Thanksgiving potluck ideas can make or break the holiday meal, as I learned growing up. My family would gather at my grandparents’ house each year, with everyone pitching in on the sides and desserts. Some of these dishes became instant favorites, while others (like my aunt’s store-bought sugar cookies or another’s mushy sweet potato casserole) were… less memorable. Over time, I realized a great Thanksgiving potluck lineup requires thoughtful planning to avoid those lackluster contributions and ensure a truly delicious spread.
36 Thanksgiving Potluck Ideas to Win the Evening
Now that I host our family Thanksgiving, I know firsthand that bringing crowd-pleasing, easy-to-share dishes is key. To help everyone avoid last-minute grocery runs and less-than-ideal choices, I’ve gathered the best Thanksgiving potluck ideas to inspire dishes that will satisfy everyone at the table.
Spinach Artichoke Tarts
If you love the spinach and artichoke flavor pairing, these tarts are a great way to incorporate it without the messy clean-up and half-eaten dish.
Ricotta Board with Pears and Honey-Toasted Pistachios
Sometimes, you need a simple charcuterie-style dish to round out your spread. But that doesn’t mean quality and flavor have to be compromised. Enter—the ricotta board.
Smoky Eggplant Spread
If the dip is in the cards for your Thanksgiving potluck, this smoky eggplant dip is a must-make. No more store-bought hummus or French onion dip—this is one recipe your guests will be begging you for at the end of the evening.
Sour Cream and Onion Biscuits
Who doesn’t love adding a biscuit to their plate at Thanksgiving? Gone are the days of dried-out biscuits begging for a dollop of butter. These sour cream and onion biscuits are next-level all on their own.
Squash & Farro Salad With Apples, Goat Cheese, & Pecans
This squash and farro salad is practically made for cozy nights in—or for your Thanksgiving potluck! This hearty bowl packs all the seasonal ingredients with special toppings like creamy goat cheese and crunchy pecans.
Holiday Jewels Chopped Kale Salad With Mustard-Shallot Vinaigrette
Think you’re not a kale salad fan? Think again. When you add pear slices, crumbled gorgonzola, pomegranate, and a mustard-shallot vinaigrette, it’ll go from bland to the best thing you’ve ever eaten. It’s perfect for your holiday party.
Cauliflower Tabbouleh
For your gluten-free friends, this salad manages to be simultaneously light and hearty. It harnesses all the color and flavor of the holiday season and is the perfect accompaniment to any festive main dish.
Apple Walnut Salad
While apples may be overlooked in favor of the ubiquitous pumpkin, this salad makes an excellent case for why we should be eating them by the bushel. It’s fruity, peppery, crunchy, and salty, with a mix of ingredients that combine for a perfect balance of flavor and color.
Fall Harvest Salad
I love a simple, swoon-worthy salad. Entertaining extraordinaire Sophie Collins created this recipe that adds fresh flavor and stunning color to all of your fall gatherings. Hardy greens and crunchy seeds combine to create a salad that proves it’s not just about the nutrients.
Roasted Delicata Squash With Feta, Almonds, and Herbs
Fall, to me, is about embracing all the seasonal ingredients I can. There are so many wonderful produce picks to try, and if you haven’t jumped on the squash wave, now’s your chance.
Pesto Parmesan Potatoes
Five-ingredient, flavor-packed potatoes? Music to my ears. Select a variety of small potatoes (Yukon, fingerling, and baby potatoes) and toss them in pesto, fruity olive oil, and a big pinch of salt and pepper. Add roasted garlic and parmesan for good measure.
Roasted Acorn Squash with Rosemary
Butternut squash might be a crowd-favorite (and I certainly love it, too), but for me, acorn squash reigns supreme. In this recipe, half moons are tossed with olive oil, brown sugar, rosemary, and red pepper flakes and roasted until they’re golden and tender.
Cacio E Pepe Brussels Sprouts
When your favorite pasta dish combines with one of the best fall/winter veggies, a beautiful dish ensues. This recipe comes courtesy of the ever-creative Tieghan Gerard. The Brussels sprouts get crispy and caramelized—and a whole lot of parm sure helps.
Salt & Vinegar Pan-Roasted Potatoes
Have you ever met potatoes that claimed to be “earth-shatteringly” crispy? Didn’t think so. Let me introduce you to the most crave-worthy spuds around. Just five simple ingredients and 40 minutes of combined prep and cook time, and you’ll have these delights ready to go.
Creamy Butternut Squash Pasta
This butternut squash pasta is a simple dairy-free recipe that doubles as a stunning centerpiece. I’m a big fan of pasta for just about every occasion, and Thanksgiving is no exception.
Roasted Honeynut Squash with Hot Honey, Pecans, and Rosemary
These whole roasted squash are simply adorable and make for an easy-to-serve side. Plus, hot honey is all the rage right now—and this recipe is a great excuse to add it to your cart.
