When You See Five-Spice Doufu Gan, Grab It!

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We are all about picnic food that makes our lives tastier and easier. As much as we'd love to whip up any old summer salad and throw it in the picnic basket, we know the best options need to pass a few standard tests. In our book, picnic food should be easy to transport, serve, and devour. Pay attention, sandwich-lovers: Save your picnic from soggy-bread messes by opting for sturdier specimens like this green goddess crunch sandwich or a pan bagnat . They'll taste just as fresh (and somehow even tastier) by the time they make it to the park. In need of side dish inspo? What's easier to serve than a Tupperware of spicy peanut dip or a bowl of smoky muhammara alongside some pita and fresh veggies? And after a slice or two of blackberry slab pie , your friends will thank you for choosing picnic recipes that make your summer outdoor shindigs worth the sweat and bug-bites.

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  Photograph by Dylan + Jeni, food styling by Susie Theodorou, prop styling by Aneta Florczyk

  1/40

  Cantaloupe With Spicy Bacon-Cashew Crumble

  Juicy summer melon with a salty-sweet crunchy bacon topping makes for a low-effort but universally crowd-pleasing appetizer.

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• Photo by Emma Fishman, food styling by D'Mytrek Brown

  2/40

  Stone Fruit Caramel

  Combine perfectly ripe, in-season stone fruit (like peaches, plums, or cherries!) with a rich sweet caramel for the perfect ice cream, pound cake, and yogurt topping.

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• Photo by Emma Fishman, food styling by Susie Theodorou, prop styling by Elizabeth Jaime

  3/40

  Chopped Salad Supreme With Kimchi Vinaigrette

  When you start with good kimchi, all you need is a little neutral oil to make a vinaigrette that will flatter any selection of raw and blanched vegetables.

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• 4/40

  Slice-and-Bake Jammy Pinwheel Cookies

  This one-bowl cookie dough requires no machinery and can be dressed up in a million ways.

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• Photograph by Emma Fishman, food styling by D’mytrek Brown

  5/40

  Gado-Gado Summer Rolls

  Lara Lee’s crunchy, bright, and veg-packed summer rolls are a cross-cultural twist on two street food icons: refreshing Vietnamese gỏi cuốn and Indonesian gado-gado.

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• 6/40

  Tostones “Chaat”

  Tostones “Chaat”

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• Photograph by Yudi Ela, food styling by Susie Theodorou, prop styling by Aneta Florczyk

  7/40

  Corn, Plum, and Farro Salad with Nuoc Cham Dressing

  Make the most of juicy summer stone fruit with this sweet-and-salty Vietnamese-inspired farro salad, studded with grilled corn and ripe plums.

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• Photograph by Emma Fishman, food styling by Susie Theodorou, prop styling by Aneta Florczyk

  8/40

  Blackberry and Dried Apricot Slab Pie

  A craveable, shareable, crowd-pleasing pie for every summer picnic and party.

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• Photo by Emma Fishman, Food Styling by Susie Theodorou, Prop Styling by Elizabeth Jaime

  9/40

  Watermelon and Snap Pea Salad

  Take sweet, juicy melon into the realm of dinner with a hit of Taiwanese black vinegar. (Chile crisp, fish sauce, and fried shallots help, too.)

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• Photo by Alex Lau, food styling by Andy Baraghani

  10/40

  Muhammara

  This vibrant dip pairs perfectly well with fresh pita bread.

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• Photo by Alex Lau

  11/40

  Green Goddess Crunch Sandwich

  Think of this as a salad sandwiched between two slices of bread.

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• Photo by Isa Zapata, Food Styling by Pearl Jones

  12/40

  Jalapeño Popper Gougères

  These light and eggy cheese puffs are channeling your favorite bar snack.

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• Photograph by Dylan + Jeni, food styling by Susie Theodorou, prop styling by Aneta Florczyk

  13/40

  Cucumber, Tomato, and Green Bean Salad

  If you love the sour-salty-sweet Thai green papaya salad, you’ll love this peak-summer version made with tomatoes and cucumbers.

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• 14/40

  Pan Bagnat

  You’re going to want to let this sandwich hang out for a bit before digging in so the bread can soak up those juices. Napkin not optional.

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• Photo by Chelsie Craig, food styling by Kat Boytsova

  15/40

  Curried Peanut Dip

  This creamy, spicy-sweet dip pairs with leftover rotisserie chicken, jammy eggs, cucumber spears, and roasted sweet potatoes for the perfect desk-friendly lunch.

