The Only Potluck Recipes You Need This Season—Straight From Our Test Kitchen

Whether you want a cheesy bake, cozy pot pie, or a flavorful hot dip, these recipes bring the flavor and leave out the stress.

By
Mimi Young
Mimi Young
Mimi Young
Editor
Mimi Young is an editor and pastry chef. She has also curated and written numerous recipe roundups for Serious Eats.
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Published December 05, 2024
Overhead view of butternut squash mac and cheese

Serious Eats / Robby Lozano

When I entered the culinary profession, family gatherings gradually began looking more like "catered" parties rather than the holiday potluck affairs of yore with a hodge-podge of Chinese and American dishes. Eager to show off my new-found skills, I sweated and stressed over curating the perfect menus while doing most of the cooking. All I can say is thank goodness I'm over that. Now, I'm perfectly content to just contribute to the family potluck and not take over. I mean come on, who the heck has the time for that? I much prefer to concentrate on one or two (okay, maybe four) great dishes, which is where these 16 potluck recipes come in. Designed to both comfort and please a crowd, they're perfect for festive cold-weather gatherings. Whether it's a cheesy pasta bake, cozy chicken pot pie, flavorful hot dip, satisfying side dish, or an irresistible dessert, there's no need to stress about what to make—just try one of these recipes.

  • Easy Chicken Pot Pie

    Baked Pot pie with one serving taken out of skillet and on a plate. Skillet is on a white tablecloth and has serving plates around it.

    Serious Eats / Morgan Hunt Glaze

    Chicken pot pie sounds time-consuming, but it doesn't have to be. Our version—which has plenty of vegetables, tender morsels of meat, and a creamy sauce encased in a gloriously flaky crust—takes only about 10 minutes of prep. Trust us, nothing will be left to clean up after it gets devoured.

  • No-Boil Baked Ziti

    Overhead view of no boil baked ziti

    Serious Eats / Robby Lozano

    This crowd-pleaser couldn't be any easier to put together. No need to par-boil the pasta—just a simple soaking will deliver perfectly al dente-baked results without the need to use an extra pot or wait for it to boil. Diced mozzarella cubes form ooey-gooey pockets of irresistible cheesy goodness.

  • Butternut Squash Mac and Cheese

    Overhead view of butternut squash mac and cheese

    Serious Eats / Robby Lozano

    This ultra-luxurious mac and cheese will have everyone clambering for the serving spoon. We use not one but three kinds of cheese—fontina for silkiness, sharp cheddar for tanginess, and Gruyère for its signature nuttiness—along with puréed baked butternut squash for its sweet and earthy autumnal flavors. A crisp topping of buttery panko crumbs with fresh sage takes it up a notch.

  • Shepherd's Pie Baked Potatoes

    Overhead view of shepherd's pie baked potatoes

    Serious Eats / Amanda Suarez

    Who says a Shepherd's pie has to be baked in a casserole dish? We stuffed everything we loved about this British classic into cozy single-serve portions, amping up the meat filling with red wine, tomato paste, and Parmesan cheese. To give them that ready-to-party glow-up, we piped on a topping of duchess potatoes.

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  • Chicken Parmesan Sandwiches

    Side view of chicken parm sub

    Serious Eats / Kevin White

    This super-sized version of Kenji's chicken parm sub is ideal for feeding a hungry crowd. Instead of individual hoagie rolls, just substitute a crusty full-size loaf of sturdy ciabatta. Split it in half, drizzle it with olive oil, then get the bread nice and toasty before layering on the marinara, chicken cutlets, and cheese.

  • Hasselback Potato Gratin

    Browned hasselback potatoes in a blue stoneware baking dish on a linen tablecloth.
    Diana Chistruga

    What makes this Hasselback iteration stand out on the dining table is that you get all the creamy, cheesy decadence of a classic potato gratin but with more super crispy edges—enough for everyone. Plus, it looks amazing!

  • Hot Spinach-Artichoke Dip

    Dipping a chip into a dish of hot spinach-artichoke dip

    Serious Eats/Morgan Hunt Glaze

    Raise your hand if you're the first one to dive into the hot spinach artichoke dip at a party. We nailed the ideal proportion of spinach to artichokes and a trifecta of cream cheese, mayo, and sour cream for the perfect ultra-creamy texture. Make sure you've got plenty of vehicles for dipping.

  • Maryland Crab Imperial With Buttery Golden Bread Crumbs

    A blue baking dish holding golden brown Maryland Crab Imperial. The bottom left corner of the baking dish shows a metal spoon holding a spoonful of the crab, while on the lefthand side of the image is a light blue ceramic plate holding small pieces of bread, one of which has been topped with the crab.

