BEST POTLUCK RECIPES all in one place! Includes our popular recipes for Fiesta Ranch Chicken Pasta Salad, Lemon Cake Drops, Chocolate Chip Banana Bars, Orange Cream Fruit Salad and more. Perfect recipes for planning your next potluck dinner.
I love potluck recipes! We’ve attended a potluck dinner twice a month for the last 15+ years, so our family knows a thing or two about recipes that are perfect for potlucks. Here are a few of my tips, plus a great list of PERFECT POTLUCK RECIPES. Enjoy!
Choose which category suits you best:
Salads
Dips
Bars/Cookies
Cakes
Miscellaneous
What makes a recipe a good potluck recipe?
Not every amazing recipe is going to be a good fit for a potluck dinner. Here are my tips on how to choose the best potluck recipes.
- Make sure it serves a crowd. Potluck recipes generally serve at least 12-15 people, often more. Potlucks are great because everyone seems to bring their best crowd-pleasing dishes, so naturally, everyone wants to try a little of everything! So make sure your recipe has enough servings. Bundt cakes are fantastic because you can slice thin pieces if needed to serve 25+.
- Make sure your recipe is easy to serve. I like to go for one-pot dishes- pastas or salads, or any type of finger food. You don’t want a dish that has several parts or something that doesn’t serve easily. Perfect potluck recipes dish out one handed and can be served on a plate without running into other foods.
- Make sure it doesn’t need to be kept super cold or super hot. Of course, everyone will do their best to keep mayo-based salads as cool as possible before serving, but try your best to bring something that doesn’t require extra attention. Low maintenance dishes are the best!
- Make sure it doesn’t have strange flavor combinations. Potlucks are literally catering to a crowd, so this probably isn’t the best time to try out that gastronomical wonder you’ve been imagining. Stick to classics or minor variation on a classic.
Salads:
Vanilla Orange Fruit Salad
Vanilla Orange Fruit Salad is a simple fruit salad that makes the perfect side dish for any meal! This delicious fruit salad recipe is full of pineapple, oranges, strawberries and bananas coated with a vanilla pudding and yogurt glaze. See the recipe for Vanilla Orange Fruit Salad here.
Fiesta Ranch Chicken Pasta Salad
Fiesta Ranch Chicken Pasta Salad is full of fresh southwestern flavors with black beans, corn, cheese and tomatoes. This hearty chicken pasta salad recipe topped with Fritos is perfect as a main dish or a side dish for potlucks and parties! See the Fiesta Ranch Chicken Pasta Salad recipe here!
Peaches and Cream Salad
Peaches and Cream Salad comes together in just a few minutes with only 4 ingredients! It’s the perfect recipe for using up all of those delicious fresh peaches and can be served as a side dish or even dessert! See the recipe for Peaches and Cream Salad here.
BLT Pasta Salad
BLT Pasta Salad is full of bacon, lettuce and tomatoes that are coated with a creamy, homemade ranch dressing. Simple pasta salad recipe perfect for a meal or a side dish everyone will love! See the recipe for BLT Pasta Salad here.
Raspberry Vanilla Jello Salad
Raspberry Vanilla Jello Salad is one of the easiest recipes you will ever make and it is perfect as a side dish or even a dessert. This recipe only requires 4 ingredients and 5 minutes to make and then it is immediately ready to serve! See the Raspberry Vanilla Jello Salad recipe here!
Pizza Pasta Salad
Pizza Pasta Salad is easy to make and full of pepperoni, mozzarella cheese, olives and all of your other favorite pizza toppings. This cold pasta salad recipe is perfect for parties and potlucks or even just a simple weeknight dinner. See the recipe for Pizza Pasta Salad here.
Easy Pistachio Salad
EASY 5-Ingredient Pistachio Salad made with pudding mix, pineapple, sweet cream & marshmallows! 5 minute potluck fruit salad recipe everyone loves! See the recipe for Easy Pistachio Salad here.
Macaroni Salad
I love macaroni salad, but I’m very picky about it! I want macaroni salad that’s creamy but light, flavorful but not vinegary, and filled with crispy, crunchy, zingy bits for taste and texture. See the recipe for Macaroni Salad here.
Easy Summer Corn Salad
Easy Summer Corn Salad made with fresh produce & perfect for summer dinners! This corn salad with Italian dressing is simple, yet flavorful & goes well with grilled chicken & steak. See the recipe for Easy Summer Corn Salad here.
