101 Best Sports Snacks

Be the MVP at your fan party by making these snacks and appetizers. Whether you choose wings, nachos, dips, or guacamole, these recipes will make the perfect game-watching menu.

The winning lineup

The biggest game of the season is approaching, and you're probably preparing for a full house of hungry fans. Even if you've enlisted the help of friends and are planning to set the table together, in addition to classic dishes (like chicken wings and fun fan-themed desserts), you'll need to think about a few small appetizers. This collection includes all the recipes you'll need. We've got fun dips, jalapeño appetizers, sausage rolls, and much more. And the real star of this collection is the golden, puff pastry ring, bursting with the flavors of a cheesy chicken enchilada. It's easy to eat without utensils, so your guests won't have to leave the TV!

Enchilada "Wreath"

Forget tortillas—this golden dough wreath is filled with chicken and cheese. It's easy to transport, making it the perfect party appetizer.

Recipe: Enchilada Puff Pastry Ring

Cheese platter "Football" with cold cuts

This generous appetizer board will feed the entire team and even the fans. You can prepare fruits and vegetables, as well as a cheese ball, the day of the game, and then arrange everything on the board just before the big game. A large wooden cutting board with an indentation along the edge, perfect for inserting cold meats, is ideal.

Recipe: Cheese platter "Football" with cold cuts

Multicolored chips with poppy and sesame seed topping

It's hard to believe, but these delicious and crispy colorful chips are made with just three ingredients! A little cooking spray and a savory topping is all it takes to transform homemade potatoes into a quick and easy snack. No frying in tons of oil! To make your snack a hit at a house party, make chips from multicolored potatoes and orange sweet potatoes. And the creamy horseradish sauce is perfect for dipping.

Recipe: Multicolored chips with poppy and sesame seed topping

Vegan Queso Dip

Raw cashews are transformed into a flavorful, creamy, dairy-free dip.

Recipe: Vegan Chili Con Queso Dip

Jamaican meat pies

The best way to celebrate the decisive match is with soccer-shaped pies filled with a spicy meat filling. Nothing goes to waste: even scraps of puff pastry are used to imitate the stitches.

Recipe: Jamaican Meat Pies "Soccer Balls"

Nut and Spiced Pretzels

For the perfect snack, toss assorted nuts and mini pretzels with paprika, dry mustard, and cinnamon.

Recipe: Spicy Nut and Pretzel Cocktail

Slow Cooker Smoked Sausages

For a house party, make these cocktail sausages in a rich, smoky sauce, served straight from the slow cooker with skewers. The sauce is made with apple cider vinegar, maple syrup, bourbon, smoked paprika, smoked chipotle peppers, and tart apple cider vinegar, creating a fragrant, savory-sweet sauce. This recipe works well with either pork or beef smoked sausages.

Recipe: Slow Cooker Smoked Sausages

Southwestern-Style Egg Rolls

These Southwestern-inspired egg rolls are inspired by the appetizer at Chili's. Crispy cheese rolls are served with a creamy avocado dip.

Recipe: Tex-Mex Egg Rolls

Hot corn dip

Make Ree's cheesy corn dip on match day, or make it ahead and bake it just before serving—either way, your guests will gobble it up in no time. Grilled corn, vegetables, and grated cheese are a winning combination.

Recipe: Hot Corn Dip Sauce

The best dry marinade for chicken wings

This dry marinade is great for cooking wings in the oven, but it's also a great option for an air fryer or grill. Just don't use it for deep-frying, as the sugar will burn in the oil. The mixture contains baking powder. Being alkaline, it speeds up the frying process, but be sure your baking powder is aluminum-free, otherwise it will produce an unpleasant flavor.

Recipe: The best dry marinade for chicken wings

Homemade Soft Pretzels

Here's the secret to Alton's perfect pretzels: soak them in boiling water before baking, just like bagels.

Recipe: German pretzel

Pizza wreath with cheese dip

This appetizer pairs a stuffed crust pizza with a simple cheese dip. The crust is filled with gooey cheese—dip it in a meaty tomato sauce and a cheesy dip in the center.

Recipe: Bread ring with pizza dipping sauce

Mini Pastrami Sandwiches

These sandwiches, despite their small size, are richly filled with pastrami and cheese with pickled peppers. Add a cheese "string," and you've got a great appetizer for watching the game.

Recipe: Mini Pastrami "Soccer Ball" Sandwiches

Cheese dip with pickles

This simple dip, inspired by Midwestern cuisine, is the perfect quick appetizer, as it only requires four ingredients, most of which you probably already have. Spread it on creamy crackers or enjoy it with fresh vegetables.

