A collection of our favorite game day recipes for appetizers and dips, collectively known as “game day snacks”. It includes pizza, mushrooms, warm buffalo chicken dip, chips, salsa, and a bonus non-recipe at the end of this post!
In Minnesota “the game” is always on. Which game, you ask? Trick question. Whichever game is currently on is always referred to as “the game.” It applies to hockey, tennis, soccer, baseball, and most notably American football.
What is arguably most important to me on game day is not what game is on, but rather what’s in front of me on the coffee table. A delicious beer or margarita paired with savory snacks. Lots of snacks!
Jump to:
Appetizers
Stuffed Mushrooms – These addictive mushroom bites are filled with cheeses, nuts, and herbs, and make the perfect bite-sized appetizer.
Homemade Pizza – This easy homemade pizza dough recipe yields the perfect crust and receives rave reviews from everyone. Let it be the canvas to all your favorite pizza toppings or let guests create their own mini-pizzas!
I’ve recently perfected my recipe for soft pizza rolls topped with garlic butter, so those have now made their way into our game day rotation as well. Add a side of marinara sauce for dipping and they’ll be gone in the first quarter.
Puff pastry flatbread – When making pizza dough isn’t possible, I’ll pull out a sheet of puff pastry from the freezer to thaw. This is my cheesey mushroom and onion puff pastry tart recipe we make in the springtime. During the fall, we make puff pastry apple tarts instead.
Creamy deviled eggs with bacon is my personal favorite. My secret is adding a little cream cheese to the filling to keep it firm. Be sure to keep these cold until ready to serve.
Crispy Potato Latkes and Sweet Potato Fritters pair well with many sour cream-based dips and tend to be a big hit with kids!
Would you like to save this recipe?
We'll email this recipe link to you, so you can come back to it later!
Hummus and veggies are a classic combination. Try our smooth classic hummus or our beetroot hummus for a colorful twist!
Chips & Dips
If you’re looking to serve chips, consider making your own tortilla chips out of corn tortillas! Otherwise, just be sure your tortilla chips are sturdy enough for the dips you’re serving.
Roasted tomato salsa and fresh guacamole pair perfectly with chips. The heat is subtle, but you can always kick it up a notch with more cayenne.
My favorite warm dip for game day is a classic buffalo chicken dip with bleu cheese crumbles. I make it with pulled rotisserie chicken from the grocery store for ease. Use celery sticks for dipping too!
Sheet Pan Nachos are a household favorite game day appetizer. These are so versatile that I don’t even have a recipe. I snapped a few dimly lit pictures of our last batch of nachos with my phone before the family devoured them.
We typically always have leftover frozen pulled pork or shredded beef in the freezer. Any taco meat or shredded chicken works too.
Just arrange a single layer of tortilla chips on a sheet pan, top with shredded cheese and pre-cooked meat. Heat in the oven 10-15 minutes at 350F / 180C until the cheese is melted and the meat is warm.
I just add on any ingredients I have in the fridge that seem like they’d pair well with nachos. Need topping ideas?
- Fresh tomato salsa or pico de gallo
- Any taco sauce, salsa verde, or hot sauce
- Pickled red onions and jalapenos
- Sour cream or ranch
- Black or green olives
- Avocados, diced tomatoes, cilantro
What’s your favorite game day snack? Let me know in the comments below!
Leave a Reply