These winter potluck recipes are great for serving a crowd at Christmas and New Years' parties, and all the other occasions of the cold weather season! You certainly don't want to show up empty-handed! From appetizers to desserts, you're sure to find plenty of delicious potluck recipes made for sharing!
Winter Potluck Ideas
For most people, the winter season comes with many family visits, church events, holiday parties, and countless Christmas activities. That's why I like to keep some winter potluck recipes on the back burner so I don't show up empty-handed to last-minute invites!
Below are my go-to recipes for feeding a group during the colder winter months. I've added appetizers, entrees, side dishes, and desserts, so no matter the occasion, you will have the perfect recipe in mind!
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- Winter Potluck Ideas
- 1. Lasagna
- 2. Rotel Chicken Spaghetti
- 3. Beef Enchiladas
- 4. Stuffed Green Peppers
- 5. Ham & Potato Casserole
- 6. Hashbrown Casserole
- 7. Bechamel Pasta Bake
- 8. Baked Spaghetti and Meatballs
- 9. Slow Cooker Crack Chicken
- 10. Homemade Chili
- 11. Creamed Corn Cornbread
- 12. Velveeta Mac and Cheese
- 13. Jalapeno Cheddar Scones
- 14. Crockpot Grape Jelly Meatballs
- 15. Sausage Cream Cheese Dip
- 16. Air Fryer Pigs In A Blanket
- 17. 7 Layer Dip
- 18. 4 Ingredient Potato Soup
- 19. Cherry Pie Bars
- 😋 More Crowd-Pleasing Recipes
- 📋 Recipe
1. Lasagna
Lasagna is a potluck classic and everyone will remember who brought the homemade lasagna. Tender pasta, hearty meat sauce, and cheese are hard to resist.
You can even keep one frozen on hand so you have it ready to go whenever you need it!
2. Rotel Chicken Spaghetti
This easy chicken and pasta casserole is great for family dinners or for bringing to potlucks! In this recipe, spaghetti noodles and chicken are tossed with an ultra-creamy sauce made from Velveeta cheese, cream cheese, chicken broth, and heavy cream.
Then you just add a can of RoTel diced tomatoes with chiles, season, and bake! It's a great way to use up leftover chicken, too!
3. Beef Enchiladas
You can never go wrong with a huge dish of beef enchiladas! These enchiladas are filled with ground beef, onion, garlic, refried beans, and black beans.
Bring along some of your favorite Tex-Mex toppings like sour cream, pico, or more shredded cheese! This recipe makes 8 enchiladas, but you can always make two batches if you need more.
4. Stuffed Green Peppers
Green bell peppers stuffed with cheesy ground beef and rice filling then baked! They are wonderfully easy to make and surprisingly filling!
5. Ham & Potato Casserole
This hearty ham & potato casserole is perfect for breakfast, lunch, or dinner! The chunks of potato and ham are coated in a luscious cheese sauce and baked until tender.
6. Hashbrown Casserole
Hashbrown casserole is an easy-to-make side dish that is perfect for any meal of the day, not just breakfast. The hash browns are baked in a creamy combination of cream of chicken soup, butter, sour cream, and Colby Jack cheese.
These warm and cheesy hashbrowns will definitely draw a crowd at your next potluck.
7. Bechamel Pasta Bake
Layers of seasoned ground beef, rigatoni noodles, and creamy bechamel sauce come together to make one incredible casserole. It's quick (less than 30 minutes) but totally satisfying and full of flavor.
You can always make this casserole a day or 2 in advance and reheat it for your potluck to save more time, and you can freeze it too!
8. Baked Spaghetti and Meatballs
This baked version of spaghetti and meatballs is a great variation of the classic recipe everyone knows and loves. What's not to love about spaghetti, meatballs, mozzarella, and spaghetti sauce all in one casserole?
You can prepare homemade meatballs or use store-bought and no one will be any the wiser.
