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102 Super Bowl recipes that will score a touchdown

These recipes will be the MVP of game day.
/ Source: TODAY

When it comes to America’s favorite pastimes, football ranks at the top of the list. Like many celebrations, game day is really about gathering around some seriously good food. From tailgates to at-home parties with your family, these moments are all marked by the food we serve alongside it.

And while there’s plenty of classic football fare like chips and dips, chili and nachos, the joy of game day is getting to put together your ideal spread — whatever that looks like to you. Typically, game day food is all about big portions and even bigger flavor. There’s often a cheesy, meaty or saucy component that comes into play. For some, that means setting out a big pot of chili with all the toppings or busting out the smoker to try a new barbecue preparation. For others, a snack spread with an assortment of finger food gives you a great excuse to try even more bites. Don’t forget all the great dips, spreads and condiments that make an appearance this time of year. Game day is the time to lean in to lean in.

Whether you’re looking to bring food to a potluck or hosting a crowd, we’ve rounded up 102 must-make recipes for this Super Bowl. For traditionalists, we’ve got all the hits like Buffalo wings, pigs in a blanket and loaded hot dogs. If you’re looking to get a little more creative, why not try out Mexican hot dogs, Hawaiian pizza sliders, loaded nacho bites or Korean-style chicken wings? Read on to find all our favorite recipes.

Appetizer recipes

Pull-Apart Pigs in a Blanket

Pull-apart bread meets pigs in a blanket in this novel game day mashup. Each pig in a blanket is stacked upright next to each other and baked in a round pan. The dough adheres together in the oven creating a ring shape, which creates an opening to serve beer cheese dip or mustard sauce.

Brats in a Blanket

If you love pigs in a blanket, you’ll love this version made with bratwurst instead of hot dogs. First, cook the bratwurst in beer and onions. Then, wrap them in puff pastry, brush with mustard and top with chopped onions. Since brats are inherently bigger than cocktail weenies, we recommend cutting these into smaller pieces to make them appropriate for snacking.

Buffalo Chicken Spring Rolls

Spring rolls are an unexpected game day snack that the whole crowd is sure to love. Eaten with one hand, these crispy bites have endless filling options. To make this version especially appropriate for football, they’re filled with shredded rotisserie chicken tossed in a cheesy buffalo sauce.

Soft Pretzels

There’s nothing that beats a hot pretzel straight out of the oven. Pretzels are one of those dishes that seem intimidating but are actually so easy to make at home. Their salty exterior and plush interior makes it tempting to eat more than one. Serve them solo or along with an assortment of dips like beer cheese and mustard.

Black Sesame Parmesan Twists

Puff pastry is the not-so-secret ingredient to so many game day snacks. Here, strips of puff pastry are twisted with grated Parmesan and black sesame seeds to create an elegant but addictive snack. While they look impressive, they come together in under 20 minutes and can be made up to three days in advance.

Bacon-Wrapped Steak Bites with Horseradish Cream

This savory snack takes a cue from steakhouse’s favorite duo. Cubes of beef tenderloin are seasoned and wrapped in bacon before getting baked. The bacon crisps up in the oven while the steak stays juicy. Serve alongside horseradish cream for a decadent bite.

This retro snack still holds up decades later. A mixture of breadcrumbs, Parmesan and chopped parsley fill mushroom cups before getting baked to create a bite full of texture and flavor. While they’re a snack everyone can get on board with, they’re especially good to serve for the vegetarian crowd.

The Best, Easiest Deviled Eggs

Deviled eggs are one of those snacks that are sure to please your friends and family of all ages. This recipe keeps it classic with a few tweaks to add even more flavor. A hit of vinegar and a touch of curry powder add acidity and warmth to every bite without overpowering the egg flavor.

Burger and hot dog recipes

This recipe combines two of Patrick Mahomes' favorite duos: steak and ketchup. Thinly sliced butter-basted ribeyes are layered on ciabatta buns with homemade ketchup. Instead of fries, we serves this dish with crispy smashed potatoes. We’re sure the Kansas City Chiefs’s quarterback would approve.

