16 Upscale Potato Recipes for a Crowd Worthy of Your Next Party

Rosemary Garlic Baby Potatoes on gray platter with spoon and small dish with lemon zest
Photo: Antonis Achilleos

Baked, smashed, roasted, or fried—it's hard to go wrong with potatoes. Plus, with a rainbow of rich add-ins such as bacon, cheese, veggies, and more, the flavor possibilities for fancy potato dishes are endless. So whether you're hosting a holiday get-together or enjoying dinner with friends, these delicious potato recipes for a crowd are guaranteed to make everyone happy.

01 of 16

Hasselback Potatoes with Seasoned Bread Crumbs

Hasselback Potatoes with Seasoned Breadcrumbs
Jason Donnelly

Give baked potatoes a bit of pizzazz by thinly slicing them before coating with butter, bread crumbs, cheese, and fresh herbs. The impressive potato recipe comes out of the oven perfectly crisp on the outside and tender on the inside.

02 of 16

Cheesy Garlic Potato Gratin

Cheesy Garlic Potato Gratin
Jason Donnelly

Elevate grandma's classic dish with this fancy potato recipe for a crowd. The layers of potatoes are there, along with oodles of cheese (you can choose between Swiss, Gruyére, provolone, or Jarlsberg) and garlic. A generous pour of whipping cream completes the dinner party potato dish.

Buy It: CorningWare French White 2.5-quart Oval Casserole with Glass Lid ($45, Amazon)

03 of 16

Cheesy Mashed Potatoes with Gouda and Crispy Pancetta

Cheesy Mashed Potatoes with Gouda and Crispy Pancetta
Andy Lyons

Skillet-crisped pancetta and shredded Gouda cheese kick up a creamy blend of russet and red-skin potatoes. Finish the potato side dish with fresh green onions or chives.

Test Kitchen Tip: Want to make this easy potato dish vegetarian? Simply substitute the pancetta for an equal amount of chopped artichoke hearts.

04 of 16

Twice-Baked Pesto Mashed Potatoes

Twice-Baked Pesto Mashed Potatoes
Andy Lyons

Present guests with a grab-and-go party potato recipe. The filling is made by mixing the hollowed potato pulp with basil pesto and cheese. A sprinkle of toasted pine nuts gives the dish an added element of sophistication.

05 of 16

Lemon-Garlic Mashed Potatoes

Lemon Garlic Mashed Potatoes
Andy Lyons

Mashed Yukon gold potatoes get a sunny facelift with freshly squeezed lemon juice and peel. Balance the citrus with salty capers and chopped parsley.

06 of 16

Air-Fryer Rosemary Garlic Baby Potatoes

Rosemary Garlic Baby Potatoes on gray platter with spoon and small dish with lemon zest
Antonis Achilleos

When you need an easy potato recipe for a crowd for dinner, allow your trusty air fryer to help you out. Toss potatoes with a bit of oil, garlic, rosemary, and salt before giving them a quick run in the air fryer. Don't crowd them! They'll need room for all the sides to get crispy.

07 of 16

Fried Smashed Potatoes

Fried Smashed Potatoes
Jason Donnelly

Simple ingredients and an easy cooking technique create one of our favorite potato dishes for a crowd. After boiling, smash and bake the potatoes with olive oil and salt until they're crisp and golden. Get a head start on party prep by scrubbing the potatoes up to 24 hours in advance.

08 of 16

Goat Cheese Mashed Sweet Potatoes

Goat Cheese Mashed Sweet Potatoes
Adam Albright

Goat cheese, or chevre, is a little tangy, incredibly creamy, and a total knockout when blended into fluffy mashed sweet potatoes. Finish the 30-minute fancy potato side dish with crunchy roasted pistachios.

09 of 16

Scalloped Sweet Potatoes with Fontina Cheese and Thyme

Scalloped Sweet Potatoes with Fontina Cheese and Thyme
Andy Lyons

This elegant potato recipe for a crowd updates classic gratin with sweet potatoes, shredded Fontina cheese, and fresh thyme. As if its thick and bubbly cream sauce wasn't enough, you can make the potato side dish casserole even more irresistible with a sprinkle of crisp-cooked bacon.

10 of 16

Scalloped Potatoes

Scalloped Potatoes
Jason Donnelly

For one of the best holiday potato recipes, our Test Kitchen's scalloped potatoes never disappoint. Layer thin slices of spuds with a creamy sauce to make this stellar side. Adding some shredded cheese to the rich sauce can also bring the flavors up a notch.

11 of 16

Mashed Sweet Potatoes with White Cheddar

White Cheddar Mashed Sweet Potatoes
Andy Lyons

Sharp white cheddar proves the perfect complement to sweet potatoes in this easy make-ahead potato recipe. Sautéed apple slices supplement the potato dish with cozy fall flavor. Fresh-snipped sage adds the perfect herbal note.

12 of 16

Rustic Garlic Mashed Potatoes

Rustic Garlic Mashed Potatoes
Scott Little

Give guests a traditional holiday recipe they know and love with slow-cooked mashed potatoes. Fluffy potatoes, garlic, milk, chicken broth: You know the drill. And don't forget the pepper and pats of melty butter.

Buy It: Crock-Pot 6-Quart Programmable Cook and Carry Slow Cooker ($50, Target)

13 of 16

Meringue-Topped Sweet Potato Casserole

Meringue-Topped Sweet Potato Casserole
Raymond Hom

Your holiday spread would hardly be complete without at least one sweet potato casserole recipe. We topped ours with a homemade meringue, but you can easily adjust the recipe to accommodate fluffy marshmallow creme.

14 of 16

Cheesy Mashed Potato Pots

Cheesy Mashed Potato Pots
Kritsada Panichgul

Brimming with heavy cream and cheese, these are the ultimate dinner party potato dishes. They'll make the perfect accompaniment to your holiday roast beef, turkey, or ham.

Buy It: DOWAN 10-Ounce Ramekins ($35, Amazon)

15 of 16

Crispy Potatoes with Rosemary Salt

Crispy Potatoes with Rosemary Salt
Carson Downing

This potato dish is so good you might never want to serve the spuds another way. Thinly sliced russet potatoes (use a mandoline to keep the sizes uniform) are lined up in mini loaf pans and coated in melted butter. Make extra rosemary salt to keep around for other dishes.

Buy It: OXO Handheld Mandoline ($19, Target)

16 of 16

Basil and Olive Potatoes

Basil Olive Potatoes
Andy Lyons

Who says potato salad can't be an elegant side? Instead of the creamy dressing version you find at picnics, we fancied ours up with a warm basil dressing. Olives add just the right amount of brightness to the potato dish.

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