Simple Hot & Cold Picnic Dip Recipes

Creamy Whipped Feta is one of the easiest, most delicious and versatile dips around. With just a few ingredients, you can whip this dip up in under 10 minutes.

Made with yoghurt instead of cream cheese, this feta dip is light and creamy and lends itself to so many possible uses, and subtle flavour boosts. Serve it as a dip garnished with olive oil, or dress it in honey, chilli flakes, dukkah or whatever takes your mood.

Use it on bruschetta toasts and top with slow-roasted tomatoes or roasted red peppers. Add it to sandwiches or even serve it as a dipper for fruit like watermelon or figs.

Hummus is the king of dips, and homemade Hummus is so easy to make, there is no excuse for eating substandard store-bought Hummus again. 

The beauty of homemade Hummus is it only requires a few simple ingredients, most of which you can have on hand in your pantry so you can make it anytime.

Not just a delicious and amazingly healthy dip to have at home, Hummus is also an incredibly portable and versatile picnic dip and a tasty foundation for so many vegan picnic recipes beyond just a dip.

Serve it as part of a Mediterranean picnic mezze platter, with pitas or crispy vegetables. Lather it on sandwiches or wraps or serve it as a side to grilled meat dishes; there are so many ways to incorporate Hummus into an easy picnic menu.

Hummus purists will have you believe there is only one flavour of hummus – plain hummus. But we think the basis for hummus lends itself to so many delicious flavours; there is room for lots of different hummus flavours.

There are many wonderful seasonal hummus variations, like this smokey pumpkin hummus dip – a delicious seasonal twist to your fall picnic finger food and appetiser repertoire.

Actually, smoked pumpkin hummus is the answer any time of year. It’s incredibly creamy, a little sweet and subtly smoky. Of course, you can make it super smokey, but I tend to lean towards the less is more approach to smokiness. You can also go with no smoke and capture the lovely caramelised flavours of roast pumpkin. The choice is yours.

Much like hummus, this smoky pumpkin dip lends itself to mezze plates with roasted vine tomatoes and grilled peppers, anything with pita and fresh bread, as a side dip to a cheese platter with crostini or as a spread in sandwiches and wraps.

Serve pumpkin hummus as a side to bbq meats with pita and salad – marinated kebabs are fabulous picnic bbq food for this.

We did say the basis for hummus lends itself to so many exciting dip recipes like this Roasted Red Pepper Hummus with Chipotle shows us.

This red pepper hummus is a super easy and tasty dip; as with the smoked pumpkin hummus, this chipotle hummus benefits from a slightly smoky flavour with some added kick. Roasted red peppers also give the hummus a smooth and slightly sweet finish, similar to pumpkin for a somewhat different hummus texture.

We love this sassy picnic dip for Mexican themed picnics as a stand-alone dipper or addition to DIY picnic burritos and tortillas. It also spices up a burger, sandwich or wraps nicely.

Take gorgeous ruby red beets, roast them until soft and sweet and add them to your base hummus recipe. Roast Beet Hummus is a gorgeously vibrant dip that will brighten any spread. It's also very healthy and incredibly delicious.

I love this hummus as a stand-alone dip but also as a side to grilled meats. It is also a big winner on burgers, sandwiches and wraps like our Raw Veggie Wraps with Avocado.

There are many different types of salsas in Mexican cuisine, all of which make excellent picnic companions. But, one of the most popular and well-known is Salsa Roja which roughly translates to "red sauce".

Why do we love Salsa Roja? It is so easy to make, takes only a few fresh ingredients and works well with many dishes. All of these attributes make it a perfect addition to your arsenal of quick and easy picnic food ideas.

The key to good Salsa Roja is nothing more than using the freshest ingredients you can get. There are no complex techniques or secrets; this is one of those wonderful dishes where the recipe's simplicity makes it sing.

It is not just its simplicity of Salsa Roja that makes it a great picnic recipe, but its versatility.

Serve it as a dip with soft tortilla bread or corn chips. It makes an excellent sauce for a DIY taco or tortilla spread. Serve it as a condiment to bbq chicken or fish kebab sticks or as a spicy accompaniment to a robust Mexican chopped salad, frittatas or any egg-based dish. The possibilities for Salsa Roja are endless.

Whether you know it as eggplant or aubergine, these purple beauties are one of the most adaptable and picnic-friendly vegetables, especially when it comes to dips. Baba Ganoush, the delicious smoky Middle Eastern eggplant dip ranks up there with hummus as one of the most versatile picnic dips.

Baba Ganoush is easy to make yet so flavourful. It keeps well and travels well for a picnic. You can also use it for so many different picnic dishes.

Use Baba Ganoush as part of a picnic mezze or antipasto style platter with flatbreads, olives, smoked meats, cheeses and grilled or marinated vegetables like roasted peppers and roasted vine tomatoes.

The delicious Middle Eastern flavours in this dip also lend themselves to grilled meats; serve it as a side to grilled meats at a BBQ picnic or as a spread on Mediterranean style burgers, sandwiches and wraps.

When spring is in the air, we turn to this pea and mint dip recipe because it’s a fabulous seasonal dish for a spring picnic. Thankfully, this vibrant and fresh dip is not restricted to spring and the season's fresh sweet peas. Thanks to frozen peas, we can enjoy this easy pea dip recipe any time of year.

A bright and breezy dip that inspired our Beetroot Bagels with Parmesan Pea Spread, it will brighten any picnic menu.

Serve with crusty bread or flatbread. It also works beautifully as the centrepiece to a fresh and vibrant spring vegetable crudité platter.

As an appetiser, top bite-size bruschetta pieces with pea dip and slithers of salty prosciutto. Crisp the prosciutto slithers in the oven a little for extra texture and saltiness.

A vegetarian take on the classic buffalo dip, Cauliflower Buffalo Dip is an equally indulgent and hearty addition to any picnic spread.

Made with fresh riced cauliflower, the basis for this recipe leaves room for healthier variations – yoghurt instead of sour cream, ranch seasoning instead of dressing. You could also experiment with different cheeses.

This hot dip recipe works well as an appetiser with fresh bread, crackers, tortilla chips or veggies sticks. It is also hearty enough to be the main dish, especially with crusty bread, smoked meats, cheeses or assorted light picnic finger foods. Or, serve it as the centrepiece on a charcuterie board or a crudité platter.

Broccoli is at its best during the winter months, so naturally, we love this broccoli cheese dip recipe for our fall picnics and winter alfresco adventures. Being a warm dip, it makes a perfect appetiser or addition to a fall picnic finger food menu for the cooler months.

This dip is delicious served warm, although, if thinned a little with cream, it does well at room temperature. It is also very customisable; the base recipe lends itself to a change of veg – think kale, spinach or mushroom, and if you want a lighter finish, feel free to go with feta over mozzarella. For a thinner dip, add a dash of cream (or yoghurt).

Serve with crusty bread, pita bread, crackers or raw vegetable batons. A dip like this can also make a hearty addition to platter-style meals such as a mezze or charcuterie board – the flavours work well with smoked meats, olives and stronger cheeses. It can also make an excellent addition to a cosy wine and cheese picnic.

A deliciously creamy and tasty, easy to make vegan spinach artichoke dip. A much healthier alternative to the traditional dip recipe.

This vegan spinach and artichoke dip recipe is light, creamy, and equally flavoursome, without the calories of heavy creams and cheeses.

It’s a perfect all-around dip, especially for a vegan picnic menu, or an appetiser for any occasion.