Bolo Dogs

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Bolo Dogs

Sarah Grueneberg

For something unexpected on game day, opt for these Italian-inspired chili dogs. Instead of chili, hot dogs get smothered in homemade bolognese. Top with creamy burrata and marinated peppers to cut the richness of the ragu.

Cheeseburger Sliders

Sliders are perfect for when you’re looking to feed a crowd. Hawaiian rolls are cut horizontally and layered with seasoned browned ground beef. Topped with layers of American cheese, the sliders are quickly baked in the oven until the cheese has melted. We love them as is, but you can also dress them up with your favorite burger toppings.

Will Coleman’s take on a cheeseburger is an absolute showstopper. Homemade candied bacon adds a sweet-meets-savory explosion of umami with every bite. Instead of ketchup, Coleman adds a tomato-and-onion jam, which further enhances the depth of flavor. If that wasn’t enough, there’s also a blue cheese spread and cheese-crusted buns because why not?

Fully Loaded Hot Dogs

Take hot dogs to the next level by fully loading them up with all your favorite toppings. The dogs are topped with brisket and black bean chili (which is good enough to eat on its own), pulled pork, Texas cheese sauce, crispy onions and pickled jalapenos. To make assembly easy, make sure to prepare all the components a few days prior to game day.

These hot dogs highlight some of our favorite flavors from Mexico, which makes for the perfect game day mashup. First, start by making Mexican corn salad with fresh corn kernels, Cotija cheese and cilantro. Then, make a quick guacamole, which adds some acidity to every bite.

Hawaiian pizza meets sliders in this Super Bowl recipe. These single-handed snacks pack all the best flavor of Hawaiian pizza and deliver them in the form of a bite-sized burger. Pizza sauce, deli ham, cheese and of course, pineapple, are layered on rolls and baked until all the flavors meld together and the cheese is melted.

Seattle-Style Hot Dogs

Out of all the regional hot dog varieties, Seattle’s is one of our favorites. Hot dog buns are smeared with cream cheese before the hot dogs are placed inside. Top with sliced jalapenos and griddled onions for a hot dog that tastes somewhere between jalapeno poppers and stadium-style dogs.

Much like a chili bar, a burger bar allows guests to create their dream burgers. While you could set up any assortment of toppings, we love the versions that Sunny Anderson suggests. There’s an all-American burger with special sauce; Italian burger with tomatoes, mozzarella and basil; Western burger with cheesy onions and mushrooms; and a Tex-Mex burger.

Banh Mi-Style Hot Dog

If you’re a fan of banh mi, you’ll love this game day-inspired version that centers around a hot dog. Served on a baguette, the hot dog gets topped with pickled vegetables which add great crunch and flavor to every bite. To really mimic banh mi, don’t forget to add cilantro, sliced cucumber and jalapenos.

Chef Nina Compton has a gift for infusing whatever she makes with the flavors of the Caribbean. Here, a punchy mango salsa tops hot dogs. She recommends serving them alongside Creole potato salad, which is complete with eggs, peppers, bacon and celery.

Pork Sliders with Peperonata

These pork sliders have a secret ingredient that’ll keep your friends coming back for more. The pork mixture is combined with cubes of provolone, which keeps the pork juicy and tender while also adding a ton of flavor. Serve them topped with peperonata, a punchy roasted red pepper condiment flecked with oregano and red onions.

Siri Daly's Chicken Burgers

These burgers give you all the flavor of the classic, but have a lighter touch thanks to ground chicken. The ground chicken mixture gets mixed with bacon, onion and barbecue sauce before it’s formed into patties and cooked. You can use this recipe to make full-size burgers or sliders if you’re looking to feed a crowd.

Sunny Anderson's BLT Hot Dogs

BLT’s aren’t just for hot summer days. This classic trio is the perfect accompaniment for a game day celebration on cool winter nights. To make it, brush the buns with mayonnaise and tuck crispy bacon, sliced tomatoes and chopped lettuce alongside the hot dogs.

