42 Game Day Recipes
When it comes to football and the big game, I got you covered with all sorts of game day recipes to serve up at your next get-together. From snacks to dinners, there are so many great ones to try! I mean, let’s be real, the game day snacks really are the best part of watching football!
Browse some of my favorite game day snacks and appetizers – from nachos, cheese sticks, dips, chili, ribs, sliders, and more! There are all kinds of ways to satisfy those game-day cravings. Click on the links below to jump ahead to different sections, or take a scroll to see them all.
Football Game Snack Ideas
Easy Dips and Spreads
Avocado Salsa Verde
Avocado Salsa Verde is a fresh salsa recipe with creamy avocado, tomatillos, serrano pepper, and fresh cilantro and lime juice. It’s so easy you can make a batch in about 10 minutes!
Cheddar Ranch Beer Dip
This is an easy make-ahead cold dip ready in 10 minutes! Serve it with your favorite crunchy pretzels, fresh veggie sticks, chips, or crackers.
Green Onion Dip
Green Onion Dip is a cold dip recipe that you can make ahead for parties, holidays, or game days. It’s creamy and full of fresh flavor.
Green Chile Cheese Dip
This green chile cheese dip is super easy – just mix, bake, and serve! It’s rich and creamy with a delicious green chile flavor.
Cowboy Caviar Guacamole
Cowboy caviar combined with creamy guacamole is a quick and easy dip recipe loaded with fresh flavors. It has avocado, beans, corn, peppers, tomatoes, and fresh lime juice all mixed up and ready for a big bowl of tortilla chips to go with it.
Easy Spinach Artichoke Dip
Creamy, hot spinach artichoke dip for all the game days, holidays, and other snack-appropriate events. This is a super easy dip recipe – just mix, bake, and serve. It’s cheesy, creamy, and perfect with tortilla chips, crackers, and veggie sticks.
Pimento Cheese Dip
Pimento cheese is a classic Southern cheese spread made with simple ingredients, and it’s so hard to resist! Pair it with crackers and watch it disappear – it’ll be a hit!
Blue Cheese Dip
Cool and creamy Blue Cheese Dip is the best dip for buffalo chicken wings, veggie sticks, or crackers. It’s easy to make in about ten minutes and can be made ahead.
Jalapeno Popper Dip (or Spread)
This jalapeno popper dip is an easy appetizer recipe. You can make it a day in advance and serve it with crackers or chips. Or, use it as a spread to make pinwheels, sandwiches, or wraps. It has all of the flavors of bacon-wrapped jalapeno wrappers but is served up cold and creamy as a dip instead.
Easy Homemade Salsa
Homemade salsa that’s not watery, not too thick, and full of fresh flavors from tomatoes, cilantro, and jalapeno. This is a cooked salsa recipe that is ready to go in less than 30 minutes. It’s full of fresh flavors and so easy to make.
Easy Cheese Dip (in the Microwave!)
This smooth and creamy cheese dip has real cheese (no wobbly blocks of cheese product required!), cooks up in the microwave in just a few minutes, and goes great with some chips and guacamole on the side.
Nachos and Quesadillas
Chili Nachos
Chili Nachos topped with a creamy cheddar cheese sauce, cilantro sour cream, and green onions is a great way to use up leftover chili. They’re perfect for game day, parties, or any time you’re craving some seriously good nachos!
Chorizo Nachos
Or give these Chorizo Nachos a try! Cheese sauce, Mexican chorizo, and pico de gallo piled on tortilla chips and baked. So good!
BBQ Chicken Nachos
Layers of chicken, cheese, BBQ sauce, and tortilla chips – these BBQ chicken nachos have it all!
Steak Quesadillas
Steak Quesadillas, with gooey melted cheese and tender steak in every bite, are perfect for game day with some chips and salsa. This oven method is an easy way to make four at a time, plus the prep work is quick, too.
Chicken Bacon Ranch Quesadilla
This Chicken Bacon Ranch Quesadilla recipe is a fun twist on traditional quesadillas. If you love bacon and ranch, they’re a must try for game day.
Green Chile Pork Quesadillas
These pork quesadillas with green chile are cooked in the oven on a sheet pan. This is an easy way to make four quesadillas at a time – the tortillas crisp up under the broiler, so they’re hot, cheesy, and toasty when they come out of the oven.
Appetizers and Snacks
Bacon-Wrapped Jalapeno Poppers
Oven-baked jalapeno poppers wrapped up in crispy bacon and stuffed with a zingy cilantro-lime cream cheese filling. These are the quintessential party food and always a hit.
Super Easy Cajun Fries
If you need a super easy appetizer or snack, these Cajun fries are the answer. Three ingredients, ten minutes to prep, and 20 minutes of baking time. They come out of the oven hot and crispy with a delicious garlicky and smoky seasoning.
Deviled Eggs with Bacon & Chives
Deviled eggs with bacon are always a favorite, and the flavor combinations are endless. I love the combination of bacon, eggs, and fresh chives – these are easy to make and are so good!
Cajun Baked Onion Rings
Baked Onion Rings are crispy and flavored with Cajun seasonings for a great appetizer or side dish.
