45 Red Side Dishes for Color Themed Potluck

Potlucks are fun ways to share the load of bringing food to a party. This could be for a birthday or special occasion and a lot of workplaces do them for a fun lunch at work.

A new trend I am seeing this year is that potluck parties are trying to spice it up and have more interesting food choices. Instead of everyone bringing their favorite or signature dish, they are starting Potluck Themes!

One of these themes is to have a color party. This could mean that all food will be one color or that each participant will receive a color and bring a food item that fits that color.

For example, a work potluck may put 20 slips in a hat with 5 of each slip being a different color like 4 blues, 4 yellows, 4 reds, and 4 greens. Everyone draws a slip of paper and then brings a food that is that color.

So today, let’s go over good options for a Red Colored Potluck dish!

Red Food Ideas for Potluck

Typically, food that works well for a potluck can be served in a dish, tray, or crockpot. It has to store well at cold or room temperature and not need to be reheated before serving.

Here is my list of Potluck approved red dishes to bring to your next office party, family function, or any celebration!

1. Strawberries

Strawberries are not only red but are typically available all year long, so they are an easy option to use for any potluck. You can serve cleaned strawberries on kabobs, slice them for a fruit tray, or serve with a whipped cream dip.

2.Tomato & Mozzarella Kabobs

This one is super easy, super tasty, and are always a big hit! All you need is a pack of small tomatoes like cherry or grape variety and fresh mozzarella. You can buy a large ball of mozzarella, or you can buy the kind that is already cut into small bite sized chunks. You can then make little appetizer kabobs with toothpicks or plastic picks by alternating mozzarella and tomatoes. These can be served plain, or you can drizzle them with balsamic vinegar, olive oil, and Italian herbs.

3. Cocktail Sausages wrapped in Bacon

Not only is this double red but cocktail wienies are almost like a potluck staple. The easiest way to make this dish is to simply cut a pack of bacon in half so you have twice as many pieces. Then wrap each smoked sausage with bacon and then bake in the oven. I like to put aluminum foil down on my baking sheet and then put a cooling rack on top. This way when my weenies cook the bacon juices fall away and make them less greasy. The aluminum foil makes cleaning this dish up so much easier. After the cocktail sausages have cooked, allow to cool, and place in an airtight container. These don’t need to be reheated and taste great at room temperature.

4. Bacon Wrapped Jalapeno Poppers

Jalapeno poppers take some time and effort to make but they are always a huge hit! You want to start by cleaning and de-seeding your jalapenos. (Pro tip: if you want the peppers to not be as hot, scrape the white parts out really well.) We like to make a simple cream cheese-based filling that is one 8oz block of cream cheese mixed with finely shredded cheddar cheese, dry ranch powder, and black pepper. I stuff each jalapeno half and then wrap in bacon. Just like Cocktail Sausages wrapped in bacon, I put the poppers on cooling rack on top of a sheet pan covered in aluminum foil. This lets the bacon grease fall away from the popper and makes clean up simple. These don’t need to be reheated and actually taste really good cold.

5. Red Hot Apples

This is a little bit of a twist on traditional cooked apples with cinnamon and sugar. Instead, we will use red hot candies! Simply start with some butter in a saucepan over medium heat. Once the butter is melted, added tablespoon of red hots and keep stirring until it is melted. Depending on how spicy you would like your apples to be you can repeat this process a few more times. Once the red hots are melted, you can add sliced or chopped apples (of any color) to the pan. Mix well and then allow the apples to cook down. The coloring from the red hots will dye the apples a bright red color and give them the spicy sweet flavor!

6. Cranberry Dip

This is another one that has a lot of different variations depending on how much time you have to make your potluck dish. The dip itself is going to be cream cheese based and you will mix either canned cranberries (whole or jellied) or cooked cranberries. As far as seasoning goes, I have seen this dip flavored with a little sugar so it is sweet, or you can go savory by adding jalapenos. This dip goes really well with almost any cracker, pretzel chip, but tortilla chips are my favorite! (Pro tip: the salty from the tortilla chip really works well with the tart from the cranberry.)

