOS:
- When ready to cook, preheat your grill or campfire for indirect heat. See note in the recipe card for explanation.
- Place the burritos, in foil, directly on the coals on the cooler side of the campfire or on the cooler side of the grill.
- Grill the burritos for about 30-35 minutes.
- Rotate every 10 minutes, turning evenly on all sides to ensure even cooking until the burritos are warmed through, and the cheese is melted.
Serve:
- Serve by peeling back the foil and topping as desired.
Girl carnivore expert tips
- For best results, make sure everything is cooked ahead of time and allowed to cool completely before assembling the burritos. This allows the liquids to evaporate or steam to cool, which would otherwise cause moisture to make the burritos soggy.
- When cooking outside, the elements will affect how long the burritos need to be heated before they are enjoyed.
- Indirect heat is when the fire is built to one side while the other side remains cooler. Do this by stacking the coals of a campfire to one side of the grill pit or turning one burner to low or off on a gas grill.
- Swap egg whites for regular eggs and turkey bacon for regular bacon to reduce the calories.
- Use sweet potatoes instead of potato tots for added sweetness.
- If you can’t get your hands on some tater tots, regular hash browns, crispy fried potatoes, or shredded potatoes work just as well!
Storage
- Wrap each burrito individually in parchment paper, followed by aluminum foil.
- Line the wrapped burritos on a baking sheet and flash freeze for 1 hour or until hardened.
- Transfer the frozen burritos to a resealable bag and store them in the freezer for up to 3 months.
Reheating camping burritos
- When you’re ready to reheat your burritos at camp, be sure to have a low and even fire going. Remove the burritos from the baggie, then unwrap and remove the parchment paper. Re-wrap in foil before cooking.
- Place the foil-wrapped burritos directly on the coals on the cooler side of the campfire, or place them on a grilling grate above the fire. Cook for 30-35 minutes. If you’re cooking directly on the coals, rotate the burritos every 10 minutes to ensure even cooking.
What to serve with make-ahead breakfast burritos
You can totally enjoy these bad boys on their own, but if you’re still feeling peckish, pair your burritos with more easy camping meals like this Dutch Oven Mac and Cheese, Grilled Chicken Chilaquiles Verdes, or Meat Lovers Skillet Frittata!
FAQs about Breakfast Burrito Meal Prep
Not camping? No problem! These burritos are an excellent meal-prep option and can be easily cooked in a skillet or oven.
To cook in a skillet, heat the pan over medium-high heat with a little bit of oil. Add the burritos to the pan and cook until the filling is heated all the way through and the outside of the burrito is golden and crispy.
To cook in the oven, preheat the oven to 375ºF and bake for 15-20 minutes or until heated through.
When prepping burritos for freezing, there are a few handy tips and tricks you can follow to avoid anything getting soft or soggy over time:
– Cook and cool everything! Pre-cooking and cooling the ingredients release any excess moisture and prevents steam from hot foods from getting trapped in the foil.
– Don’t add salsas. Wetter ingredients like salsa or other sauces can make things soggy over time. Save those for dipping rather than trying to add them to the filling.
– Don’t use soft fruits or veggies. Any softer ingredients, like avocado or tomato, can get mushy and release moisture as they sit.
– Wrap and store well. Wrap tightly in parchment paper and foil to prevent any freezer burn or ice crystals from forming. No one wants soggy breakfast burritos!
MORE CAMPING RECIPES
Seafood
Shrimp Boil Foil Packets
Campfire Recipes
How To Set Up A Camp Kitchen + Checklist
Seafood
Grilled Salmon in Foil
Campfire Recipes
Foil pack Sausage and Potatoes
Whether you need a quick meal for busy mornings, meal prepping, or fuel for a camping trip, these easy breakfast burritos will become a new staple in your rotation! Forget about fast food and sink your teeth into the best breakfast burrito you’ve ever had! Also, please rate the recipe card and leave a comment below to help out the next reader!
Make-Ahead Breakfast Burritos
Ingredients
- 1 package frozen Idaho Crispy Potato Tots
- 12 eggs scrambled
- 1 tsp Egg Blend Seasoning
- Salt and Pepper
- 1 tsp butter
- ½ Onion chopped
- 2 poblano Peppers
- ½ pound sausage
- 8 large flour burrito shells
- 8 oz Bacon cooked until crispy and dried on paper towels
- 1 14 oz jar black beans drained and air-dried
- 20 slices American cheese
For Serving
- 2 to 3 avocados
- Tomatoes sliced
- Crema
- Green and Red salsa
- Hot Sauce
Instructions
Cook the Crispy Tots:
- Preheat oven to 400 degrees or to what the directions on the packaged potatoes instruct.
