27 Sides That Carried the Church Basement Potluck

Some side dishes don’t just fill plates—they carry the whole potluck. These 27 recipes brought flavor, structure, and more than their share of praise to the church basement table. From crisp vegetables to creamy casseroles, each one pulled its weight and then some. If you’re wondering what actually got remembered after the potluck, it was probably one of these.

A bowl of mashed potatoes with gravy and sprigs of thyme and sage. — Creamy Mashed Potatoes. Photo credit: Renee Nicole’s Kitchen.

Roasted Cabbage Steaks

Roasted cabbage steak topped with tomatoes, bacon, goat cheese, and more. — Roasted Cabbage Steaks. Photo credit: Renee Nicole’s Kitchen.

Roasted Cabbage Steaks bring sharp edges and a soft center to the table, transforming cabbage into a side dish that commands attention. Quick to roast and built to carry a plate, they do more than fill space—they frame the meal. The texture hits that perfect middle ground that keeps forks moving. At a church basement potluck, this is the dish that wouldn’t make it to the second round.
Get the Recipe: Roasted Cabbage Steaks

Cranberry Apple Stuffing

Cranberry Apple Stuffing bakes into a bold, sweet-savory mix that takes stuffing out of the holiday and into year-round rotation. Crisp edges and soft bites meet in a side dish that can hold its own against anything else on the table. It’s easy to prep ahead but never feels like an afterthought. If you showed up with this at the potluck, it’d be the first dish emptied.
Get the Recipe: Cranberry Apple Stuffing

Brown Butter Garlic Mashed Potatoes

Brown Butter Garlic Mashed Potatoes add roasted depth and richness to a dish that never takes the back seat. The garlic hits deep while the brown butter pulls everything together with just enough edge. This side dish doesn’t support the meal—it leads it. When these hit the potluck table, mains start sweating.
Get the Recipe: Brown Butter Garlic Mashed Potatoes

Balsamic Glazed Brussels Sprouts

Balsamic Glazed Brussels Sprouts show up sticky and sharp, with just enough glaze to turn a humble veggie into a side dish centerpiece. Roasted until the edges catch and the flavor locks in, they hold the kind of bite that gets noticed. They’re fast to prep and hard to ignore. These sprouts wouldn’t just hold their own—they’d carry the tray.
Get the Recipe: Balsamic Glazed Brussels Sprouts

Garam Masala Brussels Sprouts

Garam Masala Brussels Sprouts bring warm spice and crisp texture to a dish that makes Brussels the star of the table. Each bite delivers flavor that builds as you go, with just enough roast to keep things grounded. It’s a bold move at a potluck, and it pays off. These are the sprouts that draw second looks and second servings.
Get the Recipe: Garam Masala Brussels Sprouts

Easy Oven Asparagus

Easy Oven Asparagus brings sharp flavor and fast prep into a side dish that fits into any spread without playing second fiddle. Roasted for just the right bite, these spears keep their structure and pull every plate together. It’s not flashy, but it works harder than most sides. At the potluck, this green doesn’t fade into the background.
Get the Recipe: Easy Oven Asparagus

Roasted Honey Glazed Carrots

Red, yellow, and orange honey glazed carrots on a slate board. — Roasted Honey Glazed Carrots. Photo credit: Renee Nicole’s Kitchen.

Roasted Honey Glazed Carrots hit the sweet spot—literally—by showing up glazed, charred, and ready to steal a spot at the center. Roasted until sticky and tender, they’re a quick-win side that never sits untouched. The flavor comes loud and the color does the rest. One glance and everyone knows who brought the carrots.
Get the Recipe: Roasted Honey Glazed Carrots

Oven Roasted Root Vegetables

A dish of beets, sweet potatoes, and parsnips roasted in the oven with sprigs of sage. — Oven Roasted Root Vegetables. Photo credit: Renee Nicole’s Kitchen.

