If you’re anything like me, you absolutely love to eat, but don’t absolutely love to watch football. The great news is that I’ve got 13 perfect recipes for Rihanna’s concert day, and I hear there’s supposed to be a football game during it, too.
Fried Chicken with Pickles
A game day doesn’t feel complete without wings, and this Korean fried chicken-inspired popcorn chicken checks that box in the best way possible! Two sauces - sweet honey mustard and spicy gochujang buffalo - means there’s something for everyone, and the homemade bread and butter pickles make the perfect compliment to it all.
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Pickled Jalapeño Deviled Eggs
Deviled eggs are arguably one of the most popular appetizers of all time, but you know what makes them even better? A little bit of *spice*!
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Three Cheese Roasted Jalapeno Popper Dip
This dip packs in all of the flavors of jalapeño poppers in a fraction of the work! Cream cheese, feta, AND parmesan create incredible layers of flavor, and the spice level is 100% customizable - add as many or as few jalapeños as you like!
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Green and White Nachos
Nachos are the ultimate sharable food, and you don’t even have to dirty a plate to eat them! My color-coordinated recipe is perfect for a crowd, and you may want to double the serrano pepper queso, because it’s really THAT good.
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Buffalo Cauliflower Bites
Another absolute winner for the vegetarian crowd, or if you happen to want to squeeze a couple of vegetables into your super bowl spread! These pack in all of the spicy, crunchy goodness of chicken wings, and are even better dunked into my quick garlic aioli.
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Vegetarian Italian Panini
I love a giant sandwich that feeds a crowd, and even better when it’s one that BOTH vegetarians and carnivores will devour! This sandwich hits all the notes of a classic Italian sub, and the basil balsamic mayo will become your new favorite condiment.
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Everything Bagel Pretzel Dogs
If you’re ready to take your pigs in a blanket to the next level, time to wrap them in pretzel dough and cover them in everything bagel seasoning! These are always one of the first things to disappear, plus, I think hot dogs are required on game day.
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Patatas Bravas
I’m hopping across the pond for this one, but firmly believe tapas, and especially my favorite, Patatas Bravas, are PERFECT for Super Bowl Sunday. Golden, crispy potatoes double sauced with garlicky aioli and spicy, smokey bravas sauce. French fries who??
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Garlic Knots With Marinara Sauce
I don’t really think there’s much convincing I need to do in the garlic knot department; soft, warm, slightly chewy pizza dough slathered with garlic herb butter, and a homemade marinara dipping sauce on the side. Need I say more?
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Parmesan Truffle Fries With Roasted Garlic Aioli
If homemade French fries seem like a lot of work on game day, here’s your reminder that, with the exception of the final fry, you can do every single step of this recipe the day (or days) before! Good quality, freshly grated parmesan and truffle oil take these over the top.
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Loaded Nacho Latkes
Contrary to popular belief, I think latkes are a year-round food. I take the traditional sour cream topping even farther with these, adding sharp cheddar, pickled peppers, and scallions! Imagine a giant tater tot nacho and tell me you don’t want to make these immediately!
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Not-Your-Bubbe's Onion Dip
This dip is the only recipe I’m including from my cookbook, but I promise you it’s truly that amazing! If you love onion dip, this one will blow your mind, with not one, two, but THREE types of onion, caramelized until deeply flavorful, and swirled into a dip from your game day dreams. I serve mine with veggies and kettle chips!
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Game Day Meatball Sub Sliders
If I had to pick a favorite recipe in this round up, it would have to be these mini meatball subs. The meatball mixture (plant-based for me!) is packed with flavor from sautéed onions, garlic, herbs, and parmesan, and then gets stuffed with mozzarella before they’re seared off to golden perfection, topped with provolone, and nestled into toasted Hawaiian rolls. Don’t skimp on the garlic butter; it takes these to the next level!
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Eitan Bernath is an award-winning chef, author, TV personality, entertainer, and social justice activist. He is the chief executive officer of Eitan Productions, the Principal Culinary Contributor for the Daytime Emmy® award-winning Drew Barrymore Show on CBS, and is a contributor to The Washington Post, Food & Wine, Saveur, and Delish.