Vegan Picnic Recipes

Picnics are one of the most enjoyable ways to spend time with friends and family. Whether it’s a sandy beach, a shady park, or even your own backyard, picnics are a fantastic way to spend time with the people you love. And picnics are definitely not all about salads – and they don’t have to be boring either. We’ve put together a collection of the best vegan picnic recipes to celebrate summer. Whether you’re planning a small get-together or an epic feast, they’re sure to please a crowd and are great for sharing with friends.

The best vegan picnic recipes:

Tofu pasta salad

This perfectly packable pasta salad is the ideal vegan picnic recipe: It’s tasty at room temp, and easy to scoop.

Ingredients:

• 250g pasta
• 1 cucumber, diced
• 250g cherry tomatoes, halved
• 1 small tin/250g sweet corn, rinsed and drained
• 2 tbsp sunflower seeds

For the tofu:

• 1 tofu, pressed and diced
• 1 tbsp soy sauce
• 1 tsp maple syrup or agave syrup
• ¼ tsp garlic powder
• 1 tbsp olive oil

For the dressing:

• 2 tbsp olive oil
• 2 tbsp balsamic vinegar
• 1 tbsp mixed herbs
• 1 tbsp maple syrup
• 1 tbsp wholegrain mustard
• 1/2 tsp salt
• Splash of water
• Freshly ground black pepper

Method:

1. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Prepare the pasta according to the packaging instructions.
   
2. In the meantime, heat olive oil in a pan over medium-high heat. Add the tofu and fry, stirring frequently, for 5-6 minutes.
   
3. Stir in soy sauce, garlic powder and maple syrup and reduce the heat. Fry for 3 minutes more minutes, then set aside.
   
4. Once the pasta is cooked, drain and cool with cold water.
   
5. To make the dressing, add olive oil, vinegar, herbs, maple syrup, water and mustard to a small bowl and stir until the mixture is well combined. Season with more salt and pepper to taste.
   
6. In a large bowl or container, toss together pasta, cucumber, tofu, sweet corn, sunflower seeds and tomatoes.
   
7. Either dress pasta with the dressing just before you leave, or bring it in a separate container.

Roasted cauliflower bowl

This roasted cauliflower bowl is an ideal picnic accompaniment. And it just somehow tastes even better when eaten outdoors.

Ingredients:

• 1 small head cauliflower, cut into florets
• 2 tbsp olive oil
• ½ tsp salt
• ¼ tsp cumin

For the crispy chickpeas:

• 1 tin/400g chickpeas
• 1 tsp olive oil
• ½ tbsp curry powder
• 1 tsp paprika powder
• ¼ tsp salt

For the tahini dressing:

• 1.5 tbsp olive oil
• 1.5 tbsp tahini
• 1 tbsp maple syrup
• 1 tsp mustard
• 1 tbsp water (optional)

To serve:

• 1 tbsp fresh parsley

Method:

1. Preheat the oven to 180 °C.
   
2. Chop the cauliflower into florets, then place them onto a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Drizzle with olive oil, and sprinkle with cumin and salt. Toss until the pieces are evenly coated.
   
3. Rinse and drain the chickpeas, then spread on a kitchen towel and pat them dry. In a bowl, combine chickpeas, curry powder, paprika powder, olive oil and salt.
   
4. Add the chickpeas to the same baking sheet and roast for 20 minutes, tossing halfway.
   
5. Make the tahini dressing by whisking together all ingredients in a small bowl.
   
6. Combine everything in a container, drizzle over tahini dressing and sprinkle with fresh parsley. Give everything a good mix before serving.

Burrito bowl

An under-sung picnic addition! This delicious, flavour-packed burrito bowl is easy to carry, and careful picnickers can scoop it up with tortilla chips.

Ingredients:

• 1 tin/400g black beans, drained and rinsed
• 1 tin/325g sweet corn, drained and rinsed
• 250g cherry tomatoes, halved
• 1 spring onion, chopped
• 1 bell pepper, chopped
• 2 tbsp fresh coriander, chopped
• ½ tsp chilli flakes

For the guacamole:

• 1 avocado, halved and pitted
• Juice from 1/2 lime
• 1 garlic clove, finely minced
• Large pinch of salt and pepper

For the tomato salsa:

• 1 tomato, roughly chopped
• 1 garlic clove, roughly chopped
• Juice of ½ lime
• 2 tbsp coriander, chopped
• ¼ red onion, roughly chopped
• Salt and pepper to taste

Method:

1. Make the guacamole by combining all ingredients in a bowl. Using a fork, gently mash each avocado half a few times and then stir everything together.
   
2. For the salsa place tomato, garlic, red onion, lime juice, coriander, salt and pepper in a food processor and pulse a few times, just enough to finely dice.
   
3. Layer everything in a container. Start with the guacamole, then top with sweet corn, black beans, bell pepper, cherry tomatoes, tomato salsa and spring onion.
   
4. Sprinkle with coriander and chilli flakes and store in the fridge until ready to go. Give everything a good mix before serving.

Fruit salad

Ingredients:

• 1 banana, sliced
• 2 kiwis, chopped
• 1 apple, chopped
• 250g strawberries, sliced
• Juice from ½ lemon
• 4-5 mint leaves, roughly chopped

Method:

1. Cut all the fruits, then place them into a container.
   
2. Stir in lemon juice, then sprinkle the salad with mint leaves. 

Snack board

This snack board is not only very pretty to look at, but also bursting with exciting flavours. It is the ideal sharing dish for a vegan picnic and will surely impress your friends and family.

