The Super Bowl is just around the corner, which means it’s time to throw the best tailgate party of the year. A key component of a successful Super Bowl tailgate is the food. However, we’re all pretty busy nowadays, so we don’t really have the time to do it up how we’d like–or do we? With just a little planning, you can make most of your Super Bowl tailgating snacks ahead of time. This will not only ensure that everyone is fed, but that you can also enjoy Super Bowl Sunday. Here are 10 of our favorite make-ahead tailgating snacks to serve at your Super Bowl party.
1. Frank’s Slow Cooker Buffalo Chicken Dip
FRANK’S SLOW COOKER BUFFALO CHICKEN DIP
Ingredients
- 2 – 8 Oz Cream Cheese, cut into chunks
- 4 Cups Shredded Cooked Chicken
- 1 Cup Frank's RedHot Original Cayenne Pepper Hot Sauce
- 1 Cup Ranch Dressing
- 1 Cup Shredded Cheddar Cheese, divided
- 2 Tbsp Chopped Green Onions
- Blue Cheese Crumbles (optional)
Notes
To kickoff, we turned to Frank’s. Beyond being the ultimate Buffalo Sauce, they also have tons of great tailgating snacks on their website like this buffalo chicken dip. Spicy, rich, and tasty, this crockpot recipe is super easy to make the night before. Simply dump all the ingredients into your crockpot, set it and forget it until it’s time to serve. You can serve this with chips, garlic bread, or veggies.
2. Chipotle Lime Popcorn With Sweet And Spicy Cashew Clusters
CHIPOTLE LIME POPCORN WITH SWEET & SPICY CASHEW CLUSTERS
Ingredients
Popcorn
- 1/4 Cup Unpopped Popcorn Kernels
- 2 Tsp Coconut Oil
Chipotle Lime Drizzle
- 1 Tbsp Coconut Oil
- 1/2 Tsp Lime Juice
- 1/4 Tsp Chipotle Chile Powder
- 1/4 Tsp Sea Salt
Sweet & Spicy Cashews
- 1 Cup Raw Cashews, broken in pieces
- 2 Tbsp Honey
- 2 Tsp Coconut Oil
- 2 Tsp Lime Juice
- 1/2 Tsp Chipotle Chile
- 1/2 Tsp Sea Salt
- Few Dashes Cayenne Pepper
- Couple Dashes AllSpice
Notes
Popcorn and nuts are both great for munching during the game. We love this recipe because it combines both into an easy to make snack for gameday. The spicy blend of chipotle and lime makes this also a very addictive snack. The best part is that you can make it a couple days before the game (though you may end up making a second batch because it’s hard not to be tempted to eat it all).
3. Tex Mex Taco Beef Sliders
Tex-Mex Taco Beef Sliders
Ingredients
- 2 Lbs Lean Chuck Roast
- 2 Tsp Taco Seasoning
- 1 Cup Chopped Onion
- 1/2 Cup Low-Sodium Beef Stock, or unsalted
- 12 Slider Rolls
- 1 Cup Cheddar Cheese, shredded
- 1/4 – 1/3 Cup Sour Cream
- 1/4 Cup Chopped Fresh Cilantro, optional
- 6 Tbsp Taco Sauce, divided
- 1/4 Cup Finely Chopped Red Onion
- 1/4 Cup Sliced Pickled Jalapeno Peppers
- 2 Tbsp Butter, melted
- 1/4 Tsp Garlic Powder
- 1/4 Tsp Chili Powder
Notes
Can’t decide between serving tacos and sliders? You don’t have to with these Tex Mex Taco Beef Sliders. These are great because you can put the whole thing together the night before and stick it in the fridge. Then just throw them in the oven right before serving. What’s cool is that as these sit overnight, the flavors will blend making them even tastier. If you’re not a huge face of Tex Mex, you can also make these classic cheeseburger sliders ahead of time.
4. Mini Macaroni And Cheese Bites
Bacon Macaroni and Cheese Bites Need No Hard Sell
Ingredients
- 1/2 Lb Elbow Macaroni
- 1 1/2 Tbsp Unsalted Butter, plus melted butter for greasing the tins
- 1/4 Cup Freshly Grated Parmigiano-Reggiano Cheese
- 2 Tbsp All-Purpose Flour
- 3/4 Cup Whole Milk
- 4 Oz Cheddar Cheese, shredded
- 4 Oz Deli-Sliced American Cheese, chopped
- 1 Large Egg Yolk
- 1/4 Tsp Smoked Spanish Paprika
- 2 Slices Thick-Cut Bacon, cooked and chopped
Notes
We all love mac and cheese but it’s not always the best thing to serve at a tailgate. However, these mac and cheese bites are perfect for tailgating. Using a muffin tin, mac and cheese is baked to make little bite-sized tailgating snacks. Now the recipe calls for mac and cheese from scratch, but you could definitely use your own favorite mac and cheese recipe or even just a box mix and still have a delicious result.
5. Pickle Poppers
Pickle Poppers
Ingredients
- 12 Whole Baby Dill Pickles
- 8 Oz Cream Cheese, softened
- 2 Oz Cheddar Cheese, finely shredded
- 1-2 Jalapeno Peppers, seeded and finely chopped
- 1/4 Tsp Garlic Powder
- Salt and Pepper, to taste
- 12 Thin Slices Deli Ham or Turkey, halved
- 2 Tbsp Jalapeno Jam or Hot Pepper Jelly (optional)
Notes
Jalapeno poppers aren’t the only poppers in the game. These pickle poppers are ideal for pickle lovers. They’re also crazy easy to make. You load up the pickle with the cream cheese stuffing, wrap in ham, and you’re done. You can make these a couple of days ahead of time as well, just make sure to keep them in the fridge until they are ready to serve to your guests.
