This post may contain affiliate links. Read my disclosure policy.
Simple and delicious, these are the best Easy Potluck Ideas to feed a crowd. If you are wondering what to bring to a potluck, you’ll find plenty of appetizers, snacks, salad, sides, main dishes, and desserts in this collection. Some are traditional, others are new and creative, but they will all have everyone begging you for the recipes.
Easy Potluck Ideas – the Best Dishes to Feed a Crowd!
Spring and summer are the seasons for backyard barbecues, impromptu picnics, and all sorts of occasions where food is the centerpiece. This doesn’t change in the fall, when people are gathering to watch games and snack on the best tailgating recipes. And come winter, it’s the holiday season when there is always a reason to get together with friends.
So you always need some easy recipes on standby that will impress and feed plenty of people. Make sure you save this collection to come back to any time you are invited to a party and asked to bring a dish to share.
What is a potluck?
A potluck is any kind of dinner party or another gathering where everyone attending brings a dish to share. Sometimes it is called a covered dish party because many people bring something cooked in a casserole dish. This makes party planning easier and shares the costs amongst the group.
In theory, by everyone bringing a dish you have a full menu and a number of different things to try. However, it’s very easy to end up with an imbalance, maybe having too many desserts and not enough side dishes.
One way to manage this is to have people sign up or assign a category to each person or family attending so that you have an even distribution. Another option is for the host to provide the main dish, and everyone else brings appetizers, sides, and desserts.
Potluck Tips
The best potluck recipes have to be crowd-pleasing, but there are also practical things to keep in mind:
- Depending on the size of the crowd, you might want to find recipes that are easy to double or triple.
- Since the food may get left out for a while, recipes that can stand at room temperature might be a good thing to consider.
- If you need to keep food cold, check out serving platters on ice.
- It’s also helpful to bring your own serving utensils, perhaps even disposable serving utensils so you don’t have to worry about getting them back.
How do you keep food warm at a potluck?
- You can keep potluck food hot in a crockpot, and a slow cooker with a locking lid is helpful for transporting food without spilling.
- If the host will have warming racks, in which case you’ll want to have your dish in foil pans to set on the rack.
What is a good dish to bring to a potluck?
- Appetizers and Snacks – dips, snack mixes, and finger foods like pinwheels and deviled eggs are some great ways to start your potluck meal.
- Salads – while this might mean a traditional green salad, dishes like potato salad, pasta or macaroni salad, fruit salad, and coleslaw are popular potluck ideas.
- Side Dishes – for a side dish to feed a crowd, potatoes, baked beans, and other veggie casseroles are great potluck recipes.
- Main Dish Recipes – classic pasta casseroles such as lasagna, crockpot meats like pulled pork or chicken, and even baked ham, prime rib, or turkey are crowd-pleasers.
- Dessert Recipes – the best potluck desserts are easy to serve and eat, like cookies, brownies, and bars, or layered desserts to feed a crowd, like a lush, dessert lasagna, or dream dessert.
80+ of the Best Potluck Recipes
All of the best crowd-pleasing recipes to take to a party. Easy to make, transport, and serve, these ideas for appetizers and snacks, salad, side dishes, main course, and desserts will have everyone asking for seconds (and maybe even for the recipe).
CLICK ON THE BUTTONS TO GET THE RECIPES
Key to finding gluten free recipes:
GF – gluten free recipe
GFO – recipe with gluten free option
Potluck Appetizers and Snacks
Food brings everyone together, especially when the party gets started with delicious dips, fabulous finger foods, and even fun food on a stick.
Healthy Deviled Eggs
A lighter version of the original that is still creamy and delicious with the same zippy flavor. GF
Get The Recipe
Chef Salad on a Stick
Turn the classic salad into an easy appetizer to serve with your favorite dressing for dipping. Plus these are gluten free and low carb. GF
Get The Recipe
Mediterranean Chicken Pinwheels
Grab a rotisserie chicken from the store to make this fun finger food with fabulous Greek flavors.
