Hobo Dinner Foil Packets are so simple to make and everyone raves about them! Comforting veggies including potatoes, carrots, and onions are topped with a seasoned hamburger patty and grilled or baked to tender perfection.
This recipe reminds me of recipes my mother would bring to the field during fall harvest time. A complete and hearty meal made especially for hungry, hard working harvesting folks was always a welcome sight! This Hobo Dinner recipe delivers exactly that! Not only is this a complete meal in one simple packet, but it is so easy to prepare and even easier to clean up making it the perfect meal to serve to your hungry family!
The type of ground beef you choose can be so important to whatever recipe you are making. In this Hobo Dinner Foil Packets recipe I choose lean ground beef (instead of extra lean). My reasoning is two-fold;
- The little bit of extra fat helps to keep everything moist and tender. The last thing you want is for everything to become dried out!
- It adds great flavor to all the veggies and the gravy in the packet!
The patty in this recipe is topped with a dollop of creamy mushroom soup creating a delicious gravy to partner with the veggies.
I love to make these as individual foil packets but this recipe can easily be adapted to suit your appetite or your crowd!
- Larger Packets – if you have guests who have larger appetites, include 2 hamburger patties (side by side, not stacked) on top of the veggies.
- Use fresh veggies that are available in your garden or the local market at this time of year! While carrots, potatoes, and onions are favorites, I do love fresh green beans, bell peppers, and Brussels sprouts!
- You can substitute ground turkey in place of ground beef! In this case, you may need to add a tablespoon of olive oil to the meat patty mixture to help keep it moist.
- The packets can be cooked in the oven or on the grill. If using the grill you can use the second layer of foil to seal your packs and prevent any leaks.
- Parchment paper can be used in place of foil if baking in the oven.
One final note and my favorite thing about this recipe is that it can be prepared ahead of time and stored in the refrigerator until time to bake! Whether you are preparing a harvest dinner for hungry workers in your family, or you simply have a busy week ahead of you, these Hobo Dinner Foil Packets are super convenient, easy and delicious!
Ingredients
- 1 pound lean ground beef
- 1 (1 ounce) packet dry onion soup mix
- 4 small potatoes peeled and sliced
- 2 cups diced carrot
- 1 large onion or 2 small onions, sliced
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- salt and black pepper to taste
- 1 (10.5 ounce) can condensed cream of mushroom soup
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 375°F.
- Combine ground beef and dry soup mix in a bowl. Form into four patties and set aside.
- In a large bowl combine all remaining ingredients except mushroom soup. Toss until well mixed.
- Spray a 12″ x 18″ piece of foil with non-stick spray.
- Place ¼ of the vegetable mixture in the center of the foil. Top with 1 beef patty. Add 2 tablespoons of condensed mushroom soup on top of each patty.
- Seal foil packets well. Place beef side up on a large baking sheet and bake 35-45 minutes or until potatoes and carrots are tender.
Notes
Nutrition Information
Nutrition information provided is an estimate and will vary based on cooking methods and brands of ingredients used.
Course Dinner
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You can put these foil packs in a crock pot. Easy clean up and ready when you are home. I’ve never tried soup but that sounds terrific!
I haven’t tried it, but sounds delicious!
Dawn ….. please share temp and time when cooking on slowcooker …… thanks!
Loved this recipe! Definitely a do again meal so delicious! Mahalo & aloha from Big Island!
So glad you loved it
If you want it faster and easier try this:
Use shredded potatoes and carrots, ground beef crumbles, salt, pepper and onions as desired. Make a foil packet and throw it in the fire or put it on a grill. Ready in about 15 minutes.
If you plan to cook these on hot coals, consider placing a layer of sliced onions on the bottom, then all other ingredients on that. Even if the onions get a bit overcooked or even burned, they will still taste great, whereas burned potatoes, carrots, other vegetables, or meat will not.
Great suggestion Russ!
I love it when a recipe turns out better than expected! I made the hamburger hobo packets for dinner tonight and they were super. The only thing I will do next time is add a little more mushroom soup so there’s even more luscious gravy. I look forward to trying some of the other combinations.
So glad you loved them Cynthia!
