Dive into this epic list of Summer Potluck Ideas for outdoor picnic, grilling, and easy snacking inspiration!
Summertime means fun-filled days poolside or just spending time with friends and family in the backyard.
When hosting a get-together, potluck-themed meals are a fun way to share everyone’s favorite dishes and are a great way to try new recipes.
With so many online recipes, searching for summertime potluck ideas can be time-consuming.
To help you save time, we curated a list of 32 fantastic summer potluck dishes.
Our list is designed similar to a restaurant menu, starting with tantalizing appetizers and concluding with delicious summer desserts.
Whether hosting a family gathering or attending a friend’s potluck lunch, we’re confident you’ll find the perfect dish!
For hosts, you can easily share this list of summer potluck recipe ideas with family and friends.
We’re sure many of these tasty, easy-to-cook recipes will soon become your go-to favorites.
We include recipes for everyone, with vegan and vegetarian options.
The list includes a mix of comfort food recipes and lighter dishes in each category of appetizers, salads, main dishes, sides, and desserts.
We also tossed in a thirst-quenching Watermelon Gazpacho for something new and exciting!
Our list is flavor-packed with fresh summer taste like Arugula Watermelon Feta Salad and Bacon Cheeseburger Hawaiian Sweet Roll Slider, a perfect summer potluck main dish.
The list includes both cold salads and warm served dishes.
These recipes can be personalized for taste preferences.
Enjoy perusing these deliciously fresh recipes!
Instead of the usual guacamole dip, surprise everyone with this fantastic appetizer of flavorful summer strawberry salsa stuffed into creamy, excellent avocado halves.
The salsa and avocado are irresistible!
Simple to make using fresh strawberries, avocadoes, tangy lime juice, onions with a bit of heat from the jalapeños.
This light simple, Antipasto appetizer is stress-free and easy to prepare.
A blend of fresh cherry tomatoes, mozzarella balls, fresh basil, kalamata olives, and marinated artichoke hearts.
The variations of food items you could use in this recipe are endless and include green olives, salami, and cooked tortellini.
This easy-to-make creamy homemade queso dip is a crowd-pleaser every time!
The recipe uses real cheddar and Monterey Jack cheese, jalapeno pepper, and diced tomatoes with fresh cilantro.
Serve this dish with salty tortilla chips and Pico de Gallo.
Surprise everyone with this summertime potluck soup!
It’s a perfect blend of refreshing savory and sweet flavors during the hot summer months.
This easy, assembled soup tastes like summertime in a bowl.
When thinking of potluck menu items, keep this cold soup recipe as a special treat for your guests.
This recipe is full of summer fruit flavors.
This dish perfectly blends the textures and sweetness of season-fresh cantaloupe, kiwis, strawberries, pineapple, grapes, mangos, and blueberries.
Fruit salads are a go-to favorite as the dish is cool and refreshing.
Pinwheels are the go-to mainstay appetizer or snack as they are easy to prepare and easy to eat!
This classic turkey recipe takes about 15 minutes to put together.
You’ll need turkey lunch meat, cream cheese, shredded cheese, green onions, shredded lettuce, and flour tortillas.
It’s that simple!
We added this tasty trash mix as a snack option for individuals and kids who crave a salty treat with their meal.
This recipe can be put together in minutes as the ingredients are pantry staples.
Mix cereal, cheese crackers, pretzel sticks with melted butter, garlic salt, onion powder, and Worcestershire sauce.
Basil pesto is a favorite summer food as it quickly transforms pasta dishes.
The garden-fresh flavors make this recipe an instant addition to your recipe repertoire.
This dish is loaded with everyone’s favorite Italian-inspired ingredients of sun-dried tomatoes, tender artichoke hearts, fresh arugula, mini mozzarella balls, Kalamata olives, and pepperoncini peppers.
Believe it or not, Summer Soup recipes exist!
This is an easy, super-fast fresh salad dish that you can put together in minutes.
A blend of fresh strawberries, raspberries, and blueberries, tossed together with baby spinach, goat cheese, red onions, and pecans.
The dressing is a sweet and tangy raspberry vinaigrette. This salad will become your go-to summer dish.
The classic garden salad with tossed fresh vegetables is always a crowd favorite as it goes with just about anything.
Fill a large bowl with lettuce, cherry or grape tomatoes, onion, carrots, radishes, and cucumbers.
For dressing, homemade ranch or Italian work best!