Oven Roasted Root Vegetables layer flavor, texture, and color into one pan that’s as sturdy as it is satisfying. With caramelized edges and deep roast, this side dish doesn’t need much to stand out. It grounds the plate and anchors the potluck spread. These roots hold the whole thing down without even trying.
Get the Recipe: Oven Roasted Root Vegetables

Honey Garlic Carrots

Honey Garlic Carrots bring a glaze that cuts through the noise—sweet, sticky, and strong enough to stand on their own. The quick roast keeps things moving, while the flavor keeps people coming back. They’re easy, bold, and built for potluck dominance. You’ll lose track of how many disappear before dinner even starts.
Get the Recipe: Honey Garlic Carrots

Loaded Cauliflower Mash

Loaded Cauliflower Mash comes in creamy, cheesy, and ready to make people forget it’s not potatoes. Bacon, onions, and full-on flavor push this side to the front of the table. It’s fast to prep and faster to go. This is the dish that shuts down the “just bring a veggie” request.
Get the Recipe: Loaded Cauliflower Mash

Worcestershire Green Beans

Worcestershire Green Beans pack deep flavor into a quick-cook side dish that makes itself known in every bite. Still crisp with a hit of umami, these beans balance heavier plates while standing firm on their own. It’s the kind of side that gets noticed before the rest of the food settles. When a tray of these shows up, it doesn’t make it far down the table.
Get the Recipe: Worcestershire Green Beans

Garlicky Green Beans with Fried Onions

Garlicky Green Beans with Fried Onions layer in sharp flavor and crunch with almost no effort. Garlic clings to every bite while the fried onions carry the texture that makes this side dish memorable. It’s quick, bold, and backed by every fork at the table. These green beans start as a side and end as the first dish gone.
Get the Recipe: Garlicky Green Beans with Fried Onions

Roasted Brussels Sprouts with Almonds and Feta

A bowl of roasted brussels sprouts. — Roasted Brussels Sprouts with Almonds and Feta. Photo credit: Renee Nicole’s Kitchen.

Roasted Brussels Sprouts with Almonds and Feta deliver crunch, cream, and tang in one quick dish that never plays backup. The almonds give it bite, the feta adds sharpness, and the sprouts do the rest. It’s easy to make and hard to pass over. This is the kind of side that turns heads before the lid even comes off.
Get the Recipe: Roasted Brussels Sprouts with Almonds and Feta

Brown Sugar Baked Sweet Potato Slices

Baked sweet potato slices on a cutting board with a spoon. — Brown Sugar Baked Sweet Potato Slices. Photo credit: Renee Nicole’s Kitchen.

Brown Sugar Baked Sweet Potato Slices come in soft, golden, and edged with spice and caramel. With cinnamon, ginger, and a sweet crust, this side dish pulls attention without saying a word. They hold the plate with warmth and depth. Bring these to a potluck and expect people to ask who made them—twice.
Get the Recipe: Brown Sugar Baked Sweet Potato Slices

Red Wine Glazed Carrots

Sweet and Spicy Glazed Carrots Recipe with Red Wine. — Red Wine Glazed Carrots. Photo credit: At the Immigrant’s Table.

Red Wine Glazed Carrots land with bold flavor and deep color that makes them more than just a sweet veggie side. The glaze clings, the roast adds texture, and the finish lingers longer than you’d expect. They’re quick to make and slow to forget. These carrots don’t just sit beside the roast—they challenge it.
Get the Recipe: Red Wine Glazed Carrots

Greek Lemon Potatoes

Greek Lemon Garlic Potatoes in a black dish with lemon in the background. — Greek Lemon Potatoes. Photo credit: Cook What You Love.

Greek Lemon Potatoes bake crisp on the outside and soaked through with garlic and lemon that punch through every bite. They’re sharp, golden, and loud enough to stand tall next to anything else on the table. You don’t need gravy when your potatoes taste like this. One scoop becomes two, then suddenly the tray’s gone.
Get the Recipe: Greek Lemon Potatoes

Air Fryer Glazed Carrots

Air Fryer Glazed Carrots come out fast, shiny, and bold—no oven needed. They hit the table hot and strong, with just enough sweetness to make them feel like more than a basic veggie. Crisp on the edges and soft in the middle, they don’t wait around. If you bring these to the basement potluck, don’t expect leftovers.
Get the Recipe: Air Fryer Glazed Carrots

Air Fryer Zucchini Fritters with Feta

A hand dips a fried zucchini fritter into a small bowl of white cream sauce on a gray plate. Other fritters and lemon wedges are arranged around the bowl on a marble surface. — Air Fryer Zucchini Fritters with Feta. Photo credit: Thermocookery.