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• Photo by Julian Cousins, food styling by Adriana Paschen, prop styling by Elizabeth Jaime

  16/40

  Any-Berry Shrub

  Yes, this berry shrub recipe takes a couple of weeks to make—but once it’s ready you’ll have a tart-sweet, utterly refreshing beverage whenever you want.

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• Marcus Nilsson

  17/40

  Orange Iced Tea

  Turn this iced tea into a cocktail with a little gin.

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• Annabel Mehran

  18/40

  Backwoods Bourbon Punch

  Big-batch this and serve over ice.

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• Photo by Michael Graydon + Nikole Herriott

  19/40

  Smoky Carrot Dip

  A sweet and smoky roasted carrot dip with chickpeas, almonds, lemon juice, garlic, and herbs. We could eat it by the bowlful.

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• Photo by Chelsie Craig, Food Styling by Yekaterina Boytsova

  20/40

  Strawberry Snacking Cake

  Don’t be surprised at how quickly this olive oil and cornmeal-enriched sheet cake will disappear.

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• Alex Lau

  21/40

  Rustic Pork Rillette

  The effort-to-impressiveness ratio doesn’t get much better than this, people. Slather on good bread or crackers.

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• 22/40

  Deviled Ham

  Country ham is cured, smoked, and aged. We love Benton’s, made in Tennessee.

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• 23/40

  Spiced Pistachios

  Endless snacking.

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• Annabel Mehran

  24/40

  Roasted-Jalapeño Pimiento Cheese Toasts

  Pretty much everyone in the South fights about who’s got the best pimiento cheese recipe. Make these if you want to put the debate to rest.

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• Eva Kolenko

  25/40

  Classic Dill Pickles

  Always trim off stems and ends before pickling veg; enzymes in both can lead to mushy pickles.

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• Christopher Baker

  26/40

  Crudités Salad with Farro and Pecans

  A texture riot of a salad; it gets crunch and creaminess from toasted pecans and almond butter(!).

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• Alex Lau

  27/40

  Broccoli Pesto Pasta

  Pesto gets heft (and a side of veggies) from the addition of broccoli to the purée.

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• Alex Lau

  28/40

  Shelled Bean and Swiss Chard Panzanella

  Panzanella gets better as it sits, so it's perfect for a picnic.

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• Christopher Testani

  29/40

  Farmers' Market Quinoa Salad

  Don’t obsess over getting these exact ingredients in this precise combination. Any nut you like will work here for crunch, and you’re looking for a mix of bright herbs and enough cooked grains to make it substantial.

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• Peden + Munk

  30/40

  Tomato and Cabbage Tabbouleh

  A proper tabbouleh will be mainly vegetables and herbs, with just a smattering of bulgur threaded through.

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• Peden & Munk

  31/40

  Pea and Little Gem Salad with Farro and Pecorino

  This spring salad can be made with pretty much any grain and firm grating cheese you like. Wait to dress it once you arrive or else the lettuce will wilt.

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• Photo by Chelsie Craig, food styling by Anna Billingskog

  32/40

  Make-Ahead Broccoli and Quinoa Salad

  The ideal bring-to-your-friend's-dinner-party salad.

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• Alex Lau

  33/40

  Herbed Egg Salad

  Best with a vinegar-y hot sauce, like Tabasco or Crystal.

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• Photo by Emma Fishman, Food Styling by D'mytrek Brown

  34/40

  Classic Tuna Salad

  We like chunk tuna for its texture; drain it really well by pressing the open lid down and squeezing the daylights out of it.

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• Alex Lau

  35/40

  Apple-Fennel Chicken Salad

  You know what most chicken salads are missing? Crunch. Not this one!

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• Danny Kim

  36/40

  Frittata Sandwich with Olive Salad

  Lettuce and tomatoes might be classic sandwich stuff, but this herby olive salad brings way more to the table—and it will never wilt.

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• Gentl & Hyers

  37/40

  The BA Muffuletta

  There is no better beach, picnic, or party sandwich: It feeds a crowd, gets better as it sits, and is a hearty meal built inside a loaf of bread.

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• Alex Lau

  38/40

  Open-Face Steak Sandwich with Parmesan Dressing

  Leftover steak makes for picnic magic. Feeling virtuous? Remove the bread and…voilà: steak salad!

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• Alex Lau

  39/40

  Whiskey and Rye Chocolate Chip Cookies

  To maximize the tangy flavor of the rye flour, use rye whiskey instead of bourbon.

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• Alex Lau

  40/40

  Gluten-Free Fudge Brownies

  Just what we want a brownie to be: rich and super fudgy. Beating the eggs and sugar for a long time incorporates air into the batter, making for a crackly crust when baked.

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Explore Bon Appétit Cookies Lunch Picnic Potato Salad Sandwich

Source : food