Be honest — put a going picnic together took quite a bit of planning in advance. Having provisions in advance can be enough to make you rush and say, “Let’s go to Whole Foods.” But this summer, we’re challenging you to tear down your basket and go to the park with a few homemade food in drag (you can do it, promise!). Bring a blanket, some music or one good bookand turn your picnic lunch into a relaxing afternoon out side. To help keep your picnic stress-free, we’ve put together some easy-to-pack portable picnic recipes that will keep you outdoors all summer.
With the publication Top 40 Best Restaurants in Austin, those of you who call Austin home can race as quickly as possible to fit each elegant establishment into your schedule, which is highly recommended (and I may or may not. may not). But for everyone else, or for you who are looking for a fun and unique way to spend the afternoon, get ready to make your picnic dreams come true with these portable picnic recipes .
Portable picnic recipes are the ideal addition to a picnic as they are obviously well packaged. These recipes fit easily into a Tupperware container, bag, or basket, meaning you won’t have to rummage around looking for any extra equipment for your picnic. These recipes also suit the vibe of a picnic as they don’t require a lot of preparation. Like a picnic, they are easy to prepare, simple in nature, and celebrate the flavors of the season. With a basket full of these portable picnic recipes and good friends to share them with, all that’s left to do is find some time in your afternoon to sit back, relax, and enjoy. enjoy.
And we want to know: What’s your favorite portable picnic recipe? Drop a link in the comments below!
Featured image of Michelle Nash.
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Why we love it: This pasta salad is chock full of complex carbs, protein, vitamins and — best of all — seasonal produce. It’s also perfect for a picnic as it’s best enjoyed at room temperature, so you don’t have to worry about saving space in the fridge. Paired with edamame, kalamata olives, and a variety of grilled veggies (think broccolini, summer squash, eggplant, and zucchini), this delicious bowl has it all. Mix it up with olive oil and lime juice, pack it in a takeaway container and get ready to enjoy the flavors of summer.
Hero Ingredients: Be sure to get a healthy char on those vegetables. It’s the bitter flavor from the grill marks that makes this salad so memorable.
Why we love it: The simplest salad for easy and cool summer gatherings. Olivia Muniak’s White beans and radicchio salad is one of those recipes that gives a whole that is much larger than the sum of its parts. It’s ideal for a picnic or party that everyone will love. The cannellini beans make it hearty and satisfying, while the bitter radicchio makes for a delightful base you’ll crave for the rest of the summer.
Hero Ingredients: Salty Parmigiano Reggiano ties all the flavors together. Bitter radicchio and creamy beans come into real harmony under mouthwatering parms.
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Why we love it: One thing I love about spring rolls is that they are a different and fun way to incorporate vegetables into your diet. They also have a little fun, right? Either way, these tempeh spring rolls are easy to assemble to enjoy, which makes them even more ideal for a picnic. And don’t even start me off with that honey sriracha sauce – it’s sweet, spicy, and oh so satisfying. Pack a lot of these spring rolls and prepare for dessert.
Hero Ingredients: Mango! I’m always looking for a way to give the perfect savory/sweet flavor combination desire. The spring rolls are definitely there.
Why we love it: Macaroni noodles give it all a picnic feel. Especially when combined with crunchy vegetables and fresh herbs. Peas, radishes, cucumbers and lots of herbs seal the deal here to create a pasta salad that you’ll want to add to your weekly rotation. The sauce consists of white miso, tahini, lime juice, honey, soy sauce and olive oil, keeping things light and flavorful.
Hero Ingredients: Salty Feta blocks offer a dose of tang for every delicious bite. Don’t skimp on cheese here!
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Why we love it: Appetizers with only four ingredients? Sign me up. This might be the simplest picnic recipe that ever exists, and here’s why. All you need is toast, store-bought pesto (or make your own if you can afford it), fresh figs, and burrata. Pack components separately and wait for in-place build. The ingredients do the job, so all you have to do is assemble, sit back and relax with a filling piece of bread. Yum.
Hero Ingredients: Picture Enough said.
