I have a potluck at least once a month a work and I'm curious what other people's go-to dishes are. I typically sign up for drinks and get a few 2Ls of store brand soda or bake a dessert with whatever I have on hand but would like to consider other cheaper or less time consuming foods. What are some of your favorite potluck dishes? emphasis on the low effort and low cost, like $10 max (only need 15 or so servings)
Whats the egg for?
To bind it
One egg to bring them all and in the darkness...
I was genuinely surprised when my brain autocompleted the poem with just the words “to bind it.”
Great job remembering the “real important stuff” from decades ago, useless brain of mine.
Your brain knew it would come in use someday! And look, here you are!
Omg! You are hilarious! Love it!
Ricotta, egg and parm get whipped together. The egg binds the cheese together in a solid layer.
Lasagna I would say is extremely similar and so many people think it's "impressive" for some reason
Have you ever made real Italian lasagna? The sauce itself takes 8+ hours to make.
I made just the sauce portion of lasagne (store-bought fresh pasta because I cling to sanity with my fingernails as it is) and nearly cried multiple times. Thank God it was well received because I might have flung myself out my window if it wasn't.
Yes! It's the perfect combination of delicious, easy, quick, and inexpensive.
And if you don’t live in the NE people seem genuinely confused about the whole concept from my experience
Crock-Pot Rotel, velveeta and chips. Ppl love that shit and its cheap and easy to make
I was going to say rotel, cream cheese and ground sausage. It’s our favorite variation.
Added to my rotation
Don't laugh, but deviled eggs. I noticed they are always the first thing to go🙂🙂
My sister-in-law blew everyone's minds one time when instead of bringing her usual normal deviled eggs to a family function, she brought a deviled egg toppings bar. Plain deviled eggs, assortment of toppings to add yourself-bacon bits, chives, relish, cheese, etc.
Bacon ranch deviled eggs, I regret making them 5 or 6 years ago because now I have to make normal AND the bacon ranch
Drop some cheddar cheese on there and that might be the most Midwestern food ever made.
Make it as a beer then we’ll talk.
If I make a bacon cheddar ranch deviled egg beer I sure hope someone’s going to have a talk with me. A Chris Hansen style sit-down
I regret reading about this because now I have to find a way to get bacon ranch devilled eggs.
I've seen some fried devil eggs topped with bacon that look yummy
Fried deviled eggs. Sounds so Southern.
Yes and they are fantastic! Bread and fry the white part of the egg and then top with the yolk mixture and herby bits and you’re in business.
I put just a tiny bit of Horseradish in my deviled egg mixture… people lose their freaking minds over it. Kinda spicy though,,, hits the noise hairs
Me toooo!!!! all I had is mayonnaise a little Dijon, a little horseradish, salt and pepper. People lose their minds.
Team horseradish! Adding to the ingredients you've already listed, I also use sweet relish, sugar, and add paprika to the tops.
I make a bootleg piping bag out of a ziplock to be extra sometimes too lol
Diced jalapeños also work.
Chipotle peppers also work. Maybe 1/3 of a pepper and some adobo.
Fun fact: because the peppers are pickled and smoked, put the rest in a small jar and refrigerate. They’ll last a few weeks in the fridge.
Almost ended a friend by adding horseradish to the 3 dozen brought to his birthday bbq… he’d gobbled down a bunch, then maybe ten minutes later tracked me down to ask me about my ingredients, turns out he’s allergic to horseradish! 😱🤦🏻♀️
Not laughing at all. All the kids in my family, including nieces, nephews and their friends, love my deviled eggs. Probably because they are so basic…just mayo, apple cider vinegar, salt and paprika.
I use pickle juice instead of vinegar!
I need to try that! Do you use regular dill juice? I bet you could really play around with the flavors. Maybe a spicy bread and butter pickle juice would be fun to try!
This is the way. I have a coworker who always brings deviled eggs to things and we all lose our minds every time.
