Super Bowl

59 Super Bowl Appetizers for the Biggest Game of the Year

Crispy potato skins, juicy pork sliders, and spicy buffalo cauliflower—now that’s a touchdown.
Fried cauliflower in buffalo sauce on a platter with celery and carrot sticks.
Photo by Travis Rainey, Food Styling by Rebecca Jurkevich

Send your party guests home happy (no matter who wins the big game) by serving up a roster of our best Super Bowl appetizers. Keep it classic with buffalo wings, or switch things up with vegetarian buffalo cauliflower bites. Fill the table entirely with a selection of dips: spinach-artichoke, guacamole, chile con queso—alongside plenty of veg, crackers, and chips for scooping. You could even get a head start by assembling these spicy make-ahead bacon mac ‘n’ cheese jalapeño bites the day before.

Whether you turn finger food into the main course or pick a few more substantial Super Bowl recipes to round out your spread, this starting lineup will make you the true MVP. Now all you need is a Super Bowl drink to wash it down.

  • Photo by Joseph De Leo, Food Styling by Drew Aichele
    3/59

    Chile con Queso

    Our favorite cheesy dip starts with two types of cheese: cheddar and Monterey Jack. We love using Hatch chiles here, but poblanos or Anaheims would also work.

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  • Photo by Joseph De Leo, Food Styling by Sean Dooley
    4/59

    Oven-Fried Crispy Shiitake Imperial Rolls

    These rice rolls freeze beautifully, so you can prepare them in advance for a low-maintenance Super Bowl snack. And if you thought it couldn’t get any better: they’re baked, not fried, no no need to babysit a pot of burbling oil.

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  • Photo by Travis Rainey, Food Styling by Rebecca Jurkevich
    7/59

    Air Fryer Buffalo Cauliflower

    Time to put that new air fryer to work. These easy buffalo cauliflower bites from Epi food editor Jesse Szewczyk make an ideal game-day snack.

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  • Photo by Travis Rainey, Styling by Joseph De Leo
    8/59

    Classic Deviled Eggs

    Look out! These snacks are ready to play. Serve them up on Super Bowl Sunday for a winning alternative to wings and dip. To give them a real game-time vibe, douse them with hot sauce and top with crumbled blue cheese.

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  • Photo by Joseph De Leo, Food Styling by Micah Marie Morton
    9/59

    Chili Crab Dip With Shrimp Chips

    Inspired by chili crab, an aromatic and spicy Singaporean braise, this crab dip gets a little sweetness from tomato paste and dynamic flavor from shallots, garlic, and ginger.

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  • Photo by Joseph De Leo, Food Styling by Lillian Chou
    10/59

    Cheesy Samosa Puffs

    To make this fun and easy snack, you’ll encase spiced potatoes, cheddar, and cilantro in pastry, then bake until crisp and golden brown.

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  • Photo by Joseph De Leo, Prop Styling by Anne Eastman, Food Styling by Rebecca Jurkevich
    13/59

    Dill-Pickled Vegetables

    Pickling isn’t just for cucumbers. Let carrots, pearl onions, celery, or the veg of your choice hang out in a dilly brine. A day later, your mixed pickle platter will be ready for snacking.

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  • Photo by Joseph De Leo, Food Styling by Micah Marie Morton
    14/59

    Goat Cheese and Salami Stuffed Dates

    As a last-minute party snack, these sweet and spicy one-biters can’t be beat.

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  • Photo by Chelsea Kyle, Prop Styling by Alex Brannian, Food Styling by Katherine Sacks
    15/59

    Easy Guacamole

    As long as you have ripe avocados on hand, this easy Super Bowl appetizer comes together in no time. Fresh or pickled jalapeño adds subtle heat to this classic guacamole, while chopped cilantro brings freshness.

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  • Photo by Nicole Franzen
    16/59

    Crispy Cauliflower With Honey and Hot Pepper Flakes

    Take your Super Bowl appetizer spread to the next level with these crispy, tempura-battered cauliflower bites, drizzled with homemade hot honey.

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  • Photo by Chelsea Kyle, Food Styling by Olivia Mack Anderson
    17/59

    Traditional Soft Pretzels

    This Super Bowl app is a labor of love, but once you've made a traditional German-style pretzel from scratch, you'll never settle for those beer hall imposters again.

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  • Photo by Travis Rainey, Food Styling by Emilie Fosnocht
    18/59

    Buffalo Wings

    Buffalo sauce stars in countless all-American game-day dishes. There’s silky buffalo chicken dip and crispy cauliflower bites, but it all started with hot wings.