7. Watermelon

This is the perfect red potluck dish for someone who is not a good cook or doesn’t want to cook anything! Simply cut a watermelon down into 1-inch chunks or slices with the rind and arrange on a tray. If you want to get super fancy, you can make a watermelon salad which usually has a soft crumbly cheese like feta and a vinaigrette. Fresh fruit is always a hit at any potluck and usually gets eaten up quick!

8. Chips and Salsa

This is one that can be super simple or a way to show off your cooking skills. Red Salsa and Tortilla Chips are always well eaten food at a potluck. You can also mix it up and make homemade salsa with regular tomatoes, watermelon, or strawberries. You can make the salsa as hot as you like or make a nice mild flavored salsa. Whether it is store bought or homemade, red salsa is an easy one to bring because it works well at room temperature!

9. Pigs in a Blanket

These cute little cocktail weenies are wrapped in dough and baked for a yummy side dish at any party. For the dough part you can use a can of crescent rolls, puff pastry, filo dough or pie crust. You can also add a small amount of cheese to your piggies for nice cheesy bite! Store these baked pigs in a blanket in an airtight container and they can be served at room temperature.

10. Salami or Ham Rolls

This side dish is perfect for those that don’t like to cook or are short on time. All you need to do is take one block of cream cheese and add some seasoning like ranch, veggie dip mix, or French onion dip powder. Using a spoon or butter knife, you put about a tablespoon on your salami or ham and roll them up. These cute little rolls go really well with pickles and olives, so you can put one on top with a toothpick or chop them up and roll them inside with cream cheese.

11. Red Potato Salad

Potato salad is always a big hit at potluck barbeques and if you make it with red potatoes, it will work perfectly! You can go basic with mayonnaise and mustard or go fancy and make a loaded baked potato salad with sour cream, bacon, and shredded cheese. The flavor possibilities are really endless with this one. Thankfully potato salad is easy to store in teh fridge and can easily sit at room temp for 2 hours. (Pro Tip: If the food for the party will be out longer than 2 hours, consider bringing a bowl and only putting out half at the beginning and refill as needed.)

12. Red Beans and Rice

This is a great crockpot dish that will work well for a potluck. You can make the red beans and rice the night before and then bring the whole crock pot to the party to keep it warm. (Pro-Tip: I would use a plastic crockpot liner, so that the prolonged heat on the cooked red beans and rice doesn’t scorch or crust up the sides of the crockpot. Plus, this will make clean up and take home a breeze!)

13. Caprese Salad

This beautiful salad is actually more like a cheese and veggie tray! All you need to do is slice your tomatoes and mozzarella cheese in thin slices about a 1/4 of a inch thick. Then you alternate the tomatoes and cheese around your platter or serving dish. Next you can add fresh chopped basil and some splashes of balsamic vinegar. Personally, I like to add a light sprinkle of salt and pepper as well. (Pro Tip: chill this dish ahead of time and serve at room temperature or you can fill an aluminum plan with ice, and then place your serving dish on top to keep it chilled while you serve it.)

14. Enchilada Meatballs

Everyone loves meatballs at a potluck, but the same old barbeque sauce can get a little boring. Next time, cook your frozen or homemade meatballs in red enchiladas sauce. These 1-2 bite morsels will be so yummy for a lunch or snack. You can add cheese on top or put shredded cheese in a bowl to sprinkle if you want it. You can also add a bowl of sour cream if you want to give the party guests options.

15. Pickled Deviled Eggs

This side dish turns out beautifully pinkish red and is so easy to make. Instead of plain old, deviled eggs you pickle them in beet juice, pickling spice, sugar, vinegar, peppercorns, and sliced red onion. Then you fill the pickled eggs with the normal deviled egg mixture, and you will have a huge hit on your hands!

16. Stuffed Red Bell Peppers

This one can be a little more time and effort, but it is usually well received at potluck parties. Bell peppers can be stuffed with a cooked meat and cheese, meat and rice, or even a cream cheese-based filling. Large bell peppers can get a little pricey so you may want to find a bag of small, sweet peppers to make this dish if you are on a budget. You can also just chop the peppers up in slices or an extra-large dice and call them “Un-stuffed” red bell peppers!

17. Cucumber Tomato Salad

This super easy side salad screams summertime to me. It could be because we grow tomatoes and cucumbers and make this dish all summer long! All you need is diced cucumbers, tomatoes, onion if you like it, and an Italian dressing or vinaigrette. I occasionally add feta cheese and use Greek dressing to make a slightly different twist. You can also use mozzarella cheese or olives. This dish works so well for outdoor barbeques and always runs out no matter how much I make!