Strawberry Pretzel Salad
Strawberry Pretzel Salad layered with a buttery pretzel crust, cream cheese whipped topping, strawberries and jello. Strawberry Jello Salad that’s gorgeous & simple sweet side dish that is always the first to go! See the recipe for Strawberry Pretzel Salad here.
Easy Taco Salad
Easy Taco Salad Recipe loaded with beans, corn, peppers, onions, tomatoes and perfectly seasoned! Simple vegetarian taco salad to whip up for an easy dinner or for a potluck! See the recipe for Easy Taco Salad here.
Berries and Cream Salad
Berries and Cream Salad made using just 4 ingredients! Raspberries & Blueberries combine with Greek Yogurt, pudding mix and whipped topping to create a lovely berries and cream salad. See the Berries and Cream Salad recipe here!
Greek Pasta Salad
Greek Pasta Salad is fresh, flavorful and simple to put together. It’s the perfect side dish! Loaded with vegetables and drizzled with a homemade lemon greek vinaigrette, it’s easy to make and everyone enjoys it. Perfect topped with crumbled feta cheese and a few additional olives. See the Greek Pasta Salad recipe here!
Tropical Jello Pretzel Salad
Tropical Jello Pretzel Salad is a combination of orange, pineapple and coconut flavors all in an easy-to-make sweet jello salad recipe! Tropical Jello Pretzel Salad is a combination of orange, pineapple and coconut flavors all in an easy-to-make sweet salad recipe! The pretzel crust ends up tasting like chopped pecans. It adds a wonderful flavor and texture to this light & sweet easy jello salad recipe. See the Tropical Jello Pretzel Salad recipe here!
Dips:
Ranch Chicken Cheese Dip
Ranch Chicken Cheese Dip is the perfect appetizer for parties! This cream cheese dip recipe is made with chicken, cream cheese, cheddar cheese and ranch dressing – that’s it! See the Ranch Chicken Cheese Dip recipe here!
7 Layer Dip
This easy and delicious 7 layer dip is the perfect dip to serve at your next party — but we won’t judge you if you just want to eat it at home as a whole meal (because we do that, too!). See the recipe for 7 Layer Dip here.
Creamy Jello Fruit Dip
Creamy Jello Fruit Dip is made with jello, cream cheese and milk – that’s it! You can use any flavor of jello that you want in this delicious fruit dip recipe! See the Creamy Jello Fruit Dip recipe here!
Homemade Chip Dip
While this sour cream chip dip is of course fabulous served with potato chips and pretzels, I also love serving it with fresh vegetables and oven fries. See the recipe for Homemade Chip Dip here.
Bars/Cookies:
Blueberry Cream Cookies
Blueberry Cream Cookies are soft vanilla pudding cookies with fantastic blueberry flavor! White chocolate chips + fresh blueberries are baked right into these amazing cookies. See the recipe for Blueberry Cream Cookies here.
Chocolate Chip Banana Bars
Chocolate Chip Banana Bars are a simple & delicious ripe banana recipe that’s even better than banana bread! Great for breakfast, lunch and even dessert! Check out all the 5 star reviews- everyone raves about this easy banana recipe! See the recipe for Chocolate Chip Banana Bars here.
Lemonade Cookies
Lemonade Cookies are made with frozen lemonade concentrate. Only 6 ingredients needed to make these simple lemon cookies! See the recipe for Lemonade Cookies here.
Mini Chocolate Chip Cookies
Mini Chocolate Chip Cookies are teeny tiny chocolate chip cookies about the size of a quarter! Soft, chewy poppable cookies that are perfect for parties. See the Mini Chocolate Chip Cookies recipe here!
Lemon Pudding Cookies
Lemon Pudding Cookies are soft, chewy, & perfectly sweet with delightful lemon flavor! Lemon pudding adds a nice twist of flavor & texture to these lemon cookies with white chocolate. See the recipe for Lemon Pudding Cookies here.
Peanut Butter Fudge Cups
Peanut Butter Fudge Cups are peanut butter cookies filled with a simple chocolate fudge! Delicious flavor combination in these amazing treats. See the Peanut Butter Fudge Cups recipe here!
Lemon Rice Krispie Treats
Lemon Rice Krispie Treats take classic rice krispie treats to another level by adding lemon pudding mix. Only 4 ingredients needed to make this delicious lemon dessert! See the recipe for Lemon Rice Krispie Treats here.
Monster Cookies
Monster Cookies are chewy, delicious and packed with oats, peanut butter and M&Ms! Naturally gluten free cookies that everyone loves! See the recipe for Monster Cookies here.
