Food Recipe Collections & Favorites Quick & Easy Meals 43 Crowd-Pleasing Super Bowl Snacks From mac and cheese bites to mini ranch burgers, there's a crowd-pleasing dish for every party, large and small. By Real Simple Editors Real Simple Editors Facebook Instagram Twitter An article attributed to "Real Simple Editors" indicates a collaborative effort from our in-house team. Sometimes, several writers and editors have contributed to an article over the years. These collaborations allow us to provide you with the most accurate, up-to-date, and comprehensive information available.The REAL SIMPLE team strives to make life easier for you. They are experts in their fields who research, test and clearly explain the best recipes, strategies, trends and products. They have worked for some of the most prestigious brands in lifestyle journalism, including Apartment Therapy, Better Homes & Gardens, Food & Wine, the Food Network, Good Housekeeping, InStyle, Martha Stewart Living, O: The Oprah Magazine, Parents, POPSUGAR, Rachel Ray Every Day, and Vogue. Real Simple's Editorial Guidelines Updated on September 30, 2022 Share Tweet Pin Email Trending Videos Photo: Jonny Valiant Super Bowl Sunday—and gathering around a table of tasty Super Bowl food and snacks at the annual Super Bowl party—is one of the best days of winter. (Super Bowl 2021 is Sunday, February 7.) Whether there's team spirit in the air, mixed feelings about the half-time show, or you're just there for the commercial breaks, everyone can agree on one thing: Super Bowl appetizers (with tasty chicken wings recipes, of course) are part of the excitement. Quite often, these Super Bowl foods and appetizers are actually the entire meal, but being able to have a little bit of this and a little bit of that is part of what makes Game Day so fun. Everyone has an opinion about which Super Bowl snacks should be on the table on the big day, so if you're hosting, please the crowds with some dips (obviously) and make sure to include some pizza, sliders, pigs in a blanket, and other finger food ideas. Game day plan: Mix and match your favorite tasty snacks with crowd-pleasers and a few new Super Bowl foods—think pimento mac and cheese bites and sheet pan sweet potato nachos. You can even include a few healthy Super Bowl recipes to keep everyone's meal balanced (sort of). Before Super Bowl LIV arrives, prep by researching food ideas, then collect the recipes for the snacks and appetizers that caught your eye and hit the grocery store a day or two in advance. When game day arrives, you'll have everything you need for your tastiest Super Bowl yet. Click through for our top picks for Super Bowl snacks, and nibble on. 01 of 44 Mini Grilled Cheese Sandwiches Con Poulos Fancy hors d'oeuvres do not (repeat, do not) require a lot of fancy footwork. Instead, treat your guests to the makeable make-ahead bites that are delicious and downright easy. This sammie adds a surprising twist to the familiar favorite. Gooey grilled cheese is refreshed with a dollop of fruit chutney. The sandwiches can be cooked up to 2 hours in advance and kept at room temperature. Reheat on a baking sheet at 350°F for 10 to 15 minutes; keep warm at 250°F. Cut just before serving. Get the Recipe: Mini Grilled Cheese Sandwiches 02 of 44 Pimento Mac and Cheese Bites Heather Meldrom These pimento-flecked mac and cheese bites combine two comfort food favorites in one tiny package. Sharp cheddar cheese lends the mixture a rich, bold flavor, but if you'd like to add an even more "grown-up" edge, try swapping smoked Spanish paprika (pimenton) for the cayenne. Get the recipe: Pimento Mac and Cheese Bites 03 of 44 Single-Serve Nacho Cups Grace Elkus Nachos are great and all—until somebody hogs the platter. To avoid any conflict over the crunchy, cheesy dish, we created these personal nacho cups that you can enjoy all to yourself. To make a cup