18. Beet Salad

This can be just a beet salad which is typically beets with a vinaigrette of white wine vinegar, honey, Dijon mustard, and olive oil. Or you can make a side salad and top it with pickled beets, feta cheese, and croutons. Either way this beautiful red salad is sure to please!

19. Spanish Rice

Not every side dish has to be new and exciting. Sometimes classics like Spanish rice are just what you need to really pull a potluck together. Spanish rice is easy to make ahead of time and then serve at room temperature or in a crockpot. It’s basically white rice that has been cooked with tomato puree or sauce and seasoned with chili powder, cumin, garlic, and oregano.

20. Sweet and Sour Meatballs

Meatballs are really a great potluck side dish because they are easy to make, and most people love them. For the sweet and sour version, you can cook the meatballs ahead of time in jarred sweet and sour sauce or make your own. You can also add chopped red bell pepper and pineapple to the dish to make it more filling. This dish is served really well in a crockpot on the warm setting.

21. Red Cabbage Coleslaw

Red cabbage has a beautiful purple red color and is perfect to make coleslaw. Just like green coleslaw you can add carrots for additional color and use a homemade or store-bought slaw dressing. I think coleslaw always tastes better when it has been refrigerated overnight, so definitely make this the night before the potluck and chill it well.

22. Red Grapes

If you want to go super easy and last minute, a perfect food to bring is red grapes. All you need to do is wash them and put them in a bowl. If you want to fancy it up, you can use scissors to make tiny little bunches with a few grapes on each. You can also make a beautiful tray of assorted cheeses and then surround them with cut grapes. This is a great side dish for parties if kids will be around!

23. Shrimp Cocktail

Not only are the chilled shrimp pinkish red but the cocktail sauce is red as well. This is another good option if you want to bring something fancy but don’t want to cook a whole dish. You can actually buy a shrimp cocktail platter with sauce already made at a grocery store, or you can cook the shrimp yourself and may your own cocktail sauce with ketchup, horseradish, and Worcestershire sauce.

24. Roasted Radishes

If you are looking for a low carb side dish to bring, try some roasted radishes! Similar to making roasted potatoes, you toss the radishes in olive oil and salt and pepper. You can leave the radishes whole or cut them into quarters depending on their size. I like to also add herbs like rosemary or sage, and lots of garlic. The flavor of radishes completely changes when they are roasted, and this is a great potato substitute.

25. Cabbage Rolls in Marinara

Cabbage rolls are a great choice for a potluck because you can make them smaller than you would for a dinner. Ideally each roll would only be enough for 2-3 bites. I like to make mine in the oven, but you could make them in a crockpot and then later keep them warm in the same crockpot. I would definitely use a crockpot liner to keep the cabbage from sticking and burning if you have the crockpot on warm for a long time.

26. Rumaki (Bacon Wrapped Water Chestnuts)

This is a fun appetizer like side dish that is usually a huge hit! All you need is a couple of cans of sliced water chestnuts that you drain very well. I like to cut my bacon in 1/2 or in 1/3s and wrap each slice of water chestnut and finish with a toothpick. A simple sauce of ketchup, brown sugar, Worcestershire, and hot sauce is then brushed over the Ramaki and baked in the oven until bacon is crisp. These look really nice on a platter and can be served at room temperature.

27. Ham Salad on Toast

Ham salad is made similar to a chicken salad or tuna salad, and you can portion it on toast points. You can also just make a platter with the ham salad in the middle and surround it with toasted bread or crackers. Some people like to include relish items like pickles or olives to the platter because they go well with ham salad.

28. Red Pepper Jelly

Red pepper jelly is a spicy condiment made from red bell peppers or spicy peppers, vinegar, and sometimes red pepper flakes. This jelly can be a little strong by itself but when paired with cream cheese is really very good. Red Pepper jelly and cream cheese can be served with crackers, but I like it better with the small slices of toasted bread. Check you r grocery store bakery for bags of bread already sliced and toasted, or buy a long skinny loaf and slice then toast yourself at home.