Recipe: Creamy dip with pickles

Jalapeños stuffed with smoked cheese and chorizo

Sunny Anderson fries chorizo and mixes it with cheese, red onion, egg, cream cheese, sour cream, and hot sauce. Press it onto jalapeño halves and bake.

Recipe: Jalapeño peppers stuffed with smoked gouda and chorizo

Cheese sauce for nachos

Stop searching for the perfect cheese sauce recipe—it's right here! Thick and gooey, it's easy to make anytime. Serve it as a dip or drizzle it over nachos, hot dogs, or omelets. If you're making it for a party, keep it in a slow cooker on low heat to keep it saucy.

Recipe: Cheese sauce for nachos

Football Cheeseball with Crackers

Valerie's cute cheeseball will be a favorite at every party.

Recipe: Cheeseball and herb crackers

Onion rings with meat filling

Donut + cheeseburger + onion rings. With a special dipping sauce. These fluffy and golden-brown filled onion rings will be a crowd-pleaser.

Recipe: Onion rings "Cheeseburger"

Giant Cheese Cracker

Forget the cheeseboard: cut this giant cheese cracker sandwich into wedges for a creamy, savory snack that can be enjoyed on its own or with fresh vegetables.

Recipe: Giant Cracker with Cream Cheese Filling

Fried shrimp in coconut breading

Large shrimp are coated in a light coconut breading and fried until golden brown. Serve with your favorite sweet chili sauce or sweet and sour sauce.

Recipe: Coconut shrimp

Sausage rolls and spicy dipping sauce

Who doesn't love sausage rolls? Alex elevates the classic appetizer with a tangy honey-mustard sauce.

Recipe: Sausages in dough with spicy dipping sauce

Pizza dip with three toppings

Take this classic dip and jazz it up with your favorite pizza toppings—like pepperoni, artichokes, mushrooms, olives, and ricotta. Scoop the sauce with warm mozzarella sticks.

Recipe: Three pizza-based dipping sauces

Onion rings in the oven

Jeff's breaded onion rings are incredibly crispy without the oily grease that comes with deep-frying. For a special twist, add a little smoked paprika to the flour mixture.

Recipe: Oven-baked onion rings

Baked Buffalo Wings

Alton bakes his wings instead of frying them, making them easier to prepare and still tasting just as good as the original.

Recipe: Buffalo wings in the oven

Layered Buffalo Chicken Dip

Crisp vegetables, tangy blue cheese, and even crumbled bacon (why not?) add extra texture to this smooth and comforting dip.

Recipe: Layered Buffalo Chicken Dip

Artichoke and spinach dip in a football-shaped bread bowl

Cream cheese dip with artichokes and spinach is one of the most popular appetizers at American parties. This dip, served in a football-shaped bread bowl, was created specifically for watching sports. Served with toasted bread cubes and carrot sticks for dipping.

Recipe: Artichoke and spinach dip in a football-shaped bread bowl

Pork slider sandwiches

Top pork and sausage patties with bacon, lettuce, tomato and smoked mozzarella.

Recipe: Triple Pork Slider Sandwiches

Buffalo Chicken Dip

It's everything you love about classic spicy wings—but in dip form! Sliced carrots and celery top the sauce for a fresh, crunchy flavor.

Recipe: Buffalo Chicken Dip

Spicy Cheddar Cheeseball

Jeff Mauro transforms a cheeseball into a football with a nutty cranberry topping. Top with sriracha sauce for a swirl.

Recipe: Spicy Cheese Dip "Football"

Mini calzone

Use store-bought pizza dough to make Giada De Laurentiis's adorable calzones.

Recipe: Pizza in pockets

Buffalo Chicken Dip

Buffalo chicken dip is usually very rich. This slow-cooker version has the same bold flavor, but with less fat and calories.

Recipe: Easy Slow Cooker Buffalo Chicken Dip

Tortilla chips

All it takes to turn corn tortillas into crispy chips is a little vegetable oil and salt.

Recipe: Tortilla chips

Shrimp spring rolls

Everyone will love these crispy, tender spring rolls. The sweet and spicy sauce can be used on other dishes, such as shrimp or chicken fingers.

Recipe: Shrimp spring rolls

Sausages in sweet dough

This sweet version of a classic snack is just as delicious as the original. Snack sausages are wrapped in cinnamon roll dough. Add a little glaze and maple syrup for dipping—it's perfect for breakfast.

Recipe: Sausages in cinnamon buns for breakfast

Individual mini lasagna

This mini lasagna is made with a wonton crust. It may look flimsy, but it's loaded with hearty meat sauce and ricotta to complete the fan-friendly menu. Create the perfect shape using non-stick muffin tins.