Get The Recipe
Monterey BBQ Chicken Dip
Loaded with chicken, cheese, and barbecue sauce, then topped with bacon and tomatoes. It’s easy, cheesy, and perfect for dipping tortilla chips, crackers, and even veggies. GF
Get The Recipe
Apple Cider BBQ Turkey Meatballs
Flavor-packed baked meatballs you can keep warm in a crockpot. GFO (use gluten free breadcrumbs or conrmeal)
Get The Recipe
Homemade Hummus
The classic chickpea dip you can scoop up with veggies, chips, or pita. Once you make it yourself, you won't be able to resist the fresh flavor. GF
Get The Recipe
Layered Bacon Cheeseburger Dip
A hot, cheesy appetizer loaded with burger toppings. Serve with veggies, toasted burger buns, or even waffle fries. GF
Get The Recipe
Sheet Pan Chicken Nachos
Start with super simple slow cooker Mexican chicken, then add layers of chips, toppings, and plenty of cheese. Pop it in the oven, then top it all off with salsa, sour cream, and even a delicious Avocado Lime Crema! GF
Get The Recipe
Bolognese Ground Beef Stuffed Mushrooms
Filled with meaty sauce and topped with mozzarella and parmesan, no breadcrumbs needed. GF
Get The Recipe
Honey Nut Baked Brie
Impress everyone with this ooey gooey and elegant appetizer with only four ingredients. GF
Get The Recipe
Ham and Cheese Sliders
These cheesy sammies are always a favorite. You'll love the buttery little buns with tangy glavors. GFO (use gluten free slider rolls)
Get The Recipe
Pineapple Ham Cheese Ball
Sweet and salty, cheesy flavors, and creamy texture with the perfect amount of crunch from its pecan coating. GF
Get The Recipe
Spinach Parmesan White Bean Dip
Only five ingredients in this cheesy, veggie-packed twist on the same old hummus. GF
Get The Recipe
Mango Avocado Salsa
Sweet and tangy, with just a hint of spice, and no raw onions or jalapenos, making it totally a kid-friendly dip. GF
Get The Recipe
Buffalo Blue Cheese Deviled Eggs
Add an extra kick to this appetizer classic with hot sauce and tangy blue cheese. GF
Get The Recipe
More Appetizers and Snacks
- Maple Nut Party Mix | The easiest party mix with perfectly balanced sweet salty flavors. GFO (use Corn or Rice Chex)
- Pepperoni Bread | Refrigerated pizza dough, pepperoni, and provolone cheese rolled up to make one heck of an appetizer. Remember the marinara for dunking.
- Italian Hoagie Dip | Your favorite sub sandwich fixings chopped and served dip-style with crusty bread slices. GF
- Jalapeno Popper Cheese Bread | The perfect blend of spice and creaminess topped with crunchy bacon.
- Sausage Pinwheels Recipe | Just a few simple flavors combine to create an addictively good party bite.
Potluck Salads
Sometimes you want some cold dishes at your get-togethers. Salads at a potluck party may give you a serving of fruits or vegetables, or give you your fill of carbs. They can range from coleslaw to fruit salad, potato salad to pasta salad, and everything in between.