Ugh it is 1 am and I have a few hard boiled eggs in the fridge I was planning on using for egg salad... but yall are tempting me to go out and be loud in the kitchen lol
We get at least a dozen eggs a day from our flock of chickens. People kind of expect me to show up with deviled eggs at gatherings now 😅
Very true. Especially if you offer variety. Ones with bacon can cause a brawl!
Absolutely this. Really cheap, but requires some work. My two tips are use less mayonnaise than you think, a consistency like paste and not the least bit runny, and the bacon is better sprinkled on top when over done
Dollar store has really great trays with lids to help you carry and serve. Been using these for years.
Yep! I buy about 5 a year and try to reuse as much as possible. They are super sturdy and it makes transporting a breeze.
I never laugh at deviled eggs. I can do some fancy stuff in the kitchen... I'm still headed straight for the deviled eggs at the potluck. They seem super complicated, but they're really not, most people probably have all the ingredients in their kitchen already and you can make a makeshift piping bag out of a zipplock.
The egg bar is coveted as fuck.
That’s exactly what I thought.
Blessed are the people who bring deviled eggs to events.
Sometimes I sprinkle them with Everything Bagel seasoning instead of paprika.
Also sometimes add Odd Bay seasoning and top with a shrimp
Ok, hear me out. Not actually a crowd pleaser. Us rare deviled eggs eaters know eachother on sight. We make eye contact. You know the rules, and so do I. This plate will be gone in 22 minutes, but after your first two, you cannot take more than one at a time - usually a drive-by. We will finish the plate. Every time.
I use rice wine vinegar instead of ACV or white. It adds a je ne sais crois, and they are consumed first!
Je ne sais quoi. 💕
Omygosh you’re right and I’m embarrassed- thank you for being gentle, internet stranger!
I use pickle juice!
You seriously can’t make enough of them. They will be eaten!
I made them once - for a 60’s themed party - no one ate them. Including me. Idk who eats them but no one I know. But glad they work for you.
I and others have taken them to potlucks for over a hundred people with an age range from 19 - 70!
I introduced my son’s preschool friend to deviled eggs. They were both big fans!
I love deviled eggs they're very rare and I don't make them but every time I see them I gobble them up
And it’s super thrifty!
Aside from being delicious, they're kind of a pain to make so I think most people only eat them at special occasions/at events. I agree, they are always the first thing gone!
I top mine with a slice of pickled jalapeño and people LOVE them.
Ham and Swiss sliders on Hawaiian rolls. Super easy to make in a 13x9.
I have a potluck on Friday and I was freaking out, but not anymore with this suggestion
I’ll do ya one better and recommend Kentucky hot brown sliders. Similar recipe, except you use bacon and turkey. The name throws people off 😅 but they are delish!
Ditto, but pulled pork :)
Add some slaw and pickled onions on the side and now we're talkin'.
I add honey mustard and top with garlic butter
Funeral potatoes! It’s frozen shredded hash browns, sour cream, cream of chicken, and cheddar cheese, baked in a casserole dish. (Onions are a great addition if you have them.) Sounds gross but I’ve never met anybody who tried them and didn’t like it.
buddies mom always makes them for get togethers. We call them party potatoes. Even if it has nothing to do with the meal they are gone in short order. So good
That sounds really good! I will add some mushrooms to mine. Why is it called Funeral potatoes?
In certain areas (namely the Midwest, IIRC), it’s a common side dish served at funeral gatherings. I’ve also heard of it being brought to families during the grieving period when they might not want to cook.
I live in Texas (but grew up in Michigan). Everyone knows what I mean when I say funeral potato casserole.
where I live, we call this hash brown casserole in case you want another name for it
It's a Utahn thing - they ALWAYS bring it to funerals and church socials. Most popular dish in the state.
Funeral potatoes are ALWAYS a hit. For those unfamiliar, Google a few recipes. You can’t screw it up and you can add in lots of things. I usually use mushrooms. Bacon is good.