that's entirely edible, you'll line the sides and bottom of each muffin cup with broken tortilla chips. Then, sprinkle the bottom with cheese, which holds the chips together. After that comes the good stuff—a savory ground beef mixture and more cheese—piled up in layers and baked until warmed throughout. Top with your favorite nacho fixings, such as pico de gallo, pickled jalapeños, sour cream, and cilantro. Get the Recipe: Single-Serve Nacho Cups 04 of 44 Mini Crab Cakes with Lemon-Chive Mayonnaise Heather Meldrom Adding a dollop of bright, springy citrus mayo gives these diminutive crab cakes an elegant finish. And while baking breadcrumb-coated items in the oven can sometimes lead to uneven browning, here toasting the panko breadcrumbs in a skillet ahead of time ensures that they stay golden and delicious. Get the recipe: Mini Crab Cakes with Lemon-Chive Mayonnaise 05 of 44 Spicy Chipotle Chicken Tostadas with Crunchy Slaw Marcus Nilsson Don't feel like frying? Latin food markets and some supermarkets sell ready-made crisp tostadas. In this recipe, each one is filled with a heap of shredded chicken, which is flavored with cumin, paprika, and canned chipotles in adobo for a delightfully spicy kick. Top with our crunchy cabbage and apple slaw, and serve with lime wedges. Get the recipe. 06 of 44 Mini Sausage and Parmesan Rice Balls Heather Meldrom If you're hoping to get ahead on Game Day prep, look no further than this tasty rice ball recipe. These savory treats are a twist on arancini, but are half the size and baked instead of fried. The day before the game, you'll want to boil the rice and cook the sausage, then add shredded cheese and eggs and refrigerate the mixture overnight. The day of, form the mixture into balls, and bake until warm and the cheese is fully melted. If your guests arrive early, put them to work: have them help you coat each rice ball in the toasted breadcrumb mixture. Get the Recipe: Mini Sausage and Parmesan Rice Balls 07 of 44 Polenta Bites With Bacon, Dates, and Blue Cheese Heather Meldrom Cooked in a large pot of boiling water until tender, polenta becomes a creamy base suitable for anything from sautéed veggies to sausage ragu. But simmered in a smaller amount of chicken broth until creamy and thickened, it can fill a mini-muffin tin and become a sturdy appetizer. To provide a place for the blue cheese and dates to sit, make an indentation in the center of each polenta bite with a back of a spoon. Then, broil them right before your guests arrive to ensure the cheese is melted and each bite is warmed throughout. Get the Recipe: Polenta Bites With Bacon, Dates, and Blue Cheese 08 of 44 Pressure-Cooker Cannellini, Chorizo, and Kale Soup Christopher Testani Here's your chance to try dried beans. A pressure cooker halves their soaking and cooking time, and they add a creamy element to this hearty soup. Plus, they give the dish more flavor than the canned variety (and they're cheaper, too). Serve warm to guests during halftime, with a side of cheesy cornbread. Get the recipe. 09 of 44 Pork Carnitas Burritos Marcus Nilsson Have a stack of tortillas lying around? They can be the foundation for countless game day meals, including these five-star burritos stuffed with pork, cheese, and lettuce. Tortillas taste even better when toasted, so heat them in a skillet until browned in spots. Don't forget to top with fresh tomatillo salsa. Get the recipe. 10 of 44 Soft Pretzels Grace Elkus Think soft pretzels are too difficult to make at home? Think again. The dough comes together quickly in the stand mixer, and you'll have fun forming the signature pretzel shape. A baking soda bath gives them their deeply golden crust, and a sprinkling of coarse salt is an authentic final touch. Serve warm, with spicy brown mustard. Get the recipe: Soft Pretzels 11 of 44 Sesame Crab Cakes With Chili Mayo Jonny Valiant Dungeness crab is one of Seattle's most popular foods. This version calls for any type of lump crab meat, but fits the bill just the same. Plus, you can throw these party-worthy bites together right before guests are due to arrive: They take just 20 minutes to make. Get the recipe. 