Full of Mediterranean flavors, this light and refreshing quinoa and spinach salad is perfect for summer meals with friends.
The dish is simple with lemon juice, sun-dried tomatoes, and toasted almonds.
The recipe is vegan and gluten-free.
This divine recipe is a modified version of the classic French potato salad, containing lemon juice, herbs, and red potatoes.
It is made with Dijon mustard instead of mayonnaise, preferred for outdoor get-togethers.
This quick-cook dish will become your favorite recipe for summer lunches or dinners.
This light and flavorful vegan coleslaw is a perfect salad dish for summer.
With a super-fast cook time of 10 minutes, guests and friends will love the crunchy, refreshing flavors.
To make this fantastic recipe, you’ll need green and red cabbage, carrots, vegan mayo, apple cider vinegar, and Dijon mustard for added flavor.
This refreshing and flavorful salad perfectly balances the watermelon’s sweetness with the bright, tart, pepper taste of the arugula.
Once prepared, the salad creates a beautiful presentation for your potluck meal.
You’ll need watermelon cubes, olive oil, lemon juice, fresh mint, herbs, feta cheese, and arugula.
15. Chicken Kabobs
These Mediterranean grilled chicken kabobs will disappear from the plate!
They are packed with juicy chicken infused with a tasty marinade combined with a stack of seasonal summer vegetables.
The kabobs can be assembled ahead of time and is a perfect summer potluck recipe.
Even more summertime recipes here.
Everyone will love these tender and juicy cheesy baked chicken meatballs!
This recipe is simple, one bowl, meal-prep friendly.
With pantry ingredients, you can whip together this dish in less than 30 minutes.
You’ll need ground chicken breast, onion, egg, Worcestershire sauce, cheddar cheese, unseasoned breadcrumbs, paprika, garlic powder, and salt and pepper.
Who can resist Hawaiian sweet rolls?
These cheesy sliders, combined with the sweetness of the hot rolls, will quickly disappear.
Simple to prepare and cook with familiar ingredients, this recipe is perfect if you are time-crunched.
You’ll need Hawaiian sweet rolls, sliced cheese, crumbled burger meat, condiments, and pickles.
This simple grilled BBQ shrimp recipe will quickly become your go-to dish for outdoor gatherings.
The homemade BBQ marinade transforms the shrimp recipe into something special.
For the marinade, you’ll mix olive oil, lemon juice, garlic, Italian seasoning, smoked paprika, and seasoning.
Break out the 4th of July Grilling List here!
Grilled BBQ chicken is a summer staple, easy to cook, and popular.
This recipe offers tips on sealing in the juicy grilled chicken flavor everyone craves.
You’ll need chicken breast, barbecue sauce, lime, honey, hot sauce, salt and pepper, and oil.
These marinated steak tacos are packed with bold flavors topped with onions and cilantro.
The secret to these great-tasting tacos is in the marinade, made from orange juice, lime juice, fresh garlic, cumin, chili powder, and fresh jalapeno.
You’ll need steak, marinade ingredients, and flour tortillas.
Mmm when you can’t say no to lime, say YES to these lime recipes!
Sweet summer corn perfection!
The smokey flavor blended with melted butter, chopped cilantro, chili with lime juice is why summers were invented.
Prep and cook time is less than 20 minutes, making this recipe a standard for potluck meals.
For larger crowds, cut cobs into two pieces.
For meal inspiration, add this list so you know what goes with corn on the cob.
22. BBQ Baked Beans
Mouthwatering, hearty BBQ baked beans are a must for summer meals and go nicely with meats and burgers.
The best thing about this recipe is the cooking time is about 40 minutes, much shorter than the standard 2 hours.
You’ll need ground beef, onion, dry mesquite flavoring seasoning mix, canned baked beans, molasses, brown sugar, and BBQ sauce.
This creamy, cheesy, scalloped potatoes recipe will become your go-to dish.
Impress family and friends with this easy side dish infused with savory garlic flavor.
It is a perfect dish that packs a punch with a small ingredient list of potatoes, ranch, milk, mayo, garlic, and cheese.
Get on board with more: What to Serve with Scalloped Potatoes right here.
This delicious sauteed summer squash side dish is light and easy to cook.
Use summer fresh squash and zucchini, olive oil, onion, butter, and seasoning.
This recipe can be made in about 20 minutes, making it perfect when you are in a hurry.
Add a fruity summer cocktail to the mix with this list.
