Trail Bolognese
Freeze-dried sausage, couscous, and tomato powder cook into a pasta that travels light and takes one pot.
- calories
- 510
- weight
- 5.5 oz
- cal / oz
- 93
- protein
- 21 g
- serves
- 1, scales
- prep
- 2 min
- cook
- 15 min
- total time
- 17 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.
- Dinner
- Canister stove
- Backpacking
- Basecamp
- One pot
- Pre-mix at home
- Shelf stable
- Dump and stir
Ingredients
| Freeze-dried sausage crumbles | 1/4 cup | |
|---|---|---|
| Instant couscous | 1/4 cup | |
| Dried diced carrots | 1 tbsp | |
| Dried chopped onions | 1 tbsp | freeze-dried also work |
| Dried diced tomato | 1 tbsp | |
| Tomato sauce powder | 2 tbsp | |
| Dried minced garlic | 1 tsp | or freeze-dried |
| Italian seasoning | 1/2 tsp | |
| Olive oil | 1 tbsp | carried in a small dropper bottle |
| Parmesan cheese | 1 tbsp | shelf-stable from a green can |
Method
- Bring 180 ml of water and olive oil to a boil.
- Add the couscous, sausage, dried vegetables, tomato powder, garlic, and Italian seasoning. Stir well.
- Remove from heat and cover tightly with a lid or foil.
- Let sit for 15 minutes while the couscous rehydrates and flavors meld.
- Stir in the Parmesan cheese and eat straight from the pot.
Instant couscous needs only boiling water and a short rest to become tender. Freeze-dried sausage and tomato powder provide savory depth without requiring fresh ingredients or refrigeration. One pot, one boil, then eat.
Stir the Parmesan in after removing heat so it stays visible instead of dissolving into the sauce. In cold weather or high altitude, wrapping the covered pot in an insulating cozy for the 15 minutes helps the couscous rehydrate fully.
Packing
Mix all dry ingredients into a single quart freezer bag at home. In camp you are pouring one bag into boiling water instead of measuring five things by headlamp. Carry olive oil in a small dropper bottle and Parmesan in its own packet to keep them from greasing the dry mix.
Variations
- Swap couscous for instant rice to make it gluten-free, using the same 1/4 cup amount.
- Use freeze-dried ground beef instead of sausage if you want less seasoning intensity.
- Add a handful of freeze-dried peas or corn for texture and a few more vegetables.
https://trailcooking.com/2023/03/18/instant-meals-bolognese-pasta