Roasted Heirloom Carrots with Wild Rice and Goat Cheese
This recipe comes courtesy of our resident wellness expert, Edie. Not only is this dish full of nutrient-packed goodness but it’s also filled to the brim with flavor. The crumbled goat cheese over the top? *Chef’s kiss*
Whole Roasted Butternut Squash
Minimal effort and maximum flavor are the two key elements of this butternut squash. Regarding Thanksgiving potluck ideas, this one might take the cake for the easiest high-protein side that won’t keep you in the kitchen for hours.
Butternut Squash and Ricotta Tart
Come on…have you ever seen a more stunning main course? I think not. If you’re looking for a crowd-pleaser, this butternut squash tart does the trick while keeping things vegetarian.
Butternut Squash Pizza With Arugula & Almond Ricotta
Pizzas or flatbreads are a great option to have at a Thanksgiving potluck because you can serve them at room temperature and vegetarians can dig in, too (just leave off the bacon). And because this recipe calls for homemade almond ricotta, all your vegan friends can be included.
Brined Turkey
If you’re after a turkey recipe that yields crispy skin and juicy, flavor-packed meat, make this your go-to. Camille called in Michael Fojtasek, owner/chef of the award-winning, Austin-based restaurant Olamaie, to show us how it’s done.
Roast Chicken
This chicken is easy enough to make on a weekly basis but special enough to wow everyone at any Thanksgiving feast. As Camille writes, removing the backbone (the secret to this recipe) creates “more surface area to come in direct contact with the heat” yielding a crispy, golden brown skin (that cooks way faster than you’d expect).
Baked Citrus Salmon with Fennel and Herbs
Salmon? For Thanksgiving? While the holiday’s my favorite, I have to admit—I’m not a big turkey fan (and I know I’m not alone in this). If you think guests might be craving something other than the traditional bird, this slow-baked salmon is the answer.
Pumpkin Pie with Gingersnap Crust
This pumpkin pie can’t be beat—it’s a no-fail recipe that’ll make sure you never pick up a store-bought crust ever again. Plus, the stunning topping makes it the star of any Thanksgiving table.
Pumpkin Tiramisu
If you happen to make this fall-inspired tiramisu recipe for your Thanksgiving potluck, make sure to save yourself one at home before bringing these to your party. They’ll be gone before you can say, “dessert is ready!”
Pear Frangipane Tart
Move over apple pie—this fruit dessert is the winner of this year’s Thanksgiving dessert contest. If you’re tired of the traditional pies always brought to the gathering, try out this savory and sweet pear tart.
Pumpkin Loaf Cake
I could not shut up about this pumpkin loaf cake recipe for months after first making it. For that reason, it deserves a spot at the Thanksgiving potluck. The (literal) icing on the cake is made from cream cheese and sprinkled with crushed walnuts. Simply divine.
Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Cookies
Chewy, melty, and a tiny bit salty—these pumpkin cookies take your typical chocolate chip cookies to the next level. The key here is chopped dark chocolate instead of the regular semi-sweet chocolate chips. Take my word for it.
Dairy and Gluten-Free Pumpkin Pie
Pumpkin pie is a classic—and it’s a holiday dessert that everyone should get to enjoy. That’s why we adapted our favorite recipe so our gluten-free friends can join in. And don’t worry—those fluted edges are wayyy easier to create than they seem. Get our step-by-step tips in the post.
Brown Butter Bourbon Apple Crisp
Apple crisp is as easy as, well… pie. But just because it’s simple doesn’t mean you can’t do a few things to boost its flavor. Enter—browned butter. Marinating the apples in bourbon, brown sugar, cornstarch, and cinnamon certainly doesn’t hurt either.
Chewy Pumpkin Spice Cookies
If you’re headed to a more casual Thanksgiving potluck, these pumpkin spice cookies are required. They perfectly capture the sweet and spicy deliciousness of the season—and if you prefer a cookie that leans on the chewier side—these are precisely what you’re craving.
Healthier Pumpkin Bread
Just because the recipe includes “healthier” doesn’t mean this pumpkin bread isn’t full-on dessert-worthy. Applesauce, Greek yogurt, coconut oil, and maple syrup naturally sweeten your bread while making it clear that you’re still indulging. Could this be the perfect Thanksgiving potluck dessert? You decide.
Chocolate Bourbon Pecan Pie Bars
I’m all for taking a classic, crowd-favorite recipe and switching things up—and these pecan pie bars do exactly that. While it’s hard to improve upon the original, adding chocolate and bourbon to the mix makes it happen.
Pumpkin Snack Cake
Snack cakes, by our definition, are casual, comforting confections that don’t require too much thought or effort on your part. That being said, they’re still infused with love and care and should be eaten with joy. This pumpkin version benefits from a coffee cake-like crumble and a moist, spice-laced crumb.
Spiced Sweet Potato Cake With Cream Cheese Frosting
During a season when it’s all about pumpkin, it’s a bold move to throw a sweet potato dessert into the mix. But this spiced sweet potato cake is more than deserving of its spot on your Thanksgiving buffet.
Classic Buttermilk Pie
Buttermilk pie is a southern staple that—as Camille agrees—definitely doesn’t get the attention it deserves. Her mother’s recipe boasts a creamy, custard-like filling that’s light, airy, and a little tangy, thanks to the buttermilk.