It is almost as if the concept of a potluck meal was created to deal with the pressure of the festive season. The last few months of the year really are the perfect time to either attend, suggest or even host a potluck meal.
Everyone makes one dish and cleans one dish, meaning that a minimal amount of stress and effort is involved, even for the host. All you need is for someone to offer up their roof for over your heads. That is the undeniable beauty of the potluck.
The only characteristics that are pretty important for any potluck dish to have are that it is big enough to share with however many people will be attending, easy to divide and something that people can easily grab a portion of and add to their plates. Other than that it is really up to you.
When the opportunities are as endless as they are in this case, it is often useful to have a starting point. Look no further, as I have scoured far and wide for the best potluck recipes out there so that you don’t have to.
Delicious Potluck Recipes
1. Meatballs
Meatballs are a great idea of something to bring to a potluck, as they are easy to serve and guests can take as many as they would like.
The sauce for the meatballs in this particular recipe sounds delicious, with mixes of different flavors like sweetness from the apple jelly and heat from the ketchup if you opt to use the hot variety.
2. Pizza Pasta Skillet Casserole
Everyone loves pizza, and everyone loves pasta, so how could go wrong with this Pizza Pasta Skillet Casserole?
Especially if you need potluck recipes for a group of all ages, this will be a crowd pleaser, and you can change up the toppings and cheeses to your heart’s content.
3. Spicy Pulled Pork
Pulled pork has become extremely popular in recent years, and I must say it is definitely one of my personal favorites.
Making a dish like this Spicy Pulled Pork is smartbecause you could serve it with a choice of different accompaniments, like tortilla wraps or bread rolls. It would also be just as enjoyable eaten by itself.
4. Avocado Tuna Salad
Salads make great potluck recipes, as they are an excellent supplement for almost any other dish that might be brought.
If you do choose to bring a salad, try to go for something a little bit different than your average leaves and tomatoes. Something like this Avocado Tuna Salad would go down a treat.
5. Mashed Potato Casserole
None of the guests will be thanking you for the calories in this Mashed Potato Casserole, but they will all be thanking you for the taste of it and going in for seconds.
Mashed potato is the ultimate comfort food, and so easy to make. Fill it with cheese, pile some bacon on the top and you have the ultimate dish.
6. White Cheese Lasagne
Lasagne is one of the best sharing dishes out there, as it is so easy to adjustaccording to how many people you need to serve. All you need is a big enough dish.
This White Cheese Lasagne recipe is easy to slice up and shareand contains a whopping five different kinds of cheese.
7. Spicy Mexican Hummus
When attending a potluck meal, don’t feel obliged to make a whole entrée dish if you don’t feel comfortable doing so, little nibbles and dips will be just as appreciated.
Hummus always goes down well at gatherings, and this Spicy Mexican Hummus recipe would be delicious served with tortilla chips and vegetable sticks alike.
8. Bacon Cheeseburger Sliders
Potluck dishes don’t need to be fancy, and these Bacon Cheeseburger Sliders are a perfect example of that.
These burgers are so easy to grab and go, and equally as easy to make. I guarantee that if you make these potluck recipes, you will leave with an empty dish.
9. Crunchy Sesame Chicken Slaw
This Crunchy Sesame Chicken Slaw is a perfect combination of a coleslaw, a salad and something a little bit different altogether.
It is incredibly easy to pull together, so if you need potluck recipes for the last minute, this is a great option for you.
10. Mushroom and Brie Wellington
If you can successfully make a beef wellington then hats off to you, but I personally cannot, and I think that this Mushroom and Brie Wellington sounds and looks just as impressive.
Mushroom and brie are meant to be together, and the fact that they are encased in a bed of golden crispy pastry makes it all the more inviting.
11. Cheese and Sweet-Pepper Cornbread
This Cheese and Sweet-Pepper Cornbread looklike it takes a lot more effort than it does, which is exactly the kind of recipe I love.
This would make a perfect partner for so many dishes and flavors, which is exactly what you need for potluck recipes.
12. Grilled Corn and Snap Pea Salad
I can imagine that this Grilled Corn and Snap Pea Salad would be the loveliest fresh addition to potluck recipes. Grilled corn is one of my favorites on the BBQ, so I am all about this salad.
