Burger Dinner Foil Packets (sometimes called “Hobo Packets”) are quick and easy foil packet meals that are simple to make in the oven or on the grill, campfire, or smoker. The classic combination contains hamburger patties, potatoes, and vegetables all wrapped up in little parcels and cooked into a delicious one-dish dinner.

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Best Dinner Foil Packets Recipe

This Burger Hobo Packets recipe is a quick and easy way to prepare the perfect mixture of protein, vegetables, and complex carbs, simply seasoned and stuffed in one foil package.

It only takes 45 minutes for the beef to cook into a juicy patty and veggies to become soft and tender; it’s a delicious summer dinner with almost no clean up!

By following my basic formula, you can customize your pack with your favorite fillings: pick your protein (beef, chicken, seafood, or pork), add in veggies, some seasoning, a bit of fat (I add-in either butter or olive oil to give extra flavor and to help the food stay juicy.)

Melt cheese on top and serve with a side of sauce, this foil packet recipe makes it so easy to cook a complete and satisfying meal on a camping trip, a backyard barbecue, or a casual cookout. 

For more foil pack recipes, check out my Campfire Apple Crisp Foil Packets, Chicken Foil Packets, and Campfire Banana Boats.

Why We Love This Burger Hobo Packets Recipe

  • Quick and easy to prepare all in one package.
  • Made with your favorite combination of protein, vegetables, and spices.
  • Simply place the pouches in the oven or on the grill, campfire, or smoker.
  • Customize each pouch with your picky eaters’ favorite foods.
  • Perfect make-ahead packets that you pull out of the fridge and cook.
  • Great for main meals since proteins and veggies are all cooked together. 
burger hobo packs inside foil

Ingredients

  • Lean ground beef
  • Onion soup mix
  • Baby gold potatoes
  • Crinkle cut carrots
  • Red onion
  • Olive oil
  • Garlic powder
  • Kosher salt
  • Black pepper
  • Smoked paprika: You can use regular paprika if you don’t have smoked, or leave it out completely.
  • Colby jack cheese

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Substitutions and Additions

  • Serve With Sauce: Serve your burger as is or with a side of ketchup, bbq sauce, or even steak sauce for dipping.
  • Vary The Veggies: You can use any of your favorite veggies in your packets. I love carrots, green or red pepper, mushrooms, Brussel sprouts and onion. But feel free to throw in whatever you like or leave out what you don’t!
  • Sprinkle Some Seasoning: Feel free to sprinkle in your favorite seasonings with the veggies. Some options are Montreal steak seasoning, Lemon Pepper, Old Bay, BBQ seasoning, blackening seasoning, or any you prefer.
  • Pick Your Patty: You can make your patties with ground turkey or ground chicken instead of beef. Just make sure the cooking times and temperatures are still met for a safe and healthy dinner.
  • Heavy-duty foil
  • Cooking spray
  • Sheet trays
burger hobo packs

How to Make Burger Dinner Foil Packets

These delicious Burger Dinner Foil Packets are perfect for cooking a mixture of vegetables with your meat, all in one foil pouch. This easy meal is fun to make and is the ultimate comfort food dinner option for the summertime! 

  1. Prepare The Patties: Mix the ground beef with the onion soup mix, separate into 6 equal-sized portions, and shape into patties.
  2. Season The Veggies: Coat the vegetables with olive oil, garlic powder, salt, pepper, and paprika.
  3. Prepare The Packets: Spray a 12×18 piece of heavy-duty foil. Place veggies in the middle of the foil, top with a hamburger patty, and seal it to form a little pouch. Place foil packs on sheet trays.
  4. Bake In The Oven: Bake at 350°F for 45 minutes or until the veggies are tender and the burger patties reach at least 160°F. 
    1. Cook Over A Campfire: Place packets on hot coals from a campfire and cook for 20-30 minutes, or when the burger reaches 160°F and the veggies are tender.
    2. Cook On A Grill Or Smoker: Preheat grill (over medium heat) or smoker to 400°F. Cook for 30-40 minutes, or until the burger reaches 160°F and the veggies are tender. 
  5. Melt The Cheese: Open the foil packs and place a slice of cheese on top of the burger. Loosely cover with foil and continue cooking for about 5 minutes until the cheese is melted.
  6. Serve: Serve hot as is or with your favorite sauce. Enjoy!
eating burger hobo with a spoon

Tips

  • I like to add a pat or two of butter at the end to stir into the veggies.
  • You can make these foil packs 1 day in advance.
  • I like to use heavy-duty foil to make my packets. If you don’t have heavy-duty foil, then use a double thickness of regular aluminum foil. 
  • Always use caution when opening the packets, because the steam can be very hot.

