25 Easy Recipes I’m Bringing to Every Potluck This Summer

From sides and salads to mains and desserts, these easy summer recipes are potluck perfect.

By
Devan Grimsrud
Devan Grimsrud
Devan Grimsrud

Devan Grimsrud is a Berlin-based writer, editor, and recipe developer originally from Minneapolis, Minnesota. After working in television production with James Beard Award-winning chef Andrew Zimmern, she relocated to Berlin and became the managing editor at Kitchen Stories, an international digital cooking platform with millions of active users. 

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Updated June 04, 2025
Devan Grimsrud
pink lemonade cake (with some slices cut out) on a board next to a plate with a slice

Simply Recipes / Photo by Jen Causey / Food Styling by Chelsea Zimmer / Prop Styling by Christina Daley

I'm not ashamed to admit that I'm a chronic overthinker; it's just who I am. No matter how simple or straightforward the task at hand (from picking out nail polish colors to figuring out what to cook for dinner), I may spend hours thinking it over.

So when a friend or family member announces a summer picnic or potluck, the first thing I do is immediately start running through recipes, trying to find the perfect dish that's easy to transport, doesn't require too many ingredients, will please as many people as possible, and, of course, is summery and delicious!

Let's just say that after many summers, I've decide to cut to the chase and pull together a go-to list of easy potluck recipes that will be a helpful reference for years to come. Rest assured that I have thoroughly thought through this list of 25 recipes. They run the gamut from sides and salads to mains and desserts, and they are all picnic and potluck approved. Enjoy, and don't forget to save your favorites—it's in your best interest, trust me!

  • 5-Ingredient Tomato Salad

    tomato quarter in a large bowl next to a smaller bowl with minced herbs for 5-ingredient tomato salad recipe

    Simply Recipes / Mihaela Kozaric Sebrek

    "For this recipe, stick to larger tomatoes, such as beefsteak or heirloom, over grape or cherry tomatoes, which don’t hold the dressing as well." —Alison Spiegel, Recipe Developer

  • Napa Cabbage Picnic Salad

    Napa Cabbage Salad with slivered almonds in bowl
    Elise Bauer

    "Napa cabbage (a kind of Chinese cabbage), while not as sturdy as regular cabbage, is much more resilient than lettuce, so it lends itself well to picnic salads that have to sit around for a while. Much of this salad can be made ahead and then assembled when you are ready to serve." —Elise Bauer, Founder

  • 5-Ingredient Cheesy Corn Bake

    Corn casserole

    Simply Recipes / Myo Quinn

    "Fresh corn stays a little crunchy even after it's baked, so it's great for textural contrast. I typically get one cup of corn kernels per cob. You can use frozen (thaw it first) or canned (drained well) corn if fresh isn't available." —Myo Quinn, Former Associate Editorial Director

  • Easy Pink Lemonade Sheet Cake

    pink lemonade cake (with some slices cut out) on a board next to a plate with a slice

    Simply Recipes / Photo by Jen Causey / Food Styling by Chelsea Zimmer / Prop Styling by Christina Daley

    "If you can’t find pink lemonade concentrate, use regular lemonade concentrate instead. To make a lemonade cake that’s not pink, swap the concentrate and leave out the red food coloring." —Laurel Randolph, Associate Editorial Director

    Continue to 5 of 25 below

  • Pesto Pasta Salad

    A bowl of corkscrew pasta with pesto, peas, and cherry tomatoes
    Elise Bauer

    "For pasta salads, it's best to use a dry pasta rather than fresh pasta. Dry holds its shape better when tossed with the other ingredients." —Elise

  • Sausage Rolls

    Sausage Rolls
    Sheryl Julian

    "If you have extra strips of dough, brush with butter and garlic, and fold into garlic knots! Bake them alongside the sausage rolls until puffed and golden." —Sheryl Julian, Recipe Developer

  • Ranch Potato Salad

    bowl of ranch potato salad, and in the background, a platter wtih more and a glass of water