Recipe: Lasagna cupcakes

Pizza-flavored pies

This delicious, compact appetizer contains all the elements of a sausage pizza and is served with a savory dipping sauce.

Recipe: Pizza buns with filling

Soft pretzels

Warm water, butter, brown sugar, yeast, flour, and baking soda—all you need to make this popular stadium snack at home. Sprinkle the toasted pretzels with salt, bake until golden brown, and serve traditionally with Dijon mustard.

Recipe: Soft Salty Pretzels

Miniature Mac and Cheese

Make a favorite kid's treat in miniature snack form. Kids of all ages can help measure the ingredients, mix them, and fill the cupcake tins. The dish can be made the day before and then reheated in the oven at 180°C for 5 minutes.

Recipe: Kids Can Make: Mac 'n' Cheese Snack

Spiced pita chips

Turn ordinary pita into irresistible spicy chips. All you need is za'atar, garlic, and paprika to give this snack a Middle Eastern twist.

Recipe: Spicy Pita Chips

Meatloaf in dough

This is a truly gigantic sausage roll. A filling of sausage and ham is wrapped in croissant dough—perfect for a party or even breakfast.

Recipe: Giant sausage in dough

Pizza Dip

This casual, wonderful appetizer is a more elegant way to eat pizza while you watch the game on TV.

Recipe: Cheese ball with pizza toppings

Quesadilla with chorizo and shrimp

For a simple appetizer, try Rachel's quick and easy quesadilla.

Recipe: Quesadilla with shrimp, chorizo and guacamole sauce

Seven-layer dip

Store-bought salsa and canned beans make this amazing seven-layer dip easy to make.

Recipe: 7 Layers of Happiness Dip Sauce

Bean Layered Dip

This popular dip is lighter than the traditional version thanks to homemade refried beans and Greek yogurt, but it's just as delicious.

Recipe: 6-Layer Dip Sauce

Guacamole with tortilla chips

Bobby uses a molcajete, a Mexican mortar, to crush the guacamole to the perfect consistency. Instead of a bag of chips, serve the spread with delicious homemade chips.

Recipe: Guacamole with Spicy Tortilla Chips

Bacon and Maple Syrup Dip

Ree mixes chopped bacon into a creamy, maple-flavored dip and tops it with more bacon. It's the perfect sweet complement to tart Granny Smith apples.

Recipe: Maple Bacon Dip

Cheesesteak Empanadas

Empanadas are filled with ingredients from the famous Philadelphia cheesesteak. A spicy cheese sauce for dipping is the finishing touch.

Recipe: Cheesesteak Empanadas

Cheeseburger Meat Dip

This hearty dip from Eddie Jackson is a wonderfully cheesy and charcuterie-filled appetizer that will have your friends wanting to sit closer to it.

Recipe: Cheeseburger Dip

French Onion Dip

Caramelized onions add rich flavor to the delicate sauce.

Recipe: Fried Onion Dip

Buffalo wings

Alton's Buffalo Wings are made with the classic combination of butter, garlic, and hot sauce—simple and delicious.

Recipe: Buffalo wings in the oven

Homemade BBQ-Flavored Chips

Open your spice cabinet and make your own homemade barbecue spice mix. Once you learn how to deep-fry, you'll have delicious chips that you won't need to buy again.

Recipe: Homemade Barbecue Flavored Chips

Deep-fried green beans

Instead of your usual french fries, try fried green beans with ranch dressing, which combines horseradish, wasabi, and sliced cucumber.

Recipe: Crispy Green Bean Appetizer

Mini Pretzels with Dip

These miniature pretzels are easy to make using store-bought pizza dough. The three-ingredient dipping sauce is also super simple: stir and serve!

Recipe: Easy Pizza Dough Pretzels

Taco salad appetizer

Take your favorite taco salad ingredients—ground beef, sour cream, and, of course, a crispy tortilla crust—and make a delicious, convenient appetizer.

Recipe: Taco Flavored Snack

Chicken wings in tequila and lime sauce

Guy Fieri coats his wings in a wonderful sauce made with tequila, lime, agave, cumin, and adobo, then adds chopped cilantro before serving.

Recipe: Baked Chicken Wings with Citrus Margarita Sauce

Spicy wings with blue cheese and yogurt sauce

Bobby's wings are simply amazing: they're coated in a glaze of ancho chili powder, vinegar, chipotle, New Mexico chili peppers, mustard, and honey. A creamy blue cheese yogurt dip and jicama sticks provide a refreshing contrast.

