24 Game Day Appetizers That Belong At Your Football Watch Party

By Southern Living Editors
Photo: Erin Adams

Game day in the South serves as a sacred day dedicated to football, friends, and the tastiest dishes around. Whether you're hosting a game day gathering in your backyard, attending a friend’s party, or tailgating at the game, appetizers are a must-have for football Saturdays in the South. These easy dishes are sure to please any game day crowd while they cheer on their favorite team. Some appetizers, like Alabama Fire Cracker Saltines or Broccoli Salad Dip, can be made ahead if you'll be busy until kickoff. Others, like Corn and Jalapeno Dip or Spicy White Cheese Dip, easily come together with the help of your trusty slow cooker. Who needs a meal when you have the tastiest dips and deviled eggs in front of you while you watch the game? Gather around the appetizer table and fill up on these delicious appetizers and root on your favorite team with these must-have recipes.

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Whether You're at the Tailgate or in the Den, Serve up These Game Day Appetizers

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Bacon Deviled Eggs

Antonis Achilleos; Prop Styling: Kay E. Clarke; Food Styling: Chelsea Zimmer

Recipe: Bacon Deviled Eggs

What's better than deviled eggs? Savory bacon deviled eggs, of course.

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Crispy Baked Chicken Wings with Pepper Jelly Glaze

Antonis Achilleos; Prop Styling: Kay E. Clarke; Food Styling: Chelsea Zimmer

Recipe: Crispy Baked Chicken Wings with Pepper Jelly Glaze

Our homemade baked chicken wings pairs perfectly with a pepper jelly glaze that is certainly game day approved.

 

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Smoky Kimchi Pimiento Cheese

Antonis Achilleos; Prop Styling: Kay E. Clarke; Food Styling: Chelsea Zimmer

Recipe: Smoky Kimchi Pimiento Cheese

This smoky spread deserves a spot on your appetizer table.

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Garlic-Butter Shrimp

Antonis Achilleos; Prop Styling: Kay E. Clarke; Food Styling: Chelsea Zimmer

Recipe: Garlic-Butter Shrimp

This savory Garlic-Butter Shrimp might be the main attraction at your tailgate. 

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Sweet Potato and Chorizo Sausage Bites

Hector Manuel Sanchez

Recipe: Sweet Potato and Chorizo Sausage Bites

Using sweet potatoes gives a taste of fall to this classic Southern appetizer. 

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Bacon Bow Tie Crackers

Photo: Hector Manuel Sanchez; Prop Styling: Lydia Pursell; Food Styling: Tami Hardeman

Recipe: Bacon Bow Tie Crackers

You are only two ingredients away from creating this easy appetizer. We suggest doubling the recipe because they are sure to fly off the plate.

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Pull Apart Pizza Bread

Alison Miksch

Recipe: Pull Apart Pizza Bread

Serve with your favorite marinara sauce for dipping. 

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Mini Black Bean and Cheese Enchiladas

Stephen DeVries

Recipe: Mini Black Bean and Cheese Enchiladas

This recipe makes enchiladas into the perfect hearty appetizer.

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Alabama Fire Cracker Saltines

Kate Robertson

Recipe: Fire Crackers Recipe

These addictive crackers don't even require you to turn on the oven.

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Baked BLT Dip

Skyler Burt

Recipe: Baked BLT Dip

The classic sandwich remade into a crowd-pleasing dip.

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Buffalo-Style Sweet Potato Waffle Fries

Alison Miksch

Recipe: Buffalo-Style Sweet Potato Waffle Fries

Start with store-bought waffle fries and end with a game day appetizer that every guest will love.
 

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Hot-Sauce-and-Honey Chicken Dip

Hector Manuel Sanchez

Recipe: Hot-Sauce-and-Honey Chicken Dip

Hot sauce and rotisserie chicken come together to create an easy, quintessential game day dip. 

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Crack Crackers

Photo: Alison Miksch; Prop Styling: Kay E. Clarke; Food Styling: Anna Hampton

Recipe: Crack Crackers 

Dress up store-bought crackers with this recipe from Elizabeth Heiskell’s cookbook What Can I Bring? Southern Food for Any Occasion Life Serves Up.
 

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Artichoke and Spinach Dip

Photo: Hector Manuel Sanchez; Prop Styling: Caroline M. Cunningham; Food Styling: Marian Cooper Cairns

Recipe: Artichoke and Spinach Dip

Although this dip doesn't require any cooking, you will need to refrigerate for at least two hours or overnight. 

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Corn and Jalapeño Dip

Photo: Hector M. Sanchez

Recipe: Corn and Jalapeño Dip

You’ll want to make sure you have plenty of chips to serve alongside this dip. Just stir together all the ingredients in your slow cooker and let it do the rest of the work.

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Buffalo Chicken-Cheese Dip

Photo: Jennifer Davick

Recipe: Buffalo Chicken-Cheese Dip

Let this dip cook in in the slow cooker while you are preparing for guests to arrive.

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Party-Perfect Meatballs

Photo: Brie Passano

Recipe: Party-Perfect Meatballs

These homemade meatballs can be made-ahead and frozen until you are ready to serve.

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Cornmeal Tarts with Ricotta Pimiento Cheese

Photo: Hector Sanchez; Styling: Caroline M. Cunningham

Recipe:  Cornmeal Tarts with Ricotta Pimiento Cheese

The tarts can be made and frozen ahead of time. Just thaw, fill, and bake when you're ready to serve. 

 

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Broccoli Salad Dip

Photo: Hector Sanchez

Recipe: Broccoli Salad Dip

This quick and easy dip can be chilled in the fridge for up to three days.

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Spicy White Cheese Dip

Southern Living

Recipe: Spicy White Cheese Dip

Serve straight out of the slow cooker (set to warm) to keep this cheese dip perfectly melty throughout the entire game.

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Bacon-Wrapped Potatoes with Queso Blanco Dip

Iain Bagwell

Recipe: Bacon-Wrapped Potatoes with Queso Blanco Dip

We suggest making more than one batch of these bacon-wrapped potatoes. 

 

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Andouille Mini Dogs

Jennifer Davick

Recipe: Andouille Mini Dogs

Dinner rolls create the perfect foundation for cocktail sausages.

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Spicy-Sweet Deviled Eggs

Southern Living

Recipe: Spicy-Sweet Deviled Eggs

Garnish with fresh chives to create a football-inspired design.

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Potato Skins

Photo: Erin Adams

Recipe: Potato Skins

Classic potato skins are given an upgrade with a topping of classic pimiento cheese. 

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