Foil packet meals are fun, easy, and totally customizable, and can be made in the oven or on the grill, all with minimal clean-up afterward.
This post is brought to you by Reynolds Wrap.
Why Wait for a Campfire When You Can Make Foil Dinners in the Oven or on the Grill?
Foil packet meals are a no-brainer if you’re going camping. And for good reason. All you need is some aluminum foil, a sampling of ingredients, and some heat.
But in my opinion, there’s no reason to wait to break out the campfire because foil dinners are so incredibly easy to make at home and EVERYONE ends up loving them.
Just like my chicken fajita foil pack dinners, these DIY foil packet meals using your choice of ground beef or sausage are especially fun for kids or if you’re having friends over since everyone gets to choose what they want and prepare the packet dinners themselves. And even better for the hostess, clean-up is a breeze and that makes everyone happy.
But really, the most important ingredient for a successful foil packet dinner is a strong piece of aluminum foil, and that’s why I use Reynolds Wrap Heavy Duty Aluminum Foil for this cooking situation.
Enjoy!
What do You Put in a Foil Pack Dinner?
Simply prepare a stack of sheets in about 12-inch lengths and let everyone go hog wild with a variety of ingredients for them to choose from. The ingredient list for foil packet meals can be long and varied, but here’s what I used in this particular recipe:
- Ground beef or sausage — You can use pretty much any protein you like, but I typically stick with ground beef or sausage which cooks fast and is inexpensive.
- Veggies — You can add as many vegetables as you like! I went crazy this time around and used a blend of baby red potatoes, carrot, onion, red bell pepper, and mushrooms. Then I raided my pantry and added canned peas, corn, and green beans to the mix. Variety is the name of the game here so guests can use the exact blend of veg they prefer.
- Pesto — Homemade pesto is always going to taste the best, but I won’t tell if you pick up a jar or two at the store!
- Butter — A pat or two of butter per foil pack adds richness and flavor.
- Seasonings — I kept things simple with a little garlic, salt, and pepper, but you can also set out whatever spice blends you have on hand.
The full recipe, with amounts, can be found in the recipe card below.
How to Make Foil Packet Meals
Foil pack cooking is one of the easiest dinner ideas out there, but there are a few key things to remember when assembling your meals. Here are the basic steps for mastering this family-favorite recipe, with lots of tips for success.
Step 1: Find Your Fat
First, you must have fat so the raw ingredients don’t stick to the foil as it cooks. Oil in almost any form (plain or flavored), butter, and bacon fat are all likely contenders. I like to add pesto because it does double duty with the inclusion of herbs and garlic to the oil.
Step 2: Add a Protein
Ground meats like beef, turkey, or chicken all work well in foil packs. Fish, shrimp, and shellfish do well too because fish don’t take long to cook. Sliced sausages are also an awesome option. Diced tofu or tempeh is a great option for veggie lovers.
Heidi’s Tip: This is not the time to toss in a whole chicken breast or a round of steak. Save that for cooking on its own, although very thinly sliced versions of those would likely work fine.
Step 3: Veg-Out
Next, add layers of veggies. Just about any veggie will do so long as you think about cooking time.
You want harder veggies like potatoes or carrots and sweet potatoes cut into smaller pieces so they cook at the same rate as larger cut mushrooms, squashes, and onions.
There’s no limit to the ideas you can add to. Fresh, frozen, canned, any will do.
Step 4: Spice It Up
If you add absolutely nothing else to your protein and veggie base, you MUST add salt and pepper. But don’t stop there, take a leap and really make it good by adding more layers of flavor.
I always have fresh or dried herbs to offer. Basil, oregano, rosemary, thyme, Italian seasoning — whatever you have that fits your combo.
Try spices like smoked paprika, cumin, chili powder, garlic salt or powder, zaatar, and coriander.
Sauce it up with a sweet bite of ketchup or add a dash of Worcestershire and if you’re my husband, steak sauce.
Step 5: Fold & Go
Heavy-duty Reynolds Wrap makes the best cooking vehicle for foil dinners. Its sturdiness keeps everything intact and puncture-resistant when flipping the foil packs without having to create double layers.