Recipe: Spicy wings with yogurt and blue cheese sauce

Poblano peppers stuffed with chorizo, shrimp and rice

Guy roasts the peppers and then stuffs them with a mixture of rice, chorizo, peppers, jalapeños, onions, garlic, and shrimp.

Recipe: Stuffed Poblano Peppers with Rice, Chorizo, and Shrimp

Chicken wings in teriyaki sauce

Be sure to pat the wings dry to ensure a crispy crust. Tyler bakes them and then tosses them with a sweet and savory teriyaki sauce.

Recipe: Teriyaki Chicken Wings

Hummus with garlic and pepper

Transforming ordinary store-bought hummus is easier than you think. If you can't find piquillo peppers, any jar of roasted bell peppers will do.

Recipe: Garlic Hummus Dip with Smoked Paprika

Guacamole

Tyler Florence adds a touch of heat to his guacamole with chopped serrano chiles.

Recipe: Guacamole

Fried Buffalo Wings with Blue Cheese Dip

Fry the wings until cooked through and golden brown, then serve with blue cheese dip.

Recipe: Deep-fried buffalo wings with dipping sauce

Baked Buffalo Wings with Yogurt Dip

Use nonfat Greek yogurt as a base for a light dip for your wings.

Recipe: Baked buffalo wings with yogurt and blue cheese dipping sauce

Hot Dip Sauce with Artichokes and Spinach

This lightened-up version of spinach and artichoke dip features reduced-fat mozzarella and Neufchâtel cream cheese.

Recipe: Hot Dip Sauce with Artichokes and Spinach

Antipasto

An antipasto platter is a spectacular way to start a party, taking your match-watching experience to a whole new level.

Recipe: Antipasto plate

Chili Lime Snack Mix

Pack a bold flavor punch into your party snack mix. Lime zest and Mexican seasoning add a fun twist, while coconut flakes, toasted corn kernels, and crushed lime-flavored tortilla chips provide extra texture.

Recipe: Chili Lime Flavored Snack Mix

Bacon-wrapped scallops with spicy mayonnaise

Tyler's appetizer looks fancy, but is very easy to make.

Recipe: Bacon-wrapped scallops with mojo rojo sauce

Spicy Mango Guacamole

Marcela adds serrano or jalapeño chilies to tender avocado, then balances the heat with sliced mango and lime juice.

Recipe: Spicy Mango Guacamole

Homemade corn chips

If you prepare your favorite unhealthy treat at home, you can eat it without feeling guilty!

Recipe: Cheese-flavored corn chips

Potato pintxos

Spanish tapas bars often serve pintxos—miniature snacks held together with a toothpick (pintxo means "spear" in Spanish). The recipe takes just 10 minutes.

Recipe: Pinchos with potatoes

Mushrooms stuffed with sausage filling

Tyler makes a sausage filling with raisins, olives, pine nuts, parsley and garlic, and stuffs it into large mushrooms.

Recipe: Stuffed mushrooms with meat filling

Buffalo Chicken Dip

All the flavors of Buffalo wings combined into a dip. Combine shredded chicken, hot sauce, celery seed, and cream cheese and bake until bubbly.

Recipe: Buffalo Chicken Dip Sauce

Fried corn balls with jalapeños

Trisha Yearwood adds sliced jalapeños to the dough for spicy hushpuppies. Serve with hot sauce.

Recipe: Cornballs with Jalapeno Peppers

Nachos with bacon and barbecue dressing

Everyone will love these tortilla chips at your party: they're topped with refried beans, BBQ seasoning, bacon, cheese sauce, BBQ sour cream, and more.

Recipe: BBQ nachos with bacon

Grilled shrimp with mojo sauce

Grill shrimp on skewers in garlic butter, then serve with a sauce made with orange juice, olive oil, pickled habaneros, garlic, cilantro, and mustard.

Recipe: Grilled shrimp with orange-pepper mojo sauce

Nachos "Cheeseburger"

Can't decide between nachos and cheeseburgers at a party? No need! Top homemade chips with bacon, cheese, and other burger toppings.

Recipe: Nachos "Cheeseburger"

Buffalo Chicken Sandwiches

Jeff Mauro's sandwiches feed a crowd: all you need is a 36-inch soft French baguette or Italian bread.

Recipe: Buffalo Pulled Chicken Sandwiches with Ranch Dressing

Ranch-flavored snack mix

Colorful, crunchy baked peas replace nuts in a snack mix flavored with a homemade spice blend.

Recipe: Nut-Free Ranch Snack Mix

Truffles with bacon and blue cheese

Giada's snack is a savory take on the dessert treat. Instead of chocolate or coconut, the truffles contain sharp cheese, smoked bacon, and pretzels.

