Hot Pot Potluck Essentials: A Guide To Being The Perfect Guest

Hosting or attending a hot pot potluck is a fantastic way to enjoy good food and company. When deciding what to bring, consider dishes that are easy to transport and serve, and that will feed a crowd. Here are some ideas for your hot pot potluck:

- Hearty options: Greek Potato Salad, Macaroni Coleslaw, Potluck Macaroni and Cheese, or Baked Oatmeal with Banana, Raisins and Walnuts.

- Dips and finger foods: Hot Cheese Dip, Loaded Baked Potato Dip, Halloumi and Melon Skewers, or Baked Ricotta.

- Salads: Chilled Cucumber Noodles with Sesame Dressing, Avocado Tomato Salad, or Roasted Brussels Sprout and Butternut Squash Salad.

- Sweet treats: Raspberry White Chocolate Coconut Bites, Lemon Cream Icebox Cake, or Spiced Chocolate Bark.

Salads

Potato Salads

Potato salads are a classic side dish and there are many variations to choose from. Here are some ideas to get you started:

• Roasted Potato Salad: A rustic spin on the classic with hard-boiled eggs, crispy baked bacon, and seasoned potatoes.
• Italian Potato Salad: A simple-to-assemble salad that is perfect for potlucks, picnics, and outings. Feel free to add other fresh vegetables.
• Southern Potato Salad: A classic dish perfect for a church supper or potluck. The pickles add extra sweetness.
• Warm Potato Salad: A Bahamian-inspired dish that is famous for its cooking, including this warm potato salad.
• Healthy Sweet Potato Salad: A healthier option that is full of vitamins, minerals, and fibre. It also tastes great with black beans, bacon, and veggies.

Pasta Salads

Pasta salads are always a crowd-pleaser and can be easily customised to your liking. Here are some ideas:

• Mexican Pasta Salad: A bright, bold, and beautiful dish that is guaranteed to liven up the party. The bowtie pasta is paired with a spicy lime yogurt sauce and fresh fillings like avocado, black beans, corn, and jalapenos.
• Tuscan Tortellini Salad: A combination of tender tortellini, fatty salami, salty olives, mozzarella, and sun-dried tomatoes.
• Greek Pasta Salad: A classic Mediterranean dish with artichokes, olives, and a homemade dressing.
• Deli-Style Pasta Salad: A tongue-tingling make-ahead salad with a flavorful dressing. It’s terrific to serve to a crowd.
• Easy Macaroni Salad: A hearty pasta salad that is sure to please appetites of all ages.

Fruit Salads

Fruit salads are a refreshing option for a hot pot potluck, especially during the summer months. Here are some ideas:

• Honey Lime Fruit Salad: A basic fruit salad levelled up with tropical fruits and a special dressing.
• Lime-Honey Fruit Salad: A seasonal fruit salad enhanced with a simple honey-lime dressing.
• Berry Delicious Fruit Salad: A mix of berries, melon, oranges, and pineapple tossed with honey, fresh orange and lime juice, and mint.
• Watermelon Tomato Salad: Watermelon and tomatoes may seem like an unlikely pair, but they create a winning combination in this eye-catching salad.

Vegetable Salads

Vegetable salads are a great way to add some colour and nutrition to your potluck spread. Here are some ideas:

• Sweet Corn and Black Bean Succotash: The flavours of fresh-picked sweet corn and red bell pepper shine in this salad that can be served at any temperature.
• Crunchy Broccoli Salad with Bacon: A comforting salad with raw broccoli, mayo, honey, vinegar, bacon, carrots, sunflower seeds, and onions.
• Avocado Caprese Salad: A refreshing no-cook side salad made with cucumber, tomato, onion, and lots of fresh curly parsley and mint.
• Grilled Corn Salad with Tomato and Avocado: A healthy recipe that is perfect for potlucks and barbecues, especially when fresh corn and tomatoes are in season.
• Easy Mexican Coleslaw: A zesty and naturally sweetened coleslaw with Mexican flavours like lime, cilantro, and hot sauce.

Other Salad Ideas

If you want to try something a little different, here are some unique salad ideas:

• BLT Platter Salad: A creative deconstructed BLT with cucumbers, avocados, mini bell peppers, radishes, and a fresh yogurt sauce.
• Panzanella: A colourful and tasty salad with day-old bread, vegetables, and a vinaigrette.
• Lebanese Fattoush: A popular Lebanese salad that is super fresh, zingy, and crisp. It typically includes pita bread and seasonal produce.
• Thai Quinoa Salad: A versatile power salad with quinoa, crunchy peanuts, crisp vegetables, fresh herbs, and a sesame-ginger-lime vinaigrette.