Homemade Mac and Cheese are the go-to comfort food.
Who can resist the tender noodles warmed in a blanket of melted cheese and butter?
Exactly.
The dish is easy to prepare with a cook time of less than an hour.
You’ll need pasta, cheese, butter, panko breadcrumbs, milk, garlic, onion, and mustard powder.
A beautiful blending of grilled broccoli, lemon, and parmesan cheese.
The simplicity of grilling makes this recipe easy to cook in about 20 minutes, with little clean-up afterward.
You’ll need broccoli, lemon juice, olive oil, and grated parmesan cheese.
These gooey, delicious mouthwatering, chocolate chip cookie bars are irresistible and make a perfect dessert for your next potluck get-together.
You’ll need peanut butter cups, chocolate chips, and marshmallows.
Cook time for these fabulous dessert bars is 30 minutes.
Get even more delectable snacks here!
28. Apple Pie
Everyone loves apple pie!
This classic dessert is a mainstay for summer picnics, lunches (and brunches!) and dinners.
This recipe is made from scratch and promises a perfectly cooked apple.
No mushy fruit here! Freshly cut apples rest in a light spice syrup surrounded by a flaky, golden-brown crust.
Select your favorite apples for this fantastic recipe!
This light and refreshing raspberry cream angel food cake is delicious and easy to make.
Fresh or frozen raspberries will work in this recipe.
This treat is best served chilled, allowing the raspberries syrup to infuse into the angel food cake.
A bonus is that the dessert can be made ahead of time.
30. Key Lime Cookies
Key Lime cookies are always a favorite during summer.
A tart lime-flavored cookie is a perfect lunch or dinner treat.
You’ll need flour, baking soda, salt, unsalted butter, sugar, brown sugar, egg, vanilla extract, limes, and baking chips.
Total prep and cook time is less than 30 minutes.
31. Éclair Cake
This yummy no-bake éclair recipe will quickly disappear as guests will be going back for seconds.
The dessert is decadent, creamy, and easy to prepare using simple ingredients.
You’ll need vanilla instant pudding and pie filling, milk, whipped topping, graham crackers, sugar, cocoa, and butter.
These super cute cookies exemplify summer fun!
Easy to bake with typical ingredients of butter, powdered sugar, eggs, pure vanilla extract, flour, baking powder, cinnamon, granulated sugar, and sliced almonds.
The cookies can be baked ahead of time and frozen without flavor loss.
The bottom line
Potluck get-togethers are always fun with family and friends as everyone gets to bring their favorite dish or drink and taste something new!
The appetizers and salads can also serve as main dishes and vegetarian options.
Our curated list functions as a menu list to select from each time you need recipe ideas.
Be sure to share which dishes were your favorites!
32 Summer Potluck Ideas
Dive into this epic list of 30 Summer Potluck Ideas for outdoor picnic, great grilling, and easy snacking inspiration!
Ingredients
- Strawberry Salsa Stuffed Avocados
- Easy Antipasto Skewers
- Queso Dip Recipe
- Watermelon Gazpacho
- Easy Fruit Salad Recipe
- Classic Turkey and Cheese Pinwheels
- Aunt Kay’s Trash Mix
- Broccoli Pesto Pasta With Green Olives Salad
- Berry Spinach Salad
- Easy Garden Salad
- Sun-Dried Tomato, Spinach, And Quinoa Salad
- Herbed Potato Salad
- Classic Vegan Coleslaw
- Arugula Watermelon Feta Salad
- Chicken Kabobs
- Cheesy Baked Chicken Meatballs
- Bacon Cheeseburger Hawaiian Sweet Roll Slider
- Grilled Shrimp Skewers
- BBQ Grilled Chicken
- The Best Steak Tacos
- Grilled Chili Lime Butter Corn On The Cob
- BBQ Baked Beans
- Easy Scalloped Potatoes
- Sauteed Zucchini And Yellow Squash
- Homemade Baked Mac And Cheese
- Grilled Broccoli With Lemon And Parmesan
- Fluffernutter Chocolate Chip Cookie Bars
- Apple Pie
- Heavenly Raspberry Cream Angel Food Cake Dessert
- Key Lime Cookies
- Éclair Cake
- Sand Dollar Cookies
Instructions
- Choose a recipe from any of our Summer Potluck Ideas list.
- Check all the necessary ingredients and instructions.
- Try these summer potluck dishes and share them on our Facebook page!