5 Dishes That'll Win the Most Popular Award at Any Gathering

No disrespect to small talk, but my favorite part of any holiday gathering is—by far—the food situation. Whether it's a potluck or more of a composed meal, I'm eying everything from hearty apps through to the dessert spread the moment I enter the premises.

So when we announced our latest contest, The Recipe You're Asked to Bring to Every Gathering, I couldn't wait to see which dishes you all are serving up.

And I was far from disappointed. Thanks to dozens and dozens of entries, I'll have fodder for my holiday menus for years to come. A few quick highlights before we get down to business:

• More than half of recipes were for savory dishes.

• Roughly a quarter of submissions included cheese in some shape or form.

• Only a small handful of entries were salads or slaws.

And now, without further ado, I'd like to introduce you to our top five recipes:

Dill Dip by Jenny

A bold, tangy, and pantry-friendly spread worthy of the centerpiece role on your best and brightest appetizer platter.

Gratin Dauphinois à Lyon by ChefJune

It's creamy. It's crispy. It's cheesy up top. We (literally) couldn't ask for anything more.

Swedish Meatballs & Cream Sauce by swedishturkey

If there's anything more festive and pop-in-your-mouthable than a gang of tiny meatballs in cream sauce, well, we don't want to know about it.

Crostata With Mixed Greens by sdebrango

Cheesy greens meet tender, flavorful crust. We hope they'll never part ways.

Baked Brie with Caramelized Onions & Wild Mushrooms by boymeetsgirlmeetsfood

A whole wheel of brie gets topped with caramelized onions and mushrooms, then baked 'til everything's nice and melty. Safe to say we'd like to pack up our things and move to its surface.

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A huge thank you to everyone who submitted a recipe!

Before you go, a bit of holiday homework: Pick your favorites, and take 'em for a spin in your kitchen. Then let us know what you think—either by rating the recipe, writing a comment, or reaching out to us directly at [email protected]. We're headed to do another round of recipes tests ourselves, and we'll be back with two finalists on Jan. 1.

Let us know your thoughts in the comments! Happy cooking.