Dips

Seven-Layer Taco Dip

This dip brings all the fun of tacos without the stress of making enough to feed the whole party. It can be made ahead of time and kept in the fridge until the party. Serve it with tortilla chips.

Roasted Chickpeas and Avocado Dip

A delicious combination of hummus and guacamole, this dip is perfect for those who want the best of both worlds.

Reuben Dip

Meaty and cheesy, this dip is a thing of beauty. To get that signature Reuben taste, you'll mix corned beef, sauerkraut, and Thousand Island dressing. Top it with lots of Swiss cheese and bake until it's bubbly.

Buffalo Chicken Dip

The king of all dips! It's creamy, cheesy, and packed with Buffalo hot wing flavors. Serve it with chips, bagel bites, fresh veggies, and don't forget the extra hot sauce on the side!

Hormel Chili Dip

A super quick and easy dip featuring layers of cream cheese, chili, and shredded cheese.

Olive Tapenade

A delicious, flavorful, and easy dip that comes together in minutes, made with the perfect combination of sharp, tangy, salty, and savory flavors.

Beer Dip

Beer dip combines all the best things for party food: a creamy dip, ranch dressing, lots of cheese, and, of course, beer.

Hot Cheese Dip

This dip received an A+ from a teacher, so you know it has to be good!

Sesame Chicken Dip

This dip is fresh and light, and it stands out with its Asian flavors. Don't forget the rice crackers!

Caramelized Onion Dip

A creamy, flavorful, and melt-in-your-mouth delicious dip that's perfect for entertaining or game day.

Hummus

Whip up classic smooth and creamy hummus dip at home in just 5 minutes by combining chickpeas, tahini, olive oil, lemon juice, and garlic in a blender. Serve it with veggies or crackers.

Desserts

Cookies

Cookies are a classic potluck dessert option, and there are endless varieties to choose from. Here are some ideas:

• Peanut butter cookies
• Lemon snowflake cookies
• Chocolate chip cookies
• White chocolate macadamia nut cookies
• Snickerdoodle cookies
• Cowboy cookies (with shredded coconut, pecans, chocolate, and oats)
• Cranberry-almond cookies
• Sugar cookies
• Shortbread cookies
• Butter pecan cookies
• Salted pecan shortbread squares
• Gluten-Free peanut butter cookies
• Oatmeal cookies
• Oatmeal raisin cookies
• Chocolate crinkle cookies
• Spicy applesauce cookies
• Italian sprinkle cookies
• Caramel snickerdoodle bars
• Cinnamon bun cookies
• Lime sandwich cookies

Sheet Cakes

Sheet cakes are perfect for serving a crowd, and they come in a variety of flavors. Try one of these:

• Lemon-glazed sheet cake
• Chocolate sheet cake with vanilla buttercream
• White Texas sheet cake
• Strawberry-swirl bundt cake
• Orange-cardamom bundt cake
• Lemon bundt cake
• Pineapple sheet cake
• Mississippi mud cake
• Strawberry and cream sheet cake
• Fresh strawberry sheet cake
• Texas sheet cake

Bars

Bars are another great option for potlucks, as they are easy to transport and serve. Here are some ideas:

• Blueberry crumb bars
• Peach pie crumble bars
• Rhubarb custard bars
• Brownie bourbon bites
• Crispy pretzel bars
• Oreo brownies
• Fudgy macaroon bars
• Cherry pie bars
• Saltine toffee bark
• Crispy chocolate squares
• Peanut butter oatmeal cookies
• Rhubarb dream bars
• Broadway brownie bars
• M&M oat bars
• Caramel brownies
• Peanut butter pan squares
• Behr track cookie bars (with pretzels in the filling)
• Easy pecan pie bars
• Cherry dream cake
• Coconut poppy seed cake
• Banana bars with butter-rum frosting
• Fudgy turtle brownies
• Chocolate-chip streusel brownies

Cupcakes

Cupcakes are a fun and individual dessert option for a potluck. Try these:

