Campfire Potatoes in Foil Packet

Why We Have These Campfire Potatoes On Repeat All Summer

• Versatile. These campfire potatoes come out tender and fluffy, whether you cook them over an open fire, bake them, or grill them.
• Simple ingredients. Potatoes, onions, and butter. That’s about it! As for seasonings, I use salt and pepper, plus chives and paprika.
• Easy clean-up. The best part about campfire potatoes? Cleanup is a breeze. Simply toss the aluminum foil in the trash after serving. We always used to eat our potatoes right out of the foil!
• Family-friendly. These foil packet potatoes are always a hit with the kids. We make them on the grill even when we’re not camping since they’re such a family favorite.

Ingredients You’ll Need to Make Them

You only need 3 ingredients, plus your choice of seasonings, to make tender, “grilled” potatoes on a campfire! These are some notes. Scroll to the recipe card for the printable ingredients list and recipe amounts.

• Potatoes – I use small, waxy potatoes, like white, red, or fingerling potatoes, as they aren’t as crumbly as starchy potatoes (like russets, for example). That being said, any potato works in this recipe. Wash and dry the potatoes well, then slice them into 1/2-inch thick rounds.
• Onions – Diced or thinly sliced mild yellow onion, or a sweet variety, like Vidalia. You could also use shallots or green onions.
• Butter – Cut it into small cubes. You could also dress your potatoes with olive oil if you prefer. I just love the flavor of butter.
• Seasonings – Salt and pepper, plus any seasonings you’d like. I add a sprinkle of paprika and chives or scallions. See below for more ways to flavor and season your campfire potatoes.

Seasoning Ideas

The beauty of campfire potatoes is that the recipe is easy to make your own. The easiest way to customize it is with our favorite seasonings. I’ll sometimes borrow the ranch seasoning from my air fryer ranch potatoes, or add a drizzle of pesto for more flavor. These are some other seasoning options for foil pack potatoes that you can try:

• Blackened seasoning or Cajun spice (for a spicy kick)
• Taco seasoning for Tex-Mex vibes
• Dried herbs (thyme, oregano, rosemary, or parsley)
• Italian seasoning
• French Herbes de Provence
• Old Bay seasoning
• Grated parmesan cheese

How to Make Campfire Potatoes in Foil

Ready to get cooking? Follow the easy steps here to assemble your campfire potato packs and get them to the fire or grill. Scroll down to the recipe card after the post for the printable recipe.

• Prepare the foil. First, coat a large sheet of heavy-duty aluminum foil with olive oil or cooking spray. If you don’t have heavy-duty foil, you can double up with regular foil instead.
• Assemble the foil packs. Next, add the sliced potatoes and onion to the middle of the foil. Sprinkle with salt and pepper, and toss to coat. Drop the pieces of butter over the potatoes and onions.
• Seal them up. Fold the aluminum foil up and over the potatoes to form a pouch. Pour in a little water to help the potatoes steam. Lastly, fold the edges of the foil together to seal the pack.
• Cook. Add the potato packets to the campfire, grill, or oven to cook at 400°F for 20 to 30 minutes, until the potatoes inside are fork-tender. If your grill runs hot, you’ll want to check them at 20 minutes. At 400°F or lower, they could take a bit longer.
• Serve and Enjoy. CAREFULLY peel open the foil (watch out for the hot steam) and transfer the potatoes to a serving dish or eat them right out of the packet. Garnish with paprika and chopped chives or scallions and dig in!

Recipe Tips

• Use a thick layer of foil. I always use heavy-duty aluminum foil for my camping recipes. Heavy aluminum foil holds up best in the high heat of the fire or grill, and it’s less likely to tear or break open. This way, the steam stays locked inside the packet, for even cooking. In a pinch, you can double or triple-layer your regular aluminum foil.
• Seal the packet tightly. Be sure to wrap the edges thoroughly and tightly so that the potatoes get nice and tender without burning or leaking.
• Open the packets carefully. Very important! Take care when opening the foil, as the steam will be very hot.
• Don’t wait too long before serving. Once the potatoes are cooked through, don’t leave them sealed inside the foil for too long. Otherwise, they’ll continue to cook in the residual heat and may become mushy.

Make It a Meal

As a kid, we used to make foil pack potatoes on the campfire alongside hot dogs, and then toast marshmallows to make s’mores for dessert! There are so many ways to enjoy campfire potatoes outside of camping, too. Like these ideas:

• Grilling recipes. Try this juicy lemon herb grilled chicken with another veggie side, like grilled asparagus. I like to grill slices of gluten-free Texas toast on the side, too.
• Salad. Serve with an easy Greek salad or these fun chef salad sticks.
• Steak dinner. You can’t go wrong with grilled flat iron steak or skillet steak bites and potatoes.
• Summer entertaining. I’ll grill potatoes in a foil pack and serve them next to a Cobb lobster salad, washed down with a glass of white sangria when we have friends over in the summer. Highly recommend!

Storing Leftovers

• Refrigerate. Transfer any leftover potatoes to an airtight container (don’t leave them in the foil) and refrigerate them for up to 3 days.
• Reheat. Warm the potatoes in the oven or microwave. If you’re using the oven, consider wrapping the potatoes in foil again to help them steam.

More Easy Potato Recipes

• Bacon Ranch Potato Salad
• Twice-Baked Potatoes
• Baked Potatoes
• Smashed Potatoes