Tailgating Recipes

Find all the delicious recipes you need for your tailgating feast. Get recipes, including dips, chili, burgers, and easy desserts.

Staff Picks

Chef John's Hot Sloppy Joe Dip

Rating: Unrated
27
For me this checks all the boxes for a hot party dip. It's relatively cheap and easy to make, but maybe more importantly, it's great hot, warm, or room temp. And it's also incredibly versatile.
By Chef John

Super Nachos

Rating: Unrated
89
This makes a huge meal-sized tray of nachos with lots of good stuff! You can adjust ingredient quantities to suit your preference. Serve with extra chips if required. Great for game day.
By Melanie
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David's Favorite Football Dip

Rating: Unrated
2
I created this recipe and it was instantly my husband's favorite football season dip!
By Anna Schultz

Touchdown Pizza

Rating: Unrated
35
My favorite sports pub serves this, and I've come up with a simple and delicious home version. Many local restaurants sell wing sauce, and most grocery stores carry it near the steak and BBQ sauces. It's rich, so serve in squares as an appetizer. Serve ranch dressing, celery, and carrot sticks on the side. Enjoy!
By Saveur

Best Brownies

Rating: Unrated
10285
These brownies always turn out!
By Angie

Slow Cooker Texas Pulled Pork

Rating: Unrated
2113
Slow cooked, Texas-style pulled pork that is served on a buttered and toasted roll. My family's favorite.
By cmccreight

Juiciest Hamburgers Ever

Rating: Unrated
874
No more dry, lackluster burgers. These are juicy, and spices can be easily added or changed to suit anyone's taste. Baste frequently with your favorite barbeque sauce. If you find the meat mixture too mushy, just add more bread crumbs until it forms patties that hold their shape.
By Jane

Grilled Salmon I

Rating: Unrated
3754
A simple soy sauce and brown sugar marinade, with hints of lemon and garlic, are the perfect salty-sweet complement to rich salmon fillets. Even my 9 year old loves this recipe!
By tinamenina

Boilermaker Tailgate Chili

Rating: Unrated
5418
This is the chili recipe the gang eats at Purdue Boilermaker football games. I always prep and cook the chili the night before and then reheat the next day. This is a combination of many different tomato-based chili recipes. Good luck and enjoy.
By MIGHTYPURDUE22

Prize Winning Baby Back Ribs

Rating: Unrated
596
A foolproof, simple recipe for the most tender, delectable ribs you've ever had. Follow the directions exactly, and success is guaranteed!
By BONNIE Q.

Slow Cooker Chili II

Rating: Unrated
714
The slow cooker is a great way to make chili. This beefy chili is packed with beans, veggies, and spice.
By Danelle

Cedar Planked Salmon

Rating: Unrated
590
This is a dish my brother prepared for me in Seattle. It is by far the best salmon I've ever eaten. I like to serve it with an Asian-inspired rice and roasted asparagus.
By Wendy Freeman-More

Inspiration and Ideas

Wazzu Tailgate Chili

Wazzu Tailgate Chili

"This is the best chili I've ever had. I made it for football Sunday and it was a huge hit—everyone loved it." – ydudziak
Tailgating Spicy Taco Cheese Ball

Tailgating Spicy Taco Cheese Ball

"I have made this three times now; A+! A hit every time!" – kdsmooshie
Chef John's Buffalo Wing Sauce

Chef John's Buffalo Wing Sauce

6 Awesome Cookoff-Winning Chilis

6 Awesome Cookoff-Winning Chilis

25 Favorite Chicken Wings for the Big Game

25 Favorite Chicken Wings for the Big Game

The Best Kansas City Recipes

The Best Kansas City Recipes

Grilled Rock Lobster Tails

Rating: Unrated
358

Grilled rock lobster tails lightly seasoned with lemon and garlic. Ready in no time at all, and oh so delicious!

More Tailgating Recipes

Texas Sheet Cake V

Rating: Unrated
618
I have made this recipe for years. My children always chose it for their birthday cake over any other, and it makes enough for a crowd. Moist and delicious. Very easy to make. Enjoy!
By Carolyn Herbert

Homestyle Potato Chips

Rating: Unrated
174
Making homestyle potato chips is fun and easy. Guaranteed they won't last long! A food processor with a slicing attachment is very helpful. Experiment with the thickness; you may like them thicker or thinner. I like to use olive oil because it has less trans fats, but you can use safflower, corn, or peanut oil as well as vegetable oil.
By ALMALOU

Chicken Wing Dip

Rating: Unrated
669
This tastes just like hot chicken wings, but without the mess. It is very addicting, and is perfect for football and tailgating season. Serve with tortilla chips. I take this whenever I have to bring a dish and am always asked for the recipe.
By ASCBRADY

