6 Picnic Recipes, no oven needed!
I want to share 6 picnic recipes without turning on your oven. From Main Course to Dessert some delicious and quick recipes that are all easy to make.
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When you mention summertime to most people it brings to mind picnics and get-togethers with family and friends. This summer many of us are enjoying picnics and parties again with family and friends.
With this post, I decided to do a round-up of some great recipes. I would like to share them with all of you. Sometimes the hardest part of planning a picnic or any gathering is thinking up just what you can serve.

I hope the following list of recipes will be tried out by some of you. Many will be familiar to you. I always go to my favorite recipe books for ideas and I’m guessing you all do too.
I have narrowed down the recipes to ones that can be done without turning your oven on. I have also listed them in categories so they are easy to pick out.
If you would like to print them out, just click on the Print Recipe bar at top of each recipe!
Alternative to Grilling:
As much as we all enjoy cooking on the grill at times it’s nice to have something a little different. This not only gives the host time to visit but also is something you can do ahead and have it ready to serve.
Pulled Pork
Equipment
- crock pot or slow cooker
Ingredients
- 4- 6 pound Pork Shoulder Roast
- 1 15 oz can crushed tomatoes
- 1/4-1/2 Cup apple cider vinegar
- 1/3 bottle Worcestershire Sauce
- 1-2 tsp salt
- 1 TB. sugar
- 1-2 tsp pepper
- 1 small onion diced
Instructions
- Trim all visible fat off pork roast. Lay in bottom of slow cooker/crock pot. Add rest of ingredients to pork roast
- Turn on cooker to low and cook at least 6 hours or more. Check on while cooking and once tender you can start shredding pork with a fork.
- The size of roast is approximate. Longer cooking just makes meat more tender.
- Serve on sandwich buns
Ham Barbecue
Ingredients
- 1 lb chipped ham
- 4 Tab vinegar
- 2 Tab Water
- 4 tsp Sugar
- 1/2 tsp dry mustard
- 8 Tab. Ketchup
- sprinkle Paprika
Instructions
- Heat 2 Tab. butter in pan: pour rest of ingredients including chipped ham into pan. Simmer 5 minutes.
- You can easily double this recipe by just adding more ham and increasing other ingredients.
- Serve in sandwich buns
Salads
There are so many choices of salads. The couple recipes below are both easy to make and are favorites at most picnics!
Pasta Salad
Ingredients
- 1 box Tri color Rotini
- 1 bottle Italian dressing
- 1 12 oz can black olives ( optional)
- 1/2 Cup Diced Red peppers
- 8 oz Mozzarella Pearls
- 1 small head Broccoli
- 1/2 Cup Red Onion
- 1/2- 1 Cup Cucumber
- 1 Cup pepperoni (chopped) ( optional)
- 1 packet Italian Dressing
Instructions
- Bring 4-6 quarts of water to boil
- Add Rotini and cook aprrox. 7-9 minutes
- Drain well and place in large bowl
- Chop all your vegetables into bite size pieces while your pasta is cooking. *Be sure to peel cucumber before slicing.
- Everything should be chopped into bite size pieces.
- If using olives, drain can
- Dump all ingredients on top of the pasta
- Sprinkle the Italian Dressing Packet on top.
- Now add the bottle of Italian Dressing into the pasta/vegetables.
- Mix well.
- Store in airtight container. Can be stored for 3-4 days.
Pistachio Salad
Ingredients
- 1 20 oz. can Crushed Pineapple
- 1 3 oz box instant Pistachio pudding
- 1 bag Mini Marshmallows
- 1 16 oz. container
Cool Whip
Instructions
- Mix pudding and pineapple together in large bowl.
- Add Cool Whip, mix well.
- Add mini marshmallows and mix well.
- Place in refrigerator to chill approx. 1 hour.
Desserts
There are so many desserts that can be served at a picnic but I decided to share these 2 recipes since neither one needs to be baked!
“DIRT” dessert
Equipment
- 9×13 Pan
Ingredients
- 2 boxes Instant vanilla pudding
- 1 8 oz. block Cream Cheese ( softened)
- 1 16 oz. container Cool Whip
- 1 package Oreos
Instructions
- Mix pudding as directed on package. Put in refrigerator for 5 minutes.
- In mixing bowl combine cool whip and softened cream cheese until blended well.
- Add pudding to cool whip/cream cheese mixture.
- Coarsely chop Oreos.
- In a 9×13 inch pan spread cookies on bottom. Next spread a layer of pudding mixture.
- Continue with a layer of cookies then pudding mixture.
- Top with chopped cookies.
- Refrigerate until chilled approx. 30 minutes~ 1 hour
OREO Freak Out
Equipment
- 9 x 13 inch Pan
Ingredients
- 1 package Oreo Cookies
- 1 8 oz container Cool Whip
- 1/2 gallon Vanilla Ice Cream softened
- 1 jar Caramel Ice cream sauce
- 1 jar Hot Fudge sauce
- 1 cup chopped peanuts ( optional )
- 2 TBSP melted butter
Instructions
- Crush 2 Rows of Oreo's, mix with melted butter and spread in bottom of 9×13 inch pan.
- Spread ice cream over Oreo's
- Spread Cool Whip over ice cream.
- Pour on hot fudge or caramel sauce, then peanuts. You can do half hot fudge and half caramel if you'd like!
- Crush remaining Oreo's and sprinkle on top.
- Place in freezer until ready to serve! Let sit for a few minutes before serving for easier cutting
What a great idea to focus on recipes that don’t require you to turn the oven on, since it’s already so hot outside! I’ll have to try some of these recipes…
Wow, these are not only easy but sound delicious! I like the DIRT desert, that sounds like fun!
These recipes look great! I grew up eating dirt cake but haven’t made it in years. I need to now!
Yes, anything that makes it easy to not have to use the oven this time of year is what I’m looking for! These look so good!