Hello! It’s my favorite time of year — football season is here. Every Labor Day weekend I put together this roundup because it captures everything I love about autumn game days: bold flavors, shareable bites, and cozy treats. Below you’ll find nearly 200 tried-and-true recipes perfect for tailgates, watch parties, and chilly Sunday afternoons.
If you want to browse past roundups, I’ve included them below — there’s some overlap but each year adds fresh ideas. And please share your favorites in the comments.
2014 football food
2013 football food
2012 football food
And now — the ultimate game day list.
Dips
Butternut squash and goat cheese dip
Grilled kale BLT dip
Baked goat cheese dip with roasted garlic
Warm honey fig dip with blue cheese
Spinach and kale Greek yogurt dip
Caramelized pineapple, bacon and goat cheese guacamole
Everything white bean hummus
Creamy feta dip
Honey jalapeño hummus with olive oil chips
Chipotle-style corn salsa
Whipped feta
Homemade French onion dip
White pizza dip
Snacks
How to build a killer cheese plate
Sweet and spicy snack mix with bacon-fat popcorn
Crispy carnitas oven nachos
Bacon-blue deviled eggs
Pepperoni pizza pull-apart muffins
Bacon pimento cheese crostini
Homemade potato chips with sriracha BBQ sauce
BBQ chicken French breads
White pizza pull-apart bread
Buffalo chicken French breads (30 minutes)
Thai butternut squash lettuce wraps
Crockpot carne asada nachos
Pomegranate-jeweled white cheddar cheeseball
Coconut curry mussels
Roasted red pepper and bacon goat cheese truffles
20-minute turkey taco nachos
Fried Brussels sprouts with smoky honey aioli
Homemade BBQ sweet potato chips
Sticky Thai chicken wings (one-pan)
Cheddar tailgating bread
Sweet and sticky pomegranate chicken wings
Herbed garlic-parmesan French fries
Spinach, bacon and artichoke stuffed portobellos
Crispy buffalo oven fries
Crispy roasted chickpeas
Chipotle beer shrimp quesadillas with spicy guac
Soft pretzel rolls
Salads
Grilled buffalo chicken Caesar salads
The best Greek salad with homemade pita
Shredded kale salad with fried chicken
Autumn arugula salad
Thai crunch chicken salad
Warm Brussels Caesar with bacon ciabatta croutons
BLT chopped salad with corn, feta and avocado
BBQ chicken chopped salad with grilled garlic croutons
Chopped chicken taco salad with quesadilla strips
Spinach salad with hot bacon dressing
Slow Cooker Meals
Slow-cooker short rib sauce with bucatini
Brown sugar and roasted garlic pot roast sandwiches
Crockpot cheeseburgers
BBQ beer chicken
Smoky brisket tacos
Pulled pork chili
Short rib tacos with salted lime cabbage
Mini turkey meatballs
Pulled pork tacos with sweet chili slaw
Cheddar beer chicken tacos
Bacon bourbon baked beans
BBQ beer pulled pork tacos with crispy onion straws
Burgers & Sandwiches
Buffalo chicken grilled cheese with beer cheese fondue
Cheesy pimento cheese burgers
Tortilla-crusted chipotle salmon sliders
Goat cheese-stuffed guac burgers
Black bean and butternut sliders with chipotle ketchup
Crispy kale grilled cheese with fried egg
Saucy pulled pork sandwiches
Crispy autumn vegetable burgers with apple cider slaw
Smoky-sweet cherry pepper cheeseburgers
Homemade chicken cheesesteaks
Spicy mini meatball grilled cheese
Turkey burgers with gorgonzola and chili-garlic slaw
Loaded cheddar hot dogs
Balsamic Brussels grilled cheese
Roasted jalapeño cheddar turkey burgers with BBQ aioli
Smoky sweet potato burgers
Buffalo chicken burgers
Jalapeño pretzel dogs with cheddar beer sauce
Crispy buffalo quinoa sliders with corn and scallions
Double-bean burger patty melts
Thai turkey burgers
Bacon pineapple burgers
White pizza grilled cheese
Jalapeño cheddar chicken meatball subs
Cheeseburgers with sautéed mushrooms, arugula and Dijon aioli
