20 Delicious Potluck Salad Recipes

Fresh ginger and red pepper flakes add welcome zing, but the real surprise here is napa (aka Chinese) cabbage. Cara Mangini, of Little Eater in Columbus, Ohio, likes it for slaws because it's more tender than ordinary cabbage but still holds up better than lettuce. 

This is a fab potluck salad. If you make it for dinner at home, try it topped with a salmon fillet or, for a vegetarian entree, served over spinach or other salad greens. (A word of warning: Don't substitute a different rice. Arborio, the type used in risotto, definitely works best.) The recipe comes from the blog A Couple Cooks.

This is a perfect salad to take to a picnic or potluck since it is best at room temperature.

You could make a meal of this dish: caramelized zucchini, crunchy almonds, salty cheese and hearty quinoa, all dressed in honey-basil vinaigrette. The recipe comes from Little Eater, in Columbus, Ohio.

This salad is all about balance—sweet vs. tart and crunchy vs. chewy. Take it to a potluck or picnic.

Uncooked ramen noodles, almonds and sunflower seeds add crunch to this side salad. Quick to prepare and easy to tote, it's an obvious choice for potlucks and camping.

Chili powder and cumin flavor this hearty, nutritious Tex-Mex dish from The Spice House in Milwaukee.Rice and Red Bean Salad

Sweet, juicy grapes and crunchy broccoli balance savory, salty bacon. 

This lightly sweet potato salad is a great way to use up leftover ham.

Sweet, citrusy homemade dressing adds amazing flavor to a veggie layer salad, and it has fewer than 50 calories per serving! Chill salad and dressing separately up to 24 hours before serving.

Lemon-olive oil dressing balances fresh Mediterranean flavors in this potluck salad. Make it a main dish by adding one 7-ounce can tuna (drained).

Mix sweet dressing, fresh veggies and spicy jalapeños to create a fresh-tasting potluck salad that has only 77 calories per serving.

Ham adds just enough smoky richness to chef Abra Berens' vibrant salad to elevate a simple slaw to a lunch-worthy meal or a potluck stunner. Find other great salads in her book Ruffage: A Practical Guide to Vegetables.

Toss tomatoes, cucumber, green onions, fresh herbs and olives with cooked pasta for this Mediterranean-influenced salad. Feta cheese gives it a tangy kick.

You can't go wrong bringing this classic to a potluck! The creamy salad is full of hard-cooked eggs, crisp celery and sweet pickles, and it can be made up to 24 hours ahead.

This healthy no-cook potluck salad is full of fruit and vegetable goodness. Feta adds a tang to the sweetness of honeydew melon. With only 20 minutes of prep time before an overnight chill, this recipe is great for parties.

Combine two potluck staples to create this yummy potluck salad. Expect classic deviled egg flavor with a little zing from the Dijon-style mustard and salty pickled onions.

Awaken your senses with a potluck salad full of hot poblano peppers, cool avocado, crispy chicken strips and cream cheese. 

Layers of corn bread, bacon and veggies ensure a flavor-packed salad that adds plenty of color to a potluck table.

Toss juicy blackberries with shredded mint leaves, tangy feta and pickled onions for a surprisingly delicious combination. The salad pairs perfectly with grilled meats.

Spice up potato salad by mixing in sausage and an easy vinegar-mustard dressing that'll wow the potluck guests. Serve warm, chilled or at room temperature.

Nutrient-dense edamame is a savvy (and tasty) addition to the more typical three-bean salad. Bonus: The salad can be made up to 48 hours in advance. 

A Cleveland reader makes this salad a day ahead and refrigerates the dressing and vegetables separately. When it's time to serve it, she tosses everything together. Bacon, sunflower kernels and raisins make a crunchy and flavorful side dish.

This classic potluck dessert includes a crushed pretzel crust, a layer of sweetened cream cheese, and a top layer of strawberry gelatin and strawberries. 

Layered salads, popular in the 1970s and 1980s, are making a comeback. Assemble this easy potluck salad in either individual jars or a clear salad bowl, dressing and all, then refrigerate.

Curly noodles, almonds, sesame kernels and rice vinegar blend in this crunchy, tangy salad from a West Des Moines, Iowa, reader.

This flavor-packed salad will steal the show at any potluck! Layer fresh spinach, crunchy spiced chips and delicious homemade strawberry vinaigrette with pot stickers (meat-filled dumplings).