    Simply Recipes / Ciara Kehoe

    "The main thing to remember about this particular potato salad is that almost every ingredient is “to taste.” Add more pickles or celery if you love those flavors or go wild with the dill or substitute for another herb. You can even add some raw onion if you really can’t help yourself." —Megan Scott, Senior Editor

  • Cheese Straws

    Cheese Sticks on a Lined Baking Sheet

    Simply Recipes / Mark Beahm

    "If you don’t have self-rising flour, simply substitute with all-purpose flour and add 2 teaspoons baking powder and an extra 1/4 teaspoon salt." —Laurel Randolph, Associate Editorial Director

    Continue to 9 of 25 below

  • 4-Ingredient Simple Celery Salad

    Simple Celery Salad on a plate with a spoon

    Simply Recipes / Ciara Kehoe

    "If you ever forget to prep your celery this way beforehand and you end up with limp stalks, don’t worry! Wash and chop as desired, then let them sit in an ice bath or cold water in the fridge for at least 15 minutes to get the crunch back. Just drain and thoroughly pat dry before using." —Devan Grimsrud, Recipe Developer

  • Sriracha Honey Chex Mix

    Sweet and spicy chex mix in a bowl at a table setting with two glasses of beer and a yellow kitchen towel

    Simply Recipes / Ciara Kehoe

    "You can swap out the pretzels, cheese crackers, and/or nuts for other mix-ins, such as bagel chips, peanuts or mixed nuts, oyster crackers, Cheerios, and more. I especially like adding sesame sticks." —Laurel Randolph, Associate Editorial Director

  • Corn Dog Muffins

    Pile of Corn Dog Muffins Stacked on a Plate, and in the Background, a Red and White Checkered Kitchen Towel and Small Bowls of Toppings (Relish and Ketchup)

    Simply Recipes / Annika Panikker

    "Cheese is a delicious addition. I would recommend using grated cheddar or even Swiss cheese. Sprinkle the tops of the muffins with the grated cheese or add 2-3 tablespoons of grated cheese to the cornbread batter before dividing it between the muffin tins." —Annika Panikker, Recipe Developer

  • 2-Ingredient Angel Bars

    A tray of baked dessert bars dusted with powdered sugar, cut into square servings, displayed on a metallic surface

    Simply Recipes / Jessica Furniss

    "Don’t start mixing this batter until the oven is fully heated and your baking pan is sprayed. Angel food cake tends to expand after it’s mixed, and we don’t want it to expand too much before baking." —Jessica Furniss, Recipe Developer

    Continue to 13 of 25 below

  • Stovetop Barbecue Pulled Chicken

    Bowl of Pulled Chicken With a Spoon Next to a Plate With a Toasted Bun and Spinach and a Light Green Table Napkin

    Simply Recipes / Tara Omidvar

    "If you have a storebought barbecue sauce that you love, you can use 3/4 cup of it here instead of the homemade one; that would turn this into a 2-ingredient recipe! If you’re finding the sauce is too thick or starting to stick to the pot, add some water or apple cider vinegar to loosen it up." —Devan Grimsrud, Recipe Developer

  • Alabama Fire Crackers

    Bowl of Alabama fire crackers surrounded by a bottle and glasses of beer and a light maroon table napkin

    Simply Recipes / Photo by Jen Causey / Food Styling by Ruth Blackburn / Prop Styling by Hannah Greenwood

    "Ideally, eating them plain is best. They'd also be delicious for dipping into pimento cheese, French onion dip, or with tinned fish. If you do have any left, crumble the crackers over mac and cheese, chili, chowder, or a salad." —Myo Quinn, Former Associate Editorial Director

  • Quick and Easy White Bean Salad

    A bowl of white bean salad with mixed herbs and onions, served in a decorative dish
    Elise Bauer

    "If you have fresh herbs available, you can use those, if not, dry Herbs de Provence work well too." —Elise