Strawberry Cake Mix Cookies
Strawberry Cake Mix Cookies are soft & sweet pink cookies made with just 4 simple ingredients! Perfect chewy cake mix cookies for Valentine’s Day or any occasion to celebrate all things PINK! See the recipe for Strawberry Cake Mix Cookies here.
Cakes:
Pineapple Sheet Cake
Pineapple Sheet Cake is a delightful tropical dessert that is perfect for pineapple lovers! This sheet cake is made with cake mix, pineapple, pudding mix & is topped with delicious cream cheese frosting. See the recipe for Pineapple Sheet Cake here.
Little Lemon Drops
Little Lemon Drop Glazed Mini Cupcakes are delicious bite-sized treats that start with a lemon cake mix! The easy lemon glaze soaks into the inverted mini cupcakes and is a simple, incredibly delicious lemon cake mix recipe! See the Little Lemon Drops recipe here!
Banana Pudding Poke Cake
Banana Pudding Poke Cake Recipe has everything you love about banana pudding in a delicious cake. This is the easiest pudding poke cake loaded with delicious pudding, bananas and more for a tasty dessert you will make again and again! See the recipe for Banana Pudding Poke Cake here.
S’mores Poke Cake
S’mores Poke Cake made with a chocolate cake mix topped with marshmallow cream, graham cracker crumbs, mini marshmallows & chocolate drizzle! S’mores in poke cake form that everyone enjoys! See the recipe for S’mores Poke Cake here.
Strawberries & Cream Poke Cake
Strawberries & Cream Poke Cake is the perfect light and refreshing dessert for any gathering with family and friends – it is delicious and so pretty! See the Strawberries & Cream Poke Cake recipe here!
Chocolate Coca-Cola Cake
Chocolate Coca-Cola Cake is made with soda, buttermilk and marshmallow creme! This chocolate cake is moist, delicious and turns out perfectly every time! See the Chocolate Coca-Cola Cake recipe here!
Mandarin Orange Cake with Pineapple Frosting
Mandarin Orange Cake with Pineapple Frosting is so light and refreshing and is the perfect cake for summer (or any other time too)! The recipe begins with a cake mix and then only requires 6 more ingredients for the cake and the frosting combined! See the Mandarin Orange Cake with Pineapple Frosting recipe here!
Boston Cream Poke Cake
Boston creme poke cake recipe is so decadent and full of flavor. Make this easy cake in minutes with only a few ingredients. The chocolate and creamy pudding mixture make this cake so amazing. See the recipe for Boston Cream Poke Cake here.
Strawberries and Cream Bites
Mini Glazed Strawberry Cupcakes are delicious bite-sized treats that start with a strawberry cake mix. These mini cupcakes are dipped in a simple creamy glaze to create a strawberries and cream flavor in an easy strawberry cake mix recipe! See the Strawberries and Cream Bites recipe here!
Lemon Buttermilk Pound Cake
Lemon Buttermilk Pound Cake is a classic pound cake recipe with the addition of fresh lemon! Buttermilk gives this Lemon Pound Cake a wonderful texture and everyone loves the bright flavor of the lemon glaze. It’s the perfect buttermilk pound cake recipe! See the Lemon Buttermilk Pound Cake recipe here!
Miscellaneous:
Baked Beans with Bacon
Baked Beans with Bacon is a twist on a classic recipe, loaded with savory meat, green peppers, and the perfect blend of seasonings! This baked beans recipe bacon is loaded with delicious ingredients to create a wonderful side dish for your next meal. See the recipe for Baked Beans with Bacon here.
EASY BAKED BEANS WITH BACON RECIPE
Ingredients
- 10 slices bacon, sliced
- 1 onion, diced
- 1 green pepper, diced
- 2 32 oz cans of pork and beans
- 2 tbsp molasses
- 4 tsp Worcestershire sauce
- 6 tbsp brown sugar
- ¼ tsp dried oregano
- 1 tsp salt
- dash of black pepper
Instructions
- Prep: First, start by slicing 10 pieces of bacon into bite sized pieces. Then, cook these bacon pieces in a frying pan until just crisp. Proceed to remove the bacon and all but one teaspoon of bacon grease from the pan.
- While the bacon is frying, dice the onion into small pieces, as well as the green bell pepper too. After that, get the oven preheating to 375 degrees F.
- Assemble: Next, add the diced green pepper and onion to the hot pan. Cook on medium heat until the onion is translucent and the peppers are tender. Then remove the pan from the heat.
