Whether you tune in for with the pregame commentary, the halftime show, or mostly for the ads, kick off the biggest game of the football season with some atypical Super Bowl appetizers. From blackened shrimp to French onion sliders to lamb meatballs, these dips, chicken wings, and other impressive apps will ensure your Super Bowl party spread is as exciting as the action on the field.
Loaded Pita Nachos with Lentil Chili and Feta Queso
Victor Protasio / Food Styling by Chelsea Zimmer / Prop Styling by Lydia Pursell
For a new take on nachos, pita chips are drizzled with a feta queso and then laden with lentil chili, harissa-spiked pickled cabbage, and a dollop of creamy labneh. The tangy feta queso gets its smooth body from the addition of red lentils and is a tasty option for dipping, too.
Blackened Shrimp
Food & Wine / Photo by Fred Hardy II / Food Styling by Margaret Dickey / Props Styling by Prissy Montiel
Coat extra-large shrimp in a blend of 10 herbs and spices, then cook them in butter until they develop a blackened crust. Shower with parsley, then serve with lemon wedges, garlicky seasoned butter, and your favorite aioli for a flavor-packed appetizer.
Cacio e Pepe Potato Croquettes
Food & Wine / Photo by Morgan Hunt Ward / Prop Styling by Christina Daley / Food Styling by Emily Nabors Hall
Cacio e pepe takes the shape of crisp, golden croquettes in this playful appetizer reinterpretation. A blend of riced russet and Yukon Gold potatoes is seasoned with Pecorino Romano, plenty of black pepper, and a touch of garlic, then wrapped around a cube of Fontina cheese that melts into a gooey center as the croquettes fry.
French Onion Roast Beef Sliders
Chris Simpson / Food Styling by Margaret Monroe Dickey / Prop Styling by Audrey Davis
Sweet caramelized onions are a perfect match for store-bought Hawaiian sweet rolls layered with deli-sliced roast beef and melted Gruyère. The rolls get nicely toasted in the oven for a perfectly crisp bite.
Lemony White Bean Dip
Food & Wine / Photo by Jen Causey / Food Styling by Chelsea Zimmer / Prop Styling by Josh Hoggle
For this zingy dip, F&W recipe developer Julia Levy blends canned cannellini beans with tangy feta brine and lemon in the food processor, then stirs in additional beans and cheese crumbles for a pleasant textural contrast. Serve with crostini or crudités.
Hogs in a Blanket
Fred Hardy / Food Styling by Emily Nabors Hall / Prop Styling by Josh Hoggle
Prepared with frozen puff pastry and served with store-bought chutney mixed with whole-grain mustard, this take on classic pigs in a blanket swaps out the usual hot dogs for smoky andouille sausage.
Mushroom Flatbread with White Miso
Victor Protasio / Food Styling by Chelsea Zimmer / Prop Styling by Christine Keely
Top store-bought flatbread with a miso-cream sauce, oven-roasted mushrooms, and fresh arugula for an appetizer that’s fast, easy, and perfect for your Super Bowl spread.
Honey Mustard Beer Cheese Fondue
Greg DuPree / Food Styling by Julian Hensarling / Prop Styling by Keoshia McGhee
Grab a bottle of your favorite pilsner to make this warm, creamy cheese dip that comes together in only 15 minutes. Pretzels, cubed bread, sliced summer sausage or salami, and roasted fingerling potatoes are all terrific dippers.
Potato Crust Wraps
Food & Wine / Photo by Jen Causey / Food Styling by Jennifer Wendorf / Prop Styling by Christina Daley
Anna Theoktisto in the F&W Test Kitchen turns cheesy sliced Yukon Gold potatoes into delectable (and gluten-free) wraps that are filled with prosciutto, pear, and arugula.
Chipotle Butter Steak Bites
Victor Protasio / Food Styling by Chelsea Zimmer / Prop Styling by Christina Daley
For this 20-minute appetizer from F&W’s Paige Grandjean, cubes of seared boneless rib eye or strip steak are coated in a smoky tequila-infused sauce made with canned chipotles in adobo.
Spinach Dip Hot Bread
Jennifer Causey / Food Styling by Margret Monroe Dickey / Prop Styling by Christina Daley
This beloved dip is even more fun nestled in a toasty sliced sourdough boule with buttery béchamel sauce, spinach, and the gentle heat of Calabrian chiles.