Maple Dijon Apple Coleslaw
Made with Greek yogurt, this is a healthy version of the classic picnic salad with a sweet and savory twist. GF
Get The Recipe
Three Bean Salad
This picnic staple is a healthy and hearty medley of beans with a zesty vinaigrette. GF
Get The Recipe
Healthy No-Mayo Apple Broccoli Salad
Made with Greek yogurt plus walnuts and cheddar cheese, you get an extra burst of flavors, protein, and crunch. GF
Get The Recipe
Waldorf Fruit Salad
A sweet and juicy mixture of fresh fruits lightly coated with a honey Greek yogurt dressing and toasted walnuts for crunch. GF
Get The Recipe
Cheddar Bacon Ranch Potato Salad
This recipe packs in all of your favorite flavors, and you don’t even need a Ranch dressing seasoning packet. GF
Get The Recipe
Caprese Zoodles Salad
The classic summer salad of tomatoes and fresh mozzarella gets a literal twist by tossing them with spiralized zucchini noodles and balsamic dressing. GF
Get The Recipe
Hawaiian Pineapple Coleslaw
Put a sweet and savory tropical twist on the same old slaw. GF
Get The Recipe
Cucumber Tomato Feta Salad
A light and fresh salad tossed in a simple dressing of olive oil, lemon juice, and oregano. GF
Get The Recipe
Roasted Brussels Sprouts and Butternut Squash Salad with Maple Hot Bacon Dressing
A perfect combo of cool and crisp with warm and tender, you’ll enjoy this healthy and hearty tossed with Maple Hot Bacon Dressing. GF
Get The Recipe
Easy Greek Salad
Bursting with fresh cherry tomatoes, juicy cucumber slices, tangy feta cheese and more, then it's mixed with a zesty garlic lemon dressing that will have everyone reaching for seconds. GF
Get The Recipe
Mexican Pasta Salad
Not your basic macaroni salad recipe, it's made with egular or gluten free noodles, black beans, corn, tomatoes, and a zesty Greek yogurt dressing make this hearty but still light and healthy. GFO (use gluten free pasta)
Get The Recipe
Healthy Apple Candy Bar Salad
A healthy twist on the classic Snicker Salad recipe with the sweet and creamy deliciousness and Snickers flavors from Greek yogurt, honey, dark chocolate, and peanuts. GF
Get The Recipe
More Salad Recipes
- Chopped Asian Salad | Made with shredded green cabbage, celery, carrots, green onion, cilantro, crunchy chow mein noodles, chicken and the best dressing, this is always a hit.
- Creamy Delicatessen Fruit Salad | A creamy and luscious fruit salad that is perfect for parties. GF
- Classic Italian Pasta Salad | A colorful and reliable, go-to pasta salad recipe with meats, cheeses, and veggies. GFO (use gluten free pasta)
- Mediterranean Couscous Salad | A quick and easy side dish that is so versatile it can be eaten warm, room temperature or even cold.
- Rainbow Farro Salad | This salad is the perfect combination of delicious vegetables and hearty farro with a dressing that has just the right amount of tang to it so it tastes light and fresh.
- Italian Chopped Salad with Tortellini | Three kinds of meats, cheeses, veggies, and pasta make this delicious, filling and rather unforgettable.
- Ambrosia Salad | An easy salad with a variety of colorful fruit with marshmallows and coconut tossed in a light and creamy dressing. GF
- Creamy Pea Salad | This dish requires very little cooking with just a little bit of chopping and mixing – it could easily be a no-cook recipe if you buy precooked bacon. GF
- BLT Pasta Salad | A tasty pasta salad with an all-time favorite flavor combination.
- Pressure Cooker Amish Macaroni Salad | You can make this classic old-fashioned side dish in your Instant Pot
Potluck Side Dishes
This hot sides and casseroles are true crowd-pleasers.
Semi-Homemade Baked Beans
All of the flavors of slow-cooked beans, but none of the effort, and it is so easy and tasty because it starts with canned baked beans. GF
Get The Recipe
Green Bean Casserole
This recipe features fresh green beans cooked until tender-crisp in a creamy mushroom sauce and topped off with a crunchy topping. GF
Get The Recipe
Butternut Squash Mac and Cheese
The classic comfort food dish with added veggies, but all the cheesy goodness you love. GFO (see gluten free pasta)
Get The Recipe
Corn Pudding
A family-favorite side dish that is creamy, savory, and sweet, and so easy to prepare. GF
Get The Recipe
Easy Cheddar Bacon Cheesy Mashed Potatoes
A fast and easy side dish with only five ingredients and lightened up with Greek yogurt, but plenty of cheddar cheese and crumbled bacon to make them irresistible. GF
Get The Recipe
Scalloped Sweet Potatoes and Apples
For a change to the classic scalloped potatoes or potatoes au gratin, add a sweet element to this savory and cheesy side dish casserole. GF
Get The Recipe
Brown Butter Peas and Carrots
Give the veggies a simple but delicious upgrade by tossing them in browned butter and nobody will be able to resist them, plus it is so easy to double or triple the recipe. GF
Get The Recipe
More Side Dish Recipes
- Funeral Potatoes | It doesn’t get any better than potatoes mixed with sour cream, butter, white sauce, and tons of cheddar cheese, then baked to perfection with a crunchy corn flake topping.