6. Ricotta Meatball Hoagies
Ricotta Meatball Hoagies
Ingredients
- 1 Large Yellow Onion, finely Chopped
- 1/4 Cup Minced Garlic
- 3 Tbsp Olive Oil
- 2 Eggs, lightly beaten
- 2 1/2 Lbs 80% Lean Ground Beef
- 1 Cup Grated Grana Padano Cheese
- 15 Oz Whole Milk Ricotta Cheese
- 1 Cup Panko Breadcrumbs
- 1/2 Cup Chopped Fresh Flat-Leaf Italian Parsley
- 1/2 Cup Chopped Fresh Basil
- 1/2 Tsp Salt
- 1/4 Tsp Ground Black Pepper
- Fresh Tomato Marinara Sauce
- Shaved Grana Padano Cheese (optional)
- Cooked Pasta or Hoagie Rolls, for serving
Notes
Meatball hoagies are always a touchdown at Super Bowl parties, add a little ricotta and you’re really in for a tasty treat. We love these make-ahead hoagies because they can be made weeks in advance. Once you have put all the ingredients together and roll the balls, all you have to do is freeze them. Then on gameday, reheat, toss on a roll and top with your favorite toppings, then serve!
7. Make Ahead Sausage Pinwheels
Make-Ahead Sausage Pinwheels
Ingredients
- 1 Lb Regular or Spicy Pork Sausage
- 1/2 Cup Diced Sweet Red Pepper
- 1 Green Onion, chopped
- 8 Oz Cream Cheese, cubed
- 16 Oz Refrigerated Crescent Rolls
Notes
We love recipes that you can make ahead and freeze. It makes tailgating planning so easy. Another recipe that is great for making ahead of Super Bowl Sunday are these sausage pinwheels. They are super simple to make but will for sure impress your guests. The best part is you can make a large batch of them and freeze them to serve. Then on gameday, you just stick them in the oven
8. Guacamole
BEST EVER GUACAMOLE
Ingredients
- 3 Avocados, ripe
- 1/2 Small Onion, finely diced
- 2 Roma Tomatoes, diced
- 3 Tbsp Finely Chopped Fresh Cilantro
- 1 Jalapeno Pepper, seeds removed and finely diced
- 2 Garlic Cloves, minced
- 1 Lime, juiced
- 1/2 Tsp Sea Salt
Notes
Guacamole is a staple of Super Bowl parties, however many people think you can’t make it ahead of time. Avocado turns brown as it oxidizes and it makes the guacamole a lot less appetizing. However, our friends at Spruce Eats have some recommendations to keep your guacamole green. With a few simple tips, you can keep your guacamole green. That way you can make it ahead of time to serve at your Superbowl party.
9. Stuffed Crust Pizza Snacks
Stuffed Pizza Bites
Ingredients
- 3 Cans Pullsbury Buttermilk Biscuits
- 56 Pepperoni Slices or favorite pizza toppings
- 1 Block Cheese – Colby, Monterey Jack, or Cheese Stick
- 1 Egg, beaten
- Parmesan Cheese
- Italian Seasoning
- Garlic Powder
- 1 Jar Pizza Sauce
Notes
Pizza bites are always a hit because frankly, who doesn’t love pizza. What we love about these pizza bites is not only are they easy to make ahead of time, they use premade dough. So it only takes minutes to assemble them. Once you have put them together, you can stick them in the freezer. Then on Super Bowl Sunday you can just throw them in the oven (or the air fryer) and serve with marinara, ranch, buffalo sauce, or any of your favorite dips.
10. Mostly Make-Ahead BBQ Ribs
Mostly Make-Ahead BBQ Ribs
Ingredients
- 4 Slabs Baby Back Pork Ribs
- 2 1/2 Tbsp Plus 2 Tsp – Kosher Salt, divided
- 2 1/2 Tsp Freshly Ground Black Pepper, divided
- 2 Cups Tomato Puree
- 1/4 Cup Pomegranate Molasses
- 1/4 Cup Honey
- 1/4 Cup Apple Cider Vinegar
- 2 Tbsp Tomato Paste
- 2 Tbsp Dijon Mustard
- 1 Tsp Smoked Paprika
- 1/4 Tsp Cayenne
- Canola Oil, for grill grates
Notes
We know that ribs may not be a snack to some people, but to hungry tailgaters, it’s definitely the hearty protein stack we need to keep cheering. This recipe is really a time saver for game day. You do all the prep a day in advance, including part of the cooking. Then on gameday, all you have to do is throw them on the grill for about 15 minutes. It makes serving up a hot plate of stick BBQ ribs super easy.
We love these make-ahead tailgating snacks for the Super Bowl. They are all fast, easy to make, and will please a hungry crowd. The best part is that they take a lot of pressure off of hosting. For more easy recipes for your Sunday Super Bowl Sunday tailgating party, check out our additional recipes here. Be sure to follow us on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and check out our Amazon Storefront as we feature tons of great recipes that are perfect for tailgating and are easy enough anyone can make them.
See you on Sunday sports fans!