Food and Recipes Dish Potlucks The 20 Best Potluck Sides, According To Our Readers Because everyone knows the sides steal the show. By Krissy Tiglias Krissy Tiglias Krissy has spent her career creating content and working at brands in the publishing industry. Before Southern Living, Krissy held various editorial positions at brands including Family Circle, Quick & Simple, The Knot, Redbook, Real Simple, and Domino. At Southern Living, Krissy oversees content across all platforms always prioritizing the brand's mission and audience as we tell stories. Southern Living's editorial guidelines Published on September 2, 2024 Close Photo: Robby Lozano, Food Stylist: Emily Nabors Hall Potlucks are every season occasions that bring family, friends, neighbors, and some of the most coveted recipes together. When we recently asked our Facebook friends to share their go-to side dishes, it was obvious everyone enjoys potlucks all year-long. From creamy casseroles to quick and easy salads, here are the top 20 recipes. 30 Recipes Grandma Always Took To Church Potlucks Classic Deviled Eggs Caitlin Bensel; Food Stylist: Torie Cox The most popular response was no surprise to the Southern Living editors. Deviled eggs are always a go-to, and this classic recipe does not disappoint. get the recipe Homemade Baked Beans Photographer: Fred Hardy II, Food Stylist: Emily Nabors Hall, Props Stylist: Christina Brockman No matter what's on the spread, homemade beans are always a welcome addition. While the beans are the stars, this highly requested recipe also includes pieces of smoky bacon and is sweetened with brown sugar and molasses. get the recipe Broccoli, Grape, And Pasta Salad Robby Lozano; Food Stylist: Emily Nabors Hall An oldie that's a modern day goodie. Prepare for this salad to disappear quickly thanks to the unexpected combination of sweet grapes. broccoli, and pasta. get the recipe Classic Potato Salad Fred Hardy; Food Stylist: Margaret Monroe Dickey; Prop Stylist: Hannah Greenwood Someone needs to bring the potato salad, and if you're nominated, this classic recipe won't disappoint. get the recipe Creamy Crab Dip Hector Manuel Sanchez In the South, we take our crab dip very seriously. And this creamy dip comes together with cream, mayonnaise, chunks of crabmeat, and gets the perfect spicy punch from Old Bay seasoning. get the recipe Pineapple Casserole Robby Lozano, Food Stylist: Emily Nabors Hall You know you're at a Southern potluck if this is the first empty casserole dish. Canned pineapple chunks, Cheddar cheese, and a crispy Ritz cracker crust are the secrets to this can't-be-beat casserole. get the recipe Classic Coleslaw Photography: Caitlin Bensel; Food Styling: Torie Cox Despite always falling in the shadow of the potato salad, this creamy, slightly sweet recipe will be the side dish everyone is talking about. get the recipe Pepperoni Pasta Salad Robby Lozano; Food Stylist: Jasmine Smith; Prop Stylist: Josh Hoggle Pasta salad is always a great recipe to volunteer bringing, and this one won't be forgotten. Slices of pepperoni, chopped olives, slivers of peppers are tossed with pasta in a dressing that always hits the spot. get the recipe Charcuterie Board Victor Protasio, Food Stylist: Ruth Blackburn, Prop Stylist: Christina Daley Let everyone else handle the casseroles and salads while you tackle the ultimate grazing board. This Southern-style charcuterie brings together all of the potluck favorites, from cheeses and crackers to cured meats and pickles. get the recipe Taco Dip Caitlin Bensel; Food Stylist: Torie Cox Forget about the salsa and guacamole, this is the layered dip everyone will be clamoring about. This recipe is a cinch to make and brings together beans, tomatoes, cheese, lettuce, and guac in one dish. get the recipe Party Potatoes Caitlin Bensel; Food Styling: Torie Cox Someone is bound to bring the cold salad, so this is your chance to call dibs on the warm potato side. This recipe is super easy to make thanks to the easy-to-find ingredient list which includes frozen hash browns, canned cream of chicken soup, and cornflake topping. get the recipe Best Homemade Macaroni And Cheese Stacy K. Allen; Food Stylist: Ruth Blackburn; Prop Stylist: Christina Daley The Facebook crowd said the party would not be a real party without mac and cheese. We can't disagree. No matter the size of the gathering, whether big or small, everyone will expect a pan (perhaps even two) of extra cheesy macaroni and cheese. get the recipe Cornbread Salad CAITLIN BENSEL; FOOD STYLIST: TORIE COX Ready to impress? Bring the recipe that stands out amongst the rest. This layered "salad" brings together cornbread, tomatoes, corn, bacon, and a favorite ranch dressing. get the recipe Classic Green Bean Casserole Rob Culpepper; Food Stylist: Chelsea Zimmer; Assistant Prop Stylist: Josh Hoggle Green beans are a must-have on not only at holidays but pretty much every Southern get-together. This crowd-pleasing recipe requires only 10 minutes of hands-on time and a short ingredient list. Prepare for the round of applause, get the recipe Old-School Squash Casserole Photographer: Fred Hardy II, Food Stylist: Emily Nabors Hall, Props Stylist: Christina Brockman "Freezes beautifully" makes this recipe a top on all of your lists. While squash is a summer staple, all the Southern home cooks know that making multiple trays of this go-to recipe will come in handy for potlucks all throughout the year. get the recipe Macaroni Salad Morgan Hunt Glaze; Food Stylist: Margaret Monroe Dickey; Prop Stylist: Priscilla Montiel Make room for the macaroni salad that has an extra creamy base. Yes, mayonnaise combines with mustard, onion powder, garlic powder, and pimentos to take the flavor to new delicious heights. get the recipe Fresh Fruit Salad Jen Causey Sounds boring? Nope, it is always first to go. Delight the crowd with a big bowl of the season's freshest fruit. get the recipe Cornbread Casserole Caitlin Bensel; Food Stylist: Torie Cox This recipe starts with a box of Jiffy cornbread mix. Then things get even more interesting with the addition of canned corn, sour cream, milk, and eggs for a casserole that is extra moist and delicious. get the recipe Bacon-Wrapped Smokies Caitlin Bensel; Food Stylist: Torie Cox Sausages wrapped in bacon? Need we say more. Everyone will be racing to the table to grab a second–er, third–helping of these smoky gems. get the recipe Bacon Pimiento Cheese Greg DuPree; Food Stylist: Emily Nabors Hall; Prop Stylist: Claire Spollen In just 20 minutes you can make the MVP of any potluck. Just when we thought this all-time favorite recipe couldn't get any better, we added bacon to our classic pimento cheese dip. get the recipe Was this page helpful? Thanks for your feedback! Tell us why! Other Submit