Make your gathering unforgettable with these Thanksgiving Potluck Ideas—easy, crowd-pleasing dishes from casseroles to desserts that everyone will be thankful for!

Hosting or heading to a feast? These Thanksgiving Potluck Ideas will make sure your dish is the one everyone remembers. Whether you’re assigned the main course or just bringing something sweet, these dishes bring big flavor and zero stress—because potluck magic is all about sharing the love (and the leftovers).

Thanksgiving Potluck Ideas

1) Sheet-Pan Herbed Turkey Breast With Golden Make-Ahead Gravy

Why It Wins The Potluck: Juicy slices, crisp skin, and a gravy that actually behaves in a thermos. This serves like a dream and frees the host’s oven.

Ingredients (Serves 10–12)

Turkey & Rub

• 1 whole bone-in turkey breast (5–6 lb), patted very dry
• 2 ½ tsp kosher salt + 1 tsp freshly ground black pepper
• 2 tsp garlic powder, 2 tsp onion powder
• 2 tsp smoked paprika
• 1 tbsp chopped fresh rosemary, 1 tbsp chopped fresh thyme
• 2 tbsp Dijon mustard
• 3 tbsp softened unsalted butter (room temp)
• 1 tbsp olive oil
• 1 lemon, zested and halved
• 1 large onion, thick-sliced; 3 celery ribs, chunked; 2 carrots, chunked (roasting bed)

Gravy (Make-Ahead)

• Pan drippings (you’ll get ~¾–1 cup) + 2 tbsp butter
• ¼ cup all-purpose flour
• 3–4 cups low-sodium chicken or turkey stock, warmed
• 1 tsp soy sauce (color + savoriness), 1 tsp Dijon
• ½ tsp black pepper, salt to taste

Optional splash: 2 tbsp dry sherry

Carry Like A Pro

• 1 rimmed sheet pan + foil tent for travel
• Thermos for gravy; carving knife at the ready

The Turkey Game Plan

• Season The Night Before. Stir salt, pepper, garlic powder, onion powder, paprika, rosemary, thyme, Dijon, butter, olive oil, and lemon zest into a paste. Loosen skin over the breast with your fingers. Rub half the paste under the skin, the rest all over. Place on a rack over a sheet pan, uncovered, and refrigerate overnight (this dries the skin for maximum crackle).
• Roast On A Veg Bed. Heat oven to 425°F (220°C). Scatter onion, celery, and carrots on a lined sheet pan; squeeze lemon halves over and toss the halves onto the pan. Set turkey breast skin-side up on top. Roast 20 minutes to set the skin.
• Finish Moist. Drop temp to 325°F (165°C) and continue roasting 60–80 minutes, until thickest part hits 160°F (it will coast to 165°F). If edges brown fast, tent loosely with foil.
• Rest And Deglaze. Transfer turkey to a board, tent, and rest 20–30 minutes. Pour off drippings; scrape browned bits with a splash of stock.
• Build The Gravy. In a saucepan over medium, melt butter, whisk in flour, and cook 2 minutes until blond and nutty. Stream in warmed stock + drippings while whisking. Add soy sauce, Dijon, pepper, and sherry if using. Simmer 6–8 minutes to glossy thickness. Salt to taste. Funnel into a preheated thermos.
• Slice And Pack. Slice across the grain into ¼-inch slices, shingle on the sheet pan, and spoon a little hot gravy over just the centers to keep moist. Foil-tent; tuck the rest of the gravy into your bag.

2) Harvest Farro & Sausage Stuffing (Crispy Top, Juicy Middle)

Why It Wins The Potluck: It cuts clean, reheats perfectly, and the texture play—chewy farro, soft aromatics, sweet apple, pops of cranberry—makes everyone weirdly emotional.

