Asian Potluck Recipe Ideas for Gatherings

Asian Potluck Recipe Ideas – Asian-inspired dishes are perfect for potlucks because they’re flavorful, versatile, and often easy to share. Popular options include dumplings (such as pork, chicken, or vegetable gyoza) that can be steamed or pan-fried and served with soy dipping sauce. Stir-fried noodles like chow mein or pad Thai are crowd-pleasers and can be made vegetarian or with protein such as shrimp, chicken, or beef. Fried rice is another classic, easy-to-make dish that travels well and can be adapted with seasonal vegetables. Fresh spring rolls or summer rolls, filled with shrimp, herbs, and vermicelli noodles, are light and refreshing finger foods. You can also bring satay skewers with peanut dipping sauce, which work well as appetizers. For dessert, Asian sweets like mochi, mango sticky rice, or sesame balls can add a unique finish to the potluck table. These dishes not only showcase bold flavors but also offer a good balance of textures and variety for group dining.

Asian Potluck Recipe Ideas

Spring Rolls (Vietnamese Fresh Rolls)

Credit @natashaskitchen

• Description: Light, refreshing rolls with shrimp, veggies, and herbs, wrapped in rice paper.

• Ingredients:

  • Rice paper wrappers

  • Shrimp (boiled and halved)

  • Rice vermicelli noodles

  • Lettuce, mint, cilantro, Thai basil

  • Carrot & cucumber (julienned)

  • Peanut dipping sauce or hoisin sauce

• Steps:

  1. Boil shrimp until pink, slice in half lengthwise.

  2. Cook vermicelli noodles and drain.

  3. Dip rice paper in warm water to soften.

  4. Layer lettuce, herbs, noodles, veggies, and shrimp.

  5. Roll tightly like a burrito.

  6. Serve with dipping sauce.

Chicken Satay Skewers with Peanut Sauce (Thai)

Credit @sa_thaiusa

• Description: Grilled marinated chicken skewers served with creamy peanut sauce.

• Ingredients:

  • Chicken breast/thigh (cubed)

  • Marinade: soy sauce, lime juice, garlic, turmeric, coriander, honey

  • Peanut sauce: peanut butter, soy sauce, coconut milk, chili paste, lime juice

• Steps:

  1. Marinate chicken for 2+ hours.

  2. Thread onto skewers.

  3. Grill or bake until golden and cooked through.

  4. Simmer peanut sauce until creamy.

  5. Serve skewers with sauce on the side.

Japchae (Korean Glass Noodles)

Credit @drivemehungry

• Description: Stir-fried sweet potato noodles with veggies and beef.

• Ingredients:

  • Sweet potato glass noodles (dangmyeon)

  • Beef (thinly sliced)

  • Spinach, carrots, bell peppers, mushrooms, onion

  • Soy sauce, sesame oil, sugar, garlic, sesame seeds

• Steps:

  1. Cook noodles and rinse.

  2. Stir-fry veggies separately in sesame oil.

  3. Sauté beef with garlic and soy sauce.

  4. Mix noodles with sauce, add veggies and beef.

  5. Garnish with sesame seeds.

Sushi Rolls (Japanese Maki)

Credit @kojorestaurant

• Description: Bite-sized rice rolls with seafood or veggies.

• Ingredients:

  • Sushi rice (seasoned with vinegar, sugar, salt)

  • Nori sheets

  • Fillings: cucumber, avocado, crab sticks, tuna, salmon

  • Soy sauce, pickled ginger, wasabi

• Steps:

  1. Cook and season rice.

  2. Place nori on bamboo mat, spread rice thinly.

  3. Add fillings.

  4. Roll tightly, slice into bite-sized pieces.

  5. Serve with soy sauce & wasabi.

Dumplings (Chinese Jiaozi or Potstickers)

Credit @omnivorescookbook

• Description: Steamed or pan-fried dumplings with savory filling.

• Ingredients:

  • Dumpling wrappers

  • Ground pork/chicken

  • Cabbage, ginger, garlic, green onion, soy sauce, sesame oil

• Steps:

  1. Mix filling ingredients.

  2. Place spoonful in wrapper, fold and seal edges.

  3. Steam or pan-fry until cooked through.

  4. Serve with soy-vinegar dipping sauce.

Butter Chicken (Indian)

Credit @thisisdelhi

• Description: Creamy, mildly spiced chicken curry.

• Ingredients:

  • Chicken breast/thighs

  • Yogurt, lemon juice, garam masala (for marinade)

  • Onion, garlic, ginger, tomatoes

  • Cream, butter, cumin, coriander, chili powder

• Steps:

  1. Marinate chicken in yogurt & spices.

  2. Cook onion, garlic, ginger until golden.

  3. Add tomato puree, cook into sauce.

  4. Add cream, butter, spices.

  5. Simmer chicken until tender.

  6. Garnish with cilantro.

Pad Thai (Thai Stir-Fried Noodles)

Credit @lamaithaikitchen

• Description: Sweet-savory stir-fried rice noodles with shrimp, tofu, and peanuts.

• Ingredients:

  • Rice noodles

  • Shrimp or chicken

  • Egg, tofu, bean sprouts, green onion

  • Sauce: tamarind paste, fish sauce, soy sauce, sugar, lime

  • Crushed peanuts

• Steps:

  1. Soak noodles until pliable.

  2. Stir-fry tofu & shrimp.

  3. Push aside, scramble egg.

  4. Add noodles & sauce.

  5. Toss with bean sprouts, garnish with peanuts & lime.

Gyoza (Japanese Pan-Fried Dumplings)

Credit @mfa_dingoozatfood

• Description: Crispy-bottomed dumplings with juicy pork/veggie filling.

• Ingredients:

  • Gyoza wrappers

  • Pork, cabbage, garlic, ginger, soy sauce, sesame oil

• Steps:

  1. Mix filling.

  2. Fill wrappers, pleat edges.

  3. Pan-fry until bottoms are crisp.

  4. Add water, cover, steam until done.

  5. Serve with soy dipping sauce.

Biryani (Indian Spiced Rice Dish)

Credit @1944thehoccokitchen

• Description: Fragrant rice with layers of marinated meat and spices.

• Ingredients:

  • Basmati rice

  • Chicken or lamb

  • Yogurt, ginger, garlic, garam masala

  • Onions, saffron milk, cilantro, mint

• Steps:

  1. Marinate meat in yogurt & spices.

  2. Cook onions until caramelized.

  3. Parboil rice.

  4. Layer rice, meat, onions, saffron milk.

  5. Cover and steam cook (“dum” method).

  6. Garnish with fried onions.

Scallion Pancakes (Chinese Cong You Bing)

Credit @laopengyouchi

• Description: Flaky, crispy flatbread with scallions.

• Ingredients:

  • All-purpose flour, hot water

  • Sesame oil

  • Chopped scallions, salt

• Steps:

  1. Make dough with flour & hot water. Rest.

  2. Roll flat, brush with sesame oil.

  3. Sprinkle scallions, roll into log, coil, flatten again.

  4. Pan-fry until golden brown.

  5. Cut into wedges & serve.

Chicken Adobo (Philippines)

Credit @cheftonybiggs

• Description: Tangy, savory braised chicken with soy and vinegar.

• Ingredients:

  • Chicken drumsticks/thighs

  • Soy sauce, vinegar, garlic, bay leaves, peppercorns

• Steps:

  1. Marinate chicken in soy sauce, garlic, bay leaves.

  2. Simmer chicken with marinade + vinegar.

  3. Cook until tender and sauce reduces.

  4. Serve with steamed rice.