9. Slow Cooker Crack Chicken
You can use crack chicken as a dip for chips or turn it into sandwiches. You can also serve it right out of your crockpot!
It's made with chicken, bacon, cheese, and ranch seasoning slowly cooked until it becomes a pot of melted goodness.
10. Homemade Chili
A great homemade chili recipe is always nice to have in your back pocket, and this is my go-to. I like to top it off with a little sour cream, cheese, and a side of crackers!
This version does call for kidney and chili beans. I also have a recipe for Texas chili that has no beans if that's what you prefer!
11. Creamed Corn Cornbread
The addition of canned creamed corn makes this cornbread extra moist and the honey gives it a perfect touch of sweetness. You could even add cheese or jalapenos to make it a spicy/sweet Southwest cornbread!
12. Velveeta Mac and Cheese
Kids and adults alike will obsess over this super-creamy mac and cheese! It's a one-pot side dish, meaning you won't have to do very much prep or cleanup.
All you need is macaroni noodles, milk, cheddar cheese, and Velveeta, plus some seasonings. Oh, and did I mention it only takes 20 minutes to make?
13. Jalapeno Cheddar Scones
These scones aren't spicy but they are full of jalapeno and cheddar flavor! They are the perfect side dish for BBQs, potlucks, or anywhere you can find good home cooking.
14. Crockpot Grape Jelly Meatballs
Crockpot jelly meatballs are one of my favorite winter potluck recipes. They make a fabulous appetizer for any occasion!
You only need 4 ingredients, frozen meatballs, grape jelly, ketchup, and cayenne pepper. The jelly caramelizes into a sweet sticky sauce that is hard to resist!
15. Sausage Cream Cheese Dip
Pork sausage, cream cheese, and RoTel tomatoes are all you need to make a creamy and savory chip dip! It's served warm, so it is a great choice for winter occasions.
All you have to do is cook the ground beef, drain, stir in the cream cheese and tomatoes until melted, and serve!
16. Air Fryer Pigs In A Blanket
These 2-ingredient pigs in a blanket are fantastic finger food for any occasion. In the morning they make a great quick breakfast or you can serve them as an easy appetizer at lunch or dinnertime.
17. 7 Layer Dip
7-layer dip is the ultimate party appetizer. Layers of beans, sour cream, guacamole, cheese, salsa, tomatoes, and black olives all come together to make one delicious chip dip!
Grab a few bags of crispy tortilla chips and you're in business.
18. 4 Ingredient Potato Soup
Yes, you can get a creamy and comforting homemade potato soup with just 4 ingredients (plus water and salt & pepper)! All you need is potatoes, butter, onion, and milk, though I highly recommend topping it with shredded cheddar and bacon!
This soup tastes like it simmered all day but in reality, it comes together in less than 30 minutes. Not to mention, it's warm and inviting which is perfect for serving on cold winter evenings.
19. Cherry Pie Bars
All the flavor of a homemade cherry pie in easy-to-eat dessert bars! They are drizzled with a sweet and simple vanilla glaze that is finger-licking good.
These bars can easily be prepared in advance so all you have to do is quickly whip up the icing on the day of your potluck.
Did you give any of these Winter potluck recipes a try? Let me know how they turned out in the comment section below!
>>>>See all of my recipes HERE<<<<
😋 More Crowd-Pleasing Recipes
- Campbell's Green Bean Casserole - You don't have to wait for Thanksgiving to serve this classic green bean casserole!
- Mashed Potato Casserole - A creamy mashed potato casserole with a crispy breadcrumb topping!
- Buffalo Chicken Dip - A creamy dip for chips, crackers, or veggies with all the flavor of a buffalo chicken wing!
- Cream Cheese Stuffed Mushrooms - These stuffed mushrooms are the perfect 2-bite snack and they are so easy to make!
- Pinwheel Sandwiches - You can make pinwheel sandwiches with so many different fillings!
- Rotel Dip - This cheesy ground beef chip dip only calls for 4 ingredients!
