Crowd-Pleasing Summer Potluck Recipes You Can Make In Your 13x9
Summertime is the best time for a Southern potluck full of dishes that take advantage of summer's vibrant bounty from farmers' markets, local farm stands, or even your own backyard. Unlike during the holidays, summer potlucks let you make it more about the fresh peaches, tomatoes, okra, corn, summer squash, and peas than anything else. Fresh, easy, and pretty enough for a get-together, these summer potluck recipes will showcase every bright and colorful thing we love about summer.
From packed-to-the-brim vegetable gratins to freshened-up pasta bakes, these easy summer casseroles will wow the crowd and disappear faster than those fleeting summer days. To top it off, we included some easy summer desserts for a crowd that'll be easy to make and even easier to take, thanks to your 9x13 baking dish. Here are our favorite 13x9 summer potluck recipes you need to whip up this season.
Easy Buffalo Chicken Dip
Recipe: Easy Buffalo Chicken Dip
What makes this sensational recipe standout out from the posers? Lots of ooey, gooey cheese—we're talking sharp Cheddar cheese, pepper Jack cheese, cream cheese, and crumbled blue cheese. Chopped cooked chicken makes it a breeze to whip together for a party.Â
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Zucchini Lasagna
Recipe: Zucchini Lasagna
Say hello to the prettiest use of summer's bounty. This lasagna alternates between layers of lasagna noodles and laced zucchini strips.Â
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Savory Tomato Cobbler
Recipe: Savory Tomato Cobbler
Celebrate tomato season with this heavenly favorite—and who says all of your summer cobblers need to be peach-laden?
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Ham Delights
Recipe: Ham Delights
We updated this tried-and-true appetizer with flavorful Gouda cheese and a sprinkling of everything bagel seasoning. Bake in your trusty 13x9 to get nice and melty.
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Loaded Cauliflower Casserole
Recipe: Loaded Cauliflower Casserole
Like a loaded baked potato—but in casserole form and made a little less rich by using cauliflower instead of heavy potatoes. It makes a super satisfying side dish.Â
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Zucchini, Squash, and Corn Casserole
Recipe: Zucchini, Squash, and Corn Casserole
Can you name a better summertime trio than zucchini, squash, and corn? Bound together with a cheesy, creamy filling, this bright dish gets beautifully golden on top to match that sunny weather.
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Chili Cheese Enchiladas
Recipe: Chili Cheese Enchiladas
Made with a flavor-bursting chili-cheese gravy, this Tex-Mex casserole will be the tastiest thing at the potluck. Add any ingredients you have on hand, such as a can of corn, black beans, refried beans, or shredded chicken.Â
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Pasta-Chicken-Broccoli Bake
Recipe: Pasta-Chicken-Broccoli Bake
This casserole is full of summer color with broccoli, bell peppers, and colorful spinach-and-cheese tortellini. This crowd-pleasing recipe will be one of the first to disappear.
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Zucchini Rice Gratin
Recipe: Zucchini Rice Gratin
Lighten up your potluck offering with this mayo-free casserole speckled with zucchini straight from your garden. It's so easy and fresh that you'll make it all spring and summer long.
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Baked Ziti with Summer Vegetables
Recipe: Baked Ziti with Summer Vegetables
Loads of in-season squash and tomatoes give a freshness to this classic dish that's almost always seen at Southern reunions, potlucks, and funerals. Fresh mozzerella and basil top off the dish in a delicious fashion.
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Okra and Rice Casserole
Recipe: Okra and Rice Casserole
Tender sautéed okra, sweet corn, bell pepper, and tomatoes give this dish so much bright summery color. Cajun spices and buttery garlic breadcrumbs make sure it doesn't skimp on the flavor.
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Buffalo Chicken Casserole
Recipe: Buffalo Chicken Casserole
Everyone's favorite party dip got a hearty upgrade with chicken and penne pasta. It'll be a quick crowd-pleaser.Â
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Roasted Tomato Macaroni and Cheese
Recipe: Roasted Tomato Macaroni and Cheese
Even your macaroni and cheese should have a summery touch, thanks to the bounty of ripe tomatoes at your fingertips. This comforting homemade mac-and-cheese will wow the kids and the adults alike at the potluck.
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Ham and Noodle Casserole
Recipe: Ham and Noodle Casserole
This family-friendly casserole is made with egg noodles, chopped ham, a tasty mix of vegetables (carrots, broccoli, asparagus), and a rich and creamy sauce. It's an easy potluck staple.Â
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Creamy Chicken and Collard Green Enchiladas
Recipe: Creamy Chicken and Collard Green Enchiladas
Put even more color into your creamy enchilada bake by packing it with some collards. Sure, the filling of buttery sautéed collards, shredded chicken, and Monterey Jack cheese that fills corn tortillas is tasty; but it's the topping of green chile sauce and even more cheese that seals the deal.
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Turkey-Noodle-Poppyseed Casserole
Recipe: Turkey-Noodle-Poppyseed Casserole
You can never go wrong when showing up with a poppyseed casserole in tow. This version uses traditional egg noodles, diced turkey, and plenty of creamy sauce to get the job done.
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Marian's Savory Vegetable Bread Pudding
Recipe: Savory Vegetable Bread Pudding
This veggie-packed bread pudding takes all of your favorite summer produce and turns it into a rich Southern delicacy. You can even mix and match vegetables you have on hand for this recipe, ranging from okra and tomatoes to summer squash and mushrooms.
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Old-School Squash Casserole
Recipe: Old-School Squash Casserole Recipe
This classic will make the most of the harvest. You can't go wrong when showing up with this bright, summery crowd favorite.
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Reunion Pea Casserole
Recipe: Reunion Pea Casserole
This bright casserole packs a delicious punch. The stuffed-to-the-brim dish is full of Italian sausage, cheese, squash, and peas—then it's finished off with a buttery crescent roll crust.
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Deb Wise's Tamale Pie Mix-up
Recipe: Deb Wise's Tamale Pie Mix-up
One of our favorite quick-fix dishes to bring to the summer potluck, this take on a tamale pie is packed with a filling of ground beef, cornmeal, tomato sauce, and corn that gets finished with a layer of gooey cheese.
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Chicken-and-Wild Rice Casserole
Recipe: Chicken-and-Wild Rice Casserole
Bring summertime freshness to your potluck lineup with this almond-topped casserole. Take a break from the pasta bakes with a wild rice casserole filled with chicken, water chestnuts, sour cream, and cheese.
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Creamy Kale and Pasta Bake
Recipe: Creamy Kale and Pasta Bake
Make use of your lush greens from the farmers' market with this creamy bake with loads of gooey cheese and tender kale. This dish comes together in half an hour, making it a hearty no-brainer for any get-together.
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Savannah Red Rice
Recipe: Savannah Red Rice
This regional delicacy is simple to prepare while still showcasing rich flavor. The smoky bacon and tangy tomatoes will keep guests coming back for more.
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Sweet Potato, Cauliflower, and Greens Casserole
Recipe: Sweet Potato, Cauliflower, and Greens Casserole
Big chunks of fresh vegetables—cauliflower, mushrooms, sweet potatoes, butter beans—mingle with a creamy cheese sauce and tender kale to make up this meat-free casserole that'll shine at your summer potluck.
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Cakey Strawberry Cobbler
Recipe: Cakey Strawberry Cobbler
We can't be sure of which part we love the most: the fresh, juicy cooked strawberries or the golden, cake-like topping with crispy edges and a tender center.Â
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Banana Pudding Poke Cake
Recipe: Banana Pudding Poke Cake
This cake is rich and delicious, bursting with fresh banana flavor and big enough to feed a crowd. We recommend chilling the cake in the refrigerator for a few hours before serving.
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Raspberry-Rhubarb Bars
Recipe: Raspberry-Rhubarb Bars
Everyone will appreciate these fruity hand-held treats. Fresh rhubarb adds a tart touch that balances out the richness of the shortbread-like crust.
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Sweet Tea-and-Lemonade Cake
Recipe: Sweet Tea-and-Lemonade Cake
No summertime soiree is complete without this showy confection that takes inspiration from the refreshing Southern beverage, the Arnold Palmer. For festive events such as the Kentucky Derby, spin this into a tipsy cake by substituting up to two tablespoons of vodka or bourbon for the lemon juice in the frosting.
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Pineapple Bread Pudding
Recipe: Pineapple Bread Pudding
That extra bread in your kitchen has never been tastier. Made with pineapple pieces, pineapple juice, soft Hawaiian dinner rolls, and macadamia nuts, it's a tropical dream.
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Plum-Berry Cornmeal Sheet Cake
Recipe: Plum-Berry Cornmeal Sheet Cake
This sheet cakes looks like it just belongs at a breezy picnic. The vanilla-flavored cornmeal batter makes a not-too-sweet base for the fresh berries and plums.
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Red, White, and Blue Poke Cake
Recipe: Red, White, and Blue Poke Cake
This dessert pleases the crowd by being both patriotic as all get-out for summer and tasting even better. It's made with two fillings of fresh summer berries and topped with rich mascarpone frosting.
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Patchwork Cobbler
Recipe: Patchwork Cobbler
Show off your summer fruits at the cookout with this beautiful patchwork cobbler packed full with peaches, plums, and blueberries. A sugar-crusted pastry topping makes it look pretty as a picture.
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Mississippi Mud Brownies
Recipe: Mississippi Mud Brownies
These gooey bars won't last long thanks to their moist brownie base, chopped pecans, mini marshmallows, and chocolate frosting.