These Easy Potluck Recipes are the best! Make these crowd-pleasing potluck dishes (including mains and snacks) for any gathering.
The Best Potluck Dishes
Looking for the best dish to serve at your next potluck? Whether you're celebrating with friends or having an office get-together, I rounded up some of my favourite potluck recipes that will impress everyone in the group.
How to host a successful potluck
Hosting your first potluck and want to make sure it's a smash? There are a few things to keep in mind when it comes to hosting the best potluck!
- Assign everyone a category: You don't want everyone to show up to the potluck with a dessert! Assign everyone in the group a specific category or course for the potluck including appetizers, mains, salads, side dishes, desserts and drinks.
- Communicate any dietary restrictions: If certain people at the party have allergies and dairy restrictions, make sure you communicate that with your guests, so they can keep it in mind when prepping their assigned dish.
- Label the dishes: This one goes hand-in-hand with the dietary restrictions! Labelling each dish is helpful for anyone who might have allergies or restrictions.
- Arrange by category: When all the food arrives, it's best to think about the flow and how your guests will put together their plate of food. Appetizers should go first, followed by mains, salads and side dishes, with desserts at the end. I'd suggest keeping the drinks separate, in case people want to grab a drink before or after eating.
- Reduce food waste: A great way to eliminate food waste at a potluck is by being prepared with leftover containers! Have everyone at the party bring a reusable container they can use to bring home any leftovers to enjoy throughout the week. This also ensures that the hosts won't be stuck with a bunch of excess food they won't be able to eat themselves.
Frequently Asked Questions
There are a few different ways you can keep food warm at a potluck. A crockpot is a great way to keep dishes warm, since it has a ‘Keep Warm' setting that will keep your dish at a warm temperature without overcooking it. You could also keep the food in a dish covered with aluminum foil, which should trap the heat inside and keep the food fairly warm. Chafing dishes are also a great option, although they're not something most people have on hand!
A lot of these potluck dishes can be made the night before or even a few days in advance, so you don't have to worry about frantically cooking the day-of the potluck. For dishes that can't be fully prepped a few days in advance like salads, you can still prep all the ingredients beforehand by chopping up the veggies, making the marinade, etc. Ingredient prep is one of my top meal prep hacks and makes things way easier when it's time to actually cook.
The best food categories for a potluck are appetizers, entrees/mains, side dishes, salads, desserts and beverages.
If you have way too much food leftover after your potluck, don't let it go to waste! Divide everything up into containers for your guests to take home and enjoy throughout the week.
Potluck Main Dishes
If you're tasked with bringing a main dish to a potluck, look no further than these recipes! They're big batch recipes that can be easily customized to suit your crowd's individual tastes.
Easy Shredded Chicken Recipes {5 Flavours!}
One Pot Creamy Mac and Cheese Bar
Party-Friendly Mini Pizzas
Healthy Crockpot Turkey Chili {So Easy!}
Sheet Pan Chicken Fajitas {Quick + Easy}
Black Bean Stuffed Sweet Potatoes
Best Ever Crock Pot Baked Potatoes
Easy Chicken Pasta Bake {Freezer Meal}
Easiest Ever Crockpot Lasagna Recipe
The Crispiest Air Fryer Chicken Wings
Buffalo-BBQ Boneless Wings {Super Easy}
Salads
These salads are the perfect addition to any potluck! Make everything from a delicious green salad (hello, kale!) to a creamy potato salad. All of them can be prepared ahead of time, so they're great for bringing somewhere!
The Best Kale Salad on the Internet
Healthy Creamy Pea Salad
The Ultimate Lentil Salad
Broccoli Salad {High Protein + Meal Prep}
Best Ever Italian Pasta Salad {Crowd Pleaser!}
The Ultimate Instant Pot Potato Salad via Eating Instantly
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Dips
Dips are a staple at any potluck. Whether you're serving them alongside classic chips or a healthier veggie platter, these recipes are going go fast!
Easy Crockpot Buffalo Chicken Dip
The Ultimate Cowboy Caviar {Best Dressing!}
Asiago Brussels Sprouts & Kale Dip {Super Creamy}
Baked Beet Chips + French Onion Dip
The Easiest Instant Pot Hummus via Eating Instantly
Instant Pot Artichokes + Creamy Garlic Dip via Eating Instantly
Desserts
No potluck would be complete without an assortment of desserts! These are some of my favourite recipes if I'm in charge of bringing something sweet to a party.
Healthy Edible Cookie Dough
Keto Chocolate Fat Bombs {Nut-Free}
Nut-Free Funfetti Protein Cookies
The Easiest Almond Butter Cookies
Avocado Chocolate Zucchini Muffins {So Moist!}
Healthier Instant Pot Cheesecake via Eating Instantly
Instant Pot Peach Cobbler {So Easy!} via Eating Instantly
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