You can make your own “cream of” soup cheaper and with less sodium than you can buy. Just make a butter/flour roux, add milk, and then bullion (chicken, mushroom, or both). Then you just play around with the milk, bullion, salt, or other seasonings, until the taste and texture are where you want them.
Also, Lipton Onion (or Mushroom Onion) Soup Mix (or the store brand of the same) is a cheap, secret weapon for casseroles. It’s great in Funeral potatoes. It’s also FABULOUS in a meatloaf.
I used to hate on it because it looks wild…but it’s so good so hear me out. Red pepper jelly poured over cream cheese & add crackers. Might make you run a tiny bit over budget depending on where you live, but it’s close & also great for a crowd.
In Australia we call this “Sweet Chili phili” 😊
That...is the best name for this I've ever heard. I'm literally stunned at how perfect this is. I don't even know how to react. I'm shook.
Now I don't have to call it, "The dish where you pour a jar of pepper jelly over a block of cream cheese and serve it with crackers."
Thank you Australia!!
This shit slaps.
Smoke the cream cheese and your mind will be blasted.
I saw smoked & my brain said salmon….smoked salmon would also be 10/10!!! I love your idea too!
I saw a guest put together a block of cream cheese topped with small can of peppers in adobo sauce and chopped walnuts at a party in 3 minutes. Served with crackers. Great combo
In this vein, I saw this on TikTok a couple years ago and it has now become a staple at family get togethers:
In small baking dish place one unwrapped block of cream cheese. Spoon a small jar of pesto over the top, then top with a handful of cherry tomatoes cut in half. Bake at 350 for 30ish minutes and then serve with crackers (we like the tomato basil wheat thins). It’s just ridiculously delicious
Pigs in blankets or buffalo chicken dip.
Buffalo Chicken Dip is stupid good.
Get the $5 roast chicken from Costco and use the carcass for stock. So much can come out of that cheap chicken.
Vegetable platter. I bought the vegetables (maybe some fruit and cheese), chopped them up, artfully arranged them.
Less frugal, but I hate cooking, and I noticed a lot of potluck food (that I'd go to) tended to be heavy and less predictable. Vegetable platters are very WYSIWYG.
Veggies and dip/hummus is one of my go tos as well
Veggie platter is also great when you don't know if anyone has allergies/dietary restrictions/picky eaters. Way more approachable than a crock pot full of mystery meatballs in a mystery sauce.
I discovered the secret is mini cupcakes. People don't want to commit to a full cupcake, but mini is just two little bites. This works great for cheese cake - which freezes wonderfully (my husband eats them still frozen).
I just do the shortcake bottom, cream cheese and whipped cream no bake cheesecake. In a perfect world you plop a raspberry (or cooked frozen raspberry sauce) on it
I bring homemade cheesecake. It costs me about 10.00 to make 2 and everyone always freaks out over them and everyone always thinks they are too good to be made by me bahaha.... The best part is, it takes me about 5 minutes to make both of them.
The last time I made cheesecake it cost me $30. It was delicious, though and made out of Guinness.
Was part of your recipe to drink 6 guiness while you bake it? Otherwise I don’t see how you possibly spent $30 on ingredients for a cheesecake.
I live in Canada. The cream cheese alone was almost $5, then there’s the baker’s chocolate, which was $10.
I'm Australian, and my cheesecake costs about $30 to make as well. $15 worth of cream cheese alone. It's a special occasion bake
Okay, recipe please!
I have a recipe I love! 1 block room temp cream cheese 1 can eagle brand sweetened condensed milk 1/3 cup lemon juice.
Whip and pour into graham crust and chill.
