Make a Splash with These 4th of July Potluck Recipes (2024)

Flag Cake

It doesn't get much more patriotic than this easy 4th of July cake, baked in a 13 x 9 cake pan. Fresh cherries or raspberries, blueberries, and a decadent cream cheese frosting turn a plain vanilla cake into an American flag. Plus, the dessert's large size (it serves 24!) means there will be plenty to feed a crowd.

Frozen Neapolitans

Chocolate, strawberry, or vanilla? Why not all three at once? Our spin on the classic triple-layer Italian ice cream will have your mouth watering at a July 4th potluck. Cut the frozen treat into bite-size bars, then top with melted chocolate and toasted almonds. To serve a crowd, display them on our elegant Better Homes and Gardens white porcelain serving platter ($13, Walmart).

Tangy Molasses Barbeque Ribs

Is the grill completely occupied with burgers and hot dogs? Roast up some saucy ribs in your pressure cooker or slow cooker. A whopping 6 pounds of ribs—enough to serve eight hungry 4th of July potluck guests—requires just 30 minutes of cook time (or 9 hours in a slow cooker). When they are done, finish the ribs under the broiler for a few minutes and brush with more of the zingy homemade BBQ sauce before serving.

Ancho-Brown Sugar Baked Beans

Brown sugar and molasses star in these baked beans. Plenty of bacon, garlic, and onion keep this 4th of July side dish from being too sweet. Ancho and jalapeño peppers add a dose of spicy heat.

Editor's Tip: To easily transport the holiday side dish to your potluck, pick up a set of our Better Homes and Gardens melamine bowls with lids ($17, Walmart)

Pack-and-Go Hoagies

Perfect for a potluck main dish, these hearty banh mi and caprese sandwiches are guaranteed to satisfy even the hungriest of guests. What's more, you can easily customize them with your crew's favorite proteins, veggies, and condiments. For an added touch of style, wrap each sandwich in pretty paper and twine for easy, mess-free eating.

Pizza Pasta Salad

Pizza, meet pasta salad. This flavorful potluck side dish recipe—a favorite of kids and adults alike—combines the best parts of two iconic foods in one mash-up recipe. Perfect for your 4th of July menu, the yummy summer salad is stuffed with sweet peppers, mozzarella, tomatoes, pepperoni, red onion, and olives.

Cherry Hand Pies

Alternate blueberry with strawberry or cherry jam and these petite pies are a sweet red, white, and blue dessert to include on your 4th of July potluck treat table. Or if everyone is too full, send them off with a hand pie as a favor post-fireworks.

Cucumber-Honeydew Salad with Feta

Get your greens in this refreshing salad recipe. The melon and cucumber add sweetness, while red onion and feta give the salad a tangy bite. It's perfect for July 4th potlucks: The prep takes only 20 minutes before chilling in the refrigerator overnight.

Crumb-Topped Apple Slab Pie

Inviting the whole block? We have an all-American dessert idea for you! Whip up this giant apple slab pie for a no-fuss addition to your 4th of July party spread. Each batch serves 25 people.

Caramelized Onion Dip

Say goodbye to store-bought onion dip. Our easy homemade version takes the party favorite to new heights. Caramelizing the onions gives the dip a sweeter flavor, and light sour cream and mayo keep the calories fairly low.

Watermelon-Mint Coolers

Instead of toting a whole watermelon to your outdoor 4th of July party, bring this refreshing summer beverage in our Better Homes and Gardens glass dispenser ($13, Walmart) instead. Pureed watermelon and crushed mint offer a sweet alternative to classic lemonade, and the ginger ale base makes it bubbly and fun.

Classic Potato Salad

It wouldn't be a 4th of July potluck without potato salad—and this classic recipe is one of our favorites. Our Test Kitchen offers other ways for you to make it your own, including an herb-roasted garlic version and a peppercorn-ranch chicken variation.

Black-Eyed Pea Succotash

Black-eyed peas are said to bring good luck, so bring them to the party for an extra dose of positive feelings. This July 4th side is so versatile and easy to make: Fresh red peppers (or orange) add color and a chopped jalapeño adds some bite, while corn, okra, lima beans, and black-eyed peas give the dish texture. Don't like okra? Try adding some summer squash instead.

Layered California-Style BLT Salad

If you love BLT sandwiches (and who doesn't?), then you'll want to make this crunchy salad with garlicky croutons, romaine lettuce, tomato, and bacon for July 4th. Because it's a layered salad, you'll get all of the fantastic flavors in each bite.