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  • Photo by Joseph De Leo, Food Styling by Micah Marie Morton
    19/59

    Horsey Goat

    This easy recipe combines fresh goat cheese, horseradish, and heavy cream in a simple spread. Smear it on bread or serve with crackers and crudites.

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  • Photo by Joseph De Leo, Food Styling by Lillian Chou
    20/59

    Honey Butter Potato Chip Tower With Crispy Salami

    Crisp up salami slices in a skillet, mix with store-bought potato chips, drizzle everything with spiced honey butter, and build a tower as high as it’ll go.

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  • 21/59

    Ultimate Nachos

    The key to crispy nachos is to limit the number of ingredients that go into the oven with the chips. Start with three essentials: a dollop of homemade pinto bean dip, sliced jalapeños, and plenty of grated cheddar cheese.

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  • Photo by Joseph De Leo, Food Styling by Susan Ottaviano
    22/59

    Chicharrones (Pork Cracklin’s)

    These are not the crispy-puffy pork rinds you’ll find in the snack aisle. “In the northern part of Mexico, chicharrones are meaty chunks of juicy fried pork belly with shatteringly crisp skin, often cooked in its own rendered fat,” writes former associate editor Jarrett Melendez. They’re a bit of a project, but definitely worth it.

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  • Photo by Joseph De Leo, Food Styling by Micah Marie Morton
    23/59

    Hot Pimento Cheese Dip

    Pimento cheese is perfect as a spread, but it also makes a great queso-like dip. This particular version is smooth and velvety, with a kick of smoke and heat from chipotle in adobo sauce.

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  • Photo by Joseph De Leo, Food Styling by Rebecca Jurkevich
    24/59

    Cheddar and Herb Gougères

    Filled with shredded cheddar cheese, these French pastry puffs are light and delicate as can be. The dough freezes well, so they’re a great last-minute appetizer recipe to keep on hand.

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  • Photo by Ed Anderson
    25/59

    Cashew and Coconut Shrimp

    We love the combination of hot, crispy shrimp and a zingy dipping sauce. Watch it disappear at your Super Bowl party.

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  • Photo by Joseph De Leo, Prop Styling by Sophie Strangio, Food Styling by Monica Pierini
    26/59

    Crudités With Chile-Lime Salt

    This zesty spiced salt wakes up any sliced raw fruit or veggie, no dip required. Don’t feel limited to the veg listed in the recipe, go for anything crisp and fresh.

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  • Photo and Food Styling by Joseph De Leo
    27/59

    Salsa Roja

    If you’re serving tacos, nachos, or quesadillas, complete the spread with homemade salsa. This one gets lots of smoky flavor from dried chiles.

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  • Photo by Chelsea Kyle, Food Styling by Rhoda Boone
    28/59

    3-Ingredient Microwave Cheese Sauce

    This velvety-smooth cheese sauce comes together in less than 10 minutes. Serve it with chips, fries, or chili dogs, or transform it into the best queso you've ever had.

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  • Photo by Chelsea Kyle, Prop Styling by Beatrice Chastka, Food Styling by Anna Billingskog
    31/59

    Pickled Shrimp

    This pickled shrimp recipe is perfect for a party, and it can be prepared in 45 minutes or less.

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  • Photo by Christina Holmes
    32/59

    Jalapeño Poppers With Smoked Gouda

    The moderate heat of jalapeños provides a perfect counterbalance to this rich filling, a combination of cream cheese and smoked Gouda.

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  • Photo by Emma Fishman, Food Styling by Kate Schmidt
    33/59

    Boneless Buffalo Chicken "Wings"

    These fried and sauced chicken breast strips have all the spicy flavor of Buffalo wings—without the hassle of bones. Serve them with tangy blue cheese dip and celery sticks.

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  • Photo by Ken Goodman
    34/59

    Smoked Feta Dip

    Queso, who? This smoky feta dip is the creamy, cheesy spread of the season. And if you want more dip recipes, we’ve got you covered.

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  • Photo by Joseph De Leo, Food Styling by Drew Aichele
    37/59

    Maple-Wasabi Wings

    No need to heat the frying oil: These wings get extra-crispy in the oven. Tossed with a soy sauce, maple syrup, and wasabi glaze, they hit the salty-sweet-spicy trifecta.