    Serious Eats / Qi Ai

    This hot crab dip is Daniel's answer to those who think a "proper Maryland crab cake" doesn't have enough bread, mayo, and seasoning. Here, we use a flavor-packed mayonnaise base to bind the tender crab pieces together for a sumptuous dip. Instead of putting breadcrumbs into the crab mixture, we toss them in melted butter and sprinkle them on top to create a crispy crust.

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  • Korean-Style Fire Chicken (Buldak) With Cheese

    Buldak korean fire chicken in a cast iron skillet

    Serious Eats / Vicky Wasik

    Move over buffalo chicken, there's a new cheesy chicken in town—and it's fire! Tailor-made for parties, this Korean-style hot chicken is layered with various forms of chiles and pepper for depth of flavor, with plenty of melted cheese to temper the heat.

  • Lumpiang Shanghai (Filipino Egg Rolls)

    Lumpiang Shanghai on a green platter

    Serious Eats / Rezel Kealoha

    No gathering of any kind, especially a holiday party, is complete without a big platter of crispy, golden lumpiang Shanghai. These Filipino egg rolls are stuffed with a highly seasoned pork and vegetable filling and wrapped in spring roll pastry made with wheat flour. They can be made ahead and frozen uncooked for up to three months. My friend Rosie has been known to make dozens at a time in preparation for hungry hoards loading up their party plates at potlucks.

  • Baked Brie en Croûte With Thyme and Fig Jam

    Overhead view of Baked Brie en Croûte With Thyme and Fig Jam on a wooden platter with crackers

    Serious Eats / Emily and Matt Clifton

    When in doubt, set out a cheese platter...but not just any cheese platter! This elegant showstopper is sure to elicit plenty of "oohs" and "ahhs" when you serve it warm straight from the oven, wrapped up like a flaky pastry present. To ensure the gooiest, meltiest cheese, go for the triple-cream variety, score or remove some of the top rind, and don't overbake it. Pairing it with a sweet-tart jam such as fig offers a nice balance of complex flavors without pushing it into dessert territory.

  • Winter Pear Salad

    Overhead view of winter pear salad

    Serious Eats / Robby Lozano

    The vibrant combination of juicy caramelized pears, fresh, crisp bitter raw greens, crunchy candied hazelnuts, shaved Gouda cheese, pomegranate seeds, and a bracing vinaigrette makes this salad a refreshing yet satisfying foil for all the heavier, rib-sticking potluck offerings.

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  • Warm Pigeon Pea Salad With Roasted Butternut Squash and Spiced Onions

    Overhead view of piegon peas and squash

    Serious Eats / Amanda Suarez

    For a side that pairs wonderfully with meaty mains like grilled steak, roast lamb, or braised chicken and also doubles as a vegetarian entrée, try this hearty and filling pigeon pea salad that's rich with sweet morsels of roasted butternut squash, gently cooked spiced onions, and a simple dressing made from lemon juice, olive oil, and a bit of Dijon mustard and honey.

  • Fluffy Parker House Rolls

    Tray of Parkerhouse Rolls, on a brown textile, with a side dish of butter and small serving dishes to the side.

    Serious Eats / Fred Hardy

    When we think of a dinner roll, the Parker House is our platonic ideal—with its golden top and glossy, buttery sheen, a sprinkling of sea salt, and a fluffy, plush, melt-in-your-mouth interior. You simply can't have a festive gathering without some. Our version is surprisingly easy to make and even easier to eat...so might you want to make more than one batch.

  • Slab Apple Pie

    Whole Apple Slab Pie being placed on a plate. Tray is on a yellow gingham print tablecloth, with two cups of coffee, plates and gold forks

    Serious Eats / Fred Hardy

    Think of a slab pie as a dessert cousin to the ubiquitous sheet cake—all the flavors and textures of the classic round format, just way easier to serve. Here, we made a lightly sweetened and subtly spiced filling of tender apples encased in a crisp, flaky crust. To ensure no soggy bottoms, bake the slab pie on a baking or pizza stone.

  • Buckeye Brownies

    Buckeye Brownies with sea salt garnish, cut into pieces on a blue dish, with blue cups and small white plates

    Serious Eats / Morgan Hunt Glaze

    Want to know how to up your brownie game for the next potluck? Smother it with a creamy, salty-sweet peanut butter layer and top it off with a dark chocolate ganache and a sprinkling of flaky sea salt, that's how!

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