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The festive season is a busy one – especially if you have kids – so if you’re the potluck host, don’t bother making your home spotless before guests arrive. Just clear every counter and tabletop of clutter and hide the mess away in a cupboard somewhere to deal with later. Spray the surfaces with all-purpose cleaner so they shine, and that’s enough. No one will notice dust under the sofa, anyway.
Potluck parties are best when they’re informal, so you don’t even need to use tablecloths. If you’re no fan of disposable plastic cloths, be inspired by the chalkboard trend in cafes: Use plain mahjong paper on the table and write instructions or the names of dishes on the paper.
If the party is at someone else’s home, think about how you’ll get your dish there in good shape? An easy trick is to make individual servings of desserts like these cute trifles below (recipe in the gallery) or even agar agar – they’re easy to transport in disposable plastic cups.
So whether you’re attending a festive potluck party, or throwing it yourself, these 20 recipes are sure to be winners!
Kueh Pie Tee
Crunchy, refreshing and flavoursome, this popular Peranakan appetiser is a great dish to serve up at parties. Time-saving tip: Use ready-made kueh pie tee shells, and get your guests or fellow potluckers to fill their own shells! It prevents the shells from getting soggy, too.
Deep Fried Salmon Sashimi Rolls
Your guests will be craving for more of this delicious sashimi dish that’s crispy outside but still raw inside. Use soda water to make the spring roll skin extra crispy!
Stuffed Chicken Wings with Calamansi Dip
Chicken wings are a sure-win party staple, but why not make it even better? This stuffed, boneless version uses water chestnuts and leek to provide extra crunch, and no bones makes it safe for both young ones and seniors. Don’t forget the calamansi dip that adds just a touch of tang!
Duck, Cherry And Mango Salad
Salads are easy to make, store and transport for a potluck event. You can make ahead of time too and keep in the fridge. This zesty and savoury salad will be a hit with your potluck guests.
Balsamic Pumpkin, Beetroot And Onion Salad
It’s always safe to bring a vegetarian dish as you might not know if one of your guests could be vegetarian. This salad is sweet and refreshing… and also very healthy!
Classic Shepherd’s Pie
This savoury dish of mashed potatoes and beef is the ultimate comfort food, and doesn’t take much effort to make.
Laksa Fried Rice
For a fuss-free main dish, you can’t go wrong with fried rice. This laksa rendition gives the popular staple a unique Nonya twist!
Tom Yam Seafood Elbows
Surprise everyone with this dish that combines different elements of spicy Tom Yum flavours and fresh seafood.
Scrumptious Epok Epok
Also known as the Malay curry puff, impress everyone with your puff-making skills with our super easy recipe.
Fried Carrot Cake (Chye Tow Kway)
Made with radish (also called “white carrot”, hence the name), whip up this hawker favourite that’s perfect for sharing. You can make both black and white versions, too!
Ondeh Ondeh Surprise
This sweet Peranakan treat will be a hit with all generations, as you can tweak the coating (this recipe uses roasted ground peanuts and shredded coconut) to suit different tastes and preferences.
Satay Chicken Pizza
Pizzas are among the top favourite party foods as they tend to be easy to make, transport and are popular with both adults and kids.
Japanese-Style Salmon Patties
Oishii! These patties are nutritious and make great snacks to munch on. Prepare some sesame or tartar sauce as dips to go along with them.
Peanut Pancake
These fluffy peanut-filled pockets, also called min chiang kueh, are a local favourite and surprisingly simple to recreate for your party. Not a fan of peanut? Simply switch it out for another filling of your choice like red bean or coconut.
Hazelnut & Raspberry Brownies
Rich, decadent and fudgy brownies are instant crowd-pleasers that don’t take much effort to make. Slice them up into bite-sized squares before serving to make it easier for sharing.
Coloured Wraps With Duck And Persimmon Chutney
Wraps are another great idea for potluck party as they are easy to make and pack. If you are the host, you can simply prepare the wraps and fillings and have everyone help themselves to making their own wraps.
Fruit And Jelly Trifles
Desserts are a must, and many people tend to forget about them when thinking of what to bring for a potluck party. These sweet treats will prove to be popular at the end of the savouries.
Mixed Mini Quiches
People love easy finger food at parties; try out the recipe for these mini quiches in two different fillings for variety.
Banana & Almond Slice
Bakes like these banana and almond slices might seem like a humble dish to bring to a potluck party, but wait till you tell everyone you home-baked them!
Lemon Meringue Layer Cakes
These little cups of refreshing sweets is a fantastic end for everyone – and who does not love pretty meringue? Use little plastic cups to transport and serve them in for the potluck.
This story was originally published on Dec 7, 2020 on The Singapore Women’s Weekly.
