When the New England Patriots and Philadelphia Eagles meet in Minneapolis, Minnesota on February 4, football fans around the United States will gather in living rooms and man caves to watch the games and the commercials with varied levels of attention.
One thing that will be present at all of these Super Bowl parties will be the expectation of football food, and for most of these parties, the menu will look mundanely similar—chips with various dips, nachos, wrapped sausages, Bratwurst, and pizza.
What do you do if you want to watch the game, maintain a level of foodie flavor, but don’t want to spend 2 days in the kitchen getting ready for the feast?
Well, funny you should ask.
Here are 10 of our recipes that will wow your guests and allow you to enjoy the party like everyone else.
1. Savory Tuscan Roasted Nuts
These savory morsels should be spread throughout the party. They are more flavorful and memorable than any pre-packaged assortment of nuts you can buy at the supermarket, and they’re small enough to not break your television if thrown.
2. Rosemary White Bean Dip
This white bean dip is a healthy alternative to the dips you’d find at most Super Bowl parties. Really looking to impress? Make some homemade tortilla chips or crustinis instead of simply opening a bag of chips next to the bowl.
3. Rosemary Popcorn
This is the easiest item on this list, but it’s the one you should make the most of. It’ll go fast and by the handful in the tensest moments of the game. This is also a great table bowl in the viewing room. It breaks even fewer televisions and pictures than the Tuscan Roasted Nuts.
4. Lime black Bean Salsa
Okay, we’re well aware that salsa is a mainstay at most Super Bowl parties, but none of them use the fresh, tasteful ingredients in our recipe. We’re not going to pretend that we don’t think it has a lot to do with a specific brand of extra virgin olive oil.
5. Citrus Pesto Turkey Burger Sliders
This is the most substantial item of your Super Bowl spread. Who doesn’t love sliders? The unique texture of turkey burgers is set off by an explosion of citrus and pesto.
6. Basil Feta Dip
This rich spread replaces the normal cheese balls. Serve it up with simple crackers or oven baked crustinis. Either way, you’ll see your visitors return over and over to spread and eat until it’s gone.
7. Spicy Lime Sweet Potato Spread
The unique texture and explosion of flavor will have people turning quizzical faces into surprised fans as they hurriedly fill their plate with more. This can be served with thick cut potato chips, homemade tortilla chips or crustinis.
8. Pasolivo Yam Fries
This is the Pasolivo answer to boring old french fries or fried foods in general. Put these out and surround them toppings for a fun and costomizable experience. It’s like loaded french fries only sweeter.
9. Grilled Chicken Skewers with Mushroom and Green Onions
Warning! These will go fast, and as the host, you will probably not get any, so you might want to stash a couple away in your kitchen. Chicken; mushrooms; and green onion are can’t miss, and who doesn’t love food that comes on a stick?
10. Ghost Pepper Chicken Wings with Blue Cheese Dip and Crudites
There are entire restaurants that survive solely because of the their wings. Make these wings, and before the end of the night, your guests will already be asking if you’ll be hosting again next year and whether there will be those wings again.