Homemade is always better, even if you’re living in a tiny home on wheels. Check out our most recent recipes that have worked best for us on the road… and send us your favorite van-friendly recipes and we’ll try them out and report back.

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  Asparagus, Dandelion, and Leek Salad
  Here is a beautiful and easy Easter side dish. This spring salad is perfect for the occasion, with many of our favorite spring ingredients in one dish. Yum!
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  Gazpacho Salad with Parmesan Crisps
  Rusty and I recently started paying attention to the Mediterranean diet, which I prefer to call a “lifestyle” rather than a “diet.” This recipe is a great and van-friendly example.
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  Mediterranean Cod with Couscous
  This dish is a show-stopper worthy of a dinner party, but it was also relatively easy to make in a van.
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  Wild Chanterelle Dutch Baby
  After finding a huge patch of wild chanterelles in the Finger Lakes National Forest, we modified a dutch baby recipe to work for our van.
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  Soba Noodle Bowl
  This is such an easy recipe, but the key is the broth. It’s all about the ginger and garlic!
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  Tastes Like” Lobster Rolls
  What to do when you get a craving for lobster rolls in the summer, even though you might be in a part of the country where good affordable lobster is hard to come by?
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  Chris and Mary’s Summer Pasta
  When fresh basil and homegrown tomatoes are available, this is the pasta salad to make!
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  Miyeok-Guk Soup
  This easy seaweed breakfast soup is so full of vitamins and nutrients that you’ll feel great all day!
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  Chocolate Avocado Pistachio Truffles
  These vegan delights will surprise you! They’re so decadent, and quite easy to make in the van.
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  Black Bean and Corn Soup
  This is fast and easy recipe that uses simple pantry items, along with veggies you probably have on hand, plus it’s really good!
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  Guyanese/Caribbean Chow Mein
  We recently found some great ingredients in a Caribbean market in El Paso, Texas! Then, of course, we had to find a recipe to try them out…. Caribbean Chow Mein!
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  Polynesian Stir-Fry
  This recipe comes from a vanlife couple, Robin and Dennis, we met while on the beach at Padre Island. We don’t usually do SPAM, but this was actually pretty darned good.
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  Greek Potato Salad
  We were out of fresh lettuce. We did, however, have some red potatoes in the bin that needed eating. If you like potato salad and you like Greek salad, you’re going to love this!
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  Pan-seared Chicken over Sofrito
  While passing through Yuma, we went out to eat at a local Latin-American restaurant and one of the dishes we ordered was served with a small bowl of sofrito on the side. It was so good, we had to make our own!
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  The Railroad Sandwich
  If you’re not a person who travels by train, you probably haven’t heard about Railroad Sandwiches. They’re bready, meaty, don’t need refrigeration, and stand up to harsh conditions like squishing them into our backpack for a day hike.
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  Chile Crisp Fettuccine Alfredo with Spinach
  We recently came across an interesting recipe that checks off lots of boxes for us: pasta, spicy, cheesy, and little bit of green that lets us pretend it’s healthy.
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  Vegetable Fried Rice
  Fried Rice is always an option for our vanlife menu, and sometimes we just have that craving for some Asian comfort food.
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  Tofu Bahn Mi Sandwich
  If you don’t mind a lot of slicing, this is a great recipe! It has lots of different flavors, textures and spice that combine so satisfyingly on the palate.
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  Honey Mustard Salmon and Greens
  This dish is really easy to make in the van, and we’ll often prep it early in the day before we go on a day hike.
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  Sweet Potato Hummus
  We love to make hummus on the road. It’s easy and cheap and better than store-bought. But it’s Fall now and Ren saw a recipe for pumpkin hummus so we decided to make it with sweet potatoes instead.
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  Panera’s Copy Cat Broccoli Cheddar Soup
  We love Panera’s soups, but we don’t order this one often because it’s got so many calories. But after we climbed Mt. Elbert, Colorado’s highest peak, we decided to splurge! Here’s a good copycat recipe for their famous broccoli cheddar soup.
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  Deconstructed Sushi Bowl
  We love sushi and we love Poke Bowls, so here’s a recipe that combines the best of both. It’s fresh and light and comes together pretty quickly.