Why we love it: What I love about this pasta salad is that the pasta mimics vegetables. Everything is about the same size, from the crispy asparagus pieces to the sugar-soaked peas. Pesto lovingly coats each strand of noodles and vegetables for a large, delicious bowl. All that separates you from this masterpiece is about 30 minutes and a drawer full of vegetables. Do I need to say more?
Hero Ingredients: Creamy goat cheese brings a seductive flavor to every spoonful.
Why we love it: There are two things you need to know about this crude item: it’s delightfully easy, and the green goddess outfit is to die for it. Is there a more perfect way to start a meal out than with a refreshing crunchy treat? I rest my case. All you need is some fresh vegetables and simple green goddess ingredients, and you’re ready to start a luxurious meal out.
Hero Ingredients: Pour in some extra fridge dressing for future salads, vegetable dips, or anything else you think needs a bit of a flavor boost and is healthy.
Why we love it: Tomatoes, avocado, cucumber, feta, jalapeño peppers, pickled red onions and fresh herbs are the main ingredients of this side dish that can steal the show. It’s cool, refreshing and very tasty and will definitely keep you coming back for more. Tomatoes and cucumbers form the basis of a flavorful Feta, with spicy jalapeño peppers and creamy butter to accentuate this salad.
Hero Ingredients: Honey lemon sticky rice brings a fresh flavor that blends together in the most uplifting way.
Why we love it: Another refreshing twist, this Watermelon Tomato Caprese Salad will become a success at any barbecue, soirée, and — of course — picnic. It’s simple in essence but brings the flavor of summer we all love to center stage. If you have leftover watermelon (I know you have), I highly recommend using it in this salad – you won’t regret it.
Hero Ingredients: Fresh mozzarella cheese introduces a creamy ingredient that is harmoniously combined with fresh basil, lime juice, salt and red pepper. Drooling? Sure.
Why we love it: Be our food editor Suruchi Avasthi shared, “The green goddess’s outfit paired with the tender pasta is a fitting result for heaven,” and I couldn’t agree more. This pasta salad, like the others on this list, is packed with veggies, fresh herbs, and *gasp* avocados. Bonus: This whole batch of delicious ice cream is completely vegan. Scoop up a large bowl of this nutritious and hearty pasta salad to take with you on a picnic, sit back and enjoy.
Hero Ingredients: The artichoke hearts are white, fragrant and lemony, which is perfect to enjoy with the other vegetables in this recipe. With cucumbers, peas, and celery in the mix, it’s great to have a tender vegetable to change things up and mimic the texture of pasta.
Why we love it: Gluten-free friends, get ready to be surprised. These shortbreads are nothing short of magical, and they’re ready to be enjoyed by both gluten-free and gluten-free eaters. For more dietary context, these strawberry cookies are also dairy-free and vegan, and they are absolutely delicious. With the base of a soft short cake, whipped cream creates a creamy topping of rich strawberries. One taste and you might just be hooked. You are the first to hear it here.
Hero Ingredients: If you refrigerate the coconut milk overnight, you will have thick, concentrated coconut milk to scoop out and thicken that whipped cream. Hero method, anyone?
Why we love it: These lemon cardamom slices kept it going. They’re no frills, no grill, and made for a picnic. To get the most out of your picnic, consider freezing the slices for a few hours before slicing them. When they defrost to room temperature, you’ll have a perfectly cool texture that won’t melt to satisfy your post-picnic sweetness.
Hero Ingredients: Once again, our food editor Suruchi provide the key to this recipe is to grind your own seasoning. In a recipe as simple as this, it’s the little things that make all the difference.
Why we love it: Let’s get into reality. What could be better than a delicious, sun-baked, chocolate macaroons at the end of a picnic? End your delicious meal with one of these gluten-free, dairy-free macaroons that taste just as great as the OG version. This is rich, rich and still has the crispy edges and greasy center of traditional macaroons (thin edge team or team center?). Either way, people will love these macaroons and may ask you to make them more often. You have been warned.
Hero Ingredients: Instead of eggs, we’re using a blend of ground flaxseed and water to help get things toasted properly while providing a healthy fiber boost to the macaroons. Unexpected? Probably. Appreciate? Sure.
This post was originally published on July 14, 2016, and has since been updated.
