For me, Super Bowl Sunday is all about the snacks. I absolutely love that these small bites, almost like finger foods, can pack such potent, punchy flavors that everyone seems to enjoy.
My ingredients of choice tend to be the usual suspects: spicy buffalo sauce, creamy cheese, and bacon. If you’re making nachos, which I consider mandatory for any game day spread, they’re topped with jalapeños and melted cheddar.
Guacamole is my “something healthy”; it’s just as tasty and definitely less greasy. Then there are mini cheeseburgers.
Join me for my best 11!
The 11 Best Super Bowl Appetizers
1. Buffalo Wings
Deep-fried chicken wings are a beloved American dish. They are well-seasoned with salt and black pepper and fried to a glorious golden color.
Toss them in a sauce made from unsalted butter and Frank’s RedHot Sauce, and you have a guaranteed crowd-pleaser. Buffalo wings have the wonderful ability to be both totally simple and extraordinarily lip-smacking.
Ingredients
Chicken wings (about 2 pounds, split at the joint and tips removed)
Salt (to taste)
Black pepper (to taste)
Oil (vegetable or canola, for frying)
Unsalted butter (1/4 cup)
Frank’s RedHot Sauce or similar hot pepper sauce (1/2 cup)
Worcestershire sauce (1 teaspoon)
Garlic powder (1/4 teaspoon)
Instructions
1. The flavor of the chicken wings depends on seasoning them correctly. Salt and black pepper are the basic seasonings for the wings.
2. Heat oil in a deep fryer or large heavy pot to 375°F (190°C). Working in batches, fry the wings for 10-12 minutes or until they are cooked through and golden brown.
3. As the wings fry, in a saucepan over low heat, melt the butter. Add the hot sauce, Worcestershire sauce, and garlic powder, and stir to combine. Heat this mixture until it is warm.
4. After frying the wings, let them rest on paper towels for a few moments to remove any excess oil before serving.
5. In a big bowl, combine the wings with the sauce until they are completely coated.
6. The buffalo wings should be served hot with celery sticks and blue cheese or ranch dressing for dipping.
2. Nachos
It brings me joy when nachos unite people under their exuberant appearance and delightful texture. But you do not have to save nachos for the next party you throw; they are easily made for one and, as it turns out, don’t really require a recipe.
The tortilla chips that serve as their foundation can be made in a skillet with oil and unleavened corn tortillas or, for a more liberating experience, can be store-bought.
Ingredients
- 1 bag of tortilla chips
- 2 cups shredded cheese (cheddar or Monterey Jack)
- 1 cup cooked ground beef or chicken (optional)
- 1 can (15 oz) refried beans or black beans
- 1 jalapeño, sliced (optional)
- 1/2 cup diced tomatoes
- 1/4 cup sliced black olives
- 1/4 cup chopped cilantro
- Sour cream (for serving)
- Salsa (for serving)
Instructions
1. Set your oven to 350°F (175°C).
2. Lay out a layer of tortilla chips on a baking sheet or platter that is safe for the oven.
3. If you choose to use cooked meat, make sure to spread it evenly along with the refried beans or black beans over the tortilla chips.
4. Generously scatter the shredded cheese across the top.
5. Over the cheese, add sliced jalapeños, diced tomatoes, and black olives.
6. In the preheated oven, bake for 10-15 minutes until the cheese fully melts and bubbles with glee. Fresh from the oven, top with snipped cilantro and serve with sour cream and fresh salsa.
3. Spinach Artichoke Dip
The way Spinach Artichoke Dip brings together substantial spinach, tender artichoke hearts, and a rich combination of cheeses makes it one of my favorite appetizers. My version is always golden and bubbly when it comes out of the oven, enhanced with the kind of creamy richness you only get from sour cream and mayonnaise.
Baking it until it reaches the tipping point of being just under too brown is the secret to having every bite taste essay-perfect.
Ingredients
- 1 (10 oz) package frozen chopped spinach, thawed and drained
- 1 (14 oz) can artichoke hearts, drained and chopped
- 1 cup grated Parmesan cheese
- 1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese
- 1/2 cup sour cream
- 1/2 cup mayonnaise
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
Instructions
1. Set the temperature of the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit (175 degrees Celsius).
2. In a big mixing bowl, combine the spinach, artichoke hearts, and the three cheeses: Parmesan, mozzarella, and sour cream. The mayonnaise and the garlic, which should be minced, along with the salt and pepper, make it into a wonderful dip.
