30 Easy Potluck Recipes Everyone Will Enjoy
Planning a dish for a potluck can be tricky business!
The first time I was invited to a potluck party, I spent a good chunk of time preparing for it by freaking out and trying to decide what I could make that would please a whole lot of people. In the years since, I’ve learned to master the art of making the perfect potluck dish. The requirements? The dish must be easy to make so that I don’t stress too much before the party. It must be something that will please my palate, as well as that of my friends and family. And it must be something that is easy to transport.
Whether I’m serving a chicken dish, falling back on easy five-ingredient recipes or making something in my beloved Instant Pot, it’s not difficult to come up with the perfect potluck recipe. You can go fancy with bacon guacamole (yes, really!) or try a healthy dish like keto chicken mac and cheese. There are BLT deviled eggs for those who want a modern take on a classic or a tater tot casserole for brunch lovers. No matter what recipe you make, you can be sure that it’ll be the perfect one to share with your loved ones.
Bacon Guacamole
Guacamole is easily the No. 1 crowd favorite at most parties, but sometimes it gets a little tired. Luckily, it’s easy to punch things up by adding bacon. That’s right — bacon! Thanks to this bacon guacamole recipe, you’ll be able to make the year’s fanciest guacamole.
Roasted Vegetable Salad With Garlic Dressing + Toasted Pepitas
If you’re feeling fall vibes, then this roasted vegetable salad is for you. Not only will the bright oranges of the carrots and the bright purples of the beets look fantastic when plated together, but the garlic dressing will add a nice little zing. Even better, the toasted pepitas will add a pretty lovely crunch to this potluck-worthy dish.
Easy Chicken Satay With Peanut Chili Sauce
If you’re strapped on time or just want to make something really simple, chicken is the way to go. Your potluck friends will absolutely adore this easy chicken satay recipe that comes with its own peanut chili sauce for dipping. There’s a little sweet and spicy kick to the sauce that everyone is sure to love, so don’t be surprised if there are no leftovers.
Caprese Pasta Salad With Garlic-Marinated Tomatoes
No matter what time of year it is, a classic pasta salad is always a dish worth bringing to a potluck. But if you want to change things up a bit, go for this Caprese pasta salad recipe with garlic marinated-tomatoes. With just a few extra ingredients, you’ll be treated to a pasta salad that’s sure to be talked about more than your grandma’s.
Keto Chicken Cauliflower Mac And Cheese
Just because you’re on a special diet doesn’t mean you can’t have fun, right? This keto chicken cauliflower mac and cheese is the perfect potluck dish to bring when you’re trying to stick to the keto diet. You don’t have to forego the party! Instead, bring this very appropriate dish that is cheesy and delicious enough to please even those who aren’t on the diet.
Persian Meatballs With Dried Cherries and Pistachios
Meatballs have always been a potluck favorite because they’re an easy dish to share. You can have one or two or, let’s admit it, a dozen if you want. But it’ll be difficult to share this Persian meatball recipe. They’re just too delicious! I would definitely recommend making two batches of these — one for the potluck and one for yourself.
Orange-Infused Kale And Brussels Sprouts Salad
The biggest culinary surprise I ever received was when I made a Brussels sprouts salad for Thanksgiving one year and my family went crazy for it. It was an all-time favorite and I went in search of how to improve it even more, which is how I came upon the recipe for this kale and Brussels sprouts salad. If you make this for your next potluck, you might just get the same surprise.
Ham And Cheese Croissant Sliders
If your potluck happens to have a brunch theme, you’re in luck. No brunch would be complete without these ham and cheese croissant sliders. They’re the perfect recipe to test-drive because they’re so easy to make, yet they also make quite the big batch. It’s the perfect breakfast treat for any party.
Grilled Mexican Corn (Elote)
Although corn season comes around just once a year, you can still indulge in your favorite grilled treat thanks to year-round supermarkets. If you’re looking for a way to make your usual grilled corn even tastier than usual in order to wow your fellow potluck friends, be sure to try this recipe for grilled Mexican corn (a.k.a. Elote). It’s spicy and covered with cheese. What more could you possibly want?
Baked Ravioli
Ravioli has always been one of my favorite Italian dishes, but it’s not exactly the easiest dish to share with friends. That’s why, in my search for how to do just that, I came across this baked ravioli recipe. Baking your ravioli gives it a little something extra and makes it a recipe that’s easy to transport and share with others.
Thai Salmon
This Thai salmon recipe is the kind of dish that’s going to wow your guests no matter what. The flavors in the recipe are incredible and the dish, thankfully, is perfect for anyone who’s not really all that into meat. Whether you’re a pescatarian or simply looking to eat less saturated fat, this salmon is sure to please at your next potluck.
Pan-Fried Asparagus Tips With Lemon Juice And Lemon Zest
This pan-fried asparagus recipe might be enough to wow even the biggest veggie haters. The tips are pan-fried just so, but what makes them really stand out is the lemon juice and lemon zest. It makes the entire dish taste like spring!
Tater Tot Sausage Breakfast Casserole
Let me be honest with you: I’ve never seen a tater tot casserole I didn’t like. They’re a really easy way to upgrade those tater tots you always loved while impressing the whole family. This breakfast casserole is the perfect addition to that brunch potluck you’re heading to.
Baked Peruano Beans With Mexican Chorizo
Baked beans have long been a favorite of barbecues, picnics and potlucks — and with good reason. They’re an easy dish to make ahead of time and heat on the spot, so it’s something you can do in addition to another dish. But if you want to make your baked beans truly shine, look no further than these baked Peruano beans. They’re made with Mexican chorizo for an extra kick that everyone is sure to love.
