Super Bowl appetizers are almost as important as the game itself. We compiled 21 of our favorite appetizers to enjoy with your friends – and maybe a beer or three – during the big game.
The Super Bowl is one of my favorite holidays. But for as fun as the football game is, it’s nothing compared to the real reason we celebrate the day: the food. Super Bowl Sunday is one of the best days of the year for food, from finger food, to grilled meats, to alcoholic drinks. Whether you’re watching the game with a few friends, hosting a big party, or headed to a bar, you’ll definitely be eating a lot of tasty food.
So we compiled a list of 21 spectacular Super Bowl appetizers to make this year. Some of them will make a mess on your hands and face, but all of them will look great on your Super Bowl plate.
What Makes a Good Super Bowl Food?
In my eyes, a good Super Bowl appetizer has three key elements.
- It’s indulgent. The Super Bowl is not the time to be counting calories, making sure you’re getting your fair share of fruits and veggies, and thinking about your gym membership. It’s a time to enjoy some indulgent, greasy, messy foods. Live it up!
- It’s easy to eat. Foods for the big game should be fairly practical. You might eat them standing up, or with a beer in one hand. That’s why this list is just appetizers. You can fit lots of them on your plate, and eat them wherever.
- It’s fun and delicious. Above all else, Super Bowl food should be lots of fun, and super tasty. No matter what happens in the game or during the halftime show, the day will be a success with good food.
Tricks and Tips for Hosting a Game Day Party
Here are a few of my favorite tricks for serving food at a Super Bowl party.
- Keep food warm. It’s easy to end up with a lot of warm food that gets cold during a Super Bowl party. There are a few ways to combat that. You can invest in hot plates to keep some of your Super Bowl appetizers warm. Or, if you want a simpler method, keep some foods warm in the oven, and bring them out later in the game. There’s nothing wrong with staggering when you serve things.
- Serve food throughout your home. Sometimes at Super Bowl parties the table gets overwhelmed with too much food. One way to keep this from happening is to serve food throughout your home. Place some of your dishes at the dining room table, some at the coffee table, and some outside. This not only makes it easier to serve food, but keeps a better flow of people.
- Set up multiple trash cans. One of the best ways to keep a Super Bowl party moving smoothly is to make sure there are a lot of trash cans. Use disposable plates and cutlery, and that way when people are done snacking they can easily throw away their food or drinks, and pick back up when they get hungry or thirsty again. This keeps things from getting too messy.
- Make sure you have enough drinks. These foods will be the star of your Super Bowl party, but make sure there’s enough beer and other drinks to get you through the game. Remember, the Super Bowl lasts a lot longer than most football games, and people show up to party!
21 Super Bowl Apps You Have to Try This Year
These are 21 of our favorite appetizers for the big game. They're fun, delicious, indulgent, and perfect for putting on the table at your Super Bowl party.
Super Bowls and fried food go hand in hand, but usually that means wings, fries, or other finger food staples. Fried ravioli may not be as common as those ingredients, but they’re just as delicious, and a whole bunch of fun.
Sausage bread is a combination of two staple food groups at Super Bowl parties: bread and meat. Crescent rolls are filled with sausage and two types of cheese, then dipped in red sauce. What’s not to love?
It wouldn’t be a Super Bowl party without some dips. And what could be more indulgent than a cheese and sausage dip? This is all kinds of fun.
These are one of my favorite finger foods, and perfect for any get together. Crab meat and Old Bay seasoning is mixed with cheese, mayo, and seasonings, for a crunchy, creamy, and decadent seafood appetizer.
These quesadillas have it all. Spicy green chilis, melty cheese, rich and flavorful beans, and chicken covered in fajita seasoning. Cut them into triangles, serve them with salsa or guacamole, and they’re a perfect finger food for a party.
No table is complete without at least one vegetable, right? But it’s the Super Bowl, so we have to wrap that vegetable in bacon!
Mozzarella sticks are a classic bar food appetizer, which means they’re perfect for the big game. These ones are made in the air fryer, which means they’re super easy, very quick, and barely make any mess.
Your Super Bowl menu should be about indulgence. After all, it only comes around once a year! And what could be more indulgent than hot dogs, wrapped in bacon, covered in brown sugar?
No list of Super Bowl foods would be complete without fries. These steak fries are made in the oven, but they’re just as tasty as any made in a deep fryer. Dip them in your favorite sauce, and you have a perfect party snack food.
This recipe is pretty similar to bruschetta. It’s just small pieces of toast, topped with tomato sauce, parmesan cheese, basil, and balsamic vinegar. What’s not to love?
If you’re not enticed by little pieces of steak covered in garlic parmesan butter, then I don’t know what to tell you. If you serve this at your Super Bowl party, you’ll find the serving tray will be empty in a matter of minutes!
Sometimes it’s good to mix a light appetizer or two in with the rest of the decadent Super Bowl appetizers. These refreshing bruschetta do that, with a light, whipped feta, and fresh cherry tomatoes.
I’m a fan of having a few roasted veggies alongside the more rich appetizers at a Super Bowl party. These roasted mini peppers are so easy to make, and they work perfectly next to add a fresh element next to any indulgent finger food.
This recipe is pretty straightforward, and that’s why I love it. It’s sausage, two kinds of cheese, and some seasonings, inside a puff pastry. With food this good, you’ll wish the Super Bowl wasn’t just once a year!
Most Super Bowl dishes have chicken or red meat, but I’m a fan of mixing in a few seafood dishes. These bite-size teriyaki salmon pieces are sweet, sticky, spicy, and sure to be a hit with all your football friends.
Who needs a whole pizza when you could have a pizza pinwheel, stuffed full of parmesan cheese, mozzarella cheese, basil, and prosciutto? These appetizers are as fun as they are delicious. It’s everything you love about pizza, but in appetizer size.
You can serve these teriyaki meatballs as part of a larger meal, but I like to put them out with the rest of the appetizers, and some toothpicks … they’re that good on their own. With a mixture of pork and beef, and seasoned with teriyaki glaze, fresh garlic, and fresh ginger, these meatballs will fly off the serving tray.
These are another great way to turn pizzas into an appetizer. Puff pastry sheets are stuffed with pizza sauce, sausage, cheese, mushrooms, and seasonings to make a pizza pocket infinitely better than the ones you ate at school as a kid.
I’m a big fan of serving fancy nuts when I host parties. They’re a good break from all the meat, cheese, and bread. These candied pecans are sweet but also spicy, with a kick from some cayenne pepper.
Dips are a perfect Super Bowl food, and this one has a little bit of everything. There’s Velveeta cheese, cream cheese, jalapeños, crab, and even beer! This seafood appetizer has a good kick, as it not only has fresh jalapeños, but also chili powder and cayenne powder.
A crostini is a perfect finger food to serve at a Super Bowl party. And these are next level crostinis, full of taco flavors: beans, cheese, green chilis, and taco seasoning. They’re so simple, but perfect for the big game.