3. Pour the blended mixture into a baking dish and spread it out evenly.
4. Place into an oven that has been preheated. Let bake for a duration of 20-25 minutes. Watch as it transforms into a golden, bubbly dish.
5. Take it out of the oven and allow it to cool for a few minutes before you serve it. Accompany your warm dip with chips, baguette, breadsticks, or crackers.
4. Sliders
Creating mini burgers with perfectly seasoned ground beef has long been a pleasure of mine. When I craft these edible gems at home, I use beef that’s seasoned as perfectly as one can get—salt, black pepper, and garlic powder.
For me, nothing complements the meat better than a slice of cheddar cheese that’s melted just enough to hold on to the rest of the burger. Then there’s the sauce.
I make a killer sauce that unites three condiments: mayonnaise, ketchup, and mustard. Finally, I add the traditional accompaniments: shredded iceberg lettuce, a slice of tomato, a ring (or two) of onion, and a dill pickle or two, all of which nestled atop a slightly toasted mini hamburger bun.
Ingredients
1 pound ground beef
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
12 slider buns
6 slices cheddar cheese, cut in half
1/4 cup mayonnaise
1 tablespoon ketchup
1 tablespoon mustard
1 small onion, finely chopped
12 pickles, sliced
Instructions
1. Get your grill or stovetop skillet ready by heating it to medium-high.
2. Combine the ground beef with salt, pepper, and garlic powder in a bowl. Mix well and form into 12 small patties.
3. Grill or skillet-cook the patties for about 3-4 minutes on each side, or until fully cooked.
4. In the final moments of preparation, put a half slice of cheddar cheese on each patty.
5. Create the sauce by blending mayonnaise, ketchup, and mustard in a small bowl.
6. To put together each sandwich, take the bottom half of a bun and spread sauce on it. Then, set a patty on the bun and cover the patty with some chopped onion and a slice of pickle. Finally, place the top half of the bun on the sandwich. Serve hot.
5. Loaded Potato Skins
I take great pleasure in preparing loaded potato skins. The skins themselves are crispy, and the mixture that goes inside is pretty straightforward—melted cheddar cheese and bacon.
But then I use sour cream and fresh chives to elevate loaded potato skins into something that is truly rich and makes for a great casual snack or appetizer.
Ingredients
4 large russet potatoes
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
Salt, to taste
1 cup shredded cheddar cheese
6 slices cooked bacon, crumbled
1/2 cup sour cream
2 tablespoons chopped fresh chives
Instructions
1. Set your oven to 400°F (200°C). Clean the potatoes and dry them thoroughly. Coat the skins generously with oil, and then salt them to taste.
2. Put the potatoes on the middle rack and bake them for about 45-50 minutes. The skin should be crispy, and when you poke one with a fork, the flesh should yield easily. Let the potatoes cool for a bit before you cut and serve.
3. Halve the potatoes and lengthwise. Most of the flesh should be scooped out, but leave approximately 1/4 inch of potato in the skin so that it holds the shape of the potato half.
4. Raise the oven heat to 450°F (230°C). Arrange the potato shells on a baking sheet and stuff them with shredded cheddar cheese and crumbled bacon. Place them in the oven and bake for around 10-15 minutes, or until the cheese has melted and the dish bubbly and golden brown.
5. Take the skins out of the oven and put a big dollop of sour cream and fresh chives on each one. Serve immediately while they’re still hot.
6. Guacamole
I take great pleasure in preparing a dip that is based on avocados: guacamole. There’s nothing better than blending together perfectly ripe avocados with lime juice and salt.
I then mix in some diced onion, fresh cilantro, and roma tomatoes. A little minced garlic goes a long way, and if you want a little heat, you can add a touch of cayenne pepper.