📋 Recipe
Winter Potluck Recipes: Homemade Chili (+ More Great Ideas To Feed A Crowd!)
Ingredients
- 4 tablespoon olive oil (extra virgin)
- 1 large white onion (diced, or use yellow onion)
- 1 large red bell pepper (diced, seeds removed)
- 1 large Anaheim pepper (seeds removed, diced)
- 2 large jalapeno peppers (finely diced, seeds removed)
- 1 tablespoon garlic (minced)
- 2 ½ lbs ground beef
- ¼ cup Worcestershire sauce
- 2 beef bouillon cubes
- 12 oz light beer (such as Coors, or use beef broth)
- 28 oz crushed tomatoes (San Marzano are recommended)
- 14.5 oz diced tomatoes (fire-roasted)
- 1 tablespoon tomato paste
- ½ cup white wine (or use more beef broth)
- 4 tablespoon chili seasoning (try my recipe or use your own)
- 1 tablespoon brown sugar
- 1 tablespoon chipotle pepper sauce
- ½ teaspoon each, salt & pepper (to taste)
- 32 oz dark red kidney beans (2 16-ounce cans, drained and rinsed)
- 16 oz chili beans (1 16-ounce can, drained and rinsed)
- 3 tablespoon cilantro (optional, chopped for garnish)
Instructions
- Place a large pot or Dutch oven over medium heat and add in the extra virgin olive oil. Once hot, add the onion, bell pepper, Anaheim pepper, jalapenos, and garlic. Cook and stir the veggies until they are tender.4 tablespoon olive oil, 1 large white onion, 1 large red bell pepper, 1 large Anaheim pepper, 2 large jalapeno peppers, 1 tablespoon garlic
- Meanwhile, in a separate skillet over medium-high heat, brown the ground beef for 5-7 minutes until no pink remains. Drain any excess fat.2 ½ lbs ground beef
- Into the browned meat, add the Worcestershire sauce, beef bouillon cubes, and beer. Continue to cook the meat mixture, using a wooden spoon to scrape the bottom of the pan as you stir for about 3 minutes (or until hot).¼ cup Worcestershire sauce, 2 beef bouillon cubes, 12 oz light beer
- Pour the beef mixture into the pot with the vegetables. Then, add the crushed tomatoes, diced tomatoes, tomato paste, wine, brown sugar, chipotle pepper sauce, salt, pepper, and chili seasoning mix. Stir to combine.28 oz crushed tomatoes, 14.5 oz diced tomatoes, 1 tablespoon tomato paste, ½ cup white wine, 4 tablespoon chili seasoning, 1 tablespoon brown sugar, 1 tablespoon chipotle pepper sauce, ½ teaspoon each, salt & pepper
- Bring the mixture to a boil and then reduce the heat to medium-low. Cover the pot and allow it to simmer for about 90 minutes, stirring occasionally.
- Add in the kidney beans and chili beans, then continue to simmer for an additional 30 minutes.32 oz dark red kidney beans, 16 oz chili beans
- Garnish with cilantro, if desired, as well as any of your other favorite toppings. Serve immediately.3 tablespoon cilantro
Equipment You May Need
Notes
- For a chili recipe without any of the beer or wine, replace the alcohol with the same amount of additional beef broth. Instead, use 2 cups of beef broth and omit both the beer and wine.
- To store: Allow your chili to cool completely before transferring it to an airtight container and keeping it in the fridge for up to 4 days.
- To freeze: Freeze your chili in individual portions in a freezer-safe bag with the excess air squeezed out. It can be frozen for up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator.
- To reheat: Reheat your leftovers either in the microwave or in a pot on the stove.
Nutrition
Angela is an at home chef that developed a passion for all things cooking and baking at a young age in her Grandma's kitchen. After many years in the food service industry, she now enjoys sharing all of her family favorite recipes and creating tasty dinner and amazing dessert recipes here at Bake It With Love!
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