11 Easy, Crowd-Pleasing Recipes for a Tailgate on the Road

Recipe: Warm Spinach-Sweet Onion Dip with Country HamGreat for outdoor tailgates, this creamy dip can be prepared in advance and reheated in a skillet on the grill. To keep the edges from burning, place the pan over indirect heat.

Recipe: Dry-Rubbed Smoked Chicken Wings

Bringing your smoker to the party? Try these incredible dry-rubbed chicken wings from our barbecue cookbook, South’s Best Butts. The recipe, from Butts To Go in Pell City, Alabama are coated with a Memphis-style dry rub and cooked low and slow for the most tender, finger-licking results.

Recipe: Smoky Snack MixThis recipe can be doubled or tripled easily, which we highly recommend. Don't skip the white Cheddar cheese crackers—their buttery richness makes them the MVP of this hard-to-resist mix. Use paper cones to make this snack mix easier to grab and enjoy.

Recipe: Brisket-and-Black Bean Chili with Cilantro-Lime CremaThis hearty, richly spiced chili is made in a slow cooker so it's easy to prepare and transport. Instead of bowls, set out mugs and let guests help themselves to the chili and crema. Use a clothespin to attach a disposable spork to each mug.

Recipe: Mini Muffulettas

These sandwiches are small but they’re stuffed with layers of cheese, cold cut, and pickled vegetables. Prepare the muffulettas the day before the game, store in zip-top plastic freezer bags, and refrigerate overnight.

Recipe: Lemony Potato Salad

Try our Lemony Potato Salad, which is made with a simple olive oil, lemon juice, and dry mustard dressing. Mayonnaise-based dishes should be refrigerated after two hours (or one hour if it’s 90˚ or hotter outside), but you can serve salads with vinaigrette dressings, like this one, at room temperature.

Recipe: Asian Ginger Wings

Make these wings in the slow cooker and bring them to your tailgate in a covered container so they stay warm. The wings will still taste great at room temperature as they cool—but they likely won’t last that long.

Recipe: So-Good Brownies

Sturdy bar cookies like brownies are perfect for tailgating, and you can’t go wrong with these. Make these fudgy brownies plain and simple, or jazz them up with swirls of peanut butter, chopped pretzels, or toasted coconut and cashews.

Recipe: Texas Caviar

We love this party staple because it can be served cold or at room temperature and as a side dish or a dip with tortilla chips.

Recipe: Big-Batch Bloody Marys

Set up a Bloody Mary bar at your tailgate with celery stalks, pickled okra, and lime wedges.

Recipe: Whiskey-Apple Cider PunchBring a drink dispenser to your tailgate for easy distribution of this tasty punch.