Ingredients
3 ripe avocados
1 lime, juiced
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup diced onion
3 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro
2 roma tomatoes, diced
1 teaspoon minced garlic
1 pinch ground cayenne pepper (optional)
Instructions
1. Halve the avocados and take out the pits. Scoop the innards into a bowl.
2. In the bowl with the avocado, add lime juice and salt to taste. Using a fork or potato masher, mix until smooth but still slightly chunky.
3. Incorporate the onion, cilantro, and tomato.
4. Incorporate the minced garlic thoroughly with all the other ingredients.
5. If you desire more heat, taste and adjust the seasoning—adding a pinch of cayenne pepper would do the trick.
6. Serve immediately, or if you want the flavors to come together even more, cover and refrigerate. Bring to room temperature before serving.
7. Mozzarella Sticks
I have a great fondness for mozzarella sticks, treats of crispy gooeyness that might even outdo their dipped, battered, and deep-fried cousins, the egg roll and the spring roll. In fact, I might go so far as to say that the perfect mozzarella stick can stand up to Amore’s own deep-dish pizza as well as the Pizza Beckham in the National Pizza Gallery at the Museum of Bad Taste and Good Times.
Ingredients
Mozzarella cheese sticks (12 sticks)
1 cup all-purpose flour
2 large eggs
1 cup breadcrumbs
1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
Vegetable oil, for frying
Marinara sauce, for serving
Instructions
1. Slice each stick of mozzarella cheese in half, yielding approximately 24 bite-sized nuggets.
2. Place three shallow bowls on a counter to form a breading station: one for flour, one for beaten eggs, and one for breadcrumbs. The breadcrumbs should be mixed with Italian seasoning, garlic powder, salt, and pepper.
3. Each piece of cheese stick needs to be coated in flour first, then dipped in egg, and finally rolled in a breadcrumb mixture. After coating the sticks in the breadcrumb mixture, go through the egg-dipping and breadcrumb-rolling process one more time for a double coating.
4. To keep the cheese from oozing out during frying, freeze the coated cheese sticks on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper for at least one hour (or until solid).
5. Pour about 2 inches of vegetable oil into a deep saucepan. Set the pan over medium-high heat and bring the oil to 350°F (175°C). Fry the mozzarella sticks in batches for 1-2 minutes, or until they are golden brown and crispy.
6. Take them out and let them drain on paper towels. Serve piping hot with marinara sauce for dipping.
8. Jalapeño Poppers
For any kind of gathering, you can’t go wrong with jalapeño poppers. They are largely the culinary invention of one Texas-based chain restaurant and go by different names in different places, but I think of them as delicious and devilishly simple.
You take a fresh jalapeño pepper, halve it lengthwise, and seed it. Then you fill it with a mixture of cheeses and seasonings—that would be cream cheese, cheddar cheese, and some kind of allium (garlic, onion powder, or both would be really good).
After that, you wrap the whole thing in bacon and bake it.
Ingredients
8 large jalapeño peppers
4 oz cream cheese, softened
1 cup shredded cheddar cheese
1/2 tsp garlic powder
1/2 tsp onion powder
1/4 tsp salt
8 slices of bacon, cut in half
Toothpicks
Instructions
1. Set your oven to 400°F (200°C) to preheat. Prepare a baking sheet by lining it with parchment paper.
2. Lengthwise, slice each jalapeño pepper in half and take out the seeds and membranes.
3. In a bowl, blend the softened cream cheese with the cheddar cheese, garlic powder, onion powder, and salt until they are completely mixed.
4. Generously stuff each half of the jalapeño pepper with the cream cheese mixture.
5. Encase each jalapeño half with a slice of bacon, half a slice to each half, and fasten it with a toothpick.
6. Position the bundled jalapeños on the baking sheet that has been made ready and heat them for a duration of 20 to 25 minutes or until the bacon on them has achieved a state of crispness and the cheese has taken on a bubbly appearance. Serve them at an optimal warm temperature for best enjoyment.
9. Seven-Layer Dip
The seven-layer dip has an appealing multi-layered look that almost tempts one to skip the taste test and just dive in. The bottom layer is a homemade refried (black) bean and taco seasoning mixture, deposited into the bowl with help from a spatula, to ensure a layer that has some height, for visual appeal in the bowl.