Always a hit. Make a little berry sauce, add some espresso, Oreo crumbles to make it different if you want. It’s a goodie
I started making that recipe in high school, then my mom read someplace to add 2 blocks of cream cheese, it makes it even more wonderful. https://www.eaglebrand.com/recipe/creamy-baked-cheesecake/
I got the recipe off a Philadelphia cream cheese package like 25 years ago
1 block Philadelphia cream cheese Sugar (I don't remember the exact amount the recipe called for, I just eyeball it, around 3/4cup)
Cream those two together
Then add in 1 tub of cool whip
Pour into a graham cracker crust and stick in the fridge to set.
Super super easy and never fails to be a hit!
I make this too but I add some powdered sugar and cherry pie filling on top. I just call it “the cherry shit” always so good.
We called it "Cherries in the Snow" when I was a kid.
Jalapeños stuffed with cream cheese and Italian sausage
Ok, give me the scoop, how do I make these?
Seriously, so inexpensive and easy but people request these anytime I attend a party.
12ish jalapeños, 1 lb Italian sausage, 1 brick (8oz) cream cheese, and I like to add 10oz shredded parm.
Cut the jalapeños in half (wear gloves) and remove seeds. Brown and drain the Italian sausage. Stir in cream cheese until blended/melty. Stir in shredded parm (it will start to feel rubbery).
Stuff the peppers with the sausage mixture. Pop in the oven at 350 until bubbly.
Hummus and homemade chips. I buy a package of pitas, split them in half, lightly oil & salt and bake 10-15 min.
Hummus can be made for less than $3. chick peas, tahini, oil, spices. You can also add in kalamata olives or roasted peppers for variety. baby carrots and cucumbers are cheap as well.
To be fair, if you don’t already have tahini, that stuff is expensive. But, if you already have it, the $3 is probably correct.
I make a spread with chickpeas using more olive oil instead of tahini, add lime juice and chopped parsley. Cheaper and I like it better personally. Can add spices too - smoked peppers, aleppo, ancho, paprika works well
It doesn't get any easier than cucumber or egg salad tea sandwiches. Some people like the option of something light at a potluck.
Pasta salad.
This is always my go to potluck dish. I cook a bunch of a fun shaped pasta, use Italian dressing and toss in some veggies. I usually use cucumbers, tomatoes and some onion. When I make this for my family, I include grilled chicken and feta cheese.
I have all of those ingredients and now have a plan for supper tomorrow. Thank you
I do pasta salad with onions, pickle relish, chopped peppers, tomatoes, cheese and a mayo dressing.
Previously mentioned ingredients are good. I’ll also chop up and throw in some broccoli, pepperoni, and a ham steak; and maybe some olives, celery and shredded carrots.
If you're not a great cook, Suddenly Salad in the box is honestly not bad (the Caesar has been my favorite for decades). Around $3-4 for a box that makes a big bowl. Or you can probably Google recipes for clones that might be cheaper or if you need to make a huge batch. Chilled pasta salad is great for summer potlucks and barbecues.
Was gonna say Mac Salad.
Tater Tot casserole :)
This might seem a weird flex, but hear me out:
replace the ground beef in tater tot casserole with Boca meatless crumbles (beef flavored).
I am an avid omnivore who loves meat - but honestly, the Boca version of this casserole is SO MUCH BETTER. It's not as heavy or greasy as the ground beef version.
Feel free to disagree AFTER you've tasted it.
Hell yes
This is really weird but I love to bring a platter or bowl of assorted individually-wrapped Little Debbie's snack cakes. I started doing it a few years ago and there are never any leftovers. I think it's a nostalgia thing along with being so dang tasty!
that's what my boss brings for holidays!
You just found your boss's reddit account
Nope! I'm not a boss of any kind. I thought of this completely on my own and love that someone else did too!
It’s fun but is it frugal? A platter of individually wrapped snack cakes is gonna be pricey
I usually spend around $10 for 5 boxes so the cost isn't bad. My husband's crockpot full of nacho dip that he likes to bring is close to $30 and a crock full of meatballs and sauce can be pricey too, I came up with the Debbie Platter as a cheap and fun alternative.
Boxes of Little Debbie's snacks are dirt cheap.