Storage Tips

  • To Store: Leftovers can be stored in the fridge for up to 3 days.
  • To Freeze: Freeze for up to 3 months.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I prepare my foil packet dinners in advance?

Yes, this recipe is the perfect make-ahead meal. You can prepare the packets, seal them up, and store them in a fridge or cooler for up to 24 hours. Then simply cook them in the oven, on the grill or smoker, or over a campfire when you’re ready to eat!

How can I prevent my burgers from becoming too dry?

If you’re concerned that your meat may become too dry, you can top each patty with a slice of butter or with 1-2 tablespoons of condensed cream of chicken soup before sealing the foil packets.

What should I serve with my dinner foil packet?

This is a great all-in-one camping dinner. I usually have a variety of dipping sauces like ketchup, bbq sauce, steak sauce, or even seasoned sour cream on the side.

burger hobo with melted cheese

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5 from 5 votes
burger hobo packs feature image

Burger Dinner Foil Packets

Serves — 6
Burger Hobo Packets are an easy way to cook a complete meal in one foil pack. Filled with meat and veggies, it's the ultimate one dish dinner for the summer season.
Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 45 minutes
Total Time 1 hour

Ingredients
  

  • 2 pounds lean ground beef
  • 1 packet dried onion soup mix
  • pounds baby gold potatoes quartered
  • 12 ounces frozen crinkle cut carrots
  • 1 medium red onion large diced
  • 1 tbsp olive oil
  • 1 tsp garlic powder
  • 1 tsp kosher salt
  • ½ tsp black pepper
  • ½ tsp smoked paprika
  • 6 slices colby jack cheese

Instructions
 

  • Preheat the oven to 350°F.
  • Place the ground beef with the onion soup mix into a large bowl, mix to combine. Separate into 6 equal-sized portions. Shape into patties and set aside.
  • Place the cut potatoes, carrots, onion, olive oil, garlic powder, salt, pepper, and paprika into a large bowl, stir to combine so the veggies are coated.
  • Lay a 12×18 piece of heavy-duty foil on the counter. Spray with cooking spray. Place ⅙ of the veggies in the middle of the foil. Add a hamburger patty on top.  Close the foil around the ingredients to form a little pouch.
  • Place on sheet trays, bake for 45 minutes or until the veggies are tender and the burger patties reach at least 160°F. (Other cooking methods: see notes)
  • Open the foil packs and place a slice of cheese on top of the burger patty. Loosely cover with foil again for about 5 minutes until the cheese is melted, serve.

Jenn’s Notes

Storage :
  • To Store: Leftovers can be stored in the fridge for up to 3 days.
  • To Freeze: Freeze for up to 3 months.
Tips:
  • Other cooking methods:
    • To cook over a campfire: Place on hot coals from a campfire and cook for 20-30 minutes, it may take longer if the coals are not super hot, keep an eye on it and they are ready when the burger reaches 160°F and the veggies are tender.
    • To cook on a grill: Preheat grill over medium heat to 400°F. Cook for 30-40 minutes, they are ready when the burger reaches 160°F and the veggies are tender.
    • To cook on a smoker: Preheat the smoker to 400°F. Cook for 30-40 minutes, they are ready when the burger reaches 160°F and the veggies are tender.
  • Serve as is or with ketchup, bbq sauce, or even steak sauce for dipping.
  • I also like to add a pat or two of butter at the end to stir into the veggies.
  • Use whatever seasonings you like with the veggies, some options are Montreal steak seasoning, Lemon Pepper, Old Bay, BBQ seasoning, blackening seasoning, etc.
  • Use regular paprika if you don’t have smoked, or leave it out completely.
  • You can make these foil packs 1 day in advance.

Nutrition Info

Calories: 475kcal | Carbohydrates: 32g | Protein: 43g | Fat: 19g | Saturated Fat: 9g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 8g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 120mg | Sodium: 1244mg | Potassium: 1257mg | Fiber: 5g | Sugar: 5g | Vitamin A: 8184IU | Vitamin C: 25mg | Calcium: 253mg | Iron: 5mg

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Comments

  1. 5 stars
    Great! Especially if you put some in the freezer! Can pull your butt out of the fire on a day that is to busy to think about dinner.