Our favorite thing about March Madness is that it’s really a tournament for basketball lovers. Outside of maybe who we picked for our bracket, with 68 teams playing we’re not always going to be rooting for a team we love. Instead, we can just kick back and watch the future stars of the game go head to head for the first time. The Final Four is really where we get to see these players shine.
They’ve worked hard to be the best teams in the league and have to really bring it to get to the championship game. It’s the perfect game to host a homegate party. To help you get started planning, here is our starting lineup of 10 delicious, easy-to-make tailgating food appetizers for the Final Four.
1. Basketball-Themed Snack Stadium
Basketball Themed Snack Stadium
Equipment
- 1 9-by-12-inch disposable cookie pan
- 8 5-by-8-inch and four 6-by-6-inch disposable food containers
- 2 2-by-2-by-9-inch and two 2-by-2-by-12-inch hard Styrofoam or wood blocks
- Hot-glue gun and glue sticks
Ingredients
- Baked Hot Wings
- Permesan Herb Tater Tots
- Cold Spinach Dip
- Bagel Dogs
- Cheese Twists
- Ricotta Dip
- Sweet Mini Peppers
- Caprese Bites
- Mandarin Orangs
- Fiesta Ranch Dip
- Caramel Corn
- Doritos & Cheetos Mix
- Corn Dogs
- Basketball Court Themed Pizza
Notes
We’re going to kick this off with this absolutely awesome spread. Set up to look like a stadium, it covers all your appetizer bases. The center is a pizza made to look like a basketball court. Then it is surrounded by the tastiest, most over-the-top tailgating food. You have everything from bagel dogs to parmesan-herb tater tots to baked hot wings.
There are dips like fiesta ranch, healthy options like Caprese bites, and even a little bit of sweetness with caramel corn. They even show you how to construct the serving stadium from simple items you can buy anywhere. Check this option out for sure!
2. Basketball Bean Dip & Tortilla Chips
Basketball Bean Dip
Ingredients
Bean Dip
- 2 – 15 Oz Cans Of Refried Beans
- 4-6 Drops Black Food Coloring
- 16 Oz Velveeta Cheese, cut into cubes
Basketball Tortilla Chips
- 10 Flour Tortillas
- Wilton Orange Color Mist
- Black Food Marker
- Vegetable Oil For Frying
- Salt
Notes
Chips and dips are really where it’s at when it comes to tailgating food. They’re easy to make and serve, they don’t create a mess, and everyone loves them. This bean dip is just a blend of queso and beans but with a fun twist. It’s decorated to look like a basketball.
If that wasn’t cool enough, our friends at Hungry Happenings also show us how to make matching basketball tortilla chips. Is it extra? Probably. Are we making them anyway? Definitely. If you’re not into bean dip, you can also just make this basketball queso.
3. Basketball Cheese Ball
Basketball Cheese Ball
Ingredients
- 1 Pkg 1/3 Less Fat Cream Cheese, softened
- 1/2 Cup Spicy Jalapeno Cream Cheese Spread
- 1 Pkg Shredded Sharp Cheddar Cheese
- 1/2 Cup Grated Parmesan Cheese
- 1/2 Cup Classic Ranch Dressing
- 2 Green Onions, chopped
- 1 Pkg Real Bacon Bits
- 8 Red Pepper Strips
Notes
Another easy appetizer recipe perfect for tailgating is a cheese ball. Served up with your favorite crackers, breadsticks, or vegetables, it’s an ideal tailgating food for snacking throughout the game. This is a pretty classic cheese ball recipe, but it has a twist.
Basketball grooves are simply painted on with ketchup, though you can use any of your favorite condiments. If you really want to make things easy, you can do this same thing on a store-bought cheese ball. So simple, yet still very impressive. There’s also a sweet dessert version.
4. Beefy Basketball Empanadas
Beefy Basketball Empanadas
Ingredients
- 2 Tbsp Olive Oil
- 1/2 Lb Ground Beef
- 1 Small Yellow Onion, diced
- 2 Garlic Cloves, minced
- 2 Small Yukon Gold Potatoes
- 1 Tsp Salt
- 1/2 Tsp Black Pepper
- 1/2 Tsp Ground Cumin
- 1/4 Tsp Crushed Red Pepper Flakes
- 1/4 Cup Fresh Cilantro, chopped
- 1 Tbsp Tomato Paste
- 1 Tbsp Worcestershire Sauce
- 14 Oz Packaged Store Bought Pie Dough
- 1 Large Egg
- 1 Pinch Orange Food Coloring, gel
- 1 Edible Black Food Coloring Pen
- 1/2 Cup Chimichurri Sauce
Notes
We’ve always loved this Spanish appetizer as a tailgating food. The spicy filling wrapped in a flaky pastry and dipped in chimichurri is heaven. They’re also pretty easy to whip up and are impressive when served. These empanadas are cut into circles and use strips of dough to mimic the grooves on the basketball. They’re tasty, adorable, and your team will have fun dunking them. If beef isn’t your thing, you can use this technique on any flavor of empanada. Here you can find some other fillings to consider.