You could make this as your main dish or, because it is so simple, wow other guests by bringing this along with something else.
13. Campfire Baked Beans
This looks absolutely delicious and coming from someone who isn’t the biggest fan of baked beans, that is really saying something.
Anything with a smokey BBQ flavor tends to be something that people reach for, and I am sure that this Campfire Baked Beans recipe, which you could add meat to if you wanted, will be no exception.
14. Caramelized Onion and Bacon Tart
A tart of any kind is easy to slice up and pick up at a potluck, but if you are struggling to pick potluck recipes filling, then look no further than this Caramelized Onion and Bacon one.
The sweetness of the onions after they have been caramelized balances out the saltiness of the bacon, altogether creating a flavor sensation in your mouth.
15. Ricotta Parmesan Spread
Most people love cheese, and most people love bread, so I feel that bringing this Ricotta and Parmesan Spread along with some fresh baguette would get you some serious brownie points.
You wouldn’t just have to eat it with a bread, of course, it would be just as yummy with vegetable sticks or crackers, or even better, a selection of different options.
16. Slow Cooker Chicken Tikka Masala
Any potluck recipes made in a slow cooker looks impressive at a potluck because it gives off the impression that you were slaving for hours over a hot stove cooking for people. In reality, you popped all the ingredients in together and let the magic happen all by itself.
This Chicken Tikka Masala recipe does exactly that, with very few steps necessary to achieve a flavorsome curry that everyone will love.
17. Skinny Mini Chipotle Meatloaves
I love anything mini and bite-sized, and these Skinny Mini Chipotle Meatloaves tick both those boxes.
Meatloaf is a family favorite, but the chipotle sauce adds something a little different and special. The fact that these are bite-sized makes them perfect as potluck recipes, as people can pick up as many as they want, which will probably be a fair few.
18. Bruschetta with Basil, Tomato, and Feta
This Bruschetta with Basil, Tomato, and Feta would be a lovely lighter dish to bring to a potluck, alongside heavier things like meats and pasta dishes.
The addition of the feta cheese is a nice take on the regular bruschetta tomato, and you could prepare this topping in advance and assemble them just before you leave.
19. Pull-Apart Cheesy Garlic Loaf
It is like the pull-apart loaf was specifically created for potlucks, no faffing around with slicing or looking pretty, just grab whatever you want.
This Pull-Apart Cheesy Garlic Loaf is like a ramped up version of garlic bread, packed full of different herbs and oozing with cheese.
20. Shrimp-Pineapple Skewers
I love a good skewer, they are so very convenient. No mess involved, bitesized mouthfuls, a very sociable concept really.
This Shrimp-Pineapple Skewer recipe sounds like a simple flavor combination, but looking at the recipe there are so many interesting ingredients, like teriyaki sauce and ginger. Despite this, they are still incredibly easy to make, and will definitely evoke some smiles.
21. Crockpot BBQ Chicken
Just looking at this Crockpot BBQ Chicken is making my mouth water. I have no potlucks planned in the foreseeable future, but you can bet that I will be making this anyway.
This method involves so little effort and will give you the most tender and saucy BBQ chicken you have ever eaten.
22. Cauliflower, Leek and Cheese Gratin
I absolutely love love love cauliflower cheese, and this Cauliflower, Leek and Cheese Gratin is essentially a fancier version of that.
This dish is a perfect winter warmer. The recipe is incredibly simple, and also easily adaptable if you wanted to add in other components like broccoli, or maybe even chicken.
23. Teriyaki Chicken Casserole
I suppose this Teriyaki Chicken Casserole is kind of like a baked stir-fry. I love stir-frys, and teriyaki is one of my favorite flavors, so I can imagine myself liking this a lot.
This casserole looks like a perfect mix of saucy but still easy to eat, and would definitely go down with kids and adults alike.
24. Cilantro Crab and Sweetcorn Mini Peppers
Fresh little appetizers like these Cilantro Crab and Sweetcorn Mini Peppers always go down a treat at social gatherings, either as a little bite before a meal or as something extra after when you don’t have much room left.
The sweetness of the crab and sweetcorn would marry together nicely, along with the cool pepper outside.
25. Slow Cooker Butter Chicken
Butter chicken is one of my favorite things to order when we get an Indian takeaway in my house, but I have never thought that I would be able to make it myself.