- Cheese Broccoli Casserole | This tasty casserole has broccoli roasted in a cheesy and creamy sauce then topped with a crunchy topping.
- Caribbean Confetti Rice | A fragrant coconut rice recipe loaded with chiles, sweet peppers, pineapple, cilantro, and spices that is easy to make and so delicious. GF
Potluck Main Dishes
Crowd-pleasing dishes that feed a lot of people, from meats you roast in the oven or cook in a slow cooker to pasta dishes and hearty casseroles and more.
World’s Best Lasagna Recipe
This classic dish includes layers of noodles, hearty meat sauce, creamy ricotta, and gooey mozzarella cheese. GF (use gluten free lasagna noodles)
Get The Recipe
Brown Sugar Glazed Ham
With a sweet and tangy glaze and pineapple, this classic baked ham is the tru centerpiece of any meal. GF
Get The Recipe
Easy Shepherd’s Pie
Hearty beef and veggies are topped with fluffy mashed potatoes and cheese for a fast and delicious dish everyone loves. GF
Get The Recipe
Apple Cider Slow Cooker Pulled Chicken
Chicken simmers all day in your crockpot with apple cider, apple slices, and onions that you can pile on bread or rolls and top with cheddar cheese for yummy sandwiches. GFO (serve on gluten free rolls)
Get The Recipe
Baked Ziti
This classic pasta dish is so quick and simple to assemble, but makes plenty to feed a crowd, especially since it is easy to double too. GFO (use gluten free pasta)
Get The Recipe
Air Fryer Turkey Breast
Save space in the oven and cook a juicy and flavorful turkey breast in the air fryers. GF
Get The Recipe
Italian Noodle Casserole
A healthier version of an old-fashioned baked pasta dish with creamy noodles, meaty sauce, and bubbly cheese. GFO (use gluten free noodles)
Get The Recipe
Instant Pot BBQ Pulled Pork
Fall-apart tender and melt-in-your-mouth delicious! Flavored with garlic powder, smoked paprika, brown sugar, barbecue sauce and more, the sweet and savory goodness is out of this world. GF
Get The Recipe
Crockpot BBQ Beef
Savor the flavor of tender shredded beef in a tangy homemade BBQ sauce, perfect for family meals and potlucks, with Instant Pot instructions included for those in a hurry. GF
Get The Recipe
More Main Dish Recipes
- Crock Pot Pizza Casserole | A slow cooker pasta casserole that you can customize with your favorite pizza toppings.
- Slow Cooker Pulled Pork Sliders | Easy and flavor-packed pork you can toss in your crockpot the night before to make sandwiches the next day.
- Crockpot BBQ Chicken | Everything just goes into the slow cooker without any special prep to make fall-apart tender, juicy and delicious chicken to put on rolls with our coleslaw and pickles. GFO (serve with gluten free rolls)
- Instant Pot Honey Baked Ham | Spiral sliced ham is steamed to perfection with a sweet honey sauce, keeping this ham full of flavor and moisture. GF
Potluck Desserts
Desserts that you bring to a party also need to feed a crowd. That’s why things like cookies and brownies and bars are great because one batch makes a ton and you can pick one up to eat. But icebox cakes and other large batch desserts are also always a hit.
