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What to Bring to a Potluck
Crowd-pleasing dishes for a potluck, from office favourites to summer sides that travel well.
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Start with the order. Wise Bread ranks 20 office potluck dishes by popularity, and deviled eggs come first, ahead of hot artichoke dip and meatballs. The summer collections range wider, from cold salads and desserts to fried chicken, laab and dumplings. Whatever you pick, think about how it travels: NYT Cooking's Cat Baldwin looks for summer dishes that are easy to serve, for example ones that don't need a spoon or bowl or raise major refrigeration concerns. This list assumes a dish you carry in, for a mixed crowd. It skips full recipes and anything that needs real cooking on site.
Why these items are on the list
- Deviled eggs. Per NYT Cooking's Sara Bonisteel, carry whites and filling in separate chilled containers; assemble just before serving.
- Hot artichoke dip. Ranked second on Wise Bread's office list, just ahead of the meatballs.
- Sweet and sour meatballs. Wise Bread's version: chili sauce and grape jelly, kept warm in a Crock-Pot; barbecue sauce works too.
- Fresh guacamole and chips. Don't make it too far ahead; Wise Bread warns it risks turning an unappetizing brown.
- Layered Mexican dip. Wise Bread's tip: buy sturdy tortilla chips so nobody snaps one in the thick layers.
- Jumbo shrimp, cocktail sauce. Wise Bread calls it a splurge that impresses; ready-cooked is easier if you find a good price.
- Pizza, delivered. Wise Bread calls it genius: most people love pizza, you don't have to cook, and it can be delivered.
- Potato salad. Wise Bread's writer says it always goes, like deviled eggs; it's number 12 on their ranking.
- Italian bowtie pasta salad. NeighborFood dresses it with bottled Italian dressing; load it with veg, and it's fine to make ahead.
- Cucumber tomato salad. NeighborFood calls it light, tangy and refreshing in a sea of potato salads and mac and cheese.
- Spicy watermelon salad. Melissa Clark says fruit and vegetable dishes get overlooked at potlucks, and this one breaks up the heavy ones.
- Peach cobbler. Turns up in several of the sources; NYT Cooking's Kim Gougenheim likes it with good vanilla ice cream.
- Plum torte. Cool it completely before packing; NYT Cooking's Eric Kim says a fully cooled torte travels beautifully.
- Rice Krispies treats, chocolate, pretzels. Sweet and salty; NYT Cooking's Kim Gougenheim takes them to block parties for kids and adults.
- Tortilla roll-ups. Wise Bread says they travel well; deli ham or turkey is more common than bacon.
- Queso dip in a slow cooker. Plug it in and forget it, and Wise Bread notes you won't compete for the microwave.
- Cups and plastic forks. One NYT Cooking writer packs cups and plastic forks with a big container of chickpea salad for sharing.
Keep it on your phone at the store and tick things off as they go in the bag. If you're sorting the table with a friend, compare notes so two of you don't show up with the same dish.
When to use it
Useful before any potluck, from an office lunch to a summer cookout.