Ingredients:

• 2 large carrots, chopped into sticks
• 1/2 cucumber, chopped into sticks
• Handful cherry tomatoes
• 2 tbsp olives
• 2 tbsp dates
• 2-3 tbsp macadamia nuts or other nuts
• Tortilla chips, crackers and breadsticks
• Red lentil hummus (recipe below)
• Guacamole (recipe below)
• Cheese dip (recipe below)

Method:

1. Choose a board to use. You can go for a wooden cutting board, baking sheet, or large platter.
   
2. Pack enough bowls for the veggies and dips.
   
3. Just before serving, fill your platter or board with the dips, veggies and crackers until it’s full.

Red lentil hummus

Ingredients:

• 250g red lentils, rinsed
• 1 tbsp olive oil
• 1.5 tbsp tahini
• 1 tbsp lime juice
• 1 tbsp maple syrup
• ½ tsp cumin
• ½ tsp salt
• ¼ tsp coriander
• ¼ tsp onion powder
• ¼ tsp garlic powder
• ¼ tsp black pepper
• 1 tbsp fresh parsley, chopped
• ½ tsp chilli flakes

Method:

1. Cook the lentils in salted water until tender, about 15 minutes.
   
2. Drain the lentils, let them cool a bit, then transfer to a food processor together with olive oil, tahini, lime juice, maple syrup, cumin, coriander, onion powder, salt and pepper.
   
3. Blend until smooth, then taste and adjust seasonings if needed. Transfer to a bowl or container, sprinkle with parsley and chilli flakes, then cover and store in the fridge until ready to go.

Guacamole

Ingredients:

• 1 avocado, halved and pitted
• Juice from 1/2 lime
• 1 garlic clove, finely minced
• Large pinch of salt and pepper

Method:

1. Make the guacamole by combining all ingredients in a bowl. 
   
2. Using a fork, gently mash each avocado half a few times and then stir everything together.

Cheese dip

Hands down, one of our favourite vegan picnic recipes.

Ingredients:

• 150g cashews, unsalted
• 50ml almond milk
• 50ml vegetable stock
• 2 tbsp lemon juice
• 1 tbsp tomato paste
• 3 tbsp nutritional yeast
• 1 tsp turmeric
• ½ tsp garlic powder
• ½ tsp cumin
• ¼ tsp paprika powder
• 1⁄4 tsp chilli flakes
• 1⁄4 tsp salt
• 1⁄4 tsp pepper

Method:

1. Place cashews in a saucepan with enough boiling water to cover them and cook over medium heat for 10 minutes.
   
2. Drain cashews and place them into a blender or food processor, together with plant milk, lemon juice, vegetable stock, nutritional yeast, tomato paste, paprika powder, cumin, turmeric, garlic powder, chilli flakes salt and pepper. Blend until smooth.
   
3. If you prefer a thicker sauce, pour it into a small saucepan and cook for 1 minute, stirring frequently.
   
4. Transfer to a bowl or container, then cover and store in the fridge until ready to go.

Banana bread

It’s not a complete picnic without dessert. This easy-to-make vegan banana bread doesn’t need much time to prep and is an absolute crowd-pleaser.

Ingredients:

• 400g ripe bananas + one for the topping
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 200g plain flour
• 1 tbsp baking powder
• Pinch of salt
• 3 tbsp coconut oil, melted
• 100g brown sugar
• 4 tbsp almond milk

Method:

1. Preheat your oven to 180 °C/350 °F.
   
2. Peel your bananas and put them into a large bowl. Use the bottom of a fork to press down until the bananas are well mashed.
   
3. Add brown sugar, vanilla extract, coconut oil and almond milk and mix until well combined.
   
4. In a separate bowl, combine the dry ingredients, then fold the dry ingredients into the wet.
   
5. Spoon the batter into a loaf tin, place one sliced banana on top, then bake in the preheated oven for 45 minutes.

Things to bring for the perfect picnic

You don’t need much for a fabulous picnic, however, there are a few essentials you should bring for the perfect vegan picnic. 

Picnic blanket: this is probably the most essential item!

A picnic basket: or something similar to transport the food and drinks

Cushions: it can get a little uncomfortable sitting on the grass for hours. Bring cushions or additional blankets for more comfort

Plates and cutlery: if you can, bring reusable cutlery and plates to keep your waste to a minimum. Or ask your friends to bring their own.

Picnic tumblers or cups: the bigger, the better. Again, go for the reusable option if you can. 

Napkins: don’t set out for your picnic without napkins! I can guarantee you’ll need them! For a more sustainable option, bring reusable cotton napkins

Cool box: not a must, but handy for drinks and desserts

Corkscrew or bottle opener: always useful to have one on hand

Decor: if you want to go the extra mile, bring some decor like garlands, paper lanterns or fairy lights 

Drinks: bring enough water or a homemade lemonade like this agua de fresa

Did you make any of these vegan picnic recipes?

We absolutely love seeing your takes on our recipes! If you make any of our vegan picnic recipes, tag us on Instagram as @weareveano. Also, let us know how the recipes turn out for you in the comments!