- Transfer the cooked bacon, peppers and onions in a large mixing bowl and add the 2 cans of pork and beans, molasses, Worcestershire sauce, brown sugar and all three spices. Proceed to stir the bean mixture with a wooden spoon until well blended.
- Bake: Pour the beans into a 9X13 baking dish and put the pan in the preheated oven and bake, uncovered, for 1 hour.
- Remove when baking is complete and let cool for about 5 minutes. Serve in whatever dish the event calls for and above all, enjoy!
Notes
Nutrition
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Oreo Popcorn
Easy OREO Popcorn is a dessert popcorn made in minutes with just 3 ingredients! Popcorn, white chocolate & Oreos combine for an amazing cookies & cream treat! It’s a must-have dessert for Oreo lovers! See the recipe for Oreo Popcorn here.
Muddy Buddies
Whether you call it muddy buddies or puppy chow, this classic is always guaranteed to be a crowd favorite. Rice Chex cereal is coated with a combination of melted chocolate and peanut butter, then tossed in powdered sugar for the ultimate easy sweet snack. See the recipe for Muddy Buddies here.
Bacon Cheddar Deviled Eggs
Bacon cheddar deviled eggs is a delicious twist on a classic! Traditional Deviled Eggs recipe with the addition of bacon and cheddar cheese for a fantastic savory appetizer. See the recipe for Bacon Cheddar Deviled Eggs here.
Strawberry Watermelon Cream Pie
Strawberry Watermelon Cream Pie with fantastic fruit flavor & SUPER CUTE!! Delightful cream pie with chocolate chips that’s perfect for summer BBQ’s! See the recipe for Strawberry Watermelon Cream Pie here.
Caramel S’more Pops
These s’more pops are SO GOOD and bonus- they’re easy to make as well! The addition of caramel is a winner- hello, why haven’t we always put caramel in s’mores?! See the Caramel S’more Pops recipe here!
Cheesy Potatoes
My favorite recipe for cheesy potatoes – aka funeral potatoes or cheesy potato casserole. This dish is so comforting, always a crowd pleaser and perfect for any holiday dinner or potluck. You’ll love these delicious cheese potatoes! See The Recipe for Cheesy Potatoes here!
Crescent Roll Pigs in a Blanket
Crescent roll pigs in a blanket recipe has just 2 ingredients. Learn how to make pigs in a blanket for a snack, appetizer or quick dinner. The flaky crust and delicious hot dog make this amazing. See the recipe for Crescent Roll Pigs in a Blanket here.
Super Easy Pina Colada Pie
Easy Pina Colada Pie is the perfect summertime treat! Just a few ingredients and everyone loves the fun tropical flavors of this simple chilled pie. Pina Colada Pie is cold and refreshing – it’s the perfect summertime treat! I couldn’t believe how easy this recipe was when I found it! See the Super Easy Pina Colada Pie recipe here!
Snickers Peanut Butter Popcorn
Snickers Peanut Butter Popcorn made with just 5 ingredients in minutes! Everyone goes crazy over this salty-sweet peanut butter, chocolate & caramel popcorn! See the recipe for Snickers Peanut Butter Popcorn here.
Mexica Coleslaw
Mexican Coleslaw is a tasty twist on this classic side dish! Take your coleslaw up a notch with this easy mexican coleslaw by adding corn, tomatoes, beans, jalapeno, and a great citrus dressing! See the recipe for Mexican Coleslaw here.
I enjoy hosting potluck dinners because it makes a meal so much less stressful when you don’t have to prepare all of it yourself! My family participates in quite a few potluck dinners throughout the year and I’m always trying to find ideas that are simple yet impressive and, most importantly, delicious enough to share! Krusteaz mixes are perfect for creating delicious dishes for potluck dinners because they make baking so quick and easy and the recipes turn out so well every single time! I’ve gathered together some amazing sweet and savory recipes that are perfect to take to your next potluck!
Ruth Massey says
I’m looking forward to the new recipes
Tom Prosise says
I hope to receive your recipes cards.
Jessica says
I added you Tom- we’ll be sending out the February batch this week! 🙂
Melanie Duncan says
I’m in and my crew is have not a potluck on Friday of next week a week before thanksgiving of 2018 and I need some recipes for that day. Is there any good ones.
Jessica says
We have tons of great recipes Melanie! I’d start from the home page and use the menus at the top to find something more specific!
Sheila Radigan says
Delicious
Nicole says
Thanks!