Game day fair is all about flavor. Here, classic beef burger patties are dressed up with jalapeno bacon jam, which adds a sweet, spicy and savory punch to every bite. We love how the sliced Gouda cheese adds a bit of creaminess to combat the heat, making the whole burger come together.

These sliders take inspiration from west coast favorite In-n-Out. In-n-Out serves up their burgers animal style, which simply means griddled with onions and loaded with their special sauce. Here, David Rose makes his own version of the sauce using a trio of condiments and spices. To add even more flavor, try the homemade bacon jam that has an extra boost of umami from Bourbon, coffee and maple syrup.

These sliders are inspired by another beloved sandwich — sloppy Joes. To cut down on time, make use of rotisserie chicken, which can be easily shredded. The chicken gets mixed into a tomato-based sauce and spiked with vinegar and spices and served on whole grain slider buns. It’s the perfect blend of sweet, saucy and tangy.

French onion soup has been used as inspiration for so many recipes, and for good reason. This hearty soup offers bursts of umami flavor in every bite. Here, beef patties get topped with caramelized onions and Gruyere, which offer that same decadence in slider form.

Mexican Philly Cheesesteak Sliders

Philly cheesesteaks aren’t often associated with Mexican food, but why shouldn’t they be? These flavor heavy hitters happen to be the perfect marriage when paired together. Thinly sliced ribeyes are topped with onions, peppers and cheese on slider buns. To get the Mexican flavors, add a heaping spoonful of pico de gallo to each bun.

Beef and Cheese Sliders

If you’re hosting on game day, you know the key to a good party is staying organized and getting ahead of prep. These beef and cheese sliders are a great option as they can feed a crowd and be prepared ahead of time. Set up a condiment bar and let your guests dress them up as they’d like.

Chili recipes

Game Day Chili

Chili is the ultimate game day food. It’s perfect for serving a crowd since it can be made ahead, the variations are endless and it’s a rich, warming dish that’ll keep everyone nourished. This recipe keeps it classic with the addition of a special twist — a broth made from Mexican dried chilies, which adds a depth of flavor throughout.

Brian's Seriously Good Chili

Fans of NBC’s ”The Office” will remember Brian Baumgartner’s (aka Kevin) famous scene where he drops a huge vat of chili. Brian’s own recipe is all about flexibility in the kitchen and he encourages experimentation using his base recipe to create your own perfect chili. It’s so good we’re sure you won’t drop it.

Black Bean and Sweet Potato Chili

Gaby Dalkin is the best at delivering quick, easy, family-friendly meals and this vegan chili recipe is no different. The chili comes together quickly, thanks to a handful of pantry staples along with canned black beans and sweet potatoes. Gaby also adds quinoa, which gives the chili a great texture without altering the flavor.

For a lighter and brighter take on chili, we love this version made with white beans and chicken. Chicken thighs get poached in an aromatic broth before they’re shredded. To finish the dish, add in beans, corn and sour cream for the ultimate white chicken chili. Made in one pot in under an hour, it’s the perfect dish when you’ve got to make a meal for a crowd in a pinch.

Adam Richman's Easy Veggie Chili

Adam Richman’s vegetarian chili is all about ease. Canned beans, a jar of salsa and a packet of taco seasoning make up the bulk of the chili. These products are a great way to add in flavor without a ton of extra work. This chili is also ideal for sneaking extra vegetables in!

Copycat Chili

For a win on game day, try this copycat chili that’s inspired by a popular fast food chain’s recipe. The chili gets slowly simmered in one-pot and gives you all the flavor of the restaurant’s beloved dish from the comfort of your own kitchen. While the chili is classic in flavor, you can get creative by offering guests an assortment of toppings.

Inspired by baked potato bars, this chili bar is all about the toppings. Rather than put out a steaming pot of chili, we love that this recipe calls for serving individual cups so that your game day crowd can top them as they wish. While this idea would work with any chili recipe, we love the depth of flavor this one offers, thanks to chocolate chips.

