Christmas potluck ideas: 40 easy dishes that travel well and feed a crowd

The short answer: the best christmas potluck ideas are dishes that travel well, serve a crowd and don't need last-minute cooking, like slow cooker meatballs, baked mac and cheese and pans of brownies.

• 40 ideas sorted by course
• For 20 guests: bring 10 to 12 servings
• Sign-up plan for hosts
• Food safety basics below
• Next step: Plan it with the Meal Planner & Grocery List ($3.99).

The best Christmas potluck ideas are dishes that travel well, serve a crowd and don't need last-minute cooking: slow cooker meatballs, baked mac and cheese, pasta salad, layered dips and pans of brownies. Below are 40 Christmas potluck ideas sorted by course, plus how much to bring, a sign-up plan for hosts and the food safety basics that keep everyone well.

I love cooking and I love the "everyone pitches in" spirit of the holidays. A potluck is that spirit on a table: nobody does it all, and everybody brings a little of themselves. If your group also celebrates Hanukkah, our Hanukkah dishes guide has latke, brisket and kugel ideas. For the fried classic, use our crispy potato latkes recipe.

Christmas potluck main dishes

1. Slow cooker meatballs in grape jelly and chili sauce, or marinara. Or bring Swedish meatballs, which have a slow cooker version.
2. Baked ziti or lasagna in a disposable pan.
3. Pulled pork with slider buns.
4. Spiral ham, sliced before you leave home.
5. Chicken enchiladas.
6. Slow cooker chili with a toppings bar.
7. Sausage and peppers with rolls.
8. Tamales, the ultimate make-ahead holiday food.

Christmas potluck sides

9. Baked mac and cheese. Always the first pan empty.
10. Green bean casserole.
11. Cheesy potatoes (hash brown casserole).
12. Sweet potato casserole.
13. Holiday pasta salad with red peppers and green broccoli.
14. Cornbread or dinner rolls with butter.
15. Winter salad with cranberries, pecans and feta.
16. Roasted vegetables that taste good warm or at room temperature.

Christmas potluck appetizers

17. Pinwheels with cream cheese, turkey and spinach.
18. Deviled eggs with a sprinkle of paprika.
19. Seven-layer dip with chips.
20. Spinach artichoke dip in a small slow cooker.
21. Caprese skewers in Christmas colors.
22. Cheese ball shaped like a snowman or wreath. Start with our classic cheese ball.
23. Veggie tray arranged like a Christmas tree.
24. Little smokies in barbecue sauce.
25. Charcuterie cups (no shared board, easy to grab).

No-cook Christmas potluck ideas

26. Fruit platter with a yogurt dip.
27. Cheese and cracker tray.
28. Store-bought rotisserie chicken salad on mini croissants. Or make your own with our chicken salad recipe.
29. Antipasto pasta salad with jarred ingredients. Our Italian pasta salad with salami and mozzarella is a good base.
30. Hummus and pita with olives.

Christmas potluck desserts

31. Fudgy brownies. Chocolate is always my answer.
32. Sugar cookies with red and green icing.
33. Peppermint bark.
34. Cheesecake bars.
35. Chocolate sheet cake.
36. Puppy chow (muddy buddies) in a big bowl.
37. Banana pudding in a trifle dish.

Drinks to bring

38. Hot chocolate in a slow cooker with a toppings bar.
39. Cranberry punch with ginger ale.
40. Apple cider, warm or cold.

How much food to bring to a potluck

If every guest brings a dish, each dish only needs to feed about half the room, because people take small portions of many things.

How to organize a Christmas potluck (for hosts)

• Make a sign-up list with slots: mains, sides, appetizers, desserts, drinks, and paper goods for anyone who doesn't cook. Our Thanksgiving potluck sign-up sheet works for Christmas too.
• Cap desserts. Without a cap, half the table will be cookies.
• Ask for labels with the dish name and main allergens (nuts, dairy, gluten, shellfish).
• Provide the basics: plates, serving spoons, extension cords for slow cookers, and a cooler with ice.
• Plan a leftovers plan. Ask people to bring containers, or have foil and zip bags ready.

Potluck food safety basics

Potlucks are where food sits out longest, so these rules matter:

• The 2-hour rule. FoodSafety.gov's four steps say perishable food shouldn't stay out of the refrigerator for more than 2 hours.
• Keep hot food hot, at 140°F or above, with slow cookers or warming trays.
• Keep cold food cold by nesting bowls in ice.
• Reheat to 165°F. Casseroles and leftovers should reach 165°F, per the safe minimum temperatures chart.
• Travel smart. Carry hot dishes wrapped in towels in an insulated bag, and cold dishes in a cooler.

Plan your dish and your shopping

Once you've picked a dish, write the recipe, prep steps and grocery list in one place. Our Meal Planner & Grocery List ($3.99) includes a dinner plan and prep page, grocery list by aisle and meal prep checklist. If your potluck dish becomes the one everyone requests, save it in the Family Recipe Binder ($6.99), which has a Holidays divider and printable recipe cards you can share at the party.

December can mean three potlucks in two weeks. Give each one a line in your holiday food budget with the Christmas Budget & Gift Planner ($4.99), which has a holiday budget page, holiday grocery list and holiday calendar.

Make the season easier

The Holiday Season Bundle ($15.99, $25.94 if bought separately) brings together the Christmas Budget & Gift Planner, Meal Planner & Grocery List, Sinking Funds Tracker, 100 Envelope Savings Challenge, Bill Tracker and Cleaning Schedule. See all our holiday planners, or start with the free Holiday Budget Starter Kit, three US Letter pages we email you after you join our list.

See also

• Holiday party planning checklist
• Christmas party games
• Christmas baking list
• Friendsgiving planner
• How to host Christmas dinner on a budget
• Potato salad

Need dishes for a potluck that isn't a holiday party? See our year-round potluck ideas sorted by course and occasion.

Planning a get-together before the holidays? Our fall potluck ideas list has 40 autumn dishes and simple food safety tips.

Easy to carry and no reheating needed: our Watergate salad recipe feeds 10 to 12.