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  Soba Noodle Salad
  We’ve been eating lots of green salads lately, and thought we’d take a detour to pasta and more Asian flavors. A cold soba noodle salad was the answer.
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  Grilled Tofu with Mango Jalapeño Barbeque Sauce
  If have access to a grill, we try to take advantage of it. Everything tastes better cooked over charcoal or a campfire, even tofu!
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  Asparagus and Spinach Soup
  We came up with this recipe to use up a bunch of veggies in the fridge that were on their last legs.
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  Blistered Peppers with Lime Dipping Sauce
  This is a delicious recipe for all different kinds of small peppers, from mild shishitos to scorching serranos, and everything in between.
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  Garlic Miso Shrimp
  Sometimes we just crave a little seafood, and this is such a simple dish with beautiful presentation and lots of big flavors.
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  Shrimp Risotto
  Risotto is something we never make in the van because it takes a long time to cook, thereby using more propane. But we recently made this dish for friends at their house, and it was a hit!
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  Recipes From Home
  It’s been pretty hot here in New Mexico so we’re trying to come up with cold meals that are easy to make and serve. We turned to our two favorite home cooks, Sharon (Rusty’s mom) and Dee (Ren’s stepmom), for some ideas.
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  New Mexican Corn Soup
  When we start to see fresh corn in the markets, we’re bound to buy a few ears and figure out what to do with them later. This spicy corn soup fit the bill perfectly!
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  Hatch Chile Bagel Sandwich
  While traveling in New Mexico we discovered Hatch Chile Bagels. We tried them first for breakfast with eggs, and they were delicious, but they make an even better sandwich!
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  Southwest Shrimp Tacos
  Tacos are so good, we had to figure out how to make them in our van… cause, you know, there’s not always an available taco vendor where we adventure.
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  White Bean & Broccoli Salad
  This is a recipe we came up with to use bits and pieces of leftover veggies we had sitting in our van fridge. You can use most any legume and swap out any of your favorite veggies. It makes for a nice break from green, leafy salads and holds up better when the days start to get hot.
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  Pasta alla Puttanesca
  There is no better #vanlife dinner than Pasta Puttanesca. All the ingredients are shelf stable (no refrigeration required) and none of the ingredients are expensive.
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  Beans and Rice
  This is a simple go-to recipe made with ingredients you can find just about anywhere on the road.
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  Broccoli Ramen Salad
  I don’t know who invented Broccoli Ramen Salad, but they are truly a genius, especially because it’s the perfect dish for vanlife.
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  Pasta Primavera
  The asparagus and mini sweet peppers were on sale… and pasta primavera came to mind!
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  Garlic Shrimp
  We recently sampled some delicious Peel ‘N Eat Shrimp at a beachside bar. It was so good, we thought we’d try to come up with a van-friendly version.
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  Italian Broccoli Salad
  This salad tastes like it came from a high-end Italian deli! It’s perfect for traveling because there’s no cooking involved.
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  Vanlife Low Country Boil
  We love a good Low Country Boil. Here’s a simple recipe that can be made in a van or on a camp stove in about 30 minutes.
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  Story of a Dinner
  We love wild mushrooms, so this past Christmas I gave Rusty an oyster mushroom growing kit. This is the story of what happened… and a recipe!
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  Coconut Curry Red Lentil Soup
  Did you know that red lentils cook in half the time as brown lentils? They make for a fast and delicious soup that uses less fuel, and that’s important to us living in our van.
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  Salsa DuPuis
  This salsa is fresh and citrusy, without too much spice. Serve it up with a stout chip that won’t break under the weight of a big chunky scoop of deliciousness!
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  Jackfruit Tacos
  Jackfruit is one of those vegan meat alternatives, and done right it is so close to pulled pork or shredded chicken that many can’t tell the difference. It’s a perfect choice for vegan tacos.
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  Easy Shrimp Ceviche
  When it’s hot outside, and you don’t want a heavy meal, try this special treat that’s surprisingly van friendly.
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  Teen and Jeff’s Puerto Rican Fish Stew
  Our friends, Teen and Jeff, recently served us this fabulous stew over mashed potatoes… and it was divine!
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  Pasta with Tuna and Tomatoes
  This recipe is adapted from a recipe given to us by our friends Teen and Jeff. It’s very van-friendly in that most of the ingredients are non-perishable.