12 of 44 Grilled Teriyaki Wings Christopher Baker Ditch the Buffalo wings recipe and serve up these finger-licking teriyaki chicken wings. Simply toss chicken wings on the grill (a grill pan will work just fine if you prefer to stay indoors or don't have a grill), brush with teriyaki sauce, and sprinkle with toasted sesame seeds. Then, watch them disappear in a flash. Get the recipe: Grilled Teriyaki Wings 13 of 44 Spinach and Caramelized Onion Dip Jonny Valiant Caramelized onions add a sweet richness to this creamy spinach dip. Get the recipe: Spinach and Caramelized Onion Dip 14 of 44 Mini Ranch Burgers Marcus Nilsson Ranch dressing gives little burgers an unexpected zesty kick. Get the recipe: Mini Ranch Burgers 15 of 44 Bacon-Wrapped Potatoes With Creamy Dill Sauce Jonny Valiant These savory treats are simple but oh-so-delicious. Best of all, these Super Bowl appetizers can be prepared up to 1 day in advance. Get the recipe: Bacon-Wrapped Potatoes With Creamy Dill Sauce 16 of 44 Sheet Pan Pretzel Focaccia With Cheese Sauce Caitlin Bensel Everything you love about focaccia and pretzels comes together in one. This game-day snack feeds a crowd and the pretzel hack is easier than you think. All you have to do is brush the dough with a hot baking soda mixture to get the pretzel effect. Go for the extra point and dunk it in the cheese sauce. Get the recipe: Sheet Pan Pretzel Focaccia With Cheese Sauce 17 of 44 Sheet Pan Frito Pie Caitlin Bensel Just 10 minutes and you'll have this tray of irresistible cheesy and crunchy goodness in the oven. Swap the Fritos bag for a sheet tray and you can feed a crowd easily on game-day. But the Fritos are non-negotiable. Get the recipe: Sheet Pan Frito Pie 18 of 44 Sheet Pan Sweet Potato Nachos Caitlin Bensel A game without nachos is just not the same. But for a vegetable-packed version, this is the one-pan game-day dish you need. Sliced sweet potatoes get caramelized in spots as they roast and are a great vessel for all those black beans and cotija cheese. Just wait until you try the avocado cilantro sauce. Get the recipe: Sheet Pan Sweet Potato Nachos 19 of 44 Vegan Ranch Dressing Caitlin Bensel This Super Bowl snack is a ranch dip to please literally anyone–our tasters had no idea this was a vegan dressing. It's creamy and lighter than the classic dressing, but just as delicious. Serve with whatever you like to dip in ranch! Get the recipe: Vegan Ranch Dressing 20 of 44 Mini Twice-Baked Loaded Potatoes Grace Elkus Twice-baked potatoes are an underrated dinner: They're creamy, cheesy, and seriously comforting. To transform them into a party-ready snack, we piled the filling into tiny new potatoes (instead of the traditional Idaho or russet). We added sharp cheddar cheese, chopped chives, and a sprinkling of bacon to give them the flavor of loaded potato skins. After the first round of baking, your potatoes should be tender—a toothpick or knife should easily slide in. In round two, the filling should puff up, and the cheese should melt and begin to very lightly brown. Get the recipe: Mini Twice-Baked Loaded Potatoes 21 of 44 Guacamole and Chips Quentin Bacon You'll never go back to store-bought guacamole again once you see how easy it is to make this fresh, simple dip. Get the recipe: Guacamole and Chips 15 Vegetarian Super Bowl Recipes 22 of 44 Barbecue Chicken Nachos Levi Brown Give nachos a fun twist by topping with shredded rotisserie chicken, scallions, barbecue sauce, and melted cheddar. Get the recipe: Barbecue Chicken Nachos 23 of 44 Pigs in a Blanket Quentin Bacon Use frozen puff pastry to make these addictive, crowd-pleasing