29. Tomato Cracker Salad

This is southern innovation at its finest but it’s also just really tasty! This salad is made by mixing diced tomatoes, 1 sleeve of saltine crackers, mayonnaise, salt and pepper. The end texture is crunchy but has a sweetness from the tomatoes. You can also add diced cucumbers or avocado to make this salad more filling. Tomato Cracker Salad is a great cool salad for an outdoor potluck too.

30. Deli Platter

There are so many cold cuts and lunchmeats that are in the red color family. You could make a nice serving tray with rolled up pepperoni, salami, ham, and prosciutto. If you want to add more, you can have a variety of cheese slices or I like to put whole strawberries and grape bunches around the platter. This option is super simple but is always one of the first plates to be empty!

31. Grape Salad

This dish is traditionally made with a mix of green and red grapes, but to fit the red theme, you can just use red grapes. After washing and drying the grapes, you mix them together with a cream cheese mixture made of softened cream cheese, sour cream, sugar, and vanilla. I like to put the mixed salad in a nice big bowl and then sprinkle brown sugar and chopped nuts like walnuts on top for a little extra crunch.

32. Kielbasa Sausage

Kielbasa is a smoked sausage with a mild flavor that works really well with so many different ingredients. You can keep it simple and just simmer the sliced sausage in barbecue sauce, or you can fancy it up. I have seen really cute kebobs made with a slice of kielbasa, a pineapple chunk, and a piece of roasted red pepper. This is also a meat that works really well at room temperature, so your options are really huge.

33. Red Onion Pie

Similar to a Vidalia or white onion pie, this time we will make it with bright red onions. The pie is actually very similar to a quiche because it basically eggs, and milk whisked together and then poured over onions and cheese. Pro Tip: To make sure that the red color of the onions come through in the baked pie, after you pour the eggs on top, float a bunch of red onion slices on top. As the pie bakes it will puff up and bring the slices to the top.

34. Tomato Tart

This fancy tomato tart is all about looking fabulous but actually is a simple cheese and tomato pizza! To start you can use premade pizza dough or puff pastry for the crust and use either tomato sauce or pesto for the sauce. I like to use a combination of both mozzarella and parmesan cheese for the tomato tart and finish it off with thinly sliced tomatoes. There is lots of room to add to this dish and you can even use fresh herbs like rosemary and basil to add incredible flavor. Since this is a side dish and not a main dish, I would cut these into small portions that amount to 2-3 bites worth. Be warned, you will be asked to bring this dish over and over again in the future!

35. BLT Bites

These yummy little morsels are all the flavor of a BLT sandwich in a tiny package. I like to use cherry tomatoes for this, but you can also use grape tomatoes. I mixture mayonnaise, bacon bits, green onion, and parmesan cheese. Then stuff the tomatoes with the mixture using a wide mouth piping bag or a small spoon. (Pro Tip: tomatoes in season are much better tasting than hot house tomatoes in winter, so definitely make these in the summertime. Bonus points if you use tomatoes from your own garden!)

36. Lox

Lox is actually salmon that has been cured with a salty brine solution. It is very popular with cream cheese and bagels, so it is very simple to make a lox and cream cheese spread that goes with bagel chips! The traditional spice pairings for lox are dill and capers. A basic cream cheese-based dip can be made with fresh dill, some pickle juice, and salt and pepper. I have seen a beautiful cheese ball made of this dip that had lox laid all around the ball and then surrounded by Club or Ritz crackers. This dish can be super simple but look really classy and elegant.

37. Red Pepper Hummus

Hummus is an awesome dip that goes well with everything. You can buy it premade with a red pepper coulee on top, or you can sauté diced red peppers with garlic, salt and pepper. I like to mound the cooked red peppers in the middle of the bowl of hummus so their color shows and also lets people have hummus plain if they like. You could also hit a double whammy by serving the hummus with red tortilla chips, slices of red bell pepper, or any other crackers or vegetables will work too!

38. Red Lentil Pasta Salad

Pasta made from red lentils is not only a beautiful red color, but it is also a gluten free way to get a lot of protein! I like to make a basic pasta salad with Italian dressing and whatever vegetables are in season. In summertime you can add summer squash, tomatoes, cucumbers, and green peas. In the wintertime, you can go heartier with chopped pepperoni, mozzarella, olives, and onions. The possibilities are endless with pasta salad!