The key to making this mouthwatering chili on game day is to prepare the brisket in advance. Rubbed in coffee and cooked low and slow in the smoker, the brisket adds a heartiness that makes this chili a standout. When you’re ready to cook, simply add the diced brisket and black beans to the chili and stir to combine.

Dip recipes

Spinach Artichoke Dip

This dip does double duty on game day. While you could serve it on its own, we love taking a cue from Elizabeth Chambers and using it to make a loaded grilled cheese. For easy serving, cut into triangles and serve on a platter to make grilled cheese a one-handed snack.

Traditional hummus takes at least two days, but with chef Alon Shaya’s recipe, you can get all the flavor of authentic hummus in a fraction of the time. The key here is using canned chickpeas. Alon recommends boiling them to remove the skins, resulting in a smoother hummus.

Hot Tamale Dip

Inspired by Mexican flavors, this dip packs a punch. Canned tomatoes, chili, tamales and cheese come together on the stovetop to create a deeply flavorful dip that the whole family is sure to get excited about. It’s just as fitting for a tailgate as it is for a blowout game day party. Just make sure to keep enough corn chips on hand to serve with it!

Curtis Stone's Guacamole

A good bowl of guac is a game day essential. Chef Curtis Stone adds a bit of heat to his version, thanks to chopped jalapeno and a touch of cumin. Serve it solo with tortilla chips, on top of nachos or alongside tacos.

Lentil Hummus

We’re always looking for new recipes that riff off classics and this lentil-based hummus does just that. Cooked lentils are swapped for chickpeas, which make up the bulk of this vegan dip. Tahini, garlic and herbs all come together to mimic the flavor of hummus, while letting the lentils shine through with their own distinct taste.

Pimento Chili Cheese Dip

This Southern staple is a necessary part of a game day lineup. Homemade pimento cheese gets stirred into spiced ground beef until piping hot and creamy. Think of it like the Southern cousin of queso.

This recipe adds an Asian flair to guacamole, thanks to a handful of unexpected ingredients. Soy sauce, honey and sesame oil all add a subtle taste of umami throughout, though the real star here is the roasted garlic. To cut down on prep time ahead of game day, roast the garlic in advance so you can assemble it in minutes.

Buffalo Cauliflower Dip

While buffalo wings are a game day staple, sometimes we want something a little lighter. Enter this vegetarian dip that takes all the spicy, tangy flavors of wings and marries them with cauliflower. Serve it alongside the classic duo of celery sticks and baby carrots.

Hummus

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Hummus

Ayesha Nurdjaja

For a quick hummus that delivers on flavor, look no further than this recipe. Made in a food processor using canned chickpeas, this dip comes together in minutes. Better yet, it can be made days ahead of time, making your game day set up come together quickly.

Caramelized Onion Dip with Potato Chips

While we all know and love the store-bought version, the taste of homemade caramelized onion deep is truly unbeatable. The key here is cooking the onions slowly until they take on a burnished color and caramelized flavor. Mix the onions with cream cheese, sour cream and mayonnaise for an all-star dip. If you want to go the extra mile, serve it with homemade potato chips.

Bobby Flay thinks a bowl of guac is a party essential, and we couldn’t agree more. Now, it wouldn’t be a Bobby recipe without a few tweaks and upgrades to the classic. Here, he adds a roasted poblano pepper, which adds a smokiness to the guacamole, and tops it off with pickled red onions for some acidity.

Nacho recipes

Cuban-Style Nachos

If you and your crew love Cuban sandwiches, you’ll go crazy for these Cuban-inspired nachos. These nachos deconstruct the beloved sandwich and combine all the ingredients with chips and cheese. There’s slowly roasted mojo-marinated pork shoulder, sliced ham, two types of cheese and hard salami topped with deep-fried pickles.