Peach & Tomato Salad

Brighten up your 4th of July potluck table with this fresh, summery spin on a traditional tomato salad. The sweetness of the seasonal peaches is balanced with balsamic vinegar and feta while toasted pecans add some texture and crunch. Says one happy reader, "This is a keeper!"

Blueberry Lemonade Poke Cake

For a simple and sweet dessert, try our fresh lemonade-inspired 4th of July poke cake. The flavor is perfect for a hot summer day, and you can add a sprinkle of fresh blueberries and raspberries to the top for an extra touch of red, white, and blue. Yielding 24 servings, this cake is the ideal addition to any summer potluck or big family gathering.

Herbed Potato Salad

Fresh herbs such as tarragon, dill weed, or parsley dress up this July 4th picnic recipe. To extend the decadent sour cream and mayo dressing, try blending it with a bit of olive oil and apple cider vinegar.

Editor's Tip: Make this potato salad ahead—our recipe is best with 4 hours of chill time and a few minutes to come to room temperature.

Watermelon-Berry Sorbet

Why pick between melon and berries when you can scoop up a healthy dessert recipe that features all of the above? This fruity sorbet, made with several favorite fruits of summer, will help you cool off at the end of your 4th of July potluck menu. Add raspberries, strawberries, blueberries, or a mix of all three to the recipe to give the frozen watermelon treat a variety of flavors.

Strawberry Lemonade

Potluck drinks need to be cool and refreshing—and no 4th of July celebration would be complete without a pitcher of icy lemonade. Try this fun twist on the classic summer beverage with fresh strawberries in the mix.

Editor's Tip: For the 21+ Independence Day party guests, spike each serving with a ¼ cup of vodka or rum.

Five Bean Bake

Ready in under 80 minutes, this potluck side dish gets its sweet-and-savory flavor from brown sugar, bacon, molasses, and yellow mustard. And to make it even easier, you can prep the ingredients in a slow cooker the night before. For easy transport, pour the finished beans into a 3-quart casserole dish and pack some extra crumbled bacon in a BHG reusable silicone bag ($7, Walmart) to sprinkle on top just before serving.

Corn and Blueberry Salad

Celebrate America's best summer produce! Fruit and veggies team up in this inventive July 4th salad that features fresh sweet corn, blueberries, cucumber, and jalapeño. It makes a great summer side dish and can easily be doubled or tripled to serve a large potluck crowd.

Potato-Cauliflower Salad

Give classic potato salad a healthy twist with cauliflower. (Or opt for all cauliflower instead of part-spuds and stick to plain sour cream versus sour cream and chive dip to make this a keto 4th of July recipe.) Top with crumbled blue cheese and crispy bacon for a dash of unexpected flavor.

Editor's Tip: Keep food safety in mind! Serve up the bowl of salad on a tray over ice.

Chicken and Strawberry Panzanella

Try this flavorful take on a summer salad that combines strawberries, baby kale, and torn pieces of hearty Italian bread. Not only does this 4th of July potluck recipe make great use of day-old bread, it's also ready in less than 30 minutes and transports easily. To take this salad from tasty side to main dish, simply add some shredded rotisserie chicken and toss.

Blackberry Salad with Creamy Feta

Sweet and salty join forces in this fresh fruit salad recipe. Mint leaves, feta cheese, and pickled onions flavor fresh summer blackberries. Toss them together for a unique summer salad that makes a great July 4th potluck side dish.

S'mores Cake

You don't need a campfire to put together this s'mores dessert. Instead, chocolate, marshmallow, and graham cracker join forces to make the summer classic in cake form. You can use packaged graham cracker crumbs or make your own crumbs by pulverizing about 24 crackers (48 squares) in a food processor to yield 3 cups. Just be sure to save some crumbs to sprinkle on top of the game-changing marshmallow creme frosting (that is sure to give buttercream a run for its money).

Bonanza Bean Dip

Party dip recipes are always a 4th of July crowd-pleaser. This one sports a mix of popular flavors: refried beans, lime guacamole, cherry tomatoes, ripe olives, and green onions. Plus its colorful nature is a nice complement to the show in the sky.

Zesty Peaches and Cream Tart

Put your gorgeous summer peaches on display with this elegant (but easy) tart. With a decadent cream filling and a touch of tart from lime juice and zest, this recipe comes together quickly. In fact, you'll need to spend only 25 minutes on prep, thanks to the store-bought puff pastry crust.