19 Thanksgiving Potluck Dishes That Travel Well So You’re Not the One Who Brought Rolls

The first time I saw sweet potato casserole with marshmallows next to the turkey, I was confused. As an immigrant, I couldn’t understand why dessert was sitting next to the gravy.

Now my kids pick the marshmallows off the top before anyone else can. And when someone asks, “What should we bring?”, green bean casserole is our go-to answer.

These 19 dishes survive the car ride and get people asking, “Who made this?” Make a few the night before, plug in the crab dip, and let someone else bring the rolls.

Cranberry Cheddar Sausage Balls

Bite-size food is the easiest thing to carry into someone else’s house, and these sausage balls pack right into a container. Sweet Italian sausage, sharp white cheddar, and chopped fresh cranberries get rolled into balls and baked for about 25 minutes. Bring a little cranberry sauce for dipping, and you’ll beat the rolls before the turkey even comes out.
Get the Recipe: Cranberry Cheddar Sausage Balls

Broccoli Rice Casserole

Broccoli rice casserole is a potluck classic, and this one skips the canned soup. Tender broccoli and rice get tossed in a homemade cheddar and cream cheese sauce, then baked until the top is bubbly and golden. Put it together the night before, and you only need to bake it before you head out.
Get the Recipe: Broccoli Rice Casserole

Homemade Corn Casserole

Corn casserole tastes just as good at room temperature as it does warm, which is exactly what a potluck needs. Sour cream, cornmeal, eggs, and whole corn kernels bake into a golden top with a soft, creamy, cornbread-like inside. It’s a much better swap for the bread basket than another bag of rolls.
Get the Recipe: Homemade Corn Casserole

Seven Layer Vegetarian Dip

My kids love helping spread the layers on this dip, even if the kitchen gets a little messy. Refried beans, spiced black beans, guacamole, sour cream, salsa, and cheddar stack in a 9×13 dish with no cooking. Make it the day before, add the tomatoes and green onions when you arrive, and serve it cold with chips.
Get the Recipe: Seven Layer Vegetarian Dip

Salted Caramel Pumpkin Muffins

One Thanksgiving, my nephew tried to sneak one of these before dessert and called them better than pie. Soft spiced pumpkin muffins get a swirl of salted caramel buttercream and a tiny pumpkin truffle on top. Bake them in the morning and bring them to dinner, and nobody has to cut a single slice.
Get the Recipe: Salted Caramel Pumpkin Muffins

Classic Southern Deviled Eggs

A tray of deviled eggs never lasts long at a potluck. The yolks get mashed with mayo, yellow mustard, and sweet pickle relish, then piped back in and dusted with paprika and chives. Carry the filling in a bag and fill the eggs when you get there, so nothing slides around in the car.
Get the Recipe: Classic Southern Deviled Eggs

Sweet Potato Casserole With Marshmallows and Pecans

Sweet potato casserole with marshmallows confused me the first time I saw it served next to turkey. Roasted sweet potatoes get mashed into a creamy spiced base, then covered with buttery pecan streusel and gooey marshmallows. My kids clean the top clean every time, so people actually line up for this dish.
Get the Recipe: Sweet Potato Casserole With Marshmallows and Pecans

Gluten Free Stuffing with Mushrooms for Turkey

For years I couldn’t eat the stuffing at Thanksgiving, so I tested bread after bread until I found a gluten-free one that worked. Gluten-free sourdough soaks up broth with onions, rehydrated mushrooms, dried cranberries, and herbs, then bakes moist inside and crisp on top. It bakes in its own dish and tastes even better the next day, so it’s easy to make ahead and bring along.
Get the Recipe: Gluten Free Stuffing with Mushrooms for Turkey

Gluten-Free Carrot Kugel

My grandmother loved carrot kugel long before I did, and this recipe is the one that finally won me over. Grated carrots, eggs, brown sugar, cinnamon, nutmeg, and orange zest bake into a soft, gluten-free kugel in one 9×13 dish. It tastes good warm or cold, so the drive time doesn’t matter.
Get the Recipe: Gluten-Free Carrot Kugel

Crockpot Crab Dip

This is my favorite dip to make when people come over because it stays warm in the crockpot the whole time. Lump crab, cream cheese, cheddar, and Old Bay cook together on low for 2 to 3 hours until smooth and bubbly. Carry the whole crockpot over, plug it in, and the dip stays warm until the last cracker.
Get the Recipe: Crockpot Crab Dip

Green Bean Casserole

Green bean casserole became our go-to answer whenever someone asks what we should bring. Green beans and mushrooms bake in a creamy sauce under a crispy layer of shoestring fries, which is how my son finally started eating green beans. Assemble it the day before, then add the fries for the final bake so they stay crisp.
Get the Recipe: Green Bean Casserole

Baked Cranberry Cheesecake

Cheesecake is best made a day early, which makes it a smart potluck pick. The buttery crust and creamy filling mix in one food processor bowl, then add a homemade orange cranberry topping once it chills. Carry it in the springform pan and slice it right at the dessert table.
Get the Recipe: Baked Cranberry Cheesecake

Vintage Southern Pimento Cheese Dip

I didn’t grow up with pimento cheese, but last summer I brought it to every single cookout. Mix sharp cheddar, cream cheese, mayo, sweet pimentos, and a pinch of cayenne in about 10 minutes; no stove needed. Make it the night before, keep it cold, and pack crackers for scooping.
Get the Recipe: Vintage Southern Pimento Cheese Dip

Pumpkin Roll Recipe

If someone else already called dibs on pumpkin pie, a pumpkin roll still lets you bring the flavor. Soft spiced pumpkin cake rolls up around a sweet cream cheese filling, so every slice shows a pretty spiral. Chill it wrapped in wax paper and keep it in the fridge for a day or two, which makes the car ride easy.
Get the Recipe: Pumpkin Roll Recipe

Scalloped Potatoes

Scalloped potatoes are about as potluck-friendly as a side can get. Thin potato slices bake in layers of homemade cheddar sauce until they’re soft inside and golden on top. You can assemble the dish the day before and bake it right before you leave.
Get the Recipe: Scalloped Potatoes

Butterscotch Apple Crisp

Apple crisp is easier than apple pie, and it doesn’t need a fancy crust to look good. Granny Smith apples soak in a bourbon-butterscotch sauce, then bake under an oat-and-brown-sugar streusel. Bring the extra sauce in a jar so everyone can drizzle some on top.
Get the Recipe: Butterscotch Apple Crisp

Sweet Kabocha Squash Casserole with Pecans

Most squash makes a casserole runny, so I reach for kabocha instead. It holds so little water that a few eggs set the filling, and it slices into neat wedges under a crunchy pecan top. Neat slices mean no soupy mess sloshing around in the back seat.
Get the Recipe: Sweet Kabocha Squash Casserole with Pecans

Cranberry Fluff Salad

Cranberry fluff shows up on our table every holiday, and my kids are the first in line for it. Fresh chopped cranberries, crushed pineapple, mini marshmallows, cream cheese, and Cool Whip fold together with no cooking at all. It needs a few hours in the fridge anyway, so make it the night before and carry it in a cooler.
Get the Recipe: Cranberry Fluff Salad

Pecan Pie Bark

I first made this pecan bark during exam season, when a whole pie felt like too much work. Butter, brown sugar, and pecans bubble into a caramel that bakes on top of graham crackers for just 6 minutes. Once it cools, you break it into pieces and pack them in a container, with no pie to squish on the way.
Get the Recipe: Pecan Pie Bark

If you’ve ever spent Thanksgiving balancing a casserole in the passenger seat, you already know how important a travel-friendly dish can be.