camp meals

One-Pot Peas and Rice

Rice and freeze-dried peas with butter and Parmesan powder. Full-bellied dinner in 15 minutes.

calories
1200
weight
10.5 oz
cal / oz
114
protein
20 g
serves
1, scales
prep
2 min
cook
15 min
total time
17 min
water
420 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.

  • Dinner
  • Canister stove
  • Alcohol / Esbit
  • Backpacking
  • Thru-hike
  • Vegetarian
  • Gluten free
  • Nut free
  • One pot
  • Pre-mix at home
  • Shelf stable
  • Dump and stir

Ingredients

Instant rice 1 cup
Freeze-dried peas 1 cup
Butter powder 1 Tbsp
Sour cream powder 1 Tbsp
Low-sodium vegetable broth powder 1 tsp or 1 packet
Parmesan cheese, shelf-stable 1 Tbsp
Olive oil 1 Tbsp carried in a small dropper bottle

Method

  1. Boil 420 ml of water with the olive oil.
  2. Kill the heat and stir in all the dry ingredients until combined.
  3. Cover and let sit for 15 minutes. In cold or high-altitude conditions, wrap the pot in a sleeping pad or cozy to hold heat.
  4. Stir and eat.

Freeze-dried peas and instant rice work because they rehydrate at the same speed. The powders—butter, sour cream, Parmesan—dissolve into the liquid and add fat and flavor. The 15-minute sit time is when everything comes together. You boil once and insulate.

The recipe halves easily for a light appetite or doubles for groups. In cold or high-altitude conditions, wrap the pot in a sleeping pad or cozy; heat loss slows hydration significantly. Carry the powders premixed in a bag at home—they’re less likely to clump or absorb moisture that way.

Packing

Mix rice, peas, powders, and Parmesan into a quart freezer bag at home. Carry oil separately in a small dropper bottle. The recipe also works with freezer-bag cooking: pour boiling water and oil into an insulated FBC cozy with the dry ingredients, seal, and wait 15 minutes.

Variations

  • Add a handful of freeze-dried corn or tomato for color.
  • Stir in miso powder for umami depth.
  • Mix in 1 oz of dehydrated sausage or bacon bits for extra protein.

https://trailcooking.com/2025/02/07/new-recipe-vegetarian-peas-and-rice