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  Van-Friendly Burritos
  Now that we’re wintering in South Florida again, we’re naturally inspired to make more Latin-inspired recipes. This burrito is straightforward and easy to make in our van.
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  Stewed Green Beans
  So here is another tried and true solution for what to do with veggies going bad in the fridge before we can get around to eating them.
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  BBQ Salmon and Onions
  We love BBQ, and we often make our own from scratch. But sometimes when you’re on the road, it’s just easier to use store-bought.
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  Minestrone Soup
  This is delicious van-friendly recipe. However, this makes a lot of soup, so be prepared to have lots of leftovers.
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  Potato Leek Soup
  Potato Leek soup is perfect for the chilly rainy days we’ve been having lately, and it’s easy to make in our tiny van kitchen.
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  Mushroom Stroganoff
  This is our healthy and delicious version of Beef Stroganoff that substitutes mushrooms for beef and coconut milk for sour cream.
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  Vegetable Medley Risotto
  Preparing risotto takes a little more cooking time than a regular rice or pasta dish, but if you’re propane-rich this dish is well worth it.
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  Carrot Lox & Bagels
  This tastes so surprisingly good! This is a vegan version of salmon lox and bagels… and It’s easy!
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  Harvest Bowl
  Harvest bowls can be made with any of your favorite ingredients, but they should have a balance of cooked and raw veggies and fruit, nuts or seeds for crunch, and a sauce that ties it all together.
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  Ginger Tuna Salad
  We love salads and we love tuna, but this recipe is all about the ginger dressing.
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  Pasta with White Clam Sauce
  This is a great recipe to have on hand when you want a delicious meal with a “gourmet” feel. All the ingredients are pantry staples, except for the fresh parsley and lemon.
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  Rusty’s Vegetarian Campground Chili
  We love chili but rarely make it in our van because this recipe makes too much… so, sometimes Rusty makes his chili when we’re at a campground and can invite others to join us.
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  5 Recipes to Spice Up Your Patagonia Provisions Meals
  We recently purchased a few Patagonia Provisions and took them on a 2-day backpacking trip and we were very pleased with the taste, ease of cooking, and versatility. Here are some of our recipes using Patagonia Provisions foods.
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  Wilted Salad with Artichoke Bottoms
  We love salads and we love croutons on our salads. Here’s a variation we tried recently with artichoke bottoms served wilted on top of fried bread.
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  Tempeh Barbecue
  We love playing around with vegan versions of our favorite BBQ recipes. This time we decided to try a tempeh-based recipe that looked like it would be easy to make in a van.
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  Nopalito Salad
  We recently enjoyed nopalito salad at a Mexican restaurant in San Antonio, and it was so good we decided to make our own.
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  Cold Sesame Noodle Salad
  Here’s a great dish to make in advance and take on the road, especially nice when the weather is hot and we don’t feel like cooking.
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  Papaya Salsa
  Stumbling on some really fresh and inexpensive papaya, we decided to make a fruity salsa to go with some salmon. Yum!
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  Remoulade Sauce
  Remoulade sauce makes everything taste better!
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  Sweet Potato Burgers
  This recipe was introduced to us by our friend Claire. There’s a bit of labor involved, but well worth the effort.
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  The Hot Dog
  While we’ll graciously devour an all-beef frank if you’re buying, we prefer to go vegan when it’s just us. Here’s an easy option that works just fine for us and van living.
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  Curried Cauliflower Soup with Spinach
  Dehydrated coconut milk powder is great for van life because it takes up very little space. And it works really well in this curry soup recipe.
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  Cauliflower Corn Tacos
  A different take on our usual vegetarian taco.
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  Summer Greens & Fruit Salad
  Summer time in the van means more cold meals… and more salads. But this beautiful specimen was served to us by my mother (in-law) during our latest Tulsa visit.
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  Seared Tuna with a Summery Watermelon Salad
  When watermelon is at its peak and on sale at the many roadside farm stands we pass while traveling, we love this easy summertime dish, which requires very minimal cooking time.
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  Spicy Shrimp and Corn over Garbanzo and Parsley Salad
  This is a great warm weather dish, easily made in a van, and oh so yummy!
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  Broccoli and Tempeh
  I recently had a craving Rusty volunteered to try his hand at a vegan version of this classic Asian dish.
