Backcountry Scramble
Freeze-dried eggs and beans with cheese, rehydrated hot. Vegetarian breakfast protein that packs under three ounces.
- calories
- 260
- weight
- 2.1 oz
- cal / oz
- 124
- protein
- 18 g
- serves
- 1, scales
- prep
- 1 min
- cook
- 15 min
- total time
- 16 min
- water
- 180 ml boiled
- cost
- $
Calorie and protein figures are my own estimates, good enough for planning a food bag and not meant as precise nutrition data.
- Breakfast
- Canister stove
- Alcohol / Esbit
- Backpacking
- Thru-hike
- Vegetarian
- One pot
- Pre-mix at home
- Shelf stable
- Dump and stir
Ingredients
| Freeze-dried scrambled eggs | 1/4 cup | powdered eggs from a camping brand, or homemade |
|---|---|---|
| Dehydrated cooked red beans | 1/3 cup | or instant refried beans |
| Cheddar cheese powder | 3 tbsp | |
| Instant potato flakes | 3 tbsp | |
| Dehydrated tomato | 1 tbsp | |
| Dehydrated bell pepper | 1 tbsp | red and green mixed |
| Dehydrated onion | 1 tsp | |
| Dehydrated garlic | 1/2 tsp | |
| Smoked paprika | 1/2 tsp | |
| Salt | 1/4 tsp | |
| Black pepper | 1/4 tsp | |
| Red pepper flakes | 1/8 tsp | |
| Dried thyme | pinch | |
| Butter powder | 1 tsp | optional but adds needed fat |
Method
- Boil 180 ml of water.
- Pour the scramble mix into your pot and add the boiling water, stirring well.
- Cover and let sit for 15 minutes so the eggs and beans rehydrate fully.
- Stir again. The scramble will be thick and creamy, not runny.
- Eat from the pot or spoon into a bowl while hot.
The eggs and beans are doing the real work here—they rehydrate into a vegetarian protein punch that fuels the day. Freeze-dried ingredients are light and shelf-stable, so you’re not carrying water weight. The cheese and potato flakes thicken the whole thing from soup-like to something with body.
The scramble comes out very wet, which is the point. That moisture carries fat and seasoning all the way through. Smoked paprika does the heavy lifting on flavor. Make it at home, eat it at camp, one pot.
Packing
Combine all dry ingredients into a freezer bag at home. Label with water amount and cook time. At camp you're adding one bag of premixed ingredients to a pot of boiling water.
Variations
- Pour the finished scramble over instant rice to stretch it to two servings.
- Add a packet of hot sauce or sriracha for extra heat.
- Swap the beans for dehydrated ground beef or sausage crumbles if you have them.
https://trailcooking.com/2024/01/18/commercial-meal-review-backpackers-pantry-summit-breakfast-scramble