While developing this nacho recipe, Ina Garten’s assistant Kristina said, “If you serve these when the football game is on, no one’s going to watch the game!” If that’s not high praise, we don’t know what is. Chips are layered with heaps of zesty crab and topped with cheese and pickled jalapenos for a flavor that’s reminiscent of Baltimore crab dip. They’re crunchy, spicy, creamy and the perfect addition for your game day spread.

Boston Nachos

These nachos nod to some of the most beloved flavors of New England. Inspired by St. Patrick’s Day fare, corned beef, pickled peppers, beer and mustard all come together for this decadent game day snack. Serve it right out of the cast iron to ensure the cheese stays piping hot — while cutting down on dishes for later.

Loaded Bell Pepper 'Nachos'

Nachos aren’t all about the chips. This version swaps tortillas with bell peppers for a creative twist on the classic snack that doesn’t sacrifice on flavor. Spiced ground turkey, black beans, corn and cheese are sprinkled over the bell peppers . They’re popped in the oven until melted and browned.

Brisket Nachos

Do double duty with leftovers by using them up for the ultimate game day nachos. Loaded with barbecued brisket, pickled red onions, pico de gallo and tons of cheese, they’re a perfect marriage of Tex-Mex flavors. If you don’t want to make the brisket yourself, this is a great time to call up your favorite barbecue restaurant and put in an order.

Loaded Potato Skin Nachos

These nachos are all about the crispiness factor. First, there’s two types of chips (tortilla and potato), which add different texture and crunch. Then, there’s fried potato strips for even more bite. Loaded with cheese, crispy bacon and avocado to add creaminess, these nachos will have your whole crowd going back for more.

Pulled Pork Nachos

Don’t be deterred by the steps involved in these nachos — the final result is so worth it. Start by braising a pork shoulder until the meat easily shreds. To cut down on prep time, this can be done well before game day. The pork gets tossed with homemade barbecue sauce before getting layered with chips and cheese.

Easy Rotisserie Chicken Nachos

This recipe is the perfect combination of using store-bought and homemade ingredients. For ease, use rotisserie chicken to top the nachos along with pre-shredded cheddar cheese and canned black beans. Topping the nachos with pickled red onions and a punchy cilantro lime crema adds a ton of flavor without much effort, so don’t skip it.

Barbecue Chicken Nacho Bites

This playful take on nachos loads all the flavor into a bite-sized snack. Start by making tortilla cups with a cookie cutter and bake them in a muffin tin until crispy. Then, load them up with barbecue chicken and cheese and bake until melted. It’s a snack the whole family can get on board with for game day.

Rib recipes

The stakes are always higher on game day, so why shouldn’t your ribs match? These mammoth beef ribs can be made in the oven or barbecue pit. The key is to cook them slowly until the meat is tender and succulent. Before serving, make sure to slather them in barbecue sauce.

This recipe is all about flexibility, which is great if you’re looking to feed a crowd. The ribs are rubbed in a sugar and soy sauce mixture along with spices, which results in a sweet and salty taste. They’re equally good to serve as appetizers as they are entrées, depending on what else is on your game day menu.

Blue Ribbon Barbecue Spareribs

What makes Kansas City-style ribs such a standout is their dedication to ensuring that the meat is as tender as possible. When cooked properly, the bone should easily wiggle from the tender. Like the title says, these ribs are worthy of a blue ribbon.

Kansas City Ribs

While ribs might seem intimidating, they really couldn’t be easier to make. All it takes is cooking them slowly in the oven or smoker until the meat is supremely tender. Homemade dry rub and barbecue sauce make these ribs a real standout. They’re charred, smoky, sticky and finger-licking good.

Hoisin Barbecue Baby Back Ribs

One of the most popular menu items at Pig & Khao in New York City is their hoisin barbecue baby back ribs. The ribs are fall off the bone tender, but still have that great charred flavor, thanks to getting quickly grilled before serving. Southeast Asian flavors like soy sauce, fish sauce, hoisin and five spice come together to make a tangy glaze.