Baked potatoes. We do a work potluck once a month. My coworkers love them and I make extra and people always take some home. I keep it simple with just butter and sour cream as a topping option. Salt and pepper as well. Bbq sauce is also a cheap topping option.
2lb of chicken breast, 8 oz of cream cheese, and a ranch season packet on low for 8 hours in a crockpot makes delicious creamy ranch chicken
Jalapeño poppers: Crescent rolls (one tube) One pack of cream cheese Small jar/can of diced jalapeños
Melt cream cheese, add the jaalpenos (drained) Spread out your dough into two lines on a cookie sheet (sprayed) Press together the seams Spread the cream cheese Pinch it closed into a log Bake for 14 minutes on 350 Cut into slices
So good and I always get so many compliments
I like to make them little bite sized pillows of yum. Cut one crescent roll dough into 24 pieces, smear of cream cheese, couple pieces fresh diced jalapeno (no seeds = all flavor, no heat), then couple pieces of cooked bacon. I use butter to grease my cookie sheet and bake as directed by the crescent roll dough. There are never any left. They became in such high demand, I had to make 3 batches, and they never lasted till lunchtime.
Pasta salad. Jar of pesto or Italian dressing And a box of curly,shelled or tube pasta. You can add chopped salami,tomatoes,olives etc if you want
This is a good option if you have to make something gluten free (and the pasta is reasonably priced by some miracle of God). When marinated overnight the dressing makes those gluten free noodles taste like real food.
A pan of brownies made from the box. I get the Pillsbury family size and with all the ingredients it probably costs around $3. Super easy too.
This is one of mine. I splurge on the Ghirardelli mix ($4/box where I live) and make it with cold coffee instead of water. The coffee mellows out the sweetness and adds depth of flavor. People rave over them.
If you swirl in a tablespoon or 2 of peanut butter after you pour the batter in the pan it's extra good. ♡ for nut safe homes of course.
Add some vanilla, couple of handfuls of chocolate chips and some chocolate syrup to make them extra tasty.
And if you want to get fancy, pour 3/4 of the batter in the pan, then cover with something to melt - chocolate chips, small Hershey bars, peanut butter chips, caramel chips, Andes mints or chips, basically anything you find in the baking aisle that can go into cookies - then pour the rest of the batter on top and bake as instructed.
Mini smokies in bbq sauce in a slow cooker. A win every time.
Yep. Sweet Baby Rays and grape jelly.
my absolute favorite at a potluck, as long as they keep it simple. had a guy add "half a bottle of jack daniels" to his one time (didn't know this til after I took a bite) and it was genuinely one of the worst things I've ever tasted
A double batch of Kenji Lopez Alt’s vegetarian chili! Everyone I make it for loves it.
Cost breakdown (for 2 batches)
8 cans of beans: $7 1 can chili in adobo $1 2 28 oz can diced tomatoes: $2 (on sale at some store always) Dried chili peppers: $1 if you can buy from a bulk bins, otherwise chili powder is fine. Onion/garlic: $1
User deleted comment
25d
1.50/can at walmart
I love making a good chili. I tend to make mine with ground turkey or beef since no one in my family is vegetarian. I go all powdered spices: chili powder, cumin, paprika, onion, garlic, and red pepper. As well as copious amount of kidney beans of course. Served over white rice.
Deviled eggs.
Baked beans!!
Homemade bread. It's flour, water, yeast, and salt. It's almost free and it blows people's minds. I usually also do homemade butter to go with it which adds a couple bucks.
Focaccia is my favorite bread to share, a real risen bread with tons of easy varieties with different toppings/spices/oils.
It's only good fresh (2 days max) so you can't usually get it except in restaurants. I make mine in quarter sheet pans.
Homemade corn bread with whipped honey butter. Hella easy. You can add chilis to the corn bread. Or canned whole corn, or cheese, to fancy it up a bit. Or just go very plain. People love it.
