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Potluck Dish Ideas
Dishes to bring when you don't know the theme and don't have long to cook.
A real, editable checklist below — tick, tap a line to rewrite, drag to reorder.
Tick the circles, tap any line to change it, drag the dots to reorder.
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Got the "bring something" message with no idea what the theme is, and not much time to cook? Before you choose, settle two things a forum reply raised: can you keep food warm where you're going, and do you want to bring a salad, a starch, a veggie or a dessert? Then pick from below. Plenty are quick, and a couple can be mostly assembled rather than cooked. The list leans toward cold-weather gatherings, since one source is a winter roundup, and it doesn't cover dietary swaps.
Why these items are on the list
- Garlic parmesan smashed potatoes. Make extra; the winter roundup says these go first.
- Spiral pinwheel sandwiches. A colourful tray that suits almost any crowd, so you can stop worrying about the theme.
- Roasted broccoli. Get the edges crisp and even people who usually skip their vegetables will take some.
- Sourdough stuffing. Sits well beside mains or stands alone, so it's a safe pick when the theme's a mystery.
- Rice pilaf. It's mild, so it won't clash with anything else on the table.
- Pecan pie bars. Bars are easier to serve than cutting a whole pie.
- Beer cheese dip. Serve with bread, crackers or veggies, and expect the bowl to empty early.
- Chocolate-covered apple slices. Fruit and chocolate suit all ages and most themes.
- Peanut butter pie. A creamy pie people go back to for seconds.
- Japanese cheesecake. Soft and airy, and a nice change from the usual holiday sweets.
- Jalapeno poppers. Bring a little heat; the roundup says they get people talking.
- Easy food processor hummus. Blend two 14 oz cans of chickpeas, 1/3 cup tahini, three garlic cloves and lemon juice.
- Deviled eggs. One poster says nobody else brings them; bring the filling separately so guests stuff their own.
- Veggie pizza. Crescent roll crust, cream cheese spread, then whatever raw veggies you like on top.
- Dip in a hollowed bread loaf. Keep the dip in its container inside the loaf so leftover bread stays dry.
- Two-sided slow cooker meatballs. BBQ and Swedish in a divided 6 qt crock; frozen meatballs work when it's too hot to cook.
- Dump cake in a 9x13 pan. One can pineapple, one can cherry pie filling, yellow cake mix, a stick of butter. Pecans on top are optional.
- Pesto pasta salad. Make the pesto and pasta, then chill it in an airtight container.
- Mac and cheese. One poster's first self-made potluck dish, and still the go-to.
- Corn pudding. Creamed corn, regular corn, a boxed mix, butter and an egg; about 45 minutes in the oven.
Open it on your phone while you're texting the host, and star one dish from each group: a main, a side, a dessert. Keep a second pick handy in case someone else brings the same thing.
When to use it
Use it the day you hear about a potluck, when you still have time to shop but not much time to plan.