- Arrange the potato tots on a baking sheet in a single layer.
- Bake until the potato tots are golden and crispy, shaking the tray gently, halfway through cooking time to rotate the tots.
- When thoroughly crisped and golden on all sides, remove from oven and allow to cool completely.
Scramble the Eggs:
- Whisk the eggs in a large bowl.
- Preheat a large non-stick skillet over medium-high heat.
- Pour the eggs in and allow curds to form.
- Gently, using a rubber spatula, fold in the eggs, a little at a time as they form.
- When the eggs are just set, still showing a glean of moisture, remove them from the heat and season with salt and pepper as desired.
- Spoon the eggs onto a plate to prevent them from overcooking in the heat of the skillet and allow them to cool completely.
Toast the Poblano Pepper:
- Using a flame from a gas range, or over a grill, toast the poblanos over high heat on all sides, rotating as each side begins to blacken and blister.
- Place the peppers in foil and wrap.
- Allow the peppers to sit for 5 minutes until cool.
- By now, the skin will have softened and you can peel it off of the peppers, discarding it.
- Chop the now peeled peppers, discarding the seeds, and set aside.
Cook the Sausage:
- Add 1 tsp of butter to In the now empty skillet, sautee the onion until soft, about 4 minutes.
- Add the sausage and cook, breaking up into small pieces and browning thoroughly all over, about 15 minutes.
- Add the chopped poblano peppers.
- Remove from heat and allow to cool completely.
Assemble the Burritos:
- On a large clean work surface, arrange all of the tortillas out.
- Place 2 slices of cheese down the center of each.
- Arrange 12 crispy potato tots in the in rows of 3 on the center over the cheese.
- Top with equal portions of eggs, beans, sausage and veggie mix, and bacon.
- Carefully fold the edges a burrito up, over the filling, before rolling. Use your thumbs to hold in the filling as you roll.
- Place seam side down to keep from opening up while you complete rolling all the burritos.
Wrap Burritos for Freezing:
- Tightly wrap each burrito in parchment paper.
- Then wrap each burrito in an additional layer of heavy-duty aluminum foil.
- Line them all up on a baking sheet and allow them to freeze for 1 hour before storing in a resealable bag for up to a month.
- Date the bag with a permanent marker for later use.
- Place in the freezer until ready to use.
Cook the Burritos:
- When ready to cook, preheat your grill or campfire for indirect heat. See note.
- Place the burritos, in foil, directly on the coals on the cooler side of the campfire or on the cooler side of the grill.
- Grill the burritos for about 30-35 minutes.
- Rotate every 10 minutes, turning evenly on all sides to ensure even cooking until the burritos are warmed through and the cheese is melted.
Serve:
- Serve by peeling back the foil and topping as desired.
Notes
- This recipe works best if everything is cooked ahead of time and allowed to cool completely before assembling the burritos. This allows the liquids to evaporate or steam to cool, which would otherwise cause moisture to make the burritos soggy.
- When cooking outside, the elements will be a factor for if the burritos need to heat longer before being enjoyed.
- Indirect heat is when the fire is built to one side while the other side remains cooler. Do this by stacking the coals of a campfire to one side of the grill pit, or turning one burner to low or off on a gas grill.
Nutrition
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Hi! we’re heading camping with lots of kiddos. Wondering if there’s any way to shortcut the reheating on the morning of? Can you refrigerate them instead of freezing them? or defrost them a day ahead? Thanks!
Hey hey, you could make them before you go, wrap them individually and pop them in the cooler. They will last 2 to 3 days in a properly cooled cooler or RV fridge and then you can just go right from fridge to camp stove to add that extra crisp to the outer layer! If you don’t want to reheat them at all, they are safe to eat cold if you precooked everything before hand, we just love them warm. Have a great camp trip!
it says you can cook them or re heat them in the oven at 375 but for how long time length is recommended ?
Hey Hey Eric, we reheat these, wrapped in foil (not frozen) for about 10-15 minutes until warmed through, until hot. Thanks!
Hi! Making these now for my family’s camping trip this weekend. Thanks for sharing!
Question – will these keep for 3 days in a cooler with ice?
Hi Alison, stoked you’re going camping! Where ya headed?
For 3-days in the cooler. Welp, that would come down to how well the cooler stays cold and how well you wrap these. I’d make sure that no matter what they won’t get waterlogged if ice melts. As long as the cooler stays a safe tempt they should be fine.
Have a blast!
We are trying this recipe for camping but I was wondering.. what is egg blend seasoning?
Hey hey Theresa, I hope you guys have an awesoem camp trip! Just got back from one myself. The egg blend can be any blend you prefer but I have my own blend called Over Easy that I use on a LOT of recipes! It can be found here.