I always get asked to bring cheesy taters. 2 lb bag of cubed hash browns, 1 can cream of chicken soup, 8oz sour cream, cream cheese, stick of melted butter, 2 cups of Colby and cheddar cheese (grate it yourself instead of the bag, much better), salt, mix up, put in a 10 x 13 or equivalent, throw in oven at 350 for an hour. 10 minutes before you take it out sprinkle some more cheese on top so it melts. It’s always the first thing to go. Lots of variations of recipes out there too, they’re all good.
...a can of soup? Cream cheese?
Is this a common American recipe? If yes, what part of America?
Frozen meatballs in a croc pot. Pour some Carolina gold bbq sauce in there, toothpicks if you’re fancy. Looks like you made a lot of effort.
I try to go with preferably no-carb and definitely savory because we end up with so many potato salads and brownies. Lately I’ve brought lentil salad or Grippos* popcorn.
*its a Cincinnati thing
sweedish sweet meatballs !
You can't go wrong with crock pot macaroni and cheese.
Cut up fruit + Fruit dip! Dip, just mix ingredients together: 1 (8 oz) container Cool whip, 1 (3.4 oz) box Vanilla pudding mix, dry instant, 1 (32 oz) container Vanilla yogurt
to up your fruit dip game:
add a 1/2 cup sour cream, and a couple of dashes of lemon juice.
The additional acid hit mixed with the higher fat of the sour cream REALLY punches up this fruit dip
Cold garlic pasta salad! Use a garlic press to really bring out the sharp garlic flavor.
Pasta Salad ½ cup olive or canola oil 3 tablespoons red wine vinegar ¼ cup grated parmesan cheese ¾ tsp. Italian seasoning ½ tsp. salt ¼ tsp. dry mustard ¼ tsp. ground black pepper 1/8 tsp. cayenne pepper 2 cloves garlic, minced ½ pound ziti pasta, cooked according to package directions 1. For dressing, whisk together oil, vinegar, parmesan cheese, Italian seasoning, salt, mustard, peppers and garlic. 2. Pour dressing over pasta; toss gently. 3. Refrigerate 2 hours or overnight Classics
Funeral potatoes in a crockpot. There are never enough savory dishes
Mormon funeral potatoes!
Mormon funeral potatoes!
Good gravy... this Canadian had to look those up - haha - had never heard of them before!
Make sure you use FRESH Mormon. Dessicated Mormon has an off taste
White-Bean Salad
1½ cups lightly packed flat-leaf parsley leaves, coarsely chopped
¼ cup olive oil
2 tbsp. fresh lemon juice
1 bunch scallions, thinly sliced
4 (15-oz.) cans cannellini beans, drained and rinsed
Coarse salt and ground black pepper
In a large bowl, mix parsley, oil, lemon juice and scallions. Add beans. Season generously with salt and pepper. Toss gently. Serve room temperature.
My go to is always a soup (in crock pot) or a good salad. I often feel like potlucks are snack heavy and carb heavy. Since it’s getting warmer, what about a quick and easy Thai cucumber salad? Rice vinegar, sugar, cucumbers, red onions maybe some shredded carrots. Super quick, easy, delicious and cheap
People fight over my macaroni and cheese. Yes, I use Velveeta. No, I'm not sorry.
I make funfetti dip. It’s a box of funfetti, cream cheese and cool whip add sprinkles. Serve with teddy ghrams. Adults and kids love it.
I always make this: chop up a bunch of tomatoes, green onions, garlic, basil, garlic salt, olive oil, balsamic vinegar, mozzarella pearls. Serve with bread.
It is like if caprese and bruschetta had a love child. People love it! The local bar manager once paid me to cater just so they could have it again. 😂
I don’t cater but I got free drinks for the night and she paid for the ingredients, so why not. ¯_(ツ)_/¯
Watergate salad
With a side of Nixon?