• Carrot cake cupcakes
• Black-bottom cupcakes
• Hummingbird carrot cake cupcakes
• Cherry cheese cupcakes
• Oreo cupcakes with cookies and cream frosting
• Spiked raspberry lemonade cupcakes
• Strawberry shortcake cupcakes

Other Desserts

If you want to bring something other than cookies, sheet cakes, bars, or cupcakes, here are some ideas:

• Magic bars
• Ginger rhubarb crisp
• Raspberry oatmeal cookie bars
• Frosty strawberry squares
• Cherry dump pudding cake
• Cherry chocolate chunk cookies
• Chocolate pecan caramels
• Irish creme chocolate trifle
• Frozen chocolate cheesecake tart
• Cherry chewbilees
• Apple slab pie
• Apple fritter cake
• Cannoli dip
• Cranberry crunch cake
• Root beer float cake
• Apple-spice angel food cake
• Gluten-free peanut butter blondies
• South Dakota Frito treats
• Triple-layer cookie bars
• Pina colada tube cake
• No-bake butterscotch bars
• Cinnamon-walnut cracker bars
• Pumpkin cookies
• Cherry-white chocolate chip cookies
• Blueberry-lemon upside-down cake
• Mexican brownies

Sandwiches

Sliders

Sliders are a perfect option for making sandwiches for a crowd. Here are some ideas for different types of sliders:

• Chicken Parmesan Slider: A flavorful chicken slider that is sure to be a hit.
• Cuban Sliders: Packed with ham, cheese, and pickles, and baked with a buttery Dijon mustard topping.
• BBQ Chicken Sliders: Brine the chicken overnight and then slow cook it until it's fall-apart tender for extra flavor.
• Kentucky Hot Brown Sliders: Perfect for derby parties or any other gathering. This recipe turns the traditional open-faced sandwich into finger food.
• Pulled Pork Sliders: Make a big batch of pulled pork infused with applesauce and cider, and bring some fluffy challah buns on the side.

Sheet Pan Sandwiches

Sheet pan sandwiches are a great way to feed a crowd. You can prepare them by the loaf, and they can be cut into smaller portions. Here are some ideas for sheet pan sandwiches:

• Caprese: A vegetarian option with pesto, tomato, mozzarella, basil, and mayonnaise.
• Meat Lovers: Equal parts turkey, ham, and salami with provolone cheese.
• Meatball: Pre-cooked meatballs with marinara sauce and mozzarella cheese.
• Chicken Bacon Ranch: Pre-cooked chicken, bacon, provolone cheese, and ranch dressing.

Other Sandwich Ideas

If you're looking for something a little different, here are some more sandwich ideas:

• Focaccia Sandwiches: Pretty and casual, with ingredients that can be added or changed to your taste.
• Stromboli Sandwiches: Like a sloppy joe with Italian seasonings, these sandwiches are perfect for potlucks and reunions.
• Hot Italian Party Sandwiches: Quick and easy to prepare, these sandwiches are wonderful as an appetizer or for a hungry crowd.
• Ham & Cheddar: Sweet rolls filled with deli ham, cheddar cheese, and honey Dijon mustard.

Drinks

When it comes to drinks for a hot pot potluck, you can go for both alcoholic and non-alcoholic options, depending on the nature of the gathering and the preferences of your guests. Here are some ideas:

Non-Alcoholic Drinks:

• Sparkling spring water and juice
• Ice tea and lemonade
• Water bottles
• Cola
• Ginger ale
• Root beer
• Soda water
• Cranberry juice mixed with Perrier
• Flavored seltzers
• San Pellegrino sodas (e.g., blood orange, arancciata, limonata)
• Glass bottle Coke (especially the kind made with real sugar instead of corn syrup)
• Retro sodas (e.g., Surge, Tab)
• Ginger beer
• Egg nog
• Unsweetened tea

Alcoholic Drinks:

• Ice-cold cocktails with an Asian twist to complement the spicy food
• Champagne punch
• Watermelon margaritas
• Irish cream
• Peach wine coolers
• Rhubarb lemonade slush
• Sangria
• Bourbon slush
• Mulled wine
• Mojitos
• Beer cocktails
• Margaritas
• Mimosas
• White wine (pairs well with goat cheese)
• Kahlua coffee
• Limoncello
• Rum coffee

Remember to provide a variety of options to cater to different tastes and ensure that you have enough for everyone. You can also bring along ice and disposable cups if needed.

Frequently asked questions