Pampanella refers to classic street food from the Italian region of Molise. Traditionally pampanella is made with roast pork, but to make it a little more game day-appropriate, Joe Flamm has swapped in pork ribs. They’re sweet, spicy and pack a ton of flavor in every bite.

St. Louis-Style Ribs

It doesn’t take much to make these St. Louis-style ribs the star of game day. Dry rubbed ribs are first smoked before getting rubbed with brown sugar, butter and apple juice. After cooking through, the ribs are glazed with barbecue sauce and apple jelly for a unique sweet and saucy flair.

Cranberry-Whiskey-Glazed Pork Ribs

While these ribs are prepared classically, the glaze is anything but. A punchy sauce is made with cranberry juice, whiskey, chipotles in adobo, honey and spices which get brushed over the finished ribs. The depth of flavor here is sure to make you a winner of game day.

It doesn’t take much to make ribs shine. The secret is all in how you cook them. Katie Lee recommends wrapping the ribs in foil while you bake them, which makes the meat incredibly tender. To get that classic char, throw them on the grill for a few minutes before serving.

Sandwich recipes

Tampa Classic Cuban Sandwich

Loaded with three types of meat and cheese, a Cuban sandwich is the perfect addition to your game day spread. This loaded sandwich originated in Florida, but draws inspiration from nearby Cuba. For this recipe, start by braising marinated pork shoulder low and slow until the meat easily shreds. The pork gets layered with ham, salami, Swiss cheese and pickles before getting griddled, almost like a grilled cheese.

Shredded Short-Rib Sandwiches

If you’re looking to impress on game day, you need to serve up these short-rib sandwiches. Shredded short ribs are piled on a bun along with homemade crispy onions and pimento cheese. Every bite is an explosion of flavor and texture. To make these sandwiches come together quickly, prep each element a few days in advance.

Smashed Meatloaf Sliders

If you’re team smashburger, you’ll love these smashed meatloaf sliders. Meatloaf slices are pressed on a pan until thin and craggy. Top the meatloaf with pepper Jack cheese until melted and serve on slider buns along with whiskey barbecue glaze and mushroom aioli. For some extra crunch, don’t forget the corn chips!

You’ll have your whole party fooled thinking you spent hours working on these sandwiches. In reality, they couldn’t be easier to make. Rotisserie chicken is shredded and added to a homemade barbecue sauce made with aromatic, brown sugar and ginger ale before being topped on buns or filled into tacos. They’re sweet, saucy and spicy and are guaranteed to have your friends coming back for more.

Side dish recipes

We’re a fan of canned beans in all iterations, but they come in particularly handy here. Mixed with brown sugar, barbecue sauce, mustard and hot sauce, Kansas City-style beans are all about delivering sweet, spicy, tangy flavor. These saucy beans are great to serve on the side with sliders.

Buttermilk and Sour Cream Cornbread

If you’re making chili on game day, you’ve got to make cornbread to serve on the side. What makes this recipe a standout is the addition of buttermilk and sour cream, which add a subtle tang while keeping the cornbread plush and tender. We love finishing it off with a drizzle of honey for a little added sweetness.

Making your own French fries might seem daunting, but Joy Bauer’s recipe takes out all the stress. Instead of deep-frying, make use of your oven to get classic, crispy fries. Use them for disco fries, with poutine or alongside sliders.

Tia Mowry's Braised Collard Greens

For a Southern-themed game day spread, it’s crucial to include collard greens. Tia Mowry’s recipe keeps it classic by cooking the greens in bacon fat along with stock and vinegar. The end result are greens that are smoky, tangy, salty and oh so good.

Sandra Lee is the queen of all things semi-homemade. Here, she upgrades pre-made canned baked beans with a few ingredients to create a game day-worthy side. Just add pancetta (or bacon), barbecue sauce, molasses and hot sauce to transform the flavor of this pantry staple.

Classic Coleslaw

Sam Sifton’s opts for a straightforward coleslaw when it comes to game day sides as to not deter from the main event. A tangy dressing made with mayonnaise, vinegar, salt and sugar is the perfect pairing for cabbage and carrots. It’s cool, crunchy and can easily be made ahead of time.