Okay, any of you Instant Pot wizards have guesses on how you would adapt? I don’t grill and I don’t want to heat up my house!
I felt do NOT live to cook but, my friend and freaky love my Cooking lol Anyway I crazy enough ask looking forward to trying a few of your Recipes ☺
Thank you for these seemingly Simple Recipes!!
You’re welcome Tracey! Enjoy!
I saw this on someone’s Facebook page a few days ago, and just put four packs in my refrigerator – can’t wait until dinner to taste them; they sound delicious!
Enjoy BJ!
are you sure could replace foil with parchment paper? don’t like to use foil anymore, thanks
Yes, you can use parchment paper only if it is in the oven.
For extra easy when camping…bring a large can of Vegall, ground chuck, aluminum foil and charcoal.
The first time I made it with ground chuck and it was scrumptious. Very tender and moist meat. Great flavor. The second time I used ground round and the meat had less flavor, was drier and less tender. I will definitely use ground chuck in this dish from now on. Thank you for a wonderful recipe.
Thank you for the tip Cindy!
My husband wanted more .. I added, rutabega, onion, carrot,celery and potato and made cream of something soup for the topping. He gobbled it lickty split. Thanks for the recipe!!!
You’re so welcome Bonnie. Glad you both really loved the recipe!
Delicious. My family loved this. I will definitely make this again.
Glad to hear your family loved this recipe Nicky!
Loved this i took hamburger and rolled into meatballs and cut potatoes and carrots smaller as well as mushrooms and onions. It cooked better but dont go too small on meatballs or they can get dry. Might add a little egg to keep moist like reg meatballs. But was it good i put it over rice for big eaters in my house.
That sounds great Marylou! Glad you loved it!
If you were to prep these the night before, would the veggies (specifically the potatoes) keep until the next day to cook?
I’m not sure that the potatoes would last well, but the rest should keep. You could try preparing the potatoes, keep them in water overnight and add them immediately before cooking. Let us know how it turns out for you Wes.
We made these when I camped in the 1980’s-so good and easy foe a complete nutrious meal-also used chicken breasts, need to cook a bit longer!!!
I’ve used this receipe several times and it great. I like well seasoned food so I season everything heavy.
Happy to hear you love it Carlette!
I’m making this for the 2nd time and looking forward to the final product! I do a lot of cooking and have to say that this recipe is now one in the top of my rotation “go-to” meals. I cooked my foil packets over a charcoal bbq grill and they came out absolutely perfect! Flavorful, easy and hearty this dinner is just down right scrumptious! It would be a great supper for camping trips to prepare ahead of time and then simply throw them on an open campfire flame when ready to eat. Clean up is a breeze too. Plus the recipe calls for enough food to make plenty to feed the whole family (even with leftovers)! I recommend serving it with a fresh green salad and dinner rolls to complete this comfort dish. Your tummy will definitely be more than content. Thank you so much fof sharing this fun and delicious recipe.
FABULOUS!
That’s a great idea for camping Shannon. I’m so happy to hear you love this recipe!
I made this tonight. Easy and tasty. I subbed cream of celery soup because hubby doesn’t like it. It was so good!
So glad you enjoyed it Karen!
Just had them for dinner, they were delicious, even my picky eater husband liked them…but, did I do something wrong, my hamburger patties were pretty hard, do you think it was just the beef,or did I leave them in the oven too long??!
I’m so glad you enjoyed them! Did you use extra lean beef (leaner beef has less fat so could be a bit drier)? How long did they cook? Your oven could run bit hotter than mine.
Easy, hearty and delicious!
I roasted mine on charcoal grill for 40 mins with potatoes, onions, carrots and asparagus and it came out perfect. Also added some crumbled, crispy bacon on top of the patties which added a little texture. Served the packets with garlic bread and fresh green salad and it was a hit! Definitely would be a great dish when camping… super easy to prepare (beforehand if you wish) and the clean-up is a breeze. Thank you for sharing this fabulously fun and delicious recipe… I’ll be making it again soon no doubt!
You’re welcome Shannon! Your additions sounds delicious. I’m so glad to hear that it was such a hit!