13 Picnic Recipes To Roll the Rug Out For

Picnics are a spectrum, ranging from spontaneous dinners by the beach to meticulously planned group gatherings at the park. No matter what mode you’re in, each one calls for a variety of snacks – but as a general rule, you’re looking for things that can be made in advance and will travel well. Plus, things that don’t require too many utensils when you get there. 

We’ve rounded up recipes from some of Australia’s best chefs and home cooks to give you plenty of inspiration for perfect picnicking.

Stalactites’ tzatziki

A dip is a picnic delight. And this Greek classic from Melbourne institution Stalactites is an instant favourite. Greek yoghurt is strained and then spiked with garlic, vinegar, cucumber and plenty of salt and pepper. Serve with pita bread (or chips) and crisp veggies.  

Elizabeth Hewson’s mortadella, pickle and pepper sticks

A hand-held snack is a picnic non-negotiable. These savoury bites from pasta queen Elizabeth Hewson are a little retro and a whole lotta delicious. Thread a thick slice of mortadella with guindilla pepper and a cornichon and voila: instant crowd-pleaser with no plates required.

Alice Zaslavsky’s shaved zucchini and edamame salad with pickled ginger

There’s an art to making a good picnic salad. Ideally you want to dress it before you leave the house to eliminate the need to carry even more stuff with you – this means you want something that isn’t going to be sad and soggy by the time you reach the park. This recipe from Alice Zaslavsky is just that. And in fact, it almost gets better with time. 

Julia Busuttil Nishimura’s radicchio and pear salad with blue cheese and walnuts

Julia Busuttil Nishimura has got your back with another hardy salad. Crimson leaves of radicchio and finely sliced celery stalks bring integrity to the dish, while pear, walnuts and blue cheese jazz things up. It all mingles beautifully with a Dijon mustard-based vinaigrette. If your picnic location has barbeque facilities, grill some chicken skewers to serve alongside.

Danielle Alvarez’s nutty and crispy spring rice salad

Danielle Alvarez keeps the salad train going with this crispy rice number. In spring, when it’s peak season for peas, broad beans and fennel, there’s really no excuse not to make this dish again and again.  

Sarah Pound’s herby chickpea salad with maple and tahini dressing

If you’re looking for a salad with a bit more sustenance, look no further. Cracked freekeh and chickpeas are the heroes of this recipe, with toasted almonds, fresh herbs, crumbly feta and a maple and tahini dressing bringing it home as a savoury but also kinda sweet salad.

Bec Vrana Dickinson’s bella mortadella

Bec Vrana Dickinson has written the book on what to make when you’re hanging out with mates from 4pm onwards. Its 80 recipes can be served with or without booze, including this sandwich-inspired  mortadella- and burrata-topped ciabatta. It can be customised as you like, and can even be built on-site at the picnic. 

Fiona Hammond’s Mornington Peninsula-inspired muffuletta

Another show-stopping sandwich-of-sorts, Fiona Hammond’s muffuletta is a veritable masterpiece. A whole loaf of sourdough is cut in half and layered with thinly sliced cold-cuts, hard cheese, fresh and pickled veggies, and an olive salad. The satisfying cross-section on this sanga is worth the effort alone. 

Chin Chin’s Thai-spiced sausage rolls

A sausage roll is a picnic party staple. But this version from Chin Chin isn’t your average snag roll. A hit of jungle curry paste and the addition of Thai basil, coriander and fish sauce make these a far cry from the classic. Don’t skip the roast tomato nahm prik for dipping.

Ixta Belfrage’s brown butter curried cornbread

Cornbread usually plays the second (or third) fiddle in a feast. Not this one. Cook and author Ixta Belfrage believes it’s good enough to centre a whole meal around. And that’s honestly what we’re looking for in picnic territory. Bring along plenty of salted butter to slather on still-warm slices.

A1 Bakery’s spinach triangles

Another one-hand wonder, A1 Bakery’s spinach triangles have been described by some as “little triangles of ecstasy”. Melburnians can collect fresh-baked pies from A1’s Brunswick, Fitzroy or Highpoint locations. For everyone else, try making the golden parcels yourself – you won’t be disappointed.

Al Brown’s passionfruit lamingtons

Lamingtons might seem like a fussy treat to make for afternoon tea. But Al Brown proves it’s worth the effort with this summery take on the Aussie classic. You could skip filling them with cream if you’re concerned about transportability and structural integrity.

Tarts Anon’s carrot cake tart

Gareth Whitton’s “tart-ified” carrot cake is made with a shortcrust pastry shell and cream-cheese glaze that will knock your proverbial picnic socks off. It takes a bit of time thanks to the prep, cooking and cooling, but the result is worth your patience.

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