Katie Lee’s baked beans are all about balancing sweet-and-savory flavors for one standout side. Bacon, bourbon and ketchup bring the tang, while a jar of preserves brings that sweet peach flavor. These beans are a hit with all things barbecue.

One of the many joys of exploring regional barbecue offerings is trying out all the sides. Kansas City is famous for the cheese corn, which is a beloved dish for all ages. This version gets prepared in a slow cooker, which ensures a side dish that will stay warm until serving time.

Joy Bauer's Purple Super-Slaw

While game day food is typically on the heavy side, we love serving up a crunchy slaw to add some much welcome vegetable contrast. Joy Bauer’s vibrant take combines purple cabbage, carrots and onions mixed with a simple dressing. Serve it with barbecue sandwiches, burgers or even tacos.

Shake Shack's Crinkle Cut Fries

Shake Shake’s crinkle cut fries have a following for a reason. The ridges of the fries scoop up every bit of ketchup or special sauce while adding great texture with every bite. To cut down on prep time, have the fries cut and frozen in advance so all you need to do is fry them up before the game.

Brazilian-Style Collard Greens

If you love Southern-style collard greens, you’ll be a fan of this Brazilian-inspired recipe. Jessica B. Harris is all about showcasing the flavor of the greens, so instead of simmering them on the stove for hours, these get cooked quickly to retain their bright green color. To add more flavor to the collards, just add the classic trio of olive oil, garlic and salt.

Slow-cooker recipes

Usually when you think of chili, images of slowly simmering a pot on the stove for hours comes to mind. This recipe delivers all the same flavors, but makes use of a slow cooker to get the job done. There’s not even sautéing involved here — just add all the ingredients in at the same time and let the chili come together over a few hours.

For a big game day gathering, it’s crucial to serve up a hearty piece of protein. We love pulled pork for its versatility — and crowd-pleasing ability. This recipe lets the slow cooker do all the work. Pork shoulder, spices and beer slowly simmer until the pork is easily shreddable. Before serving, mix it with store-bought barbecue sauce.

Slow-Cooker Queso

Homemade queso is a game day staple for a reason. Hot, gooey, salty and decadent, it’s impossible to just have one scoop of the good stuff. By opting to make it in a slow cooker, you be assured that there’s no babysitting required , and you can do double duty by making sure it stays warm to serve. That’s a win in our book.

While the flavors of homemade macaroni and cheese are hard to pass up, sometimes we’re just not in the mood to make a roux. This recipe skips that step and combines everything in a slow cooker while still delivering that homemade flavor. The final result is a creamy, rich dish that’s perfect for serving on game day.

If you want all the flavor of buffalo wings with a fraction of the effort, this is the recipe for you. Start by adding chicken to the slow cooker until easily shreddable. Then add all the classic buffalo flavors like hot sauce and blue cheese and keep on cooking. If you want to make this an even lower lift, use rotisserie chicken.

Slow-cooked pork is a staple of game day. From barbecue sandwiches to dips and even stews, this hearty protein is endlessly versatile. Here, the pork gets so much flavor thanks to garlic cloves and liquid smoke. While we love making use of a slow-cooker for this one, you can also braise it in the oven.

Slow-Cooker Barbecue Brisket

For a versatile game day protein, we love having a big pot of brisket on hand. This recipe couldn’t be simpler to execute. There’s no grilling involved, minimal mess and it’s truly a meal you can set-and-forget. Just place the spice-rubbed brisket in a slow cooker and let it do its thing until tender. Then, combine the brisket with homemade barbecue sauce and use it for everything from sliders to tacos.

Joy Bauer’s chili draws on inspiration from a few regional recipes. This hybrid combines ingredients from white chicken chili and salsa verde, along with both kidney and cannellini beans, for a recipe that’s totally unique. Bright and comforting, this dish is sure to be a family favorite.