snacks. Get the recipe: Pigs in a Blanket 24 of 44 Barbecue Meatball Sliders Paul Sirisalee Toss the meatballs with barbecue sauce and top with a quick slaw for a tasty game-day appetizer. Get the recipe: Barbecue Meatball Sliders 25 of 44 Sausage Sliders With Spinach and Peppers Miha Matei These bite-size sandwiches are a fun take on sausage with onions and peppers. Get the recipe: Sausage Sliders With Spinach and Peppers 26 of 44 Pesto, Sausage, and Tomato Pizzas Paul Sirisalee Top individual pizzas with store-bought pesto, fresh mozzarella, grape tomatoes, and Italian sausage for a more upscale version of takeout. Get the recipe: Pesto, Sausage, and Tomato Pizzas How to Make Pizza Dough 27 of 44 Spiced Tortilla Crisps With Hummus Charles Masters For a change from the usual chips and salsa, serve homemade spiced tortilla chips with hummus. Get the recipe: Spiced Tortilla Crisps With Hummus 28 of 44 Bean and Cheese Taquitos Charles Masters Crispy handheld tortillas filled with black beans and melted Cheddar will disappear in a flash. Get the recipe: Bean and Cheese Taquitos 29 of 44 Spinach and Artichoke Pizzas Paul Sirisalee You can't go wrong with a pizza covered with warm, creamy spinach-artichoke dip. Get the recipe: Spinach and Artichoke Pizzas 30 of 44 Spiced Beef Empanadas With Lime Sour Cream Con Poulos A slightly tart creamy dip balances out handheld empanadas filled with a delicious mixture of ground beef, raisins, onion, and cinnamon. Get the recipe: Spiced Beef Empanadas With Lime Sour Cream 31 of 44 Kickin' Chicken Nuggets Quentin Bacon Coat the chicken with coarsely ground pita chips and Parmesan to create unexpected textures and flavors. Get the recipe: Kickin' Chicken Nuggets 32 of 44 Shredded Pork Tacos Jonny Valiant Cook the pork with oregano, cumin, garlic, cayenne, and onion to ensure the meat is extra delicious. Get the recipe: Shredded Pork Tacos 33 of 44 Meaty Soft Tacos Tina Rupp Liven up the ground beef filling with onion, garlic, parsley, and tomato paste. Get the recipe: Meaty Soft Tacos 34 of 44 Potato and Bacon Pizzas Paul Sirisalee Thinly sliced potato, bacon, and Havarti cheese give this pie a hearty, meaty twist. Get the recipe: Potato and Bacon Pizzas 35 of 44 Sausage and Potato Pockets Con Poulos Use pizza dough to form the "pocket" and stuff with mushrooms, potatoes, chicken sausage, spinach, and grated cheese. Get the recipe: Sausage and Potato Pockets 36 of 44 Speedy Turkey Sloppy Joes John Kernick Mix browned ground turkey with salsa and serve on warm biscuits for a fresh take on a sloppy joe. Get the recipe: Speedy Turkey Sloppy Joes 37 of 44 Cheese Quesadillas Quentin Bacon Simple yet satisfying, warm cheese quesadillas can be made in the broiler to cut down on hands-on time. Get the recipe: Cheese Quesadillas 38 of 44 Chipotle Beef and Beer Chili Christopher Baker Chopped chipotles add smoky heat to this stick-to-your-ribs chili. Get the recipe. 39 of 44 Bacon Barbecue Dog Paul Sirisalee Turn ordinary hot dogs into an extra-meaty treat by topping with bacon, Cheddar, and barbecue sauce. Get the recipe. 40 of 44 Sunday-Night Chili Raymond Hom You can make this hearty chili up to 3 months in advance and freeze, then reheat on game day. Get the recipe. 41 of 44 Meatball Pizza With Pesto Paul Sirisalee Change up your usual pizza with homemade meatballs, roasted peppers, and pesto. Get the recipe. 42 of 44 Slow-Cooker Beer-Braised Pork and Black Bean Soup Anson Smart Smoky chipotles, beer, cumin, and chopped onions ensure this slow-simmered soup is packed with flavor. Get the recipe. 43 of 44 Guacamole Dog Paul Sirisalee Guacamole isn't just for chips—use it to dress up a hot dog for a surprising snack. Get the recipe. 44 of 44 3 Affordable Super Bowl Party Recipes Tasty recipes for the big game that won't break the bank Was this page helpful? Thanks for your feedback! Tell us why! Other Submit