Buffalo Chicken Coleslaw
Coleslaw has long been a staple of potlucks and get-togethers, but that doesn’t mean you need to make the boring old coleslaw you grew up with. Instead, why not try something a bit more interesting? This Buffalo chicken coleslaw recipe is pretty much guaranteed to be everyone’s new favorite. Well, maybe not the vegetarians.
BLT Deviled Eggs
I still remember the way my mom carefully made deviled eggs for almost every single party in my childhood. They were simple and delicious, but I’ve never tried to recreate them in my adulthood. Until now, that is. This BLT deviled eggs recipe is a fantastic appetizer to bring to a potluck because it’ll easily feed a crowd.
Cheesy Scalloped Potatoes
If you’re a fan of cheese, you simply must try this cheesy scalloped potatoes recipe. Not only does it contain only a few ingredients, but it’s also simple to make and serve. Once you get to the potluck, all you have to do is reheat it and — voilà! — this side dish will please almost everyone.
Cucumber Lemon Orzo Salad
If all the cheese isn’t doing it for you, may I suggest a lighter dish? For a light dish that’s easy and still packs a lot of flavor, I’m going to have to recommend this cucumber lemon orzo salad. It’s basically a much more sophisticated version of a pasta salad and definitely one your friends will be talking about for parties to come.
Smoked Salmon Pinwheels
Although there are a lot of pinwheel recipes out there, and many of them will probably please your friends, these keto smoked salmon pinwheels are a surefire winner. Not only are they simple to make, but they’re the kind of dish that can benefit from prep the day before — which means you can spend the rest of your time relaxing and enjoying the festivities.
Quiche Toast Cups
Whether you’re going to a brunch-themed potluck or are simply a believer that quiche can be enjoyed at all hours (because it totally can), these quiche toast cups are for you. Using a muffin tin for this recipe allows you to spend more time making a second dish for that potluck, if you want. Or you can just relax and wait for everyone to fawn over these adorable bites.
Instant Pot Pulled Pork
Making an Instant Pot recipe for a potluck seems like it should be pretty standard these days, since the trendy device makes cooking so much easier. Case in point: This Instant Pot pulled pork. You can plan to bring it to your next potluck as a dish in and of itself, or you can plan a whole meal around it, such as tacos or burgers.
Fruit Salad With Lemon Dressing
It wouldn’t be a proper potluck without someone bringing fruit, am I right? But it doesn’t have to just be a tray of melon cubes. Instead, wow your friends with this fruit salad recipe. It features a lemon dressing that’s hard to resist, especially since it adds just the right amount of freshness to the sweet, sweet fruit featured here. And the best part? You can really mix and match your favorite fruit and leave out the ones you’re not such a huge fan of — just so long as you make that dreamy dressing.
Prosciutto-Wrapped Melon With Sage + Black Pepper
If you’re looking for an appetizer to impress all of your fellow potluck-goers, look no further than this Prosciutto-wrapped melon recipe. Featuring black pepper and sage for an extra-special fall kick, this classic recipe takes things up a notch. Plus, the bite-size pieces are just fun to pop into your mouth. But don’t come crying to me when you’ve eaten, say, a dozen.
Chicken Pot Pie Turnovers
When you say the word “potluck,” you may not think of chicken pot pie. After all, isn’t it too big of a dish to bring to someone else’s house? Don’t let that stop from trying these chicken pot pie turnovers. They’re the kind of dish a guest call really fill up on — but I doubt you’ll hear any complaints about that.
Bourbon Peach BBQ Baked Beans
This is definitely not your mom’s old baked beans recipe. Just utter the words Bourbon peach BBQ baked beans and watch the crowd go wild. Serve these as a side dish at any gathering and your friends will be impressed by the effort you’ve put into giving a classic dish a bit more punch. You’re welcome.
Roasted Garlic Ratatouille
If ratatouille isn’t the prettiest dish you’ve seen at a potluck, then I don’t know what is. It’s a beloved classic for a reason. This roasted garlic ratatouille gives the good old recipe an added dose of flavor. How could anyone not love this?
Crescent Bacon Breakfast Ring
As if you needed another excuse to head over to that brunch potluck, here it is. This crescent bacon breakfast ring is absolutely guaranteed to delight anyone who sees it, but especially anyone who eats it. Sure, you can take out the bacon to make it vegetarian, but what would be the point? This recipe is definitely a favorite on my list.
Curried Butternut Squash Salad With Apples, Dates And Pecans
Does a salad still count as a salad if it doesn’t have many greens? Well, if it’s this amazing butternut squash salad with apples, then yes it does. There’s a lot of really lovely flavor in the curried butternut squash, and the apples, dates and pecans add a little something extra. It’s paleo- and vegan-friendly, and especially perfect for fall, but I bet you’ll love it any time of year.
Paleo Stuffed Portabella Mushrooms
Just as with keto, you don’t have to avoid all social gatherings just because you have a special diet. These stuffed portabella mushrooms are proof of that. All you really have to do in order to keep them Paleo is not top them with cheese. I know that might be difficult, but I promise that they’re just as delicious without it.
Make-Ahead Layered Picnic Salad
If you’d prefer to make a dish ahead of the potluck but want something that’s sure to wow a crowd, then you simply must try this make-ahead layered picnic salad. Although it looks like a pretty basic salad when you just glance at the ingredients, this salad is actually pretty impressive when it comes to presentation. The colorful layers add a really special take on what would otherwise be a basic dish. Your friends are sure to thank you for bringing this one to the party.
