65 picnic recipes

Savory olive muffins with chopped black olives, grated onion, fresh mint, and olive oil. Greek-style savory muffins for picnics, brunch, or appetizer trays.

Smoked potato salad with cold smoked potatoes, celery, green onion, capers, and lemon mayo. A smoky, briny twist on the classic picnic side dish.

Hot potato and broccoli salad with a tangy lemon-basil oil dressing, garlic, scallions, and a kick of hot sauce. Mayo-free, picnic-friendly side that holds up at room temperature.

Overnight coleslaw uses a hot vinegar dressing instead of mayo, making it ideal for picnics and BBQs. Holds in the fridge for days without going soggy or weeping water.

Southwest ham and black bean rice salad with crunchy jicama, bell peppers, olives, and a cumin-chili vinaigrette. A sturdy one-bowl lunch or picnic-ready side.

Strawberry punch bowl dessert: pound cake cubes layered with glazed fresh strawberries and vanilla pudding, topped with whipped topping. A make-ahead trifle for picnics, potlucks, and showers.

Three-bean salad tossed in a blended herb dressing with nutritional yeast and molasses creates a protein-packed vegan side for potlucks, picnics, or meal prep.

Marinated cabbage slaw with green pepper, onion, and pimentos in a sweet-tangy vinegar dressing with mustard seeds. Make-ahead picnic salad that keeps for days.

Cold wild rice salad with fresh tomatoes, cucumbers, bell peppers, and a lemon vinaigrette. A large-batch grain salad that's perfect for potlucks, picnics, and summer cookouts.

Brown rice salad tossed with French dressing, water chestnuts, snow peas, mushrooms, and red bell pepper. A crunchy, make-ahead cold rice salad for potlucks and picnics.

Variety coleslaw: light yogurt-dressed slaw with cabbage, carrot, and green pepper plus chopped apple, pineapple, or raisins. A lighter spin on creamy coleslaw for picnics and BBQs.

Lemony chicken thighs marinate in fresh lemon juice for 12 hours, then sauté golden and bake in lemon-thyme broth. Make-ahead picnic and potluck classic, served chilled.

Stuffed rolls pack hollowed French rolls with a ground mixture of sharp cheddar, green olives, tomato sauce, and bell peppers. Retro picnic and tailgate favorite baked 45 minutes.

A no-cook marinated string bean salad with mushrooms, cucumber, cauliflower, and pimentos in a tangy champagne vinegar dressing. Make ahead, fat-free, perfect for picnics and potlucks.

Tri-pasta salad combines ziti, bow-tie, and spinach rotini with tri-color peppers, olives, and capers in a no-oil herbed red wine vinaigrette. Colorful, tangy, and low-fat for picnics and potlucks.

Pasta salad with roasted red peppers, fresh basil, and mozzarella in a white balsamic and grainy mustard dressing. A bright Italian-leaning pasta salad that travels well to picnics and potlucks.