DollarTreeDinners on TT & YT has potluck recipes! Ingredients ask from 5 Quarter Tree lol
I made a St Louis gooey butter cake and brought it into work. It was quickly destroyed, as well as declared sorcery by one. Definitely going to be making it again.
Pasta salad. Straight up everyone loves it. If you do it right it isn’t too rich and it’s a nice counterpart to heavier things like burgers and such
Knorr spinach dip. The recipe used to be on the back of the vegetable soup mix packet, but now it's online. Just one packet of that, a box of frozen spinach, some mayo and a container of sour cream. Optionally you can add a couple green onions and water chestnuts, but it's still great without those. I like to eat it with tortilla chips. I've never taken it somewhere without being asked for the recipe.
Another option is sausage balls, though rolling them into balls takes some time. They're a potluck staple in the south, and while there are variations, all you really need is a pound of ground sausage, a bag of shredded cheese, and some Bisquick. They're also great to roll ahead of time, flash freeze for an hour or so on a baking sheet so they don't stick together, then put in a freezer bag and store until you're ready to bake. To bake from frozen, just add a few extra minutes.
chips and salsa never fails to please, no prep and can be pretty cheap
https://theeastcoastkitchen.com/curried-lentil-salad/
This is awesome as a side or a killer dip for tortilla chips.
Pasta salad or Quinoa salad
Caprese salad on a stick
Sweet n sour OR tangy bar b q mini meatballs- I buy the mini fully cooked meatballs and put everything in the slow cooker
Arroz congri or gallo pinto (beans and rice dish)
cheesy white bean tomato bake as a dip with baguette
I haven't made this in a while, but it was my go-to for years and was always EXTREMELY popular:
Two cans of Bush's baked beans (I use Brown Sugar but any flavor you want)
A package of 8 hot dogs cut up into bite-sized pieces
1/2 lb of bacon cut up into bite-sized pieces
Some Heinz chili sauce to taste
A tablespoon of molasses
Some mustard and ketchup
Mix it up and put it in a slow cooker on low for 6-8 hours. Absolutely delicious.
Bruschetta
They’re not low effort, but I bring homemade rolls. Very inexpensive and people love them.
Fresh cut fruit or veggies. Some people appreciate options that aren't heavy.
Aldi brand box mix brownies. Underbake them (go less than what the box says) and go by the toothpick test. In a 13x9 pan start with 12 minutes. Everyone raves about these brownies. I can spend three hours making eclairs or cheesecake but everyone asks for these stupid brownies.
Dress them up with a cream cheese filling, s’mores toppings, or caramel or chocolate sauce if you feel ambitious.
Good old onion dip (onion soup mix in sour cream) with ruffles. Gets inhaled every time I bring it.
Broccoli casserole:
1 cup rice. 1 small bag frozen broccoli pieces or florets, thawed. 1 can cream of celery soup. 1 small jar cheddar cheese dip or Cheez Whiz.
Cook rice per package directions. Then combine with rest of ingredients in medium saucepan, stirring constantly (being careful to scrape sides/bottom to keep from burning) until well mixed, hot, easily stirred, and bubbling. Wipe hands on pants, serve.
Recipe is good for at least 4-5 normal or 8-10 potluck-sized servings, but is theoretically infinitely scalable. It also works well in a crock pot instead of a saucepan for step two, and it reheats nicely if you want to make it at home a couple hours before.
My "signature" pot luck treat are box cake mix cookies. You can do basically any flavor of cake mix, throw in almost a stick of butter, and boom cookies. I've dipped them in chocolate and sprinkles before, other times just plain, but they are very popular regardless. (I found my recipe on pinterest)
Grapes! I cut the stems so there are 3-5 grapes in a bunch and put them on a platter.
I'm not a particularly good cook, but this pumpkin-shaped cheeseball and some crackers is always a hit.
https://www.awayfromthebox.com/pumpkin-shaped-everything-bagel-cheese-ball/
Corn casserole. Paula Dean has a classic recipe.
It's dirt cheap and I never have any left to take home.