Recipe: Blue Cheese and Bacon Truffles

Sausages in dough "Reuben"

To give cocktail sausages a wonderful flavor, all you need is a little sauerkraut.

Recipe: Sausages in dough "Reuben"

Queso cheese dip

Cheese dip for a large company is very easy to prepare and goes well with a variety of toppings.

Recipe: Cheese dip

Sandwich rolls

Ree Drummond serves mayonnaise and mustard separately, meaning the rolls can be made in the morning and won't be soggy by match time.

Recipe: Turkey and Ham Sandwich Rolls

Nachos

Cheesy nachos with a rich topping are a staple appetizer for watching a game. But what about tortilla chips—fry them or bake them? We offer tips for perfectly crispy chips, no matter the method you choose.

Recipe: Vegetarian snack "Nachos"

Sweet and sour pork sandwiches

Juicy pork tenderloin is coated with an Asian-inspired sauce and homemade coleslaw, then placed on a sweet Hawaiian bun. Orange juice in the marinade adds a tart flavor, while soy sauce adds a subtle salty note.

Recipe: Sweet and sour pork slider sandwiches

Baked eggplant paste

For this Mediterranean appetizer, roasted vegetables are tossed with lemon juice and tahini. Make an extra batch to stuff turkey or veggie rolls with the mixture.

Recipe: Eggplant paste

Fried mushrooms in beer batter

These airy-crusted mushrooms with a meaty texture are sure to be a hit, especially when served with Giada's lemon-mustard mayo.

Recipe: Fried mushrooms in beer batter

Sweet potato fries with beetroot ketchup

If you love super-crispy fries, you'll love this sweet potato twist, topped with a sophisticated sauce. Beets and olive oil, plus a couple of unusual ingredients like ginger and allspice, transform the classic ketchup into something special.

Recipe: Sweet potato fries with beet ketchup

Sausages in dough for breakfast

With snack sausages and maple syrup dipping sauce, this dish is a fun breakfast option.

Recipe: Sausages in French toast

Giant Nachos

Instead of a six-foot sandwich, make these colorful nachos for hungry fans.

Recipe: Two-meter nachos

Taco dip

This version of the popular appetizer is super easy to make. Assemble the beef and bean mixture the day before, then reheat and add the toppings.

Recipe: Taco dip

Sausage rolls with marinara sauce

Store-bought pizza dough forms the base for this appetizer of Italian sausage, coated in Parmesan cheese and topped with marinara sauce.

Recipe: Pizza-flavored sausage rolls

Caramelized Onion Dip

Trisha adds depth to a classic dip with perfectly cooked onions, vinegar, and (optional) hot sauce.

Recipe: Caramelized Onion Dip

Jalapeño-stuffed sausage rolls

Trisha's recipe features chunky sausages flavored with a spicy jalapeño pepper.

Recipe: Jalapeño Popper Sausages

Bean dipping sauce

Serve Trisha's Southern Bean Dip in a slow cooker to keep the sauce warm.

Recipe: Black-Eyed Bean Dip

Cheese dip with pistachios

Roasted pistachios are a delicious surprise in Trisha's cheese dip.

Recipe: Cheese dip with pistachios

Hot corn dip with chili pepper

Make Ree's cheese dip ahead of time and reheat it before serving—you can enjoy it with friends right after the game starts, without wasting time in the kitchen.

Recipe: Spicy cheese dip with corn and chili pepper

Pizza Dip

This rich dip has everything you love about pizza and more. It uses four types of cheese and thick-crusted bread for dipping.

Recipe: Pizza-flavored dipping sauce

Water chestnuts in bacon

Soy sauce, smoked bacon, and brown sugar complement water chestnuts in this festive appetizer. The crispy center is a pleasant contrast to the meaty bacon and sticky, sweet glaze.

Recipe: Water chestnuts wrapped in bacon

Cheese dip with chili pepper

This festive cheese dip is a classic appetizer for watching a game or at a picnic, but it's also great for any get-together with friends.

Recipe: Chili Cheese Dip

Fried chicken in batter

This is a simple variation on chicken and waffles, with a hot sauce adding a hint of heat to the marinade.

Recipe: Fried chicken in batter

Mini Chorizo Corn Dogs

Chorizo sausage and cornmeal combine in a compact appetizer.

Recipe: Mini Corn Muffins with Chorizo

Stuffed potato boats

We took new Yukon Gold potatoes, scooped out the cores, and then deep-fried them until crispy and golden brown. Then, we filled each "boat" with a cheese-and-potato filling. The result is a bite-sized treat perfect for any party.

Recipe: Crispy potato skins with filling