Potluck is one of the best ways to feed a large crowd with a delicious variety of food. We all need easy, and comforting potluck recipes. I am listing 25+ favorite potluck recipes that always win tons of compliments. Whether it is a festive get-together or a formal potluck at the workplace, these fun potluck recipes would always be the star of the show.
What is ‘Potluck’?
A potluck is a social gathering where each guest/family brings one dish to the table. Later, all the dishes are shared for a meal among the potluck members.
It is an excellent way of eating good food together without burdening the hostess. These days most of the offices and workplaces organize potlucks regularly.
Before jumping to the potluck recipes, let’s look at some essential points to keep in mind when planning the perfect potluck dish:
Potluck Themes: Does your potluck have a theme? If so, do adhere to it and think of potluck recipes that will align with that theme. For example, if the theme is Chinese Takeaway Meals, don’t end up carrying an Italian main course.
Don’t be Stingy: When we used to have office potlucks, some colleagues were notorious for not bringing enough portion sizes or signing up for bringing the low-quality food that no one wants to touch. Don’t be that person.
What is a good dish to take to a potluck?
Potluck Recipes should be easy to pack and eat (even at room temperature), safe to carry around, and should be able to sustain the travel time.
Ask yourself these questions before picking a dish for the potluck:
- Will my dish taste good if it is served after a couple of hours?
- Will I have access to a microwave or a refrigerator? (storage depending on whether your dish needs to be served hot or cold). Eg. carrying a homemade ice-cream to a potluck and end up serving a milkshake.
- Is this a dish that requires additional cutlery to be eaten with? Is additional cutlery available at the venue? (if it isn’t are you prepared to carry/purchase it?)
- Will my dish survive a few minutes/hours of travel time?
What you should not take to a potluck?
You should never take to a potluck the dishes that:
have a peculiar smell
contains a bizarre variety of meat or seafood
too spicy for everyone’s palate especially kids
have too much of synthetic flavor, color, and preservatives
Overall, potlucks are a time to come together and share good food. So try to put your best effort into making a dish that tastes good and shows off your cooking skills.
Here are 25+ fun potluck recipes that are always a crowd favorite.
Appetizers/Dips/Snacks For Potluck
Creamy Pasta Salad with pineapple flavor.
Chicken Pasta Salad with a Herb Dressing. You can carry the dressing separately.
Mexican Style Mixed Beans Salad is easy to make and budget friendly.
Gluten Free Lentil Salad is a great healthy salad for potluck.
Hummus is always a popular potluck recipe. You can make it in any flavor.
Beetroot Hummus add so much color to the potluck table.
Roasted Red Pepper Dip is perfect for dipping snacks and chips.
Tomato Salsa is a vegan, gluten-free, and paleo-friendly dip perfect for tacos, burritos, nachos or even fried snacks.
Corn Salsa is a perfect 15-minute snack for the crowd.
Fresh Mango Salsa is always a crowd favorite dish. Accompany it with a bag of chips.
Indian Style Peas Kachori is a crispy, flaky vegetarian pastry that will remain fresh for hours.
Main-Course Potluck Recipes
Creamy Vegetable Bake is the best way to pack lot of vegetables, and cheese in a white sauce.
Serve Asian Style Chicken Meatballs with with fried rice or noodles for a totally tasty family meal.
When it comes to potluck, you can never go wrong with a classic Tomato Sauce Pasta full of fresh herbs.
Instant Pot Indian Chicken Pulao is one of my favorite potluck recipes that always win me tons of compliments.
Try hearty, wholesome, vegetarian Instant Pot Lentil Stew for feeding the large crowd.
Kung Pao Chicken is a delicious Chinese style chicken stir fry with peppers and peanuts.
You can never go wrong with a classic Indian Dal Makhani when it comes to potluck.
Side Dish Recipes for Potluck
Roasted Potato is the easiest and the most delicious way to eat crisp potato bites flavored with lots of garlic and herbs.
This Easy Rosemary Garlic Focaccia is perfect savory bake for the potluck.
Indian Style Lemon Rice compliments all the main-course dishes and adds so much freshness to the potluck table.
Desserts Recipes For Potluck
Lemon Pound Cake is the perfect summertime teatime bake with the flavor and aroma of fresh lemons.
This Eggless Chocolate Cake is fudgy, super moist, and easy to prepare from start to finish.
A Classic Chocolate Brownie is always a huge hit among adults and teens when it comes to potluck.
These Mocha Muffins are loaded with the aroma and flavor of the coffee. Perfect for brunch or teatime potluck.
A Vanilla Sponge Cake is always in demand when it comes to potluck. Easy to bake and carry around.
Baked Shahi Tukra is a popular Indian bread pudding made with bread, milk, and sugar.
This Carrot Halwa recipe is a family heirloom that requires only 10 minutes in an instant pot or pressure cooker.
Gulab Jamun is a popular Indian sweet made with khoya (mawa) and sugar syrup. They are easy to pack, reheat, and serve.
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