I love to throw a can of chilis and some bacon in and it becomes more of a main than a side. A bonus egg also helps bulk it up.
Loaded potato salad.
Boil potatoes.
Add sour cream , bacon and cheddar cheese with salt and pepper. I always get compliments but it's very easy and cheap to make.
Cube some potatoes, mix with olive oil and seasonings, and roast them in the oven. I did this once and it became what’s always requested. Sometimes, I take salsa, catsup, etc., too. There are never leftovers. Stupid easy and cheap.
Meatballs in a crock pot. Just put a bag of frozen meatballs, a bottle of cheap bbq sauce and a couple coups of cheap orange juice in it a couple hours before. Put some toothpicks next to it.
It's easy and people love it.
Funeral potatoes aka cheesy potatoes are always my go to
This past Christmas I made a pizza dough ball Christmas tree. It was just some pizza dough that you can get cheap at the grocery store. Not the rolled out kind, but just a raw dough ball. Usually in the deli. Roll the dough into little balls, arrange in whatever shape you like, egg wash optional for a toasty crust, sprinkle with parmesan and oregano. Bowl of marinara sauce for dipping. Literally just pizza dough and sauce but everyone went crazy because it was in the shape of a Christmas tree. Wild.
I'm Puerto Rican, everyone loves a good rice and beans.
- Lightly oil pot
- 1 1/2 cup water for every cup of rice (1 1/2:1)
- 1 packet of Sazón, 1 tblspn of Adobo
- Bring water to a boil, then add rice. Water should be barely covering the rice
- Tin foil covering the lid. Add lid. Put on med/low.
- Wait 20 minutes. DO NOT MOVE LID TO CHECK RICE.
- After 20 mins, check rice. If still has water to be cooked off, add a paper towel to the lid, it will absorb extra moisture.
- Repeat till cooked. Stir the rice like whipped cream, over stirring while it's wet it'll get mushy.
- Let sit for 5 minutes
Enjoy!
Deviled eggs
Bread pudding!
A good Mac n cheese or mashed potatoes
Lumpia
Sugar free pudding mix. Use heavy cream and follow package instructions but use a beater to whip it up until it makes a mouse. Refrigerate. Top with black berries. It’s delicious, low carb, and not too sweet. I usually put it in small individual cups but it can be put into a pie crust or served from a large bowl.
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24d
Cabbage salad:
Take 1/2 shredded white cabbage, 3 shredded carrots, 1 shredded sour apple (or more, veggie proportions are entirely up to you, you can even use red cabbage). Mix. Boil 1/3 cup vinegar with 1 cup water and 1/3 cup sugar (adjust to your preferred sweetness level, you can also use a sweetener, I'd suggest monkfruit or erithritol for they taste more neutral than stevia), let it cool down, pour over your veggies. Salt to taste!
It's crunchy, it's refreshing, it's quick and perfect. Best to leave it in the fridge overnight before serving.
Zapiekanka (polish street food):
Take a baguette and cut it open, then cut into whatever you deem appropriate for your event, sticks, squares, whatever. Drizzle with olive oil or with some garlic butter, or some tomato paste or ranch or nothing at all, cause it will work as well. Chop a lot of mushrooms, mix with some finely chopped onions, garlic and some shredded cheese. Season to taste. Pack the mixture on top of your open baguettes and bake until the baguettes turn gold and crispy. Sprinkle with more cheese, let it melt in the oven for a moment and serve. You can add some shredded ham to the mushroom mixture as well. Or some crispy fried onions, or bacon or whatever you want, really.
EDIT: Vegan option is also totally possible, you can add shredded tofu to your mushrooms or your fav vegan cheese alternative.
Thank you for all these suggestions! I never go to potlucks but I DO cook at home and on nights I want to stay in and chill out, this is perfect!
Baked ziti is super easy. Can feed a crowd for $10. Ziti, ricotta, tomato sauce, egg, cheese. Meat is optional.