There’s something wonderfully British about eating a proper meal on a rug, ideally under a blue sky but sometimes with a brolly within arm’s reach.
This National Picnic Week (14-21 June), elevate your spread beyond the standard scotch egg and soggy sandwich with these fresh, make-ahead recipes.
Think crisp salads that won’t wilt, wraps and rolls sturdy enough to survive the journey and a sweet treat or two for good measure.
Each dish is easy to pack, simple to serve and designed to taste even better when eaten outdoors – whether that’s a sunny park bench, a hidden patch of countryside or your own back garden.
Apple and mustard potato salad
This creamy, tangy potato salad is a picnic staple – hearty enough to fill you up, refreshing thanks to crisp apple, and easy to scoop onto plates or eat straight from the container. It tastes even better once it’s had time to chill, making it perfect for prepping ahead.
Serves: 4
Prep time: 10 minutes | Cook time: 15 minutes
When to prep: make it the night before or morning of your picnic. Chill well.
How to pack: store in a sealed, leak-proof container. Keep the eggs whole until serving if you prefer a neater look.
How long it lasts outside the fridge: best eaten within 1-2 hours once out of the cool bag. Keep in a cooler with ice packs until serving.
Tip: bring a spoon or tongs to serve — and a separate container for the eggs if needed.
Ingredients:
4 Yukon potatoes, cut into bite-sized pieces
2 eggs
1 apple, diced into bite-sized pieces
1 cup thinly sliced red onion
3 tsp finely chopped parsley
½ cup sour cream
¼ cup Dijon mustard
2 tsp red wine vinegar
¼ tsp salt
20 turns freshly cracked pepper
Method:
1. Bring cold salted water and diced potatoes to a boil. Boil until tender. Right before the potatoes are ready to be drained, stir in the sliced onion and let boil for another 30 seconds. Drain in a colander.
2. Cook the eggs until soft-boiled, peel and slice in half.
3. In a large mixing bowl, whisk together sour cream, mustard vinegar, salt, pepper and parsley.
4. Gently stir in cooked potatoes and onions and add the egg halves on top. Either serve warm, or let chill in refrigerator.
Coronation chickpea or chicken naan wraps
These wraps are ideal picnic food: colourful, packed with flavour and easy to pick up and eat with your hands. Make the coronation filling in advance and build your wraps fresh on your picnic rug so they stay soft and satisfying, not soggy.
Serves: 4
Prep time: 15-20 minutes | Cook time: 5 minutes
When to prep: make the filling the day before for best flavour. Store the naan, fresh salad bits (lettuce, cucumber, onion) and extra yoghurt separately.
How to pack: transport the coronation filling in a sealed tub in a cooler bag, naan wrapped in foil or a bread bag, and salad toppings in a zip-lock or container. Assemble wraps fresh at the picnic so they don’t go soggy.
How long it lasts outside the fridge: keep the filling chilled until ready to eat – ideally within 1-2 hours. If using chicken, be extra cautious: store below 5C and serve quickly.
Tip: pack a small knife for spreading chutney and cutting naan if needed.
Ingredients:
For the dressing:
½ cup (120g) Greek yoghurt
2 tbsp (30g) mayonnaise
2 tbsp (30g) mango chutney (ideally a spicier one)
½ tsp apple cider vinegar
2 tsp mild curry powder or homemade curry spice blend (see below)
½ tsp ground turmeric (omit if using homemade blend)
¼ tsp ground cinnamon (omit if using homemade blend)
1 tsp lime pickle (optional)
Juice of ½ lemon (add if using the homemade blend)
For the coronation filling (choose one):
Chickpea version: 400g tin chickpeas, drained and rinsed
Chicken version: approximately 400g cold roast chicken, cut into chunks
Add-ins (for both versions):
1 Jazz apple, cored and diced
30g dried cranberries or golden raisins, chopped
30g whole almonds or 40g flaked almonds, toasted
2-3 spring onions, thinly sliced
Small handful fresh coriander and mint leaves, finely chopped
Salt and pepper, to taste
To serve:
4 naan flatbreads (or chapati or roti)
2 tbsp (30g) mango chutney
2-3 tbsp Greek or coconut yoghurt
4 leaves Romaine lettuce, chopped or left whole
⅓ of a cucumber, thinly sliced lengthwise
½ red onion, sliced
Small handful fresh coriander and mint leaves, finely chopped
Optional homemade curry spice blend:
1 tbsp coriander seeds
¾ tbsp cumin seeds
½ tsp turmeric
¼ tsp cayenne pepper
¼ tsp ground ginger
¼ tsp cinnamon
Method:
1. Make the homemade curry powder (optional): toast the coriander seeds, cumin seeds, turmeric, cayenne, ginger and cinnamon in a dry pan over low heat for 2-3 minutes until fragrant. Cool slightly, then grind to a fine powder using a spice grinder or pestle and mortar.
