Recipes to Win the Super Bowl Party
Lynley Jones
It’s Super Bowl weekend, and you’re in it to win it. You’re gonna start off strong with drinks and apps, then keep the momentum going with impressive mains that feed a crowd. And when you reach the end zone, you’ll be ready with a sweet victory dance.
Set one. Set two. HUT!
Apps to Get the Party Started:
Start things off with some cocktails, hot drinks and appies to let them know you came to play.
Addictively snackable crunchy chickpeas, roasted with coriander, cumin and fennel seeds, with a pinch of asafetida and a little hot paprika zing.
A little bit pesto, a little bit chimichurri, and lots of flavor! Spoon it over grilled meats or veggies, toss it with pasta, slather it over crostini or dribble it onto your pizza. Made with lots of fresh herbs, garlic and shallots, plus toasted pine nuts, mixed together in olive oil with a splash of lemon juice and a little Aleppo pepper.
Melty, gooey cheese, with roasted poblanos. Scooped into a warm tortilla and topped with salsa and other goodies, you can think of queso fundido as a vegetarian taco option (but it’s more likely you’ll just think of it as heaven).
Salsa made from garlic, roasted tomatoes and serrano chiles, ground together in a molcajete (mortar and pestle) and served warm.
Addictively tasty Mexican dip for chips, or spread for veggie burgers or sandwiches.
Guaranteed to disappear the minute it's served. Check out the recipe notes for tips on how to achieve guacamole awesomeness in your kitchen.
A fresh, raw salsa that adds a burst of flavor to almost anything, from tacos to scrambled eggs.
Originally created for our Mexican Cooking Fiesta class, this recipe was featured in our Mostly Plants series.
Tomatillos and chiles roasted together and blended with onions and cilantro. This green salsa is cool, crisp, spicy and a little tangy, perfect on tacos or tostadas, or dolloped on fried or scrambled eggs.
Like potato chips made out of beets! Slightly sweet, salty, and a little spicy with a hint of curry.
Mild, creamy dip with a hint of goat cheese tang. Perfect for crudite or chips, as a spread on sandwiches or to dollop on veggies.
Golden-fried zucchini spears served with a savory marinara dipping sauce.
Mains to Keep the Momentum Going
Who’s ready to score big? YOU are. (You know you are!) Here are some mains that will put points on the board.
Chicken poached in vinegar and soy sauce with garlic, bay leaves and black peppercorns, then broiled dark and crispy. A super-flavorful classic Filipino dish that’s simple to make. Plan ahead to make rice bowls with the leftovers…
Arugula and prosciutto pizza with cracked black pepper and sea salt, drizzled with garlic olive oil and spiked with Aleppo pepper.
A brothy Mexican-style bean soup with cubed steak, chicken, pork or turkey, so you can give your leftovers some love.
Get chicken on the table in about 30 minutes for an easy weeknight dinner, or a simple-but-nice entree for a crowd.
A vegetarian burger where the cheese IS the burger. Halloumi cheese stands right up to browning directly in the griddle or on the grill, so you can skip the meat entirely. Slathered with garlic-mayo and topped with all the fixins, so you’re good to go.
Easy baked chicken with the sweet tang of apricot juice and Worcestershire umami. Super simple prep, then nearly all the cooking time is hands-off.
Arizona-style enchiladas in a mild red chile sauce, stuffed with shredded chicken and covered with melty cheese.
Burgers stuffed with melty cheese on the inside, topped with red cabbage and scallion curls and a slather of gochujang mayo. Full Korean flavor on a stuffed burger. (Seriously, is there anything else to say?)
Burgers stuffed with melty cheese on the inside and topped with chiles, grilled onions, avocados and crunchy cilantro-cabbage. Get ready to party!
Beer-simmered seasoned ground beef and refried beans rolled into a burrito with cheese and herbs. You can make it ahead and freeze it. Or heck, just eat it now.
One of the simplest things you'll ever make. And also drop-dead delicious. (How is that possible?)
Ground beef and Swiss chard simmered together in beer, then combined with gruyere cheese in a casserole topped with breadcrumbs and more cheese.
Shredded chicken, chiles and beans wrapped in a flour tortilla, then smothered with enchilada sauce.
Sweet or spicy Italian-style sausages, braised in a little beer with soft, sweet peppers and onions. Easy weeknight dinner or football-watching crowd-pleaser.
Pasta with ricotta cheese, sauteed Tuscan kale, cherry tomatoes and lots of love. Quick, satisfying weeknight dinner or side.
A simple ground beef and macaroni casserole Infused with the flavors of the Sonoran Desert, topped with melty cheese and the crunch of breadcrumbs.
Desserts for Your Victory Dance
Victory is sweet. And so is dessert. So get on with your bad self and wrap things up with some sweet moves. (Showboating encouraged here!)
Lemony-sweet basil frozen ice pops. Flecked with sumac, to bring nuance to the tartness and gorgeous pink color to your Spice Pop.
Frozen ice pops made from hibiscus-mint syrup blended with lime juice, frozen into a sweet summer treat.
Ice pops made with semisweet chocolate, Aleppo pepper, Mexican piloncillo sugar, cinnamon and cream. Chocolaty and slightly spicy, with a cinnamon twist.
Miles of mangoes and flaky puff pastry make for a fairly simple but impressive dessert, especially when topped with homemade Cajeta de Leche.
Frozen puff pastry dough, filled with creamy honey-mascarpone and fresh fruit. The quick and easy way to pull together a beautiful fresh-fruit tart.
Dark and white chocolate layered with the subtle salty crunch of pretzel crisps and spiked with peppermint.
Nachos with your choice of ground beef or vegan lentil filling, spiced with Mexican oregano, cumin, chipotle and lime.