With this Slow Cooker Butter Chicken recipe not only can I do that, but I can make enough to share it with all of my friends. It would be easy to boil up some rice to bring along with the curry too.
26. Mini Hasselback Loaded Potatoes
Never mind for a potluck, I want to make these to have with my dinner every night.
Hasselback Potatoes look impressive considering how easy they are to makeand if you use this as a base recipe, you could experiment with different cheese and toppings if you wanted to.
27. Prosciutto Wrapped Asparagus
Prosciutto Wrapped Asparagus always makes me think of the festive season, as my mom is always serving them up at dinners or parties.
I don’t blame her, they look classy, and everyone always loves them. This is one of the most simple dishes you can make, so if you really are struggling to pull something together, this just might be your savior.
28. Chicken and Kale Hand Pies with Cheddar Crust
These pies contain everything I love, chicken and kale all enveloped in a cheddar crust pastry.
They are the perfect size to pick up and bite into, which makes them brilliantly suited to a potluck. As the recipe suggests, you can easily swap out the contents of the pies, or make them vegetarian with a mushroom centre.
29. Chickpea Curry
It is always a good idea to make sure that you have some vegan and vegetarian options available at a potluck, so that everyone can tuck right in and enjoy themselves.
This Chickpea Curry looks delicious, and I think that the meat eaters will be putting up a fight to make sure that they get their fair share of this dish too.
30. Bacon-Wrapped Potato Bites
These Bacon-Wrapped Potato Bites are incredibly easy to makeand great as an added extra appetizer to a table at a social gathering.
This recipe includes instructions on how to make a spicy sour cream dipping sauce, which to me sounds perfect to go with the potatoes, but of course, you could set out whatever dip you wanted, or even a choice of a few.
31. Mexican Taco Pinwheels
Many people are big fans of Mexican food, so these Mexican Taco Pinwheels are a safe bet for serving up to a lot of people.
They are incredibly easy to make, all you have to do is combine the ingredients and roll them up. Easy Peasy.
32. Spinach Quiche
Quiche is pretty much always amazing. One of the real beauties of it is that it can be enjoyed either warm or cold, so you can make it in advance to bring to a potluck.
This Spinach Quiche recipe is very simple, which is a great thing for feeding the masses, or the fussy. You could however spice things up if you wanted to, by adding your own toppings and flavors.
33. Macaroni Cheese
Macaroni cheese is hands down my favorite comfort food in the entire world. My mom makes it the absolute best, and whenever I go home to visit it is always the first thing that I request for a meal.
This Macaroni Cheese is a little fancier than your average cheddar sauce, with extras like mustard and garlic, but I think that would be a great way to turn a homely dish into something a bit more exciting for sharing. The toasted breadcrumbs on the top would add a lovely bit of texture too.
34. Chicken Enchiladas
Just looking at this Chicken Enchilada recipe has made my tummy rumble. Despite their being covered in sauce, enchiladas are a great sharing dish, with the wraps marking the portions.
They are very easily personalised too, you can add your own choice of meat, or even make them vegetarian. If you really wanted to have some fun, you could fill different wraps with different fillings so that everyone is surprised by what they get.
35. Gluten Free Stuffing
I don’t know anyone who doesn’t completely pile their plate high with stuffing whenever it is on offer, and I do not wish to know anyone who doesn’t either.
This Gluten FreeStuffing recipe is very simple, which is great for when you are cooking for many people who might not like little surprises throughout it. The method may look long, but the preparation is, in fact, simple and everyone will be thanking you for it.
36. Shepherd’s Pie
A good old hearty shepherd’s pie, what more could you want? It might take a little more preparation, but you will not regret one minute of it.
This particular Shepherd’s Pie recipe is an incredible one, with loads of ingredients packed inside and an amazing gravy surrounding it all. This is definitely something I would be going towards with a potluck spread, probably more than once.
Conclusion to Potluck Recipes
I am now seriously considering having a picnic and hosting my own potluck dinner very soon so that I can try out more than one of these potluck recipes, using my friends and family as guinea pigs.
The crockpot BBQ chicken is something I can’t stop thinking about, but saying that I would also have to make some spicy Mexican hummus, and probably some mini chicken, kale and cheddar pies too. There are just too many delicious options.
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