Monster Cookie Bars
Turn a fully-loaded cookie with peanut butter, oats, chocolate chips, and M&M candies into a dessert that you can make with less than 15 minutes of work and in only one bowl. GF
Get The Recipe
Flourless Peanut Butter Cup Brownies
Rich, fudgy homemade brownies are swirled with peanut butter and dotted with chunks of Reese’s peanut butter cups for a decadent chocolaty dessert nobody can resist. GF
Get The Recipe
Creamsicle Jello Mold
This fun and gorgeous dessert is a taste of childhood in a showstopper treat made with real orange juice and ice cream. GF
Get The Recipe
Coconut Cupcakes
Moist white coconut cake with coconut cream filling and coconut frosting on top for triple the coconutty deliciousness.
Get The Recipe
Rice Krispie Treats
Everyone's favorite cereal treats with extra marshmallowy pockets is always one of the first sweets to disappear from the dessert table. GFO (use gluten free brands of ingredients)
Get The Recipe
Easy Gluten Free Lemon Bars
Tender and citrusy, these are an easy dessert made with a thick layer of creamy lemon filling on top of a zesty gluten-free crust.
Get The Recipe
Reese’s Poke Cake
The ultimate flavor combination comes together in this chocolate sheet cake with chocolate frosting and whipped peanut butter topping plus plenty of Reese's.
Get The Recipe
Strawberries and Cream Cake
Layers of white cake with strawberry filling and whipped cream come together for a totally heavenly dessert recipe that is simple and perfect.
Get The Recipe
Butter Pecan M&M’s Magic Bars Recipe
M&M’s and toasted pecans in a gooey layer atop a buttery graham cracker crust makes this the best magic bars recipe you’ll ever taste.
Get The Recipe
Gluten Free White Chocolate Chip Oatmeal Cookies with Toffee and Almonds
Add some new flavors to the classic cookie recipe for a buttery, nutty, sweet treat. GF
Get The Recipe
Flourless Reese’s Peanut Butter Cup Cookies
Double the peanut butter goodness because unlike classic peanut blossoms recipe, these have Reese’s Peanut Butter Cups on top instead of just plain chocolate. GF
Get The Recipe
Almond Joy Puppy Chow
A sweet no-bake snack mix that tastes just like an Almond Joy with Chex cereal and almonds covered in almond butter, chocolate, and coconut. GF
Get The Recipe
Lucky Charms Cupcakes
Yummy cupcakes made with cereal milk and Lucky Charms Marshmallows and frosted with a marshmallow-studded buttercream.
Get The Recipe
Flourless Turtle Cheesecake Brownies
Rich, fudgy brownies swirled with cheesecake and caramel then topped with pecans. GF
Get The Recipe
More Dessert Recipes
- S’mores Cookie Bars | Start with a graham cracker crust topped with chocolate chip cookie dough that is full of lots of chocolate and marshmallows, then add Hershey bars for a twist on the classic treat that you can enjoy any day of the year, no campfire required.
- Old Fashioned Cocoa Fudge Cake | There is nothing better than a moist, tender cake baked in a pan big enough for a crowd, then iced with the creamiest cocoa buttercream frosting.
- S’mores Lasagna | A fun icebox cake with layers of graham cracker, chocolate whipped cream, toasted marshmallow mousse, and pudding, topped with more toasted marshmallows.
- Super Moist Chocolate Cupcakes | These super moist chocolate cupcakes pack tons of chocolate flavor in each cupcake wrapper and are made from simple everyday ingredients. They taste completely over-the-top with chocolate buttercream.
- Banana Chocolate Chip Sheet Cake with Cream Cheese Frosting | A luscious banana cake studded with mini chocolate chips and topped with a smooth and creamy cream cheese frosting.
- Chewy Chocolate Chip Cookie Bars | Soft and buttery cookie bars have a chocolate chip cookie dough recipe with no mixer and no chilling baked in a pan to make them super quick and easy.
- No-Bake Mint Chip Lush | A layered no-bake chocolate and mint dessert with crushed cookies, mint chip cheesecake, and chocolate pudding.
- Lemon Lush | A light and fresh dessert with a shortbread crust, cream cheese, lemon pudding, and fresh whipped cream.
- Pineapple Dream | A light and fluffy pineapple dessert with cream cheese, pineapple, whipped cream and graham crackers.