Tear off a few lengths of aluminum foil in 12- to 14-inch pieces. You’ll want there to be plenty of room to create your masterpiece yet still leave room in the pouch so heat will build within the pouch. This method is like creating a mini oven so don’t overpack your pockets.
Place the food in the center of the foil, layering fat, protein, and vegetables with the spices, herbs, and flavorings. Fold the two long edges toward one another and fold over once or twice then crimp tightly. Fold and crimp each short end of the foil toward the middle so that the edges are all tightly sealed. Packets can vary in size, just make sure they’re sealed so the juices don’t flow out.
Step 6: Cook and Eat
Now this is the entertainer’s happy part of the dream. You can cook them all at once or a few at a time, and there’s no mess or fuss whether you’re cooking on the grill or in the oven.
- For the oven, bake on a baking sheet at 350ºF for about 30 minutes.
- On a grill, cook on medium-high for about 10-15 minutes each side, turning occasionally.
Depending on your ingredients and how hefty you create your packets, your cooking time will vary.
If you make this recipe, please let me know! Leave a ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ rating on this recipe below and leave a comment, take a photo and tag me on Instagram with #foodiecrusheats.
Foil Packet Meals
Ingredients
- 1 pound hamburger or sausage , (or a combination)
- 1 cup baby red potatoes , quartered
- 1 carrot , peeled and sliced into coins
- ½ onion , sliced or chopped
- ½ cup canned green beans
- ½ cup red bell pepper , seeded and chopped
- ½ cup mushrooms , sliced
- ½ cup peas
- ½ cup frozen or fresh corn kernels
- ¼ cup pesto
- 4 tablespoons butter
- 2 cloves garlic , minced
- kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
- fresh or dried herbs and spices of your choice
Instructions
- Prepare 4 sheets of Reynolds Wrap Heavy Duty Aluminum Foil into 12-inch sheets.
- Divide the ingredients among the four pieces of foil and place the food in the center of each piece, layering the butter, hamburger, and or sausage with the vegetables spices, herbs, and flavorings of your choice. Fold the two long edges toward one another and fold over once or twice then crimp tightly. Fold and crimp each short end of the foil toward the middle so that the edges are all tightly sealed.
- For cooking in the oven, bake on a baking sheet at 350ºF for about 30 minutes.
- For cooking on a grill, cook on medium-high for about 10-15 minutes each side, turning occasionally.
- Let the packets cool slightly before serving. Carefully open the packets and serve.
Notes
- Depending on your ingredients and how hefty you create your packets, your cooking time may vary.
Nutrition
More Foil Packet Dinner Ideas
There are two ways you can go with flavoring your packets. Either keep it fresh, seasonal, and classic with hamburger and some basic veggies as your base, set, or a theme and offer ingredients that fit a theme, such as:
- Americana flavors: BBQ sauces, sausages, cheeseburger or meatloaf flavors, cajun, Southwest flavors, buffalo wing flavors, Hawaiian sweet and sour, classic stew flavors
- Asian flavors: Japanese with teriyaki or miso, soy sauce, Thai curry or chilis, Korean kimchi, gochujang, or sriracha with cooked rice
- Indian flavors: Tandoori flavors, garam masala, coconut, beans and cooked rice
- Latin flavors: Chimichurri, jerk sauce, beans, bananas, fresh herbs
- Mexican flavors: Chiles, fresh salsas, tomatoes, corn, beans, cumin, oregano, cheese, chorizo and even tortillas or enchilada sauce
- Mediterranean and Italian flavors: Wine, saffron, chorizo, fresh veggies, oregano, fresh basil, olive oil drizzles, olives, sun-dried tomatoes, capers, garlic, pesto, Parmesan cheese
More Family-Friendly Dinner Recipes You’ll Love
We send good emails. Subscribe to FoodieCrush and have each post plus exclusive content only for our subscribers delivered straight to your e-mail box.
Follow me on Instagram, Facebook, Pinterest for more FoodieCrush inspiration.
As always, thank you for reading and supporting companies I partner with, which allows me to create more unique content and recipes for you. There are affiliate links in this post of which I receive a small commission. All opinions are always my own.
Rate & Comment