135 Game-Day Recipes for Football Season: Snacks, Dips & More

Alright, party people — football season is here and I’ve gathered some of the best game-day recipes to keep your spread exciting. I spent hours combing the web for crowd-pleasers: dips, snacky bites, hearty mains, sides, breads and sweet treats. Many of these recipes scale easily whether it’s just you, a small group, or a big party — simply adjust quantities to fit your crowd. Feel free to share your favorites in the comments and tell me what you think is the ultimate football food.

Dips

Perfect for sharing and easy to prepare — a variety for every taste:

• Queso blanco dip
• Loaded baked potato dip
• Caramelized onion Greek yogurt dip
• Hot blueberry cheddar dip with toasty bread
• Roasted garlic and white bean hummus
• Hot, cheesy caramelized corn dip
• Baked cauliflower dip
• Warm tomato basil dip
• Black bean fiesta dip
• Hot and cheesy roasted red pepper dip
• Buffalo chicken dip
• Avocado hummus
• Jalapeño popper dip
• Kicked-up spinach dip
• Toasted almond parmesan dip
• Creamy feta dip with jalapeños
• White pizza dip

Snacky Foods (non-dip)

Small plates and hand-held bites that keep fans satisfied between plays:

• Homemade buffalo wing sauce
• Pizza pretzel bites
• Sticky lime grilled chicken wings
• Baked potato skins
• Bean and avocado tortilla cups
• Spicy caramel bacon popcorn
• Sweet and spicy grilled wings
• Crispy onion straws
• Baked parmesan chicken fries
• Mini pretzel dogs
• Walking tacos
• Honey sriracha chicken wings
• Greek salad skewers
• BBQ chicken quesadillas
• Asian caramel chicken wings
• Nacho fries
• Fried pickles with spicy ranch
• Bacon and pecorino popcorn
• Turkey sloppy joe sliders
• Sticky Thai chicken wings
• Goat cheese–stuffed dates
• Cocktail meatballs
• Pizza-stuffed mushrooms
• Kahlua baked brie
• Smoked paprika almonds
• Sweet and sticky baked drumsticks
• Baked bourbon buffalo wings

Bready Stuff

Warm, cheesy or savory breads to accompany any spread:

• Cheddar tailgating bread
• Beer bread
• Garlic cheese rosemary bread
• Cheesy tomato bread
• Cheesy puff pull-apart bread
• Monkey bread muffins
• Pizza swirl bread
• Cheesy artichoke French breads
• Soft pretzel rolls

A Big Pot of Chili or Soup

Hearty, warming options that feed a crowd and keep everyone cozy:

• White chicken chili
• 30-minute buffalo chicken soup
• Vegetarian sweet potato chili
• Easy one-pot tortilla soup
• Super hearty chili
• Loaded baked sweet potato soup
• Mini chicken meatball soup
• Smoky white bean chicken chili

Main Dishes

Substantial, flavorful mains to anchor your tailgate menu:

• BBQ portobello sliders
• Hot dogs prepared three ways
• Garlic bread pizza crust
• Sticky balsamic ribs
• Minestrone pot pie with whole wheat parmesan biscuits
• Crockpot cheddar beer chicken tacos
• Southern-style pork tenderloin
• Chili cheddar cornbread pasta bake
• Baked buffalo chicken pasta
• Crockpot beer carnitas
• Homemade frozen pizza
• Homemade BBQ sauce and cola BBQ sauce
• Crispy chicken skewers with honey-BBQ
• Cheesesteaks
• Chicken pot pie
• Asian turkey burgers with spicy lime mayo
• Creamy caprese pasta
• BBQ chicken enchiladas
• Sweet and spicy crockpot ribs
• Easy double bean burgers with avocado basil cream
• Buffalo chicken meatball subs
• Slow-cooker hoisin shredded chicken with Asian slaw
• Baked parmesan spaghetti
• BBQ chickpea pizza with gouda and caramelized onions
• Crockpot BBQ beer chicken
• Roasted butternut and sweet potato whole wheat lasagna
• Bite-sized baked meatballs
• Jalapeño popper pizza
• Buffalo chicken enchiladas
• Cilantro chicken
• Stovetop BBQ chicken shells and cheese
• Cheesy stuffed meatball sliders
• Gourmet chili dogs
• Shrimp burgers with chipotle cream
• BBQ chicken burgers
• Stuffed peppers with tomato basil cream
• Roasted butternut baked penne
• Thai beef tacos
• Crockpot beef carnitas
• Bacon-wrapped hot dogs
• Slow-cooker French dip sandwiches

On the Side

Side dishes that elevate any main and round out the menu:

• Marinated tomato and burrata salad
• Pierogi casserole
• Crispy baked French fries
• Four-cheese baked skillet rigatoni
• Beer mac and cheese
• Beer-soaked fries
• Crispy parmesan potato puffs
• Frito pie
• Crispy sweet potato fries with basil salt and lemon-garlic dipping sauce
• Crockpot bourbon bacon baked beans
• Healthy crunchy onion rings
• Green bean and mushroom casserole
• Herb-crusted sweet potato bites
• Oven-crisped parmesan and sage truffle fries
• Roasted potatoes to change your life

Treats

End the day on a sweet note with comforting desserts and boozy treats:

• Pumpkin pie popsicles
• Cider rum punch
• Chocolate-dipped beer marshmallows
• Candy bar caramel corn
• Pumpkin coffee cake
• Homemade Snickers bars
• Bourbon pumpkin pie milkshakes
• Healthy peanut butter cookies
• Better-than-crack brownies
• Giant M&M cookies
• Apple cider margaritas
• Pumpkin cookies with brown butter frosting
• Oreo-stuffed chocolate chip cookies
• Grown-up hot chocolate with homemade Baileys marshmallows
• Chocolate chip Oreo fudge brownie bars
• Bourbon pecan pie brownies

That’s it — a full lineup of game-day food to suit any crowd and taste. Enjoy the season and happy cooking!