39. Twice Baked Red Potatoes

If you are looking for a super yummy loaded baked potato but in bite size form, try doing them with little red potatoes! Simply bake the potatoes until soft or you can microwave them. Slice the potatoes in half and scoop out a hole in the center of the potato. (Pro Tip: Make sure to cut the potato where it has a flat side to sit on or your potatoes may wobble around. Also don’t scoop out all the potato in the middle, or your potato shell will collapse. I try to scoop out about 50% of the potato center.) Take all the potato that was scooped out of the middle and mix with sour cream, bacon bits, and shredded cheddar cheese. I like to then use a piping bag or spoon to reload my potato shells. Then bake in the oven until the cheese is melted and gooey. These twice baked potatoes are so addicting to eat because there is so much yummy flavor in such a small bite.

40. Kidney Bean Salad

This is kind of an old-fashioned potluck side dish but there is a reason that your grandparents made it. Not only is it filling but it is super tasty too. As an added bonus this works really well if you are vegan/vegetarian! A simple salad is made with red kidney beans, chopped onion, chopped pickle, chopped hard boiled eggs, and then mixed together with mayonnaise. Pro Tip: A vegan friend of mine actually eats this salad on bread like a chicken salad when she has a hankering for that style of sandwich.

41. “Baked” Penne

I put the baked in quotation marks because this isn’t actually a baked dish, but it tastes similar to the baked one. This is a basic side dish of noodle with red sauce that you can cook ahead of time and mix together. I like to use penne pasta because it is easier to serve to a crowd, but you can use any shape noodle that you like. Since this is a side dish you can choose to add meat if you like, but it isn’t necessary. I also like to put this dish in a crockpot or chafing dish to keep warm. Just remember to use a crockpot liner, spray the liner well, or add some water to the bottom to keep the noodles from sticking to the bottom. This dish can de left plain or topped with parmesan and mozzarella cheese for a more “baked” feel.

42. Chicken Salad Cherry Tomatoes

This fun and easy side dish is super quick to assemble. First you start by cutting off the tops of your cherry tomatoes. I then you a small knife or spoon to scoop out as much tomato seeds as you can. Then you can use store bough chicken salad or homemade and stuff the insides of the cherry tomatoes. These cute little tomatoes become full of flavor and are always a big hit at office potlucks!

43. Chipped Beef Cheese Ball

My grandmother makes a cheeseball out of cream cheese, chipped beef from the little jar, water Chesnuts, and green onions. The blend of the salty beef and the creamy cheese is so good. I literally cannot stop eating this when she brings it to family potlucks. Typically, we serve this with crackers like Club or Ritz, but any crackers will do.

44. Hot Pizza Dip

This is one of those “not good for you but so yummy” kind of potluck dish. This dip does require a small crockpot to keep warm and it will not work at room temperature. In the dip sized crockpot, I start with a block of cream cheese cut in chunks and sprinkle them with shredded mozzarella, shredded parmesan, and a cup of tomato sauce. Also, the cheese to melt and mix together with a spoon. Once everything is melted and creamy, you top the dip with chopped pepperonis or leave it plain. This dip can get a little greasy, so I think it works best with sliced toasted bread or chunks of bread.

45. Waldorf Salad

A Waldorf salad is typically made with apples and grapes, so it would be easy to make it with red apples and red grapes or even red raisins! The dressing is made by mixing mayonnaise, sugar, and lemon juice. Simply mix your fruit with the dressing and allow to sit in the fridge to chill. Some people like to top the salad with chopped walnuts but that is up to you. Waldorf salad is such a nice break to a heavy meal and works really well during the summer or winter months!

Red Side Dishes for a Color Party

Hopefully this list of red colored foods that are perfect for a potluck will help you decide to what to bring to your next gathering. There is always an option to add red food coloring to a food item like mac and cheese or mashed potatoes, but I don’t advise doing this.

When you artificially dye a side dish red it always looks unnatural and unappealing. You would not want to spend the money and time to make a dish, and no one eats it because it looks weird.

Instead, look around at your local supermarket for what is already naturally red like apples, tomatoes, radishes, and red bell peppers.

If you want to bring a dessert instead to this red party, check out “Red Desserts for Color Themed Potluck.”