Slow-Cooker Shredded Chicken

Shredded chicken is one of the most versatile proteins, and it’s super simple to make. This recipe employs a slow-cooker so all you have to do is set-it-and-forget-it. Use shredded chicken in everything from buffalo chicken sliders to tacos and dip.

I’m a firm believer that there should always be something green on any spread. These slow-cooked collards cooked in bacon fat and broth are a great contender. The greens pack in a lot of flavor thanks to the bacon, and they’re an ideal side for sliders or braised meat.

Taco recipes

For something a little different this game day, try out these Korean-inspired steak tacos. Start by marinating steak in a punchy brown sugar and soy sauce mixture with herbs and spices. The steak gets cooked over a hot grill pan, resulting in a perfectly browned exterior with a pink center. Slice the steak and serve it with crunchy vegetables tucked into tortillas.

Steak Tacos with Cabbage

It doesn’t take much to make tacos shine. Here, a handful of flavor-forward ingredients come together to make these tacos the star of half time. Spiced with chili powder, the steak gets thinly sliced and topped with a crunchy red cabbage slaw, which lends some acid to cut the richness of the meat.

Mini Chipotle Shrimp Tacos

If your game day spread is all about finger food, you need to add these mini tacos to the mix. To make them, use a cookie cutter to make cut outs from a bigger tortilla. The bite-size tortillas get filled with quick cooking shrimp bathed in a chipotle sauce.

Sweet Potato Tacos

We love this vegetarian taco, which is so good you won’t even miss the meat. Roasted sweet potatoes get mixed with black beans and quinoa for a hearty taco that’ll keep you full throughout the game. Topping them with avocado, feta and lime juice is a must.

Wing recipes

Garlic-Parmesan Chicken Wings

Garlic, butter and Parmesan makes up the holy trifecta of flavors. There’s nothing this trio can’t enhance, and chicken wings are no different. First, the wings are tossed with with Creole seasoning, garlic powder and pepper before they’re deep-fried. Coat the hot wings in a buttery garlic Parmesan sauce and enjoy immediately.

Better-Than-Buffalo Wings

The saying good things come to those who wait feels especially applicable here. To make Ryan Fey’s Buffalo wings, start by dry brining and smoking the wings to draw out any excess moisture. Then, the wings are grilled until the skin becomes charred and shatteringly crispy. To finish it off, the wings get mixed with a hot honey sauce, which gets into every nook and cranny, ensuring a ton of flavor in every bite.

Korean Honey Butter Chicken Wings

It’s no surprise that Korean-style wings have a cult following. Dredged in potato starch, the wings get impossibly crispy when fried. What makes this recipe a real standout is the sweet and spicy glazed that the wings are tossed in. Made with umami-forward ingredients like gochujang, fish sauce, soy sauce and garlic, these wings are the perfect balance of tangy, salty and sweet.

Guava-Glazed Chicken Wings

This unexpected wing recipe is an ode to the flavors of Florida. Smoked chicken wings get tossed in a sweet and spicy glaze made of guava paste, brown sugar, ketchup, molasses and spices. If you don’t have a smoker, these can be finished in the oven.

Soda Pop-Glazed Chicken Wings

Save some of that soda you set out for the big game and use it to make these wings Combine it with butter, brown sugar, garlic, ginger and mustard to create a tangy glaze. While soda might seem like an unusual ingredient in chicken wings, it’s really just another way to add a complex sweetness.

Lemongrass Chicken Wings

These wings from Curtis Stone bring a unique Thai-twist to game day. The wings are first marinated in a mixture of lemongrass, garlic, ginger, chiles, herbs and fish sauce, which impart a ton of flavor. To finish the wings, char them over a grill until the skin is crispy and smoky.

Caramelized Thai-Style Hot Wings

Inspired by the flavors of Thailand, these wings are sure to be the star of your game day spread. Herbs, garlic, fish sauce and honey are responsible for imparting a ton of flavor into each wing. Battering them in a cornstarch and panko bread crumb mixture ensures crispiness in every bite.