Image credit: Simple Vegan Blog
Do you stress over what to bring to a potluck with omnivores? I sure do.
Even though I’m a food blogger who knows a thing or two about healthy cooking, I’m still nervous about bringing oil-free, plant-based food to parties. I mean, it’s hard to compare quinoa salad with cheesy lasagna and stuffed dates with cream cheese cupcakes, especially when people are used to eating rich foods. So even though I know I should be more adventurous, I often bring safe, boring stuff like fruit salad or veggies and hummus.
Snooze.
No more! After years of yearning to bring something more exciting, I’ve decided it’s time to make it happen. So I scoured the web for potluck-friendly plant-based recipes that can go head to head with even the richest dishes at any potluck. Some are Veggie Quest recipes I’ve road-tested with omnivores; others are recipes with fresh flavors or ingenious ingredients to keep omnivores happy. Yet all are oil free, vegan, and gluten free (or easily made gluten free with a simple swap).
Happy potluck partying!
10 Oil-Free Vegan Potluck Recipes Omnivores Will Love
Jicama, Pineapple, and Fresh Mint Salad
Perfect for summer get-togethers, this quick-and-easy salad has only five ingredients!
Potato-Green Bean Salad with Lemon and Basil
Image credit: FatFree Vegan Kitchen
This gorgeous potato salad from Susan at FatFree Vegan uses potatoes in the dressing to make it creamy, while lemon and basil add loads of flavor.
Oil-Free Rainbow Kale Salad
Image credit: Simple Vegan Blog
This Oil-Free Rainbow Kale Salad from Iosune and Alberto at Simple Vegan Blog has the right combo of creamy, salty, sweet, and savory—yet is 100% free from added oil.
Maple Baked Beans
Image credit: Angela Liddon @ Oh She Glows
I’m drooling over these Maple Baked Beans by Angela at Oh She Glows, which get a flavor boost from nutrient-rich blackstrap molasses.
Cheesy Vegan Lasagna
Image credit: Ceara’s Kitchen
This Cheesy Vegan Lasagna from Ceara’s Kitchen looks incredible, thanks to its cheese stand-in, made with sunflower seeds and potatoes for extra creaminess. I’m going to try this with gluten-free pasta; it may be my new favorite potluck dish!
Smokey Black Bean Enchiladas
Image credit: Happy Herbivore
These quick and easy low-fat enchiladas from Happy Herbivore look amazing; make a double recipe for a potluck-sized batch. Just swap gluten-free tortillas for the wraps if needed, and you’ve got a party-ready dish everyone can enjoy!
Chili with Mushrooms
This chili, a veganized and oil-free version of the Obama family chili recipe, is rich and flavorful, yet completely whole food, plant based.
Shmoopy Cookies
Image credit: Dreena Burton’s Plant-Powered Kitchen
If a Raisinet and a Mounds Bar had a baby, it would be these chocolate cookies from Dreena Burton’s Plant-Powered Kitchen. To make these completely free of added oil, you could omit the chocolate chips, but I think I’ll include them, because…chocolate chips.
Chocolate Cauliflower Pie
I’ve road tested this gluten-free chocolate cauliflower pie with omnivores on multiple occasions, and it’s done beautifully every time. In fact, no one ever guesses that it’s made with cauliflower! (Well, one woman did, but it took her 5 minutes, three tries, and hints.) In fact, if you don’t tell people this pie is vegan (not to mention made with cauliflower), they’ll never know.
Healthy Cookie Dough Dip
Image credit: Chocolate Covered Katie
Since this Healthy Cookie Dough Dip recipe from Chocolate Covered Katie has been pinned over 372,000 times, I’m going to say that omnivores and vegans alike will love it. To avoid added oil, you can omit the chocolate chips and use peanut butter, but if you’re cooking for an omnivore potluck? Leave ’em in.
Shared on Healthy, Happy, Green & Natural, Allergy Free Wednesdays, and the Plant Based Potluck Party.
Your turn:
- What’s your go-to plant-based potluck dish?
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I'm Lee, an RD thriving on a healthy plant based diet.
Great round up Lee! With potluck season around the corner, I’m bookmarking this!
I end to make a salad (tabbouleh or chickpea of some sort) and make a date dessert. A little boring &predictable though, so these websites will really help =)
Great suggestions; I need to add tabbouleh to my repertoire for potlucks, especially in the summer. It’s one of those dishes everyone likes, and I can make it gluten-free with buckwheat groats. I also need to find (or create) a really good oil-free bean salad recipe. Any suggestions? I looked for one for this roundup and drew a blank.
Great pot luck inspiration Lee! I still think your cauliflower chocolate pie, takes the cake–er, I mean, PIE! It is just gorgeous. I can’t imagine anyone passing it up, no matter what else they eat!! 🙂
Thanks Maria! The cauliflower chocolate pie is my favorite recipe on Veggie Quest. People absolutely do not believe it when I tell them it’s made with an entire head of cauliflower. So fun!
This is a great roundup Lee! I always stress on what to bring to omni potlucks. Sometimes I go for healthy and sometimes (more often than not actually) I go for something a little more in line what others are bringing like buffalo chick’n dip. Although omnivores seem to like it, I would rather bring something healthy yet tasty to parties. Thanks for the ideas!
Thanks Mary Ellen! Do you have a recipe for buffalo chick’n dip? I’m going to check out your blog right now, but if you have a link, can you post it? I know it may not be perfectly healthy, but I say anything that gets people eating more plant-based is a move in the right direction. 🙂
These look like delicious, simple and healthy options to contribute to a potluck! I am pinning these to keep on hand for the upcoming potluck season. Thank you!
I love to try new light and healthy oil-free recipes so I am so delighted that you shared your healthy and delicious Oil-Free Vegan Potluck Recipes Omnivores Will Love with us at the Healthy Happy Green Natural Party! I’m Pinning and sharing this!
Thanks Deborah!
From salads to desserts, these would be the a hit at any party or MeetUp! Thank you for sharing your healthy and delectable Oil-Free Vegan Potluck Recipes Omnivores Will Love with us on the Plant-Based Potluck Party Link Up. I’m pinning and sharing.
FYI: The lasagna recipe is not oil free. I calls for a cheese sauce the is made with sesame oil…
Hi Candace, nice catch! I checked, and the cheeze sauce used in this lasagna does indeed contain 1/4 teaspoon of sesame oil (a very small amount–adds 14 calories and 2 g fat for the entire recipe). My mistake! If that’s an issue for you, please feel free to omit the oil.