16 Healthy Fall Potluck Recipes That Could Pass as Comfort Food (2024)

These fall potluck recipes will keep your healthy eating goals intact, even at a tailgate or fall party. Our collection includes barbecued ribs, potato salad, and even macaroni and cheese, all of which feature ingredients or swaps that are better for you. You're definitely going to find a dish worth sharing.

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Apricot Chipotle Pork Ribs

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Sweet apricots temper smoky chipotle peppers to give these ribs a seriously layered flavor that's not for the faint of heart. Each serving of this healthy fall potluck dish packs in 25 grams of protein, but only 314 calories.

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Soft Pretzels

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Put a twist on traditional potluck ideas with a batch of homemade pretzels. Everyone will love the soft, doughy texture and the sprinkling of seeds or salt on top.

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Low-Sugar Barbecue Pulled Pork Sandwiches

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Serve up a tray of saucy pulled pork sandwiches at your fall gathering. This healthy slow cooker recipe features a homemade barbecue sauce that's naturally sweetened with Medjool dates. To keep the whole menu healthy and delicious, we're also including the recipe for our whole-wheat hamburger buns.

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Chicken Bratwurst and Onions with Broccoli Slaw Salad

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Everyone loves sinking their teeth into a juicy bratwurst, so you'll be the most popular person at the party when you bring these brats topped with tangy slaw. Did we mention it's made in a slow cooker?

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Four-Cheese Butternut Squash Macaroni and Cheese

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Believe it or not, this cheesy masterpiece has only 266 calories per serving. Mashed butternut squash gives this recipe a boost of antioxidants, while giving every bite a creamier texture and comforting fall flavor.

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French Chopped Salad

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Inspired by salade Niçoise, our veggie-loaded chopped salad recipe is a healthy option for your fall potluck. We love the combination of protein-packed eggs and olives, romaine, and tender potatoes in this healthy potluck side. But can totally toss in your favorite vegetables—there's no need to stick strictly to our list of ingredients.

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Fruited Multigrain Pilaf

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This healthy fall potluck recipe hits the whole-grain jackpot. A combination of wheat berries, pearled farro (or barley), and wild rice come together with dried cranberries, sweet potatoes, apples, and celery. Toasted walnuts add a boost of omega-3s and irresistible crunch.

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Potato Salad with Sausage and Grainy Mustard Dressing

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Potato salad is a must at any potluck, and we love our recipe with tangy coarse-grain mustard and a splash of cider vinegar. Cured sausage adds savory flavor, but each serving has just 199 calories.

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Orange-Sage Sweet Potatoes with Bacon

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Take advantage of sweet potato season and turn them into a healthy side dish for your next fall potluck. Tangy orange juice, earthy sage, and crisp bacon really give every bite the perfect balance of flavor.

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Spinach-Artichoke Dip with Blue Cheese and Bacon

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Creamy spinach-artichoke dip is a classic party-starter. Studded with bacon and tangy blue cheese, our slimmed-down recipe has mighty flavor. Pack some baked pita chips to complete this appetizer.

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Hamburger Cheese Bake

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Warm, melty, and hearty, this skinny casserole recipe features three kinds of cheese, but it will cost you only 311 calories per serving. The healthy duo of lean ground beef and simple seasonings keeps this fall potluck food light.

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Caramel Apple Cookies

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If you love sweet-tart caramel apples, wait until you try the cookie version. We use whole-wheat flour, raisins, and walnuts to get some extra fiber into this healthy potluck dessert.

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Spicy Apple-Glazed Meatballs

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Lighten up a batch of meatballs by using lean ground beef and a homemade sauce. The sweet and tangy apple glaze in this recipe has a hint of heat from cayenne pepper.

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Coconut Sweet Potatoes and Wild Rice

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Here's something healthy but a bit offbeat for your fall potluck. Please everyone with heaping bowls of our globally-inspired sweet potato casserole. Coconut and curry liven up the vitamin-packed duo of sweet potatoes and edamame.

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Sloppy Turkey and Veggie Sandwiches

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Ground turkey, chopped vegetables, and seasoned tomatoes unite to make this easy, healthy potluck recipe a whole lot better. A dollop of our tangy goat cheese yogurt sauce is a fresh alternative to store-bought condiments.

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Cassava Pumpkin Muffins

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For gluten-free and/or paleo diet potluck attendees, try bringing these pumpkin-filled delights. In this grain-free recipe, cassava flour (made from yuca root) is a substitute for wheat flour, and pure maple syrup is used instead of refined sugar, so it meets Paleo diet requirements.