Cornflake-Crusted Fried Chicken Drumettes
Jennifer Causey / Food Styling by Emily Nabors Hall / Prop Styling by Claire Spollen
Super-crispy on the outside and moist and juicy on the inside, these meaty chicken wing drumettes are drizzled in mildly spicy hot honey to really make them sing.
Queso Fundido with Mushrooms
Robby Lozano / Food Styling by Chelesa Zimmer / Prop Styling by Josh Hoggle
Served gooey and stretchy straight from the oven, queso fundido is made with Oaxaca cheese and then pulled apart with tortillas rather than chips. Chef Iliana de la Vega adds tangy Gouda to the mix, as well as a traditional topping of sautéed mushrooms.
Tuna-Avocado Ceviche with Salsa Macha
Salsa macha tastes amazing on pretty much anything. Add a couple spoonfuls to cubed raw fish to transform an everyday ceviche into an extraordinary snack. Serve like poke or with tostadas.
Poutine
Carson Downing / Food Styling by Holly Dreesman / Prop Styling by Gabriel Greco
Fresh-cut fries are crowned with warm cheddar cheese curds and drizzled with rich red wine gravy for an irresistible snack that hits all the marks.
Garlic Chive Ranch with Crudités
Greg Dupree / Food Styling by Margaret Monroe Dickey / Prop Styling by Thom Driver
2022 F&W Best New Chef Calvin Eng’s creamy, herby, bright ranch employs Kewpie mayonnaise, pungent garlic chives, and a pinch of MSG. Serve it with Chinese long beans, multicolored carrots and radishes, baby bok choy, broccoli, and Chinese celery.
Calamari with Pickled Peppers and Almond Romesco
Victor Protasio / Food Styling by Chelsea Zimmer / Prop Styling by Claire Spollen
In this recipe from Florida chef Michael Cooper, crisp, perfectly tender calamari is paired with smoky almond romesco and sprinkled with bright, crunchy pickled peppers for a knockout appetizer.
Spinach Maria
Jennifer Causey / Food Styling by Ali Ramee / Prop Styling by Christina Daley
Take your Super Bowl spread to the next level with this hot and gooey dip loaded with spinach, cheese, and a sprinkle of cayenne pepper to kick things up a notch. Customize the sauce however you want by adding more garlic, chopped hot chiles, pickled peppers, herbs, or even crabmeat.
Korean-Style Fried Cauliflower
Food & Wine / Photo by Jacob Fox / Food Styling by Kelsey Moylan / Prop Styling by Breanna Ghazali
Battered and fried cauliflower florets take on next-level flavor when tossed with a sweet, fiery gochujang-based sauce. To finish, sprinkle with sesame seeds and serve with lime wedges.
Spicy Lamb Meatballs with Green Goddess Dip
Victor Protasio / Food Styling by Rishon Hanners / Prop Styling by Claire Spollen
Seasoned with cumin, garlic, and paprika, these plump meatballs make game day a bit more flavorful. Though the harissa — a vibrant North African chile paste — doesn’t skimp on heat, it’s balanced by a creamy herb dip.
Cacio e Pepe Chickpea Cheese Crisps
Food & Wine / Photo by Peyton Beckwith
Use a can of chickpeas and a few ounces of finely grated Pecorino Romano to make this delightfully crunchy, cheesy snack that’s easy to pair with all kinds of beverages.
Cheesy Sausage Cocktail Toasts
For these tasty toasts, cookbook author Andrea Slonecker borrows from the nostalgic flavors of her childhood and swaps creamy mascarpone and robust Taleggio for the Velveeta in her grandmother’s original version. “The topping can be made a few days ahead, and it’s as straightforward as browning some Italian sausage and melting in the cheeses,” she writes.
Caramelized Five-Onion Dip
Victor Protasio / Food Styling by Rishon Hanners / Prop Styling by Claire Spollen
Onion dip is plenty delicious in its own right, and in this recipe from Justin Chapple, five types of caramelized onions bring loads of additional flavor to the party. Cream cheese, mayonnaise, and sour cream provide the dip’s creamy, luscious base.
Lemon-Caper Potato Chips
Former F&W editor Chandra Ram dries capers in the oven, then grinds them in a food processor to form the dust that she sprinkles with lemon zest on kettle-cooked potato chips for this tart, tangy snack.
