Campfire Hot Dogs and Beans

Campfire hot dogs and beans are a smoky, satisfying meal made with grilled hot dogs and a rich, bacon-loaded bean topping with both sweet and savory flavors.

More delicious campfire recipes to try include BBQ chicken foil packets, apple crisp, banana boats, and these campfire strawberries.

Why You’ll Love It           

Great for camping: Everything cooks right over the fire in one skillet – so convenient!
Big flavor: Bacon, garlic and molasses create a deep, smoky-sweet taste.
Customizable: You can use your favorite style of hot dogs or buns.
Minimal cleanup: One pan and a grill make prep and cleanup simple.

Campfire Hot Dogs with Beans Ingredients

A complete list of ingredients and amounts can be found in the recipe card below.

Olive oil: Helps soften the onions and keeps the skillet from sticking.
Red onion: Adds a touch of sweetness and color to the skillet mixture.
Small white beans: Also known as cannellini beans, these white kidney beans bring a creamy texture and soak up the flavor of the sauce.
Cherry tomatoes: Add brightness and break down into a rich sauce.
Garlic: Adds depth and savory flavor to the dish.
Molasses: Gives the sauce a sweet, smoky richness.
Bacon: Provides smoky, salty flavor and heartiness. Although optional, I highly recommend adding bacon for extra deliciousness!
Red wine vinegar: Balances the sweetness with a little tang.
Worcestershire sauce: Enhances the umami flavor of the bean mixture (I used this one!)
Hot dogs: Bacon and cheddar smokies bring extra flavor to the dish, although any hot dogs will work.
Hot dog buns: Hold the grilled hot dogs and all the tasty toppings. I recommend toasting them before loading them up, so they don’t get soggy too quickly.
Canola oil: Used to grease the grill grates and prevent sticking. You can use any oil you want – I typically use something relatively cheap for just greasing grates.
Condiments: Choose from ketchup, mustard and/or relish, as a topping.

How to Make Camping Hot Dogs and Beans

For more detailed instructions with weights and measurements, jump to the printable recipe card.

Prepare the fire: Set up your campfire for both direct and indirect cooking zones.
Oil the grill: Lightly grease the grates with canola oil.
Start the skillet: Heat a cast iron pan over direct heat with a bit of olive oil.
Cook the onion: Add diced red onion and cook over medium heat until tender.
Add main ingredients: Stir in bacon cut into bite sized pieces, beans, tomatoes, molasses and garlic. Season to taste.
Move to indirect heat: Let the mixture simmer, stirring occasionally, until the tomatoes break down.
Finish the sauce: Stir in Worcestershire sauce and vinegar, then remove the pot from heat.
Grill the hot dogs: Cook over direct heat, turning until warmed through.
Toast the buns: Place buns on the grill briefly if liked.
Assemble and serve: Add a hot dog to each bun, top with beans and bacon mixture, and finish with your favorite condiments. Serve hot and don’t forget the napkins!

Substitutions and Variations

Make it gluten free: Use certified gluten free hot dog buns and check your Worcestershire sauce ingredients.
Use different beans: Black beans, great northern beans or pinto beans work well too. You could also use red kidney beans. Baked beans would work, although you might want to reduce the amount of molasses as they can be quite sweet.
Switch the sweetener: Substitute maple syrup or brown sugar for the molasses. You could also add some BBQ sauce for sweetness.
Add veggies: Throw in some chopped bell pepper or sliced mushrooms too when you add the bacon and beans to the skillet.
Swap the hot dogs: Pork or turkey dogs, beef hot dogs, veggie dogs or plain franks all work.
Add heat: Stir in chili flakes or hot sauce for a spicy kick.
Make it meat-free: Omit the bacon and use plant-based hot dogs for a vegetarian version.
Different condiments: Sweet or spicy mustard would be good or you could grind some red pepper flakes on top, or even add a little spicy mayo if that’s your thing!

Serving Suggestions

With other campfire dishes: Enjoy gnocchi foil packs or campfire mac and cheese with your beanie weenies. If you’re feeding a crowd you might want to make some pie iron pizzas too.
Campfire desserts: Finish with some delicious pie iron cherry pie or these pie iron pineapple upside down cakes.

How to Store Campfire Beans and Weenies

Store: Keep leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator and eat within 3 to 4 days.
Freeze: You can freeze the bacon and bean mixture in an airtight container for up to 3 months.
Thaw: Defrost it in the refrigerator overnight.
Reheat: You can warm it back up in a pan on the stove or in the microwave (or over a campfire!)