Air Fryer Zucchini Fritters with Feta bring crispy edges, salty bite, and a quick-cook method that makes them potluck-ready on short notice. They’re easy to hold, fast to eat, and impossible to ignore once they’re set out. Cheesy and sharp, they pack more punch than their size lets on. These fritters go from tray to empty platter before the line moves.
Get the Recipe: Air Fryer Zucchini Fritters with Feta

Cheesy Zucchini Casserole

A baked dish with a golden-brown crumb topping is in a rectangular baking dish, which has a white and blue checkered cloth nearby. A serving is on a round plate to the right. The surface is a light marble texture. — Cheesy Zucchini Casserole. Photo credit: Thermocookery.

Cheesy Zucchini Casserole bakes into something sturdy, rich, and full of enough flavor to shift attention off the main dish. The layers hold up under pressure and the cheesy middle keeps people coming back. It’s easy to prep and harder to forget. This is the side that makes you rethink where the spotlight should land.
Get the Recipe: Cheesy Zucchini Casserole

Cheesy Easy Cauliflower Casserole

A baked dish with a large serving of cheesy cauliflower in a glass baking dish is next to a white plate holding a portion of the same dish. The background is a light wooden surface. A fork is visible beside the plate. — Cheesy Easy Cauliflower Casserole. Photo credit: Thermocookery.

Cheesy Cauliflower Casserole shows up bubbly, browned, and built to carry the middle of the table without help. Each scoop brings cream, cheese, and just enough texture to feel like a full bite. It’s fast to assemble and always disappears fast. The lid barely comes off before someone’s asking for the recipe.
Get the Recipe: Cheesy Easy Cauliflower Casserole

Easy Scalloped Potatoes

Small baking dish with scalloped potatoes. — Easy Scalloped Potatoes. Photo credit: Little Bit Recipes.

Easy Scalloped Potatoes stack thin, creamy layers into a pan that pulls the rest of the meal together without a word. Golden on top and soft underneath, this side dish does more than support—it leads. It’s smooth, rich, and never left untouched. When these show up, even the main dish steps aside.
Get the Recipe: Easy Scalloped Potatoes

Easy Squash Casserole

A glass baking dish filled with baked squash casserole. — Easy Squash Casserole. Photo credit: Not Entirely Average.

Easy Squash Casserole bakes soft and golden with just enough crunch on top to keep people coming back. It’s buttery, rich, and layered in flavor that plays well with every plate it meets. Quick to prep and steady on the table, it balances comfort with clarity. This casserole doesn’t just attend the potluck—it headlines it.
Get the Recipe: Easy Squash Casserole

Spring Onion Potato Salad

Spring Onion Potato Salad walks in chilled, crisp, and bold enough to cut through any rich entrée on the table. Creamy dressing and sharp onion give it lift without losing weight. It’s simple, clean, and quietly powerful in its bite. This is the cool side dish that carries the plate without breaking a sweat.
Get the Recipe: Spring Onion Potato Salad

Butternut Squash Wild Rice Pilaf

Side view of wild rice pilaf with pomegranate and butternut squash. — Butternut Squash Wild Rice Pilaf. Photo credit: At the Immigrant’s Table.

Butternut Squash Wild Rice Pilaf brings soft squash, chewy rice, and enough depth to hold the table together. It’s hearty but not heavy, built to carry both the flavor and the feel of the whole meal. This side dish reheats well but usually doesn’t make it that far. The pan goes back empty every single time.
Get the Recipe: Butternut Squash Wild Rice Pilaf

Parmesan Crusted Potatoes

Parmesan Crusted Potatoes land crisp, salty, and full of punch that hits the plate before anything else. The cheese crisps while the inside stays soft, making each bite better than the last. They roast fast and eat faster. This is the side that gets passed around more than once before the mains are touched.
Get the Recipe: Parmesan Crusted Potatoes

Sauteed Swiss Rainbow Chard

Side view of white bean salad in bowl with tongs. — Sauteed Swiss Rainbow Chard. Photo credit: At the Immigrant’s Table.

Sauteed Swiss Rainbow Chard shows up fast, bright, and balanced with a snap that gives it potluck power. The leaves wilt just enough while the stems bring crunch that keeps it interesting. It’s colorful, quick, and never pushed aside. At a table full of sides, this green earns its place.
Get the Recipe: Sauteed Swiss Rainbow Chard

Creamy Mashed Potatoes

Creamy Mashed Potatoes show up fluffy, full, and ready to carry the whole plate if needed. Cream cheese makes them rich while still keeping prep simple, which is exactly what a church basement potluck needs. They’re soft, smooth, and served like they mean business. Nobody’s skipping the mash when it comes in like this.
Get the Recipe: Creamy Mashed Potatoes