Refried beans (a.k.a. smashed beans) usually range from creamy to slightly chunky when made with enough seasoning and cooked until the beans begin to break down.
Ingredients
1 can (16 oz) refried beans
1 packet (1 oz) taco seasoning mix
1 cup sour cream
1 cup guacamole
1 cup salsa
1 cup shredded cheddar cheese
1 can (2.25 oz) sliced black olives, drained
1/2 cup chopped tomatoes
1/2 cup chopped green onions
Instructions
1. In a bowl of moderate size, combine the refried beans with the taco seasoning mix. Ensure a thorough mix so the beans and seasoning mingle well.
2. Evenly distribute the seasoned refried beans across the bottom of a dish that is appropriate for serving.
3. Spread the sour cream on top of the refried beans.
4. The layer of sour cream gets topped off with a layer of guacamole.
5. Pour the salsa over the guacamole, spreading it evenly.
6. Dust the salsa with the grated cheddar cheese.
7. Layer with black olives, followed by the chopped tomatoes and green onions. Chill before serving with tortilla chips.
10. Queso Dip
My favorite dip combines the classic flavors of cheese and cream and is made with a blend of Velveeta and sharp cheddar that yields a smooth, rich dip. Minced garlic and diced tomatoes with green chiles add a kick of flavor, and a blend of spices—cumin, chili powder, and smoked paprika—gives the dip an unmatched depth of flavor.
Ingredients
1 pound processed cheese (such as Velveeta), cubed
1 cup shredded sharp cheddar cheese
1 tablespoon unsalted butter
1 small onion, finely diced
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 can (10 ounces) diced tomatoes and green chilies, drained
1 cup whole milk
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1 teaspoon chili powder
1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika
Salt and pepper to taste
Fresh cilantro, chopped (optional, for serving)
Jalapeños, sliced (optional, for serving)
Instructions
1. In a medium-sized saucepan, melt the butter over medium heat. Add the chopped onion and sauté until the onion is softened, which should take about four to five minutes.
2. Minced garlic is added to the onions, and they are cooked together for a minute until the mouthwatering smell of garlic and onions fills the kitchen.
3. Combine the diced tomatoes and green chilies in the mixture, and cook for 2-3 minutes to allow the flavors to meld.
4. Lower the heat to a simmer and add the cubed processed cheese and the shredded cheddar cheese to the saucepan. Stir with a wooden spoon or a spatula until the cheese is completely melted and the mixture is smooth. If the cheese sauce is not as smooth or stretchy as you might like, feel free to add more heavy cream to thin it out.
5. Slowly beat the milk into the mixture until smooth and creamy. If the mixture is too thick, add more milk until you reach the desired consistency.
6. Mix in the cumin, chili powder, and smoked paprika, and season with salt and pepper. Serve warm, garnished with chopped cilantro and sliced jalapeño, if desired.
11. Pigs in a Blanket
I enjoy crafting these traditional appetizers for gatherings or events like the Super Bowl.
When I make piggies in a blanket, I usually add a little something extra to the wieners. You can stuff them or not, depending on your fondness for flavor and how many more steps you’re willing to take to get to your destination of bite-sized bliss.
Ingredients
Mini hot dogs or cocktail sausages (approximately 24 pieces)
1 can refrigerated crescent roll dough
1 egg
1 tablespoon water
Optional: Poppy seeds or sesame seeds for sprinkling#
Instructions
1. Set your oven to 375°F (190°C) to preheat.
2. Take the dough for crescent rolls and open it up so that it lies flat. Once it’s flat, divide it into the intended number of pieces so that you can cut it into triangles. After cutting the dough into triangles, cut those triangles into thirds.
3. At the broad end of each small triangle, place a mini hot dog or cocktail sausage and roll it up toward the narrow end.
4. Place the rolled sausages on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper.
5. In a tiny bowl, combine the egg and water; whisk them until they are well blended. With a brush, apply the egg wash to every piece of the object you’re working with. Following this step, you can either sprinkle poppy seeds or sesame seeds onto the object, though this is not a step that must be done to achieve the desired outcome.
6. Place in the preheated oven and allow to cook for 12-15 minutes, or until the dough achieves a golden brown color. To finish, serve in a warm state.