Delicious Raspberry Oatmeal Cookie Bars

Rating: Unrated
1495
One of my favorite cookie bar recipes.
By MARBALET

White Texas Sheet Cake

Rating: Unrated
349
This cake is good to make a day ahead, and is very popular at pot-lucks.
By Diane Kester

Seven Layer Bars

Rating: Unrated
466
Easy to make, and very rich. Can use different kinds of chips (vanilla or peanut butter) to suit your taste.
By P. Tindall

Slider-Style Mini Burgers

Rating: Unrated
771
These remind me of my favorite fast food restaurant's little burgers! Perfect appetizer to bring to a party!
By Minnesota_Girl

Sweet Restaurant Slaw

Rating: Unrated
2420
This tastes just like the cole slaw served at popular fried chicken or fish restaurants. It's excellent with burgers or on top of BBQ'd pork sandwiches, too!!!
By Sandi Gregory Johnson

Outrageous Warm Chicken Nacho Dip

Rating: Unrated
620
This is my jazzed up version of classic queso dip taken to a heartier level, perfect for football games, tailgating or for taking along to pot lucks in a slow cooker! This is a serious crowd-pleaser that is served hot as a dip, spooned over crisp tortilla chips nacho-style, or rolled up in a warm flour tortilla! The heat can be turned up or down with the addition of jalapenos to taste.
By brightlightz

Crock Pot® Party Meatballs

Rating: Unrated
18
This is my most requested party recipe. People go crazy for these meatballs, and there is never a single one leftover at the end of a party or tailgate. The best part (aside from them being delicious) is that they are sooo easy to make!
By fabeveryday

Fried Mac and Cheese Balls

Rating: Unrated
63
A fun and easy recipe that the kids and guests will love! It's super cheesy and absolutely one of my faves. No need for spoons with this mac dish!!
By erinrhodes813

Baked Buffalo Chicken Dip

Rating: Unrated
217
You can't keep showing up at these Super Bowl parties with a bag of chips every year. So, if you're ready to go from snack scrub to appetizer all-star, then give this great baked dip a try.
By Chef John

Marinated Grilled Shrimp

Rating: Unrated
2509
A very simple and easy marinade that makes your shrimp so yummy you don't even need cocktail sauce! Don't let the cayenne pepper scare you, you don't even taste it. My 2 and 4 year-olds love it and eat more shrimp than their parents! It is also a big hit with company, and easy to prepare. I make this with frozen or fresh shrimp and use my indoor electric grill if the weather is not good for outside grilling. Try it with a salad, baked potato, and garlic bread. You will not be disappointed!!!
By BLONDIEPEREZ

Big Game Dip

Rating: Unrated
13
I make this every year for my Big Game parties and everyone raves over it. You can make it as spicy or as mild as you want.
By Brent Berkeypile

Slow Cooker Carolina BBQ

Rating: Unrated
454
Miss the tarheel tradition of a pig pickin'? Then find yourself a crock pot, a big pork shoulder, some cider vinegar and get cooking! While ground and crushed red pepper will provide the basic heat - go the extra mile and find some Texas Pete (or Trappey's) pepper sauce to bring the taste of Carolina to your kitchen.
By coolmonkshoes

Hearty Vegan Slow-Cooker Chili

Rating: Unrated
115
Makes 10-15 servings. This recipe can be adjusted according to your taste preferences, so you can leave out undesirable ingredients or add others that appeal to you (like mushrooms). I add ingredients just to bulk up the heartiness and color palate of the chili, but feel free to just use a few green peppers or same-colored zucchinis as you desire. By the end, you just want everything to be hearty, moist, and flavored -- mess around with it as you go! I would say to serve it with shredded cheese and corn chips, but then it's no longer 'vegan.' : )
By Grete

Baked Chicken Parmesan Dip

Rating: Unrated
12
I love chicken Parmesan, and I love hot, baked dips, so it was only a matter of time before I did a hot chicken Parmesan dip. I would make this again even if it were hard to do, but luckily it's super easy. Unlike actual chicken Parmesan where that crispy breading gets soggy super fast, this goes over crunchy toast so the textural experience is probably even better. Serve hot, warm, or room temperature, with lots of crispy crostini.
By Chef John

Baked Hawaiian Sandwiches

Rating: Unrated
139
These sandwiches are quick, easy, and always a hit. They can be served at receptions, baby showers, Bible studies, or tailgate parties! I have made large quantities and they have always turned out. Sandwiches can be made up in advance and stored in refrigerator until ready to bake. Try them and enjoy!
By CBLEWETT

Wisconsin Bratwurst

Rating: Unrated
369
This is the only way to cook bratwurst in Wisconsin. The brats are incredibly tasty! If you can get fresh bratwurst from a sