If you’re needing to take a dish to church potluck or other special event, look no further than these easy Crockpot Potluck Ideas. These simple slow cooker recipes are easy on the wallet and taste great. Feed a crowd without breaking a sweat.
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You already knew that the crockpot is great for weeknight meals. But what about potlucks?
Potluck meals are some of the most fun. When you need to feed a crowd and let everyone participate, potluck is where it’s at!
Not only do you share the burden of meal prep with friends and family when you potluck, but you also get a chance to try new foods — and expose your picky eaters to new tastes and textures on someone else’s dime!
While there are a variety of potluck recipes to choose from, I’d like to make a special case for crockpot potluck ideas. That sounds like a tongue twister — but it’s a tasty one!
Why Use the Crockpot for Potlucks
It’s an easy way to keep food hot. When you use the crockpot for your potluck meals, you have a built-in mechanism for keeping food hot. You can enjoy a hot meal whenever you’re ready which is nice for guests who arrive later or if the meal comes after a meeting or other special event.
Crockpots keep food safe. Used properly, the crockpot can help you keep food at a safe temperature. No one wants to share food poisoning with a crowd. By keeping the food hot, you prevent it from hitting unsafe temperatures.
Slow cooker meals have a lot of variety. Lest you think you’re locked into soups or chili, think again. A Crockpot can cook lots of different foods, providing many options for your potluck.
Crockpot Potluck Ideas
Consider these easy crockpot recipes for your next potluck:
Cooked Meats
There are a variety of cooked meats that you can prep in the crockpot to serve at a potluck, such as:
Sauerkraut and Pork is an Eastern European standard. Hearty and flavorful, it’s a delicious braise that comes together easily in the slow cooker or instant pot.
Looking for a simple yet flavorful way to cook pork? Combine a homemade rub with a cheap cut of pork and cook it slowly in the slow cooker for a fantastic filling for sandwiches, lettuce wraps, and tacos.
This Salsa Verde Beef recipe is one of the simplest, yet it packs a ton of flavor. It cooks up in the slow cooker or the instant pot, making for the easiest of meals.
Shredded beef is a great filling for tacos, burritos, and taquitos. This recipe cooks up easily in the slow cooker.
Moo Shu Chicken is an easy and delicious meal that you can make ahead to freeze. A riff on traditional Moo Shu Pork, chicken lightens the dish, while flour tortillas make things easy.
Make things easy on yourself! Roast a whole chicken in the slow cooker for tender, delicious cooked chicken to enjoy for dinner or use in recipes.
You can truly set it and forget it when you cook a pot roast in the slow cooker. A quick assembly in the morning allows you to enjoy a great dinner at night.
Meatloaf has been a classic American dinner for decades. Make it the easy way next time with this simple Slow Cooker Meatloaf Recipe!
Sandwiches
Believe it or not, you can heat sandwiches in the crockpot!
Want something even easier than homemade pizza and just as fun? Make pizzawiches, hot sandwiches with a pizza filling!
Come home to an easy supper: hot Ham and Swiss Sliders! Not only do they taste fabulous, but they’re also freezer-friendly.
Enjoy quick and easy lunches and suppers with these delicious, cheesy Italian Sausage and Pepper Sandwiches.
These Chicken Bacon Subs disappear lickety split at my house. They are the perfect hot chicken sandwich, so easy to assemble and very freezer-friendly.
Soups
Soups are great for feeding a crowd at a potluck, especially if you can keep it in the crockpot.
This Bean and Rice Soup comes together in minutes. Packed with flavor it’s a great way to use up leftovers, eat well, and save money!
Loaded with tender chicken breast, lots of veggies, taco spices, and a rich chicken stock, this simple recipe for Chicken Taco Soup is one you will love to serve both for easy weeknight suppers or fancier Cinco de Mayo celebrations. It’s ready in less than half an hour!
Turkey and Rice Soup is one of the best comfort foods, featuring turkey, rice, spicy sausage, and veggies. Perfect for holiday leftovers!
Enjoy your favorite cafe-style Broccoli Cheese Soup at home for less money. I’ll show you how easy it is with both stovetop and Instant Pot directions!
Enjoy a chilly day a bit more by mixing up a pot of this delicious homemade soup, chocked full of vegetables, beef, and barley. It’ll do your body good.
Split Pea Soup is super easy to make, hearty and delicious. It’s the perfect dish to warm you up on a cold winter day. Try this one on the stove, in the slow cooker, or in the Instant Pot.
Casseroles
You can also prep casseroles in a crockpot. You may need to adjust the baking time, but we’ve adapted many of our favorite casseroles to slow cooking.
Let the slow cooker do the work for you with these lazy cook enchiladas. Simply layer beans, meat, tortillas, cheese, and sauce, for the simplest delicious enchiladas.
Lawnmower Taco Casserole is super easy, freezer-friendly, and totally delicious. Rich in flavor, it contains ground beef or turkey, shredded cheese, tortilla chips, and taco spices layered in a savory gravy that comes together in minutes.
Chili
There are so many different kinds of chili you can prep in the crockpot to take to a potluck. So easy, cheap, and delicious!
This simple Slow Cooker Chili Mac Recipe is very make-ahead and super good. It’s good old fashioned comfort food that gives you the night off cooking.
This Easy Slow Cooker Chili really is easy. Cook up meat and onions, open some cans, dump some spices, and walk away. The slow cooker does all the work for you!
Enjoy a quinoa chili supper that’s full of flavor and a good dose of protein. This naturally vegan, Quinoa Chili comes together quickly and easily for a super supper.
Ditch the canned chili. You can make your own bowl of red or topping for a hot dog in just minutes. This spicy no bean chili recipe provides great taste without the wait.
This easy white bean chicken chili comes together quickly but is packed with flavor.
Side Dishes
Potatoes are a great side dish to cook in the slow cooker!
Recipes that let you “set it and forget it” are some of the best. These Crockpot Baked Potatoes are no exception. Come home to a pot full of baked potatoes all set for dinner!
Slow Cooker Potatoes are absolutely delicious! Quick prep and hands-free cooking make for super simple crock pot potatoes you’ll want on repeat.
Dessert
There are even desserts you can make in the crockpot to serve at potlucks!
Crockpot Chocolate Fondue couldn’t be easier when it’s made in the slow cooker with just two ingredients! Evaporated milk and chocolate chips make a great sauce for fruit and poundcake.
This delicious, lightly sweetened Slow Cooker Applesauce practically cooks itself, allowing you time to do other things. Load up the slow cooker and in a few hours, come back to warm, comforting applesauce.
Crock Pot Hot Chocolate is a must make for cold days. Rich in flavor from cocoa and spices, it’ll warm your tummy this winter.
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