Ingredients (Serves 12)

• 8 cups 1-inch cubes sturdy sourdough, dried overnight or toasted
• 1 cup pearled farro, rinsed
• 1 lb Italian turkey sausage (casings removed)
• 4 tbsp unsalted butter, divided
• 1 large onion, diced small; 3 celery ribs, diced; 1 large carrot, diced
• 2 tart apples (Honeycrisp/Pink Lady), peeled, ½-inch dice
• 3 garlic cloves, minced
• 1 tbsp chopped fresh sage; 1 tbsp chopped fresh thyme; ¼ cup parsley, chopped
• ¾ cup dried cranberries
• 3–3 ½ cups low-sodium chicken stock, warmed
• 2 large eggs, beaten
• 1 tsp kosher salt + ½ tsp black pepper

Carry Like A Pro

• 9×13 casserole (buttered) with tight foil; bring extra chopped parsley for a fresh finish

Crisp-Topped, Custardy Plan

• Cook The Farro. Boil farro in salted water until pleasantly chewy, 15–18 minutes. Drain well; spread to steam off.
• Brown The Sausage. In a large skillet over medium-high, crumble sausage with 1 tbsp butter until browned and cooked through, 6–8 minutes. Transfer to a bowl; leave the fond.
• Soften The Aromatics. Add remaining 3 tbsp butter. Sauté onion, celery, and carrot with ½ tsp salt until translucent, 8 minutes. Stir in apples and garlic; cook 3 minutes more. Fold in sage, thyme, cranberries; scrape into a huge bowl.
• Combine The Base. Add bread cubes, farro, and sausage to the bowl. Toss so everything distributes evenly (no spice pockets).
• Moisten With Intention. Whisk warm stock with beaten eggs, remaining salt, and pepper. Pour over the stuffing; toss, then squeeze a handful—it should hold lightly and feel damp, not soggy. Add more stock as needed.
• Bake For The Contrast. Pile into the buttered 9×13. Cover with foil and bake at 350°F (175°C) 25 minutes. Uncover and bake 20–25 minutes more until the top crisps and edges bubble.
• Finish & Travel. Rest 10 minutes; shower with parsley. Foil and go. Reheat uncovered 10 minutes at the host’s if needed.

3) Maple-Roasted Brussels & Butternut With Pecan Gremolata

Why It Wins The Potluck: Color, crunch, and a bright herbal finish. It’s sturdy, vegan-friendly, and holds at room temp like it was born for potlucks.

Ingredients (Serves 10)

Roast

• 2 lb Brussels sprouts, trimmed, halved
• 2 lb butternut squash, peeled/seeded, ¾-inch cubes
• 3 tbsp olive oil
• 1 ½ tsp kosher salt, ½ tsp black pepper
• 1 tsp ground cinnamon, ¼ tsp smoked paprika
• 2 tbsp pure maple syrup

Pecan Gremolata

• 1 cup pecans, toasted and chopped
• 1 packed cup flat-leaf parsley, finely chopped
• Zest of 1 orange + 1 lemon
• 1 small garlic clove, microplaned
• 2 tbsp olive oil, ½ tsp kosher salt

Carry Like A Pro

• Wide, shallow casserole; gremolata in a zip bag to sprinkle at the table

The Plan!

• High Heat, Two Pans. Heat oven to 425°F (220°C). Toss Brussels with half the oil/salt/pepper/spices on one sheet; squash with the rest on another. Spread in single layers with breathing room.
• Caramelize. Roast 18 minutes. Pull pans; drizzle each with 1 tbsp maple. Toss and roast 6–8 minutes more until edges are deep golden.
• Mix The Gremolata. Stir pecans, parsley, citrus zests, garlic, olive oil, and salt until the nuts glisten and the herbs look juicy.
• Assemble & Travel. Layer veg in the casserole. Cover loosely for travel (steam escapes, crispness stays). Shower with gremolata right before serving.

4) Big Autumn Salad With Cider-Maple Vinaigrette (Buffet Hero)

Why It Wins The Potluck: This is the palate-cleanser everyone needs between bites of gravy. It stays crunchy, refuses to wilt, and vanishes first.

