Win The Big Game With These Fan-Favorite Appetizers
Photo by Arina P Habich/Shutterstock
Even if your viewing party is just your immediate family this year, it wouldn’t be Game Day without some fan-favorite appetizers! Check out these 20 options to please even the pickiest sports fans. We’ve split them into five categories to make it easy to find the perfect appetizers for your crowd: Classic Favorites, Healthier Apps, Cheesy Pleasers, Veg-Friendly Bites, and The Sweeter Side.
Classic Favorites
- Egg Rolls – This recipe tastes just like takeout! The instructions come complete with photos and a video tutorial for how to wrap and fry egg rolls like a pro.
- Bacon-Wrapped Jalapeño Poppers – With only four ingredients, you’ll have these poppers ready in a snap!
- Cheeseburger Sliders – There are hundreds of varieties of sliders these days, everything from replacing the buns with pickles, tomatoes, or tater tots, to replacing the meat with turkey, pizza, fish, or pineapple. But nothing pleases a crowd quite like these classic cheeseburger sliders.
- 7-Layer Dip – Full of savory beans and crisp veggies, a bit of lime gives this dip a tart, fresh flavor.
Healthier Apps
- Pesto Yogurt Dip – Swap your sour cream for yogurt, and toss in some basil, Parmigiano-Reggiano, and chives, and use it as the centerpiece for your veggie tray.
- Sweet Potato Skins – This is a nutrient-packed variation on the classic appetizer, topped with salsa verde and avocado.
- Crockpot Buffalo Turkey Meatballs – When you want an easy-prep app that’s full of flavor, this one is your go-to! Ground turkey and blue cheese crumbles make the meatball base, and you can top them with your favorite spicy buffalo sauce.
- Smoked Salmon Pinwheels – These pinwheels should be classified as a superfood. Load whole wheat tortillas with smoked salmon, fresh spinach, and chive and dill cream cheese for a quick and delicious healthy appetizer.
Cheesy Pleasers
- Cheesy Chicken Enchilada Dip – Prep this gooey, spicy dip in just 5 minutes, bake for 25, then grab the tortilla chips and dig in!
- Deep-Fried Mac and Cheese – These handheld triangles of mac and cheese are studded with diced summer sausage. Prep them a day ahead so you can freeze the mac and cheese in a pan and cut them into your preferred shape. Then coat them in panko and fry! Yummm.
- Chili Cheese Dog Dip – This baked chili cheese dip is surrounded by a ring of cocktail pigs in a blanket, just perfect for a bite-sized chili cheese dog!
- Baked Brie in a Sourdough Bread Bowl – For a slightly more sophisticated palate, try this classic baked brie topped with white wine, brown sugar, and rosemary.
Photo by Israel Sebastian/Shutterstock
Veg-Friendly Bites
- Green Beans in a Blanket – A vegetarian take on a classic, these green beans in a blanket are paired with dill Havarti cheese and dijon mustard.
- Creamy Vegan Queso – How can it be queso without cheese? Potato and cashew give it that creamy texture, and nutritional yeast flakes give it that “cheesy” flavor. But it’s the sun-dried tomato, vinegar, and hot sauce that give it that something special!
- Buffalo Cauliflower Bites – Spicy and perfect for dipping, these baked cauliflower bites are great for vegetarians and carb-conscious friends alike!
- Black Bean and Quinoa Burgers with Roasted Strawberry BBQ Sauce – Savory and satisfying, top these veggie burgers with sweet BBQ sauce for that finger-licking experience.
The Sweeter Side
- Oven-Baked Apple Chips – Use any variety of apple, slice and sprinkle with cinnamon, then bake – that’s it!
- Candied Pecans – Make these candied pecans on the stovetop or in the oven for a super easy game day snack.
- S’mores Dip – If your crowd has a sweet tooth, they’ll cheer when you pull this pan of toasted marshmallows and gooey chocolate out of the oven! Hand out graham crackers and dig in!
- Sweet and Salty Snack Mix – Another party staple, this savory snack mix gets a little twist when you bake it with a drizzle of butter, brown sugar, and honey, then finish with mini marshmallows and peanut butter pieces.
Stick with the classics or try out a new appetizer this year – you can’t go wrong with any of these recipes. Just make sure your game day crowd comes hungry!
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