5. Basketball Pizza Snacks
Basketball Pizza Snacks
Ingredients
- 1 Tube Refrigerated Pizza Crust
- 3 Mozzarella Cheese Sticks
- 12-24 Pepperoni Slices
- 1 Jar Pizza Sauce
- 1 Black Food Coloring Pen
- 1 Tbsp Butter
- Orange Food Coloring
Notes
It’s probably the most popular tailgating food among college kids. So it has to be featured at your Final Four homegate. Rather than serving a whole pizza, try making these round basketball-shaped pizza rolls. They’re stuffed with your favorite toppings and baked using a cake pop pan. Then the grooves are painted on with some food coloring and they are dunked into marinara.
6. Blackened Turkey Basketball Sliders
Turkey Basketball Sliders
Ingredients
- 12 Small Frozen Dinner Rolls
- Orange Food Coloring Spray
- Liquid Black Food Coloring
- 12 Slices Blackened Turkey Breast
- 12 Slices Provolone Cheese
- 1 Cup Caramelized Onions
- 1 Cup Roasted Red Peppers, julienned
- 1/4 Cup Fiery Chipotle Gourmaise
Notes
This is a cool technique that can be used with any slider recipe. Basically, you just paint your slider buns with food coloring to look like basketballs. However, we definitely recommend this recipe. Roasted red peppers, caramelized onions, and chipotle mayo take a simple turkey sandwich and make it gourmet. Delicious and fun!
7. March Madness Mini Cheeseburger
Mini Cheeseburger Sliders with Basketball Cheese
Ingredients
Basketball Cheese Slices
- 6 Slices Cheddar or American Cheese
- Black Food Coloring
Friend Potato Rounds
- 3 Russet Idaho Potatoes
- 1/4 Cup Vegetable Oil
- 1/2 Tsp Salt
Mini Hamburgers
- 1 Slice White Bread, crusts removed
- 1 1/2 Tbsp Milk
- 1 Tbsp Ketchup or Steak Sauce
- 1/2 Tsp Salt
- Pinch Of Black Pepper
- 1 Lb Gound Chuck
- 1-2 Tsp Vegetable Oil
Optional
- Lettuce
- Tomatoes
Notes
We’re really loving the creativity on these fun sliders. Just a little bit of food coloring really takes a standard mini cheeseburger and makes it a fun-themed appetizer. In this recipe instead of the bun, you cut out cheddar or American cheese slices and paint on the grooves with a little black food coloring. You make the mini burgers as usual and voila! Another basketball-themed slider. So easy!
8. Buffalo Potato Basketballs
Buffalo Potato Basketballs
Ingredients
- 1 Lb Russet Potato, peeled and diced
- 4 Tbsp Unsalted Butter
- 1/4 Cup Whole Milk
- 1 Tsp Salt
- 1/2 Tsp Black Pepper
- 1/2 Tsp Garlic Powder
- 1 Cup Shredded Chicken
- 1/2 Cup Buffalo Sauce
- 2 Scallions, sliced
- 1/2 Cup Shredded Cheese
- 1/2 Cup Flour
- 1 Large Egg
- 2 1/8 Oz Nacho Cheese Tortilla Chips, finely crushed
- 4 Cups Vegetable Oil, for frying
- 1/4 Cup Asian Chili Sauce
- 1 Cup Ranch Dressing
Notes
If a recipe uses potatoes and cheese, it will always get our attention. Covered in Buffalo hot sauce, even more so. These basketball snacks are potatoes wrapped around cheese, chicken, and spices. Then they are rolled in tortilla chips, deep-fried, and smothered in buffalo sauce. Then the basketball lines are painted on with Sriacha and the whole thing is dipped in ranch. This recipe is madness, tasty March madness.
9. Oreo Basketball Pops
Chocolate Covered Oreo Basketball
Ingredients
- Orange Chocolate Melts
- Black Icing
- Oreo Cookies
- Toothpicks
Notes
Now for something sweet with these Oreo basketball pops. These easy desserts only require four ingredients and some popsicle sticks. They are made by dipping Oreo cookies into orange candy melts and painting the lines with chocolate. They’re served on sticks for easy snacking and cleanup. They’re simple, delicious, and frankly, who doesn’t love an Oreo cookie?
10. Basketball Pinata Cookies With Skittles
Basketball Pinata Cookies With Skittles
Ingredients
Cookie Dough
- 2 Cups All-Purpose Flour, more if needed
- 1/4 Tsp Salt
- 1/4 Tsp Baking Powder
- 1/2 Cup Butter, softened slightly
- 3/4 Cup Sugar
- 1 Large Egg
- 3/4 Tsp Pure Vanilla Extract
- 1/2 Tsp Almond Extract
- Orange Gel or Paste Food Coloring
Decorations
- 4 Oz Orange Confectionery Coating (candy melts)
- Black Food Coloring Marker
Notes
You may remember last year when Skittles made it to the Final Four of the non-chocolate regional bracket. Though they didn’t make it to the championship, they are still an all-star candy. Pinata cookies are always a blast and Skittles make the perfect filling. The cookies are simple sugar cookies made to look like basketballs but with a fun rainbow surprise. Your team will love them.
These ten appetizers are perfect for serving up at your Final Four tailgating party. For more tailgating food recipes, make sure to follow us on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and check out our Amazon Storefront.
Let us know in the comments what tailgating food you’re whipping up for your Final Four party and we’ll see you courtside!