  • 5-Minute Cucumber Salad

    cucumber salad in a bowl at a table setting with a bowl of slcied scallions, serving utensils on a table napkin, and a glass of water

    Simply Recipes / Mihaela Kozaric Sebrek

    "You can use any kind of cucumber for this recipe. If you are using thin-skinned Persian or Japanese cucumbers, you can leave them unpeeled. If you are using standard cukes with thicker skins, you can peel them if you want to." —Robin Asbell, Recipe Developer

    Continue to 17 of 25 below

  • Walking Taco Casserole

    Walking taco casserole in a casserole dish with a spoon (casserole dish missing some casserole / some of the casserole was already served)

    Simply Recipes / Karishma Pradhan

    "You can absolutely substitute the ground beef for a plant-based version; just note that you may need more oil to replace the fat." —Karishma Pradhan, Recipe Developer

  • Pepperoni Rolls

    Pepperoni Rolls on a Plate with Bowl of Marinara in Background

    Simply Recipes / Mark Beahm

    "In and around West Virginia, it’s common and totally acceptable to make pepperoni rolls with Rhodes frozen dinner roll dough. In fact, most homemade pepperoni roll recipes you’ll find are for pepperoni crammed into thawed blobs of Rhodes dough, so you can adapt this recipe to do the same." —Sara Bir, Former Senior Editor

  • Carla Hall's Pickled Potato Salad

    bowl of Carla Hall's pototo salad

    Simply Recipes / Sara Haas

    "I added fresh garlic and green onion, but granulated garlic and onion would also work. To prevent over-seasoning, add a pinch at a time, tasting after each addition." —Molly Allen, Writer

  • Blueberry Cake

    Blueberry Cake on a Plate

    Simply Recipes / Elise Bauer

    "Not only can you swap out the berries, you can make it gluten-free using 1:1 gluten-free flour. You can make it dairy-free by swapping the butter for oil or using vegan butter. Try a different citrus zest, a different spice—improvise!" —Elise

    Continue to 21 of 25 below

  • Ham Salad

    Ham Salad
    Elise Bauer

    "Any cooked ham or ham steak works for this recipe. If the ham has a sweet glaze on it, be aware the sweet flavors will come through in the salad. To avoid the sweetness being a dominant flavor, cut away any parts covered in glaze before dicing or grinding the ham." —Elise

  • Nutella Puppy Chow

    Bowl of nutella puppy chow next to a smaller bowl with more on a counter with some pieces of puppy chow scattered around

    Simply Recipes / Ciara Kehoe

    "I like mixing Corn Chex and Rice Chex in puppy chow for a slight change in texture from bite to bite, but you can just use one for ease. I don’t recommend using Wheat Chex." —Laurel Randolph, Associate Editorial Director

  • Chili Crisp Chicken Salad

    Chili crisp chicken salad in a bowl

    Simply Recipes / Sheela Prakash

    "This chicken salad puts chili crisp front and center, so you definitely want to use one you love the taste of. There are so many different jars out there, these days but my favorite is the Sichuan Chili Crisp from Fly By Jing. Alternatively, it’s pretty easy and fun to make your own." —Sheela Prakash, Recipe Developer

  • Green Goddess Pasta Salad

    Bowl of Green Goddess Pasta Salad

    Simply Recipes / Lori Rice

    "Instead of the asparagus, frozen peas, and fennel, use green beans, broccoli, fresh peas, sugar snap peas, celery, or endive. The theme is green and fresh!" —Devan Grimsrud, Recipe Developer

    Continue to 25 of 25 below

  • Creamy Zucchini Dip

    zucchini dip in a bowl on a plate with sliced vegetables

    Simply Recipes / Mark Beahm

    "I like to finish the dip with my best olive oil and a handful of fresh herbs. Sometimes, I’ll add a little paprika or sumac on top for a contrasting color." —Stephanie A. Ganz, Recipe Developer

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