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  • Photo by Joseph De Leo, Food Styling by Judy Haubert
    38/59

    Southern Party Mix

    You can make croutons with any type of bread—croissants, cornbread, or even biscuits. And those croutons aren't just for salad. For this Southern-style party mix, cube and toast leftover biscuits, then toss with Chex cereal, pretzels, pecans, and spices.

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  • Photo by Andrew Purcell, Food Styling by Carrie Purcell
    39/59

    Vegan Sour Cream and Onion Dip

    This ultra-creamy dip has all the caramelized flavor of classic onion dip, but thanks to plant-based butter and cream cheese, it’s completely dairy-free.

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  • Photo by Joseph De Leo, Food Styling by Micah Marie Morton
    40/59

    Stuffed Mushrooms

    If you consider the Super Bowl a holiday, this recipe is for you. The classic hors d'oeuvres is perfect for Thanksgiving, Christmas, or the biggest game day of the year.

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  • Photo by Chelsea Kyle, Food Styling by Ali Nardi
    41/59

    Creamy Avocado Dip With Scallions

    Avocado, yogurt, and a mix of caramelized and fresh scallions give this dip a creamy texture and flavor that sits between onion dip and guacamole. Pair it with pita chips, tortilla chips, or carrot sticks.

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  • Photo by Chelsea Kyle, Prop Styling by Beatrice Chastka, Food Styling by Anna Billingskog
    42/59

    Homemade Cheese Spread With Garlic and Herbs

    Here's a DIY version of the intensely herby, spreadable Gournay cheese originally from France.

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  • Photo by Peter Frank Edwards
    45/59

    Bacon Crackers

    When a cracker slowly sops up the fat from smoky, crisping bacon, it transforms into something more akin to pie crust. These easy bacon crackers are pure porky perfection.

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  • Photo by Joseph De Leo, Prop Styling by Megan Hedgpeth, Food Styling by Rebecca Jurkevich
    46/59

    Warmed Spiced Olives

    A warm, richly spiced oil turns a bowl of mixed olives into party fare. Snack on these during the commercial breaks.

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  • Photo by Tara Donne, Prop Styling by Alex Brannian, Food Styling by Cyd McDowell
    47/59

    Creamy Cauliflower Dip

    Earthy and rich without being heavy or filling, this creamy vegetable dip is our ideal Super Bowl snack.

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  • Photo by Joseph De Leo, Food Styling by Micah Marie Morton
    48/59

    Spicy Pork Belly Sliders

    You could spend the entire halftime show grilling burgers and hot dogs—but who wants to miss the halftime show? Instead, make these sliders that guests can grab and go throughout the game.

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  • Photo by Nigel Parry
    49/59

    Salt Cod Fritters

    These fritters from chef Eric Ripert would make an excellent addition to an Italian Feast of the Seven Fishes menu. After that, you’ll be finding any excuse to make them again—the Super Bowl sounds like a fitting occasion.

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  • Photo by Joseph De Leo, Food Styling by Yekaterina Boystova
    50/59

    Gyoza

    Gyoza are very versatile—you can pan-fry, steam, boil, or deep-fry them. Present them on a platter and watch them disappear.

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  • Photo by Chelsea Kyle, Food Styling by Ali Nardi
    55/59

    Five-Cheese Pimento Cheese

    Complete your Super Bowl snacking lineup with this five-cheese version of the classic Southern spread.

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  • Photo by Chelsea Kyle, Prop Styling by Alex Brannian, Food Styling by Rhoda Boone
    56/59

    Simple Spinach Dip

    As long as you’ve got frozen spinach, cream cheese, and heavy cream, you can throw this dip together in a flash.

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  • Photo by Matt Ball
    57/59

    Roasted Garlic Pull-Apart Cheese Bread

    Pull-apart bread is the very definition of fun. Just plop it down in front of a table of people and watch it disappear within 5 seconds (yes, it really is that good). It can pass as an appetizer or accompaniment to a pot of soup.

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  • Lara Ferroni
    58/59

    Pretzel Bites with Quick Cheddar Dip

    When formed into bite-size nuggets, these soft pretzels are easy to pop into your mouth. They’re also small enough to eliminate the temptation to double-dip in the accompanying cheese sauce.

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Zoe gained her culinary education in kitchens quite literally spanning the country: She’s worked at an artisanal ice cream shop in Alabama, an organic farm-bakery in Maui, and a Michelin-starred restaurant in NYC. Now, she’s putting all that knowledge to use at Epicurious, where her primary objective is to help... Read more
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