Salt-and-vinegar chip-crusted fish sandwiches
Cheesy stuffed meatball sliders
Soup & Chili
Creamy tomato soup shooters with grilled cheese sticks
White bean tortellini soup with Havarti toasts
Roasted chicken ramen
Smoked Gruyère butternut soup with crispy chickpeas
Thai curry butternut squash soup
Beer cheese soup in homemade bread bowls
Smoky white bean chicken chili
White chicken quinoa chili
Chicken pot pie soup
Creamy Parmesan white bean stew with spicy greens
Cheesy corn chowder with bacon and Gorgonzola
30-minute buffalo chicken soup
Spicy sausage, kale and orecchiette soup
Braised short rib beef stew
Mother Lovett’s bean soup
Creamy cauliflower soup
Creamy caramelized leek soup with maple-glazed bacon
Main Dishes & Good Eats
Grilled baby back ribs with root beer BBQ sauce
Pulled pork tostadas
Smoky grilled chicken pita flatbreads with creamy feta
Chili cheese polenta bowls
Buffalo wing shrimp with blue cheese grits
Easy weeknight chicken tacos
Spicy roasted squash with feta and herbs
BBQ meatloaf and grilled fontina cornbread stacks
Beer-marinated flank steak fajitas
Chili garlic chicken skewers with yogurt dipping sauce
Creamy chicken and buttermilk dumplings
Lightened-up beef enchiladas with homemade sauce
Beer-battered fish tacos with mango salsa
Chipotle-lime chicken skewers with avocado ranch
Beer-can chicken
Ginger-garlic steak tacos with pineapple pico
Honey chipotle chicken bowls
Pan-crisped salmon with Dijon cream
Roasted chipotle chicken taco stacks
Garlic brown sugar flank steak with chimichurri
Spicy beer-braised lime chicken enchiladas
Gouda grits with smoky brown-butter shrimp
Bacon-wrapped caramelized sesame asparagus
Red wine-marinated flank steak with caprese salsa
Toasted sesame ginger salmon
Cheese-smothered stuffed poblanos
Pizza & Pasta
Hot and sweet triple-pepper pizza
Creamy Cajun chicken penne pot
Stovetop goat cheese shells and cheese
No-rise crispy thin-crust pizza
Charred cauliflower carbonara
Marinated kale and whipped ricotta pizza
One-pot mushroom and Swiss chard pasta
Meat-lovers pizza
Mini meatball pizza with fresh mozzarella
30-minute skillet lasagna
Bacon cheeseburger skillet pizza
Cast-iron Brussels sprouts and bacon pizza
Lightened-up butternut squash shells
Whole-wheat autumn apple pizza
Spicy Parmesan shrimp skillet
Stovetop BBQ chicken shells and cheese
Garlic bread pizza crust
Stovetop buffalo chicken shells and cheese
Caramelized onion, bacon and Gruyère whole-wheat pizza
White pizza lasagna
Caramelized shallot, spinach and goat cheese pasta
Cauliflower crust pizza
Four-cheese baked skillet rigatoni (mac and cheese)
Treats
Roasted strawberry milkshakes with chocolate pistachio brittle
Coffee ice cream sundae pie
Peanut butter cheesecake with marshmallow cream
One-bowl whiskey chocolate fudge cake
Chocolate cream pie with vanilla whipped cream
Sweet orange cinnamon pull-apart bread
Pumpkin gelato with candied ginger
Chocolate cream slab pie
Cider-bourbon apple pie
Bourbon baked apples
Pumpkin s’mores tart
Whole-wheat banana bread with coconut streusel
Homemade Snickers bars
Burnt caramel bourbon ice cream with milk chocolate toffee
Peppermint pattie brownies
Bourbon bacon marshmallow s’mores
Peanut butter fudge brownie trifle
Pumpkin s’mores cupcakes
Vanilla bourbon caramel apples
Brown butter oatmeal chunk cookies
Cocktails
Hot cider nog
Ginger beergaritas
Cranberry cider punch
Crockpot coconut hot chocolate
Mojito margaritas
Apple cider sangria
Pomegranate margaritas
Boozy coconut hot fudge milkshakes
Apple cider margaritas
Pomegranate vanilla sangria
Fresh strawberry margaritas
Mango jalapeño margaritas
Blueberry mint juleps
Whew — that was deliciously exhausting. Which of these will be your go-to game day win?