21+ Game-Day Recipes

When it comes to football and the big game, I mostly know nothing and just hope both teams have fun! So, I may not know who’s playing, but I got you covered with all sorts of game day recipes to serve up at your next get-together. I mean, let’s be real, the game-day snacks really are the best part.

Bite-Sized Appetizers

I love bite-sized snacks and I love them even more when they’re easy to make. Here are a few options to choose from that are great for serving a crowd for game day.

• Buffalo Chicken Meatballs | Skip the buffalo wings and make these easy baked chicken meatballs. They’re tossed in buffalo sauce and served with blue cheese dip.
• BBQ Chicken Meatballs | I love chicken wings but hate the mess so I make these easy meatballs with barbecue sauce instead. They’re a little sticky and so flavorful but easy to eat with no pile of bones to deal with after.
• Sausage Rolls | I always make a double batch of these because they’re hard to resist. They’re delicious warm from the oven, at room temperature or cold from the fridge, too.
• Sweet and Spicy Meatball Bites | These beef meatballs are coated in a three-ingredient sauce that’s tangy, sweet and a little spicy.
• Roasted Red Pepper & Basil Pinwheels | It doesn’t get any easier than these pinwheels. I like to use whipped cream cheese because I don’t have to wait for it to soften (spreadable straight from the package <— yes!) and the only work is chopping up some jarred roasted red peppers and fresh basil. Make them a day in advance and then just slice and serve.
• Deviled Eggs | Everyone’s favorite finger food! These deviled eggs have a creamy filling and a crispy bacon garnish with fresh chives.
• Mini Tacos – recipe from Julie Blanner | These bite-sized snacks are perfect for a party.

Dip Recipes

What’s a football party without some chips and dip? All of these dip recipes can be made ahead so when it’s time for the game they’re ready to serve with all of your favorite dippers.

• Spinach Artichoke Dip | This hot dip is so easy to make – just mix and bake. Serve it with crackers, tortilla chips, sliced bread, and veggie sticks.
• Pimento Cheese Dip | A quick 10-minute pimento cheese dip is a must-make for game-day, holidays and other get-togethers. It’s a simple mix-and-serve appetizer made with sharp cheddar cheese, cream cheese, peppers and mayonnaise otherwise know as a combination of flavors that’s hard to resist.
• Onion Dip | Classic onion dip tastes amazing with real caramelized onions (instead of the little packet of dry stuff) and you don’t have to stand at the stove to make them. You can use your crockpot to caramelize onions. Make them ahead and then mix up the dip a few hours before you want to serve it.
• Hot Cheese Dip | A super easy cheese dip – no stove required! This smooth and creamy dip takes less than 15 minutes to make and calls for just a  few simple ingredients. 
• Roasted Red Pepper Dip | You only need four ingredients for this easy dip. It’s cool, creamy and all about the roasted red peppers.
• Homemade Salsa & Guacamole | Everyone loves some chips, salsa, and guacamole!
• Black Bean Hummus | This is a super quick dip with black beans, chipotle peppers, and topped with pico de gallo.
• Easy Queso – recipe from Chef Shamy | This creamy, cheese queso dip is flavored with green chile. Looks delicious!
• Buffalo Chicken Dip – Food and Wine | This is always a party classic with all the flavors from the classic wings.

Sandwiches

Whether it’s a small get-together or a big party with all the friends sandwiches are always great for game-day!

• Pizza Sandwiches | Like the roast beef ones, this extra-large hot pizza sandwich is enough for a few people to share and it’s loaded with all the pizza toppings like pepperoni, salami, peppers, and cheese.
• Hot Roast Beef Sandwiches | Hot roast beef piled on sesame seed buns with a creamy 3-ingredient cheese sauce that you make in the microwave. It’s a fast-food favorite you can make at home.
• Caprese Roast Beef Sandwiches | Grab a few of those big loaves of bread, pile on the roast beef, tomatoes, lettuce and cheese and drizzle some balsamic vinaigrette over the top. These roast beef sandwiches are so much better than those platters you get at the store.
• Bacon and Goat Cheese Sliders | These cute sliders topped with goat cheese, bacon and arugula are the perfect mini burgers for game day. They’re a big upgrade from you average cheeseburger and very easy to make.
• Baked Chili Cheese Hot Dogs | Make a batch of slow cooker chili and then spoon it over dogs, top with a creamy cheese sauce, and bake them for a great game day main dish.

• Crispy Chicken Sliders | This is my homemade version of a fast-food sandwich you can’t get on Sunday. The breaded chicken is baked and served up slider-style.
• Italian Sandwich Sliders | Toasty baked Italian sandwiches with three kinds of salami, cheese and banana peppers is an easy (and delicious!) way to serve a crowd.
• Sloppy Joe Sliders | My grown-up sloppy joes are made with ground beef cooked in red wine and the sauce is made with roasted vegetables. You can easily it ahead and warm it up when it’s time for the game. Serve them on slider buns for easy eating.
• Reuben Pretzel Sliders – recipe from Belly Full | These baked sliders have all the Reuben sandwich fillings and baked for an easy game day snack.

More Game-Day Snacks

And here is all the rest of the game day recipes! Poppers, nachos, mozzarella stick plus a few other choice snacks perfect for the big game.

• Homemade Mozzarella Sticks | You can prep these ahead, freeze them and then fry them up when you’re ready to serve them. They’re golden and crispy with just the right amount of ooey-gooey melted cheese.
• BBQ Chicken Quesadillas | You’ll need to get out the extra napkins for this one. BBQ chicken tucked in tortillas with all the cheese and guacamole is a little messy and a whole lot delicious.
• Frito Pie | Make a big batch of chili, spoon it over corn chips and offer up all the toppings like lettuce, tomatoes, cheese, and sour cream. Call it your Frito pie bar where everyone can help themselves – they’re great for a tailgate party or get together at home.
• Garlic Parmesan Fries | These garlic parmesan fries are so simple there’s barely a recipe for them thanks to store-bought French fries. This simple recipe gets you a sheet pan full of fries that taste like the ones you might order in a restaurant. You might like my easy Cajun Fries, too!

• BBQ Chicken Nachos | I use rotisserie chicken to make these easy nachos and they’re topped with a super easy cheddar cheese sauce. They’re an easy way to serve a crowd!
• Bacon-Wrapped Jalapeno Poppers | Jalapeno peppers stuffed with a zingy cilantro-lime cream cheese filling and wrapped up in crispy bacon. These baked bacon-wrapped jalapeno poppers are always a favorite appetizer.
• Chorizo and Goat Cheese Pita Pizzas | These simple pizzas are topped with Mexican chorizo, creamy goat cheese, and tomatoes for a delicious twist on pizza.
• Green Chile Pork Quesadillas | 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. 

I hope you’ve found some new game day food to serve for the big game!

Happy snacking!

More Recipe Collections

• Chili Recipes
• Cinco de Mayo Recipes
• Easy Dinner Recipes for Two
• Homemade Takeout Recipes

Post updated from the archives. First published in January 2018.