5 Easy and Healthy Dinners You Can Make in an RV

There are so many things to see and do while traveling in your RV. Often, this means meals become “grab-and-go,” takeout, or an afterthought. And even if your coach has a spacious kitchen, nobody wants to spend all day prepping and cooking food inside an RV. But we can only make sandwiches or grab takeout for so long before it gets boring, right? The good news is there are plenty of dinners you can make in an RV galley that are easy to make and still relatively healthy. Let’s explore five options we love.

1. A one-pot option: Quinoa-burger bowl

With reduced space in a kitchen, the fewer pots and pans you use, the better. You can prepare and cook this simple recipe in just a single pot. Not only does that mean less clutter in your galley, but it also means faster clean-up and more time for you to enjoy the great outdoors.

This one-pot dish uses ground beef you may keep on hand, but it substitutes quinoa as a healthier alternative to hamburger buns. 

For this recipe, you will need:

• One pound of ground beef
• Quinoa (enough to serve two)
• A non-stick spray
• ½ an onion, chopped
• Water (the amount depends on how much quinoa you use — follow the package)
• One chopped green pepper
• One can of diced tomatoes
• Two chopped fresh Roma tomatoes
• One teaspoon of salt and pepper (and any other desired spices, like cayenne pepper), to flavor to your liking.
• Optional: diced avocado, lime or cilantro to top the dish

Directions:

1. Spray the pan and heat it on medium. Add the ground beef and brown it for 1-2 minutes.
2. Remove the beef and drain some of the juice, leaving some to saute the veggies. Add the veggies and saute for 1-2 minutes. Next, add the diced tomatoes and water and bring to a boil.
3. Add the quinoa. When it’s half cooked, add the beef and spices. Cover and let simmer until the quinoa is done. Add toppers if you’d like, then serve.

2. Instant Pot butter chicken

The Instant Pot may not be the tiniest kitchen item, but it’s worth its weight (and RV storage space!) in gold. Insta-pots can prepare a crazy variety of foods in a very short amount of time. We won’t go so far as calling it life-changing, but it can be kitchen-changing for sure. If you haven’t looked into one, it’s certainly worth considering.

This easy-to-prepare chicken dish can be on the table in as little as 30 minutes! 

To prepare it, you will need:

• 2 lbs Skinless Chicken- some use breasts, others boneless thighs. Pick the one that suits your taste.
• 2 inches of ginger root
•  2 tsp of garam masala
• 1 can (15 oz) of tomato sauce
• 1 tsp each of turmeric, paprika, salt and cumin
• 1 cup of heavy whipping cream (if you are non-dairy, coconut milk can substitute)
• 2 tbsp chopped parsley
• Optional: If you like spicy food, add ½ tsp of chili powder to give it an extra kick

Directions:

1. Choose saute setting on the Instant Pot. Melt the butter and add the garlic and ginger. Cook for about 1 minute.
2. Add all the spices and salt, stirring and cooking them for 1 minute. If some of it sticks to the bottom, splash in a little water.
3. Add in the tomato sauce and ¼ cup of water. Turn off the saute setting. Add your chicken and mix it all well. Do not add the cream at this stage.
4. Seal the Instant Pot and cook for 6 minutes on the pressure cook setting. If using chicken breasts, reduce to 5 minutes. Promptly release the steam when complete.
5. Remove the lid (carefully) and turn the saute setting on. Stir in the cream.
6. Serve over warm rice with chopped parsley.

3. Instant Pot pork tenderloin

This super easy dish is not only fast to cook, but fast to clean up. To be honest, this is one you could use at home on any weeknight, but it’s one of the easiest dinners you can make in an RV as well. 

All you need to whip up this meal is:

• A pork tenderloin
• 1 bag of baby carrots
• 2 cups of vegetable broth
• Mix a dash each of pepper, basil, onion powder, salt, thyme and oregano.

Directions:

1. Spray some non-stick spray on the inside and turn the Instant Pot to saute. Brown the tenderloin on both sides.
2. Change the setting to Meat/Stew. Put the metal rack in and the tenderloin on it. Add the vegetable stock to the bottom and sprinkle the spices on the pork. Add the carrots. Seal the pot and set it for 30 minutes.
3. When it’s done, it’s ready to eat! (Pro tip: there may be some mess with the steam because of the broth, so cover the valve with a towel before releasing it)

4. A no-cook option: Shrimp avocado salad

Sometimes we just don’t want to cook. Or sometimes, the weather is just perfect for something that feels lighter. So, we’ve included a no-cook option to this list.

This easy-to-prepare meal is fast and requires minimal cleanup as well. Light and cool, it could be a good lunch choice in addition to being one of the dinners you can make in an RV. 

To make this dish, you’ll need:

• 1 pound peeled and deveined cooked shrimp, coarsely chopped.
• 1 jalapeno pepper seeded and minced.
• 2 plum tomatoes seeded and chopped.
• 1 serrano pepper seeded and minced.
• 2 green onions, chopped.
• 1/4 cup finely chopped red onion.
• 2 tablespoons minced cilantro.
• 3 medium ripe avocados peeled and cubed.
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 2 tablespoons lime juice
• 2 tablespoons seasoned rice vinegar
• 1 teaspoon adobo seasoning
• Lime wedges
• Bibb lettuce leaves

Directions:

1. Place the first 7 ingredients in a large bowl. Mix in the lime juice, vinegar, oil and adobo seasoning.
2. Stir in the shrimp. 
3. Cover and refrigerate for about 1 hour so the flavors can blend.
4. Stir in the avocados. Serve over lettuce or in lettuce leaves, whichever you prefer. 
5. Add lime wedges as garnish or for a little more flavor.

5. Cooking over a fire? Try a tin foil dinner (or TFD)

Could we really do a list of RV dinners without having at least one option to cook over a campfire? This very easy dish requires a large ovenproof or fire-safe rectangular container. 

You will also need:

• Chicken, fresh sausage, or pork chops
• Potatoes
• Salt and pepper
• Garlic powder
• Bacon

Directions:

Cut up the meat and peel and slice the potatoes. Cook the bacon to your preference.

Line your container with non-stick foil then layer the sliced potatoes evenly on the foil. Salt and pepper them, then add the meat you chose and season with the salt, pepper and garlic powder. Top it with the slices of bacon. Cover it all with foil, poke a few holes in it and put it on your campfire. It should take between 45 minutes and 1 hour to cook.

Alternatively, you can cook this in your oven at 400 degrees for about the same amount of time.

These are just a few dinners you can make in an RV, and hopefully something piqued your interest! Until next time, bon appetit!

Want to cook meals in your own RV?

Here at Transwest, we know that investing in an RV is a really big decision, so we’re here to streamline your search and make your RV aspirations a reality. We offer the highest quality coaches (and more!) from top manufacturers, and our friendly, knowledgeable staff is eager to help you. Find a location near you today, or shop our online inventory and let our experts help you find the perfect RV for your next RV cooking adventure.