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  The Humble Wrap
  A humble veggie wrap seems like it would be a no-brainer, just throw a bunch of veggies on a wrap, and roll it up, right? But some veggie wraps are better than others, and there are some tips for successful rolling.
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  Lemony Israeli Couscous with Fennel
  We like to serve this couscous dish with fish and a dollop of remoulade sauce. Pictured here is seared tuna and a quick remoulade made with mayonnaise, Sriracha, and capers.
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  Spicy Udon Stir-Fry
  We usually do stir-fry over rice, but we saw a recipe recently that used udon noodles, extra dark soy sauce and oyster sauce for a dark, caramelized Asian spin on our usual recipe.
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  Mussels Marinara
  When we’re feeling the need for something a little more decadent, this dish fits the bill.
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  Bahamian Fish Stew
  This is a simple soup that comes together quickly. The generous portion of fresh grouper, combined with the coconut milk, lime and spicy peppers make this a standout recipe sure to tingle your taste buds.
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  BBQ Jackfruit Sandwiches
  We think this is the very best way to cook jackfruit! And you don’t have to buy those pre-made packages of BBQ jackfruit when you can make your own at home.
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  Vegetarian Paella
  This is what I was cooking for the hikers when Rusty walked into my hostel on the AT all those years ago.
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  Ginger Veggie Stir-Fry
  What to do with all those odds-n-ends in the bottom of the van fridge? Stir-fry!
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  Colcannon ~ the Van Version
  Colcannon is a rich, dreamy Irish potato dish, traditionally loaded with butter and cream. We’ve lightened up our version with plant butter and nut milk.
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  Warm Chickpea Salad with Tahini and Mint
  The contrast between warm chickpeas and chilled raw vegetables is wonderful. Fresh mint and tahini dressing also add some amazing flavor complexity.
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  Mushroom-Spinach Soup with Giant Croutons
  This recipe is both healthy and full of warm flavorful goodness all the way from nose to tongue to tummy.
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  Lion’s Mane in Ginger and Butter
  The lion’s mane fungus is one of our favorite fungi to harvest in the wild. It has no look-alikes that should be avoided, and It taste almost like lobster. Yum!
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  Lentil Stew
  This is one of our go-to dishes, especially when we have lots of stray vegetables that need to be used up. It’s comfort food for the road.
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  Orange Udon Noodles with Broccoli
  This quick and tasty dish comes together in about 15 minutes. Use any of your favorite vegetables, and add tofu or shrimp for extra protein.
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  Indian Vegetable Stew with Lentils and Red Quinoa
  We love spicy and all the complex flavors of Indian Dishes. This recipe is very easy to make and can be altered to use any of your favorite veggies and/or tubers.
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  Tabouleh Salad
  This might not seem like a van-friendly dish, but trust us… it is. Whenever we find parsley, tomatoes and cukes on sale, we can’t wait to get our fix.
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  Vegetable Moo Shu
  Pre-packaged rainbow slaw makes this Moo Shu easy and yummy.
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  Sweet Potato and Snow Pea Curry
  We love our curry, and this adaptable recipe can be made with any of your favorite vegetables.
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  Black Bean Tacos
  What’s not to like? These vegetarian tacos go together in about 15 minutes, which is perfect after a long day on the road.
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  Carrot-Orange-Ginger Soup
  This is a really simply, yet delicious, fall or winter (or anytime) soup. The mild spice of the ginger, along with the citrus of the orange, really pair well with sweetness of the carrots and satisfies our cravings.
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  Chicken-Less Soup
  This soup is truly as warm and soothing as traditional chicken soup, but uses vegan “chicken” strips.
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  Tofu Butter “Chicken”
  Better than chicken, this Indian tofu dish is easy to make and a staple for life on the road.
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  Vegan Sweet Potato Quesadillas Served with Corn Salsa
  This is a fairly easy and tasty meal we make, usually when we have leftover baked sweet potatoes and corn from the previous night’s campfire.
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  Vegan Corn Chowder
  We do love our soups. They can be such tasty one-pot meals and warm us up on colder days.
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  Sriracha Pickled Eggs
  Pickled eggs are great for traveling, as a snack on the road, or added to salads and poke bowls.