Bacon Jalapeno Cream Cheese Pinwheels
If you love jalapeno poppers, you will love these easy tortilla pinwheels. They have all the same great flavor but wrapped up in tortillas instead. It’s an easy no-cook appetizer!
Loaded Cheese Fries
These loaded cheese fries are easy to make with frozen fries, a simple cheese sauce, bacon, and green onions!
Crispy Panko Shrimp
Panko shrimp is an easy appetizer or snack with some sauce on the side for dipping. They’re so easy to make (no deep-frying!) and great for parties or any time you want a crispy appetizer to snack on.
Homemade Mozzarella Sticks
Hot and crispy homemade mozzarella sticks! This recipe makes a big batch of cheese sticks that can be frozen and fried in small batches whenever you get a craving. The mozzarella sticks are crispy on the outside, with melted oozing cheese on the inside. They’re a must-make for football season.
Roasted Red Pepper Pinwheels
These pinwheels are so simple to make and a great appetizer when you need something easy. They have a creamy cream cheese filling with roasted red peppers and basil for fresh flavor.
Garlic Parmesan Fries
These garlic parmesan fries are so easy, thanks to store-bought frozen French fries. A few ingredients like garlic-infused olive oil, freshly grated Parmesan cheese, and chopped parsley make them a go-to snack to satisfy a salty craving.
Sliders and Sandwiches
Baked Chili Cheese Dogs
Baked chili cheese dogs topped with beef chili, a creamy smoked cheddar cheese sauce, and a few choice garnishes are a fun dinner or game day meal. Plus, It’s a great way to use up leftover chili.
Italian Sandwich Sliders
These Italian slider sandwiches are a great combination of salty/sweet with a tangy kick from banana peppers. They’re easy to prep and great as a game-day snack or party appetizer.
Hot Roast Beef Sandwiches with Cheddar Cheese Sauce
These hot roast beef sandwiches are quick and easy, thanks to a simple cheddar cheese sauce that’s made in the microwave.
Pulled Pork Sandwiches
Pulled pork sandwiches start with an easy slow cooker pork recipe that you can make ahead. The shredded meat is piled on soft buns, drizzled with BBQ sauce, and topped with slaw for a delicious pork sandwich.
Loaded Pizza Sandwiches
Loaded pizza sandwiches with salami, pepperoni, provolone and mozzarella cheese, olives, green peppers, and fresh herbs. It makes one big toasted sandwich you can slice and serve for a fun game day snack.
Chicken Parmesan Sliders
These chicken parm sliders are easy to make thanks to shredded rotisserie chicken and so delicious thanks to the easy Parmesan cheese sauce! This recipe makes 12 sliders that are perfect for parties, game days, or weeknight dinners.
Crispy Baked Chicken Sliders
These crispy baked chicken sliders are a delicious bite for a holiday party or game-day get-together.
Game Day Slow Cooker Recipes
No Bean Chili (Slow Cooker)
This easy no-bean chili recipe cooks in the slow cooker! Lean ground beef, peppers, onions, green chile, and chili seasonings simmer for hours – when it’s done, ladle it into bowls with your favorite toppings.
Honey Garlic Meatballs (5 Ingredients)
These meatballs take minutes to prep and simmer in the slow cooker until it’s time to serve them up!
Queso Blanco (Easy Slow Cooker Recipe)
This easy Queso Blanco is a creamy white cheese dip made with two kinds of cheese, and spices, and garnished with tomatoes and cilantro. Make it in your slow cooker for an easy dip for parties, game day, or any time you’re craving chips and queso!
Teriyaki Ribs (Slow Cooker)
These easy teriyaki ribs cook in the slow cooker and then are brushed with teriyaki sauce and broiled. They’re juicy and tender with a delicious caramelized sticky-sauce crust.
Slow Cooker Shredded BBQ Chicken
Shredded BBQ chicken is easy to make in the slow cooker and a great way to feed a crowd. Use it to make shredded chicken sandwiches, wraps, or nachos.
Chipotle Meatballs (Slow Cooker)
Raspberry chipotle meatballs are an easy slow cooker appetizer. Frozen meatballs and a quick five-ingredient chipotle raspberry sauce simmer in the crockpot for a great snack with tons of flavor.
Slow Cooker Turkey Chili
This slow cooker turkey chili is easy to prep in the morning – just brown the turkey and add all of the other ingredients! Leave it to simmer all day on low, and dinner will be a breeze later that night.
Slow Cooker Shredded Beef Sandwiches
Easy slow cooker shredded beef sandwiches topped with sliced peppers, onions, and provolone cheese.
I hope you’ve found some new game day food to serve for the big game!
Happy snacking!
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Post updated from the archives. First published in January 2018.
What a mouthwatering lineup! I have got to try those garlic fries of yours!!
Thanks for including my recipe!! I want it to be Super Bowl right now. These all look great. 🙂
Pinned! Loving this list like woah! – especially the garlic knots oMG!
Oh my gosh, all of these look amazing and are easy to make. Which ones to try first … I gotta try them all!
Thanks to you, the snack lineup for this week’s Super Bowl will be MUCH better than the game itself. Thanks for sharing!