Ingredients (Serves 12)

Salad

• 10 oz springy-sturdy greens (baby kale + little gem/romaine blend), dried
• 1 large Honeycrisp apple + 1 firm pear, cored and ¼-inch sliced, tossed with lemon juice
• ½ small red onion, paper-thin half-moons
• ¾ cup pomegranate arils
• ¾ cup toasted pepitas (or candied pecans if not serving vegans)
• 6 oz feta or goat cheese, crumbled (optional)

Cider-Maple Vinaigrette

• ⅓ cup extra-virgin olive oil
• 3 tbsp apple cider vinegar
• 1 ½ tbsp pure maple syrup
• 2 tsp Dijon mustard
• 1 small garlic clove, grated; 1 tsp fresh thyme
• ½ tsp kosher salt, ¼ tsp black pepper

Carry Like A Pro

• Salad base in a big bowl, fruit/cheese/nuts in separate containers, vinaigrette in a jar

Build For Crunch

• Shake The Dressing. Jar + lid + 15 seconds of enthusiasm = emulsified, glossy dressing.
• Layer The Base. Greens and onion in the bowl; keep fruit/cheese/pepitas separate for travel.
• Dress At The Table. Toss greens with two-thirds of the dressing until every leaf shines. Top with apple, pear, pomegranate, pepitas, and cheese.
• Drizzle the rest. Serve with the confidence of a person who knows where the good forks are.

5) Brown Butter Pumpkin Slab Blondies With Salted Maple Glaze

Why It Wins The Potluck: Bake once, feed a crowd, and slice neat squares that balance cozy pumpkin spice with fudgy chew.

Ingredients (Makes 24 Bars)

Blondies

• 1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter
• 1 ½ cups packed dark brown sugar
• 2 large eggs + 1 egg yolk, room temp
• ¾ cup pumpkin purée (not pie filling)
• 2 tsp vanilla extract
• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 tsp baking powder, ½ tsp baking soda
• 1 tsp fine sea salt
• 2 tsp cinnamon, ½ tsp nutmeg, ¼ tsp cloves
• 1 cup chopped toasted pecans (optional)
• 1 cup white chocolate chips (optional but delightful)

Salted Maple Glaze

• 1 ¼ cups powdered sugar, sifted
• 3 tbsp pure maple syrup
• 1–2 tbsp milk (as needed)
• ¼ tsp fine sea salt

Carry Like A Pro

• Bake in a parchment-lined 10×15 jelly-roll pan; cool, glaze, set, then transport in the same pan with a lid or foil

Fudgy-Chewy Method

• Brown The Butter. Melt butter in a saucepan over medium, swirling until it foams and smells nutty, 4–6 minutes. Cool 10 minutes.
• Whisk The Wet. In a large bowl, whisk brown sugar into warm brown butter until glossy. Whisk in eggs + yolk one at a time, then pumpkin and vanilla until silky.
• Fold The Dry. In another bowl, whisk flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and spices. Fold into wet just until streaks disappear. Stir in pecans and chips if using.
• Bake. Spread batter into the lined pan. Bake at 350°F (175°C) 18–22 minutes until the center barely springs back (don’t overbake; fudgy > cakey). Cool completely.
• Glaze. Whisk powdered sugar, maple, and enough milk for a pourable glaze. Salt to taste (yes, taste the glaze). Drizzle in zigzags, let set 20 minutes, then cut tidy bars with a hot knife (wipe between cuts).

Potluck Packing List (Trust Me On These!)

• Heat Holders: Thermos for gravy; insulated bag or cooler for hot dishes
• Finishing Kit: Flaky salt, extra herbs, microplane, serving spoons/labels
• Allergy Flags: Note “contains nuts/dairy/gluten” where needed
• Timing: Arrive with everything already seasoned and 95% ready—only quick tosses and sprinkles on site

Bring one of these and you’re not the guest—they’ll treat you like a co-host. I’m telling you, this is your year to own these Thanksgiving potluck ideas!.