2. Make the dressing: in a small bowl, mix together the yoghurt, mayonnaise, mango chutney, vinegar (if using), spices (or 2 tbsp of your homemade blend) and lime pickle, if using. Add the lemon juice if you made the homemade blend. Set aside.
3. Prepare the filling:
- For chickpeas: add the drained and rinsed chickpeas to a mixing bowl and mash to your liking.
- For chicken: add the cold roast chicken chunks to a mixing bowl.
Then add the diced apple, cranberries/raisins, almonds, spring onions and fresh herbs. Toss together, then add the dressing and mix until everything is fully coated. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
4. Let flavours develop (optional): you can serve the coronation filling right away or chill in the fridge for about an hour to let the flavours develop even further – it also tastes great the next day!
5. Warm and build the wraps: warm the naan in the oven or in a pan on the stovetop, then set aside to cool slightly. Brush some mango chutney onto each naan, then spread a spoonful of yoghurt across. Add some lettuce, cucumber and red onion, then top with a generous spoonful of coronation chickpeas or chicken. Garnish with fresh herbs, roll up your naan, and enjoy!
Note: To make the chickpea version fully plant-based, use non-dairy Greek-style yoghurt and vegan mayonnaise.
Sausage rolls
Nothing says British picnic quite like a good sausage roll. This version is sturdy enough to survive a journey in a cool bag, tastes delicious warm or cold and is guaranteed to please both kids and adults – no cutlery required.
Makes: one large sausage roll, serves 4
Prep time: 15 minutes | Cook time: 25 minutes
When to prep: bake fresh in the morning or the evening before. Let them cool completely before packing.
How to pack: wrap whole or sliced sausage roll pieces in foil or parchment, then place in an airtight container. They’re robust and travel well.
How long it lasts outside the fridge: 3-4 hours if kept cool – they’re perfect at room temp.
Tip: bring napkins – flaky pastry can be messy!
Ingredients:
500g sausage meat
50g onion (finely chopped and gently fried until translucent)
2 cloves of garlic (crushed and gently fried with the onion)
100g breadcrumbs
1 Jazz apple – diced into small chunks
A good pinch of salt and pepper
3 eggs (2 to bind the mixture and one for the glaze)
300g puff pastry
Method:
1. Place all the filling ingredients into a bowl and mix together. Keep one egg aside for the glaze.
2. Roll out the puff pastry in front of you vertically. Leave an overlap on the right-hand side and then layer out the mixture in a line from top to bottom.
3. Brush a line of egg wash alongside the mixture on the inside to work as an adhesive.
4. Roll over tightly, connecting the overlap with the line of egg wash
5. To secure, give it an old-fashioned crimp.
6. Brush with egg wash and then place on a greased tray.
7. Bake at 200C for 15 minutes and then another 10 minutes at 170C.
8. Slice and serve however you like.
Courgetti salad with a tahini dressing
Light, fresh and full of crunch, this salad brings a burst of colour and flavour to your picnic spread. Spiralised veg stays crisp in the cool bag, and the nutty tahini dressing turns simple courgette and apple into something special.
Serves: 2 as a main, 4 as a side
Prep time: 10 minutes | Cook time: 5 minutes
When to prep: spiralise and dress just before leaving to keep it crisp – or spiralise ahead and store the dressing separately, mixing at the picnic.
How to pack: pack the spiralised courgette and apple in a sealed container. Bring the dressing in a small jar and the toasted walnuts in a separate bag or pot to sprinkle fresh.
How long it lasts outside the fridge: best eaten within 1-2 hours if dressed – undressed veg will keep a little longer.
Tip: pack a fork for tossing just before serving.
Ingredients:
1 Jazz apple
1 courgette
A generous handful of rocket
3 tbsp of walnuts, roughly chopped
For the tahini dressing:
2 tbsp of tahini
The juice of ½ lemon
½ tsp of white miso paste
½ tsp of maple syrup
1 tsp of apple cider vinegar
Water to thin in as desired
Salt and pepper to taste
Method:
1. To make the tahini dressing simply mix together all the ingredients. I like to use a small whisk to avoid any lumps. Add the water gradually until you have reached the desired consistency.
2. Add the chopped walnuts to a frying pan and toast them on a medium heat for a few minutes, tossing them from time to time until they start to turn golden brown.
3. Spiralise the apple and the courgette. Transfer them to a large bowl and pour over the tahini dressing. Mix in the rocket. Serve straight away with the toasted walnuts.
Kale and sausage pasta
Pasta salads are always a picnic winner. This one combines caramelised onion and apple with savoury vegan sausage and earthy kale, making it filling but not too heavy. It’s delicious at room temperature and easy to serve up on plates.
Serves: 3
Prep time: 10 minutes | Cook time: 20-25 minutes
When to prep: make fresh in the morning and let it cool fully before packing.
How to pack: store in a sealed container. It’s delicious at room temperature or gently warmed on a picnic stove if you have one.
How long it lasts outside the fridge: keep cool and enjoy within 2 hours – vegan sausages are lower risk than meat but still treat like you would any cooked protein.
Tip: bring forks and plates – and maybe extra olive oil to drizzle before serving if it seems dry.
Ingredients:
1 white onion, finely chopped
1 Jazz apple, cut into really small and thin pieces
3 garlic cloves, crushed
4 vegan sausages
100g cavolo nero or curly kale, finely chopped
2 tsp chilli flakes
A few sprigs of thyme
2-3 tbsp olive oil for frying
Salt and pepper to taste
3 portions of pasta, about 400g (we love orecchiette for this dish)
For the walnut parm (optional):
50g walnuts
1 tbsp nutritional yeast
1 tsp white miso paste
OR: use freshly grated Parmesan instead, if you don’t need it to be plant-based
Method:
1. Place a frying pan on a medium heat and add the oil.
2. Add in the vegan sausages and cook according to the packet’s instructions. Once cooked, remove them from the pan and cut them into small pieces. Set them to one side.
3. To the same pan, add in the chopped onion and Jazz apple and cook for 5 minutes on a medium heat before adding in the chilli flakes, salt and pepper and thyme leaves. Keep cooking for a total of 15-20 minutes until the onion and apple have cooked down and caramelised. Add some water if they start sticking to the pan.
4. In the meantime, make the walnut parm (if using). Just add all the ingredients to a food processor and blitz until you have a fine crumble. Transfer to a bowl and set to one side.
5. Cook the pasta according to the packet’s instructions and before draining it, reserve 4 tablespoons of the cooking water. Drain the pasta and add it to the pan together with the cooked sausages. Stir to combine and finally add in the pasta water and stir again.
6. Serve with a sprinkle of the walnut parm or a handful of freshly grated parmesan, an extra drizzle of olive oil and some thyme leaves.
Apple cake bars
Sweet treats are essential for a proper picnic. These moist, fruity cake bars are sturdy enough to pack and share, won’t crumble into bits, and pair beautifully with a flask of tea or a bottle of fizz in the sunshine.
Makes: 12 bars
Prep time: 10 minutes | Cook time: 20 minutes
When to prep: bake the day before; they travel best when fully cooled.
How to pack: store in a tin or airtight tub lined with parchment. They’re sturdy and won’t fall apart.
How long they last outside the fridge: up to 4 hours is fine – longer if it’s not too hot.
Tip: bring napkins – sticky fingers are inevitable!
Ingredients:
175g apple butter (see recipe below)
1 Jazz apple, cored and finely sliced
115g unsalted butter
180g plain flour
150g soft brown sugar
1 egg
½ tsp bicarbonate of soda
½ tsp ground nutmeg
100g raisins
80g medjool dates
20g cashew nuts, roughly chopped
20g oats
15g pumpkin seeds
Method:
1. Preheat the oven to 180C/160C fan/gas 4. Prepare and grease a 12-piece cake bar tin.
2. Add the apple butter, unsalted butter, flour, sugar, egg, bicarbonate of soda, nutmeg, raisins and dates to a blender and blitz until fully combined.
3. Divide into the cake tin and top with a sprinkle of the cashews, oats, pumpkin seeds and a slice of apple on the top of each.
4. Bake for 20-25 minutes, until a skewer inserted into the thickest part of the cake bar comes out clean.
5. Leave to cool slightly before removing from the baking tin.
Apple butter
Makes: approximately 1kg
Prep time: 10 minutes | Cook time: 1 hour
Ingredients:
1kg Jazz apples, peeled, cored and roughly chopped
250ml water
300g granulated sugar
200g soft brown sugar
½ tsp ground cinnamon
¼ tsp ground cloves
Method:
1. Add the apples to a large saucepan with 250ml water. Bring to a simmer and cook over medium heat for 15 minutes, or until soft, stirring occasionally.
2. Blend until smooth, then add the sugars and spices. Stir to combine and continue to simmer for another 45-60 minutes until the apple butter has thickened enough to hold its shape on the back of a spoon.
3. Leave to cool and transfer into clean jars.
All recipes courtesy of JAZZ™ Apple
