Heading out for a picnic? We've got all the recipes you need for a great spread. Fill your basket with picnic food that everyone will love, from portable pasta to pretty picnic cakes.
Picnic nibbles and dips
This Japanese eggplant dip is great for picnics, served with plenty of crackers or crisp bread toasts (or as the base for open sandwiches).
Eggplant miso dip Credit: China Squirrel
Enjoy what's in season with this recipe from Silvia Colloca. Make up a platter with fresh, chopped seasonal vegetables and scoop up the cashew, parmesan and herb dip.
Credit: Danielle Abou Karam
Whip up a batch of Matthew Evans' spiced nuts (pictured) and you'll have a punchy nibble to pack into your picnic basket. Or for other flavour combinations, try Indian spiced nuts, spiced maple nuts and seeds (seriously moreish! Make plenty) or rosemary-spiced cashews.
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Sides and salads
Pack this bean dish (Joel Valvasori's nonna's recipe) along with some cheese, salami, crusty bread and tomato and you've got a simple but delicious picnic lunch.
A potato salad is always at home on a picnic blanket! This version features potato, radish, apple and sugar snap peas tossed with a fantastic 'green goddess' dressing (also great with pasta and salads).
Mint and parsley potato salad Credit: Kitti Gould
A great combination of textures and flavours, with red and white quinoa, two kinds of lentils, pearl barley, rocket, beans and goat's curd, this is perfect picnic food.
Credit: Andrew Davies
MORE SALADS AND SIDES
Curried egg, cauliflower and chickpea salad
Pies, quiches and savoury slices
These flaky hand-pies, with a potato, carrot and beef filling, are perfect for picnics. Or find more great picnic pie ideas here, from silverbeet filo pies to a hearty egg and bacon number.
Source: SBS / SBS Food
This nutritious, delicious and colourful vegetable slice, shared by Simon Toohey on Freshly Picked, is great for lunch, a picnic or a snack, and you can vary the veg to suit what you have on hand.
Mediterranean vegetable and hemp seed slice. Credit: Freshly Picked with Simon Toohey
A recipe from Martha Stewart, this easy-to-prepare herb quiche with its distinctive crust relies on rye flour for the crust's sweet and malty flavour. The filling makes the most of fresh herbs such as chervil and dill.
Credit: Martha Bakes / Yossy Arefi
MORE PICNIC PIES AND SLICES
Ratatouille slice
Pasta and other picnic stars
Pasta salads are a familiar site at picnics, but this recipe from Adam Liaw takes a different approach to picnic pasta. Pack this up with a rubber band around the lid of the pot and a bag of grated parmesan to scatter and serve when you pull up at your favourite picnic spot.
Credit: Adam Liaw
Looking for vegan picnic food? A spin on the popular pork and apple sausage roll, these plant-based pastry bites feature a filling made with walnuts, apple, nutritional yeast and TVP.
Credit: Savannah van der Niet
A blue cheese, date and pistachio loaf that's perfect for a picnic, or the next time you're putting together a cheese board.
MORE PICNIC FARE WITH PANACHE
Pull-apart pissaladiere
Cakes and desserts
These jars of creamy vanilla panna cotta with stewed strawberries make a perfect picnic dessert. The panna cotta is chilled in the jars, and can be topped with the stewed berries when ready to transport, or both items can be packed in your basket and the panna cotta topped with the berry mix when ready to serve.
Credit: Mary Makes It Easy
There are two layers of delight in this creation from Kirsten Tibballs: the chocolate brownie base, and the sweet, crunchy caramel cornflake topping. It transports well, and will keep at room temperature for two days, so it's a great one to make ahead of your picnic outing.
Caramel cornflake brownie. Credit: The Chocolate Queen
This makes a pretty addition to your picnic spread! A classic, easy melt-and-mix cake that travels well for picnics, and is also delicious served for dessert with a dollop of cream. It can also be made with other fruit.
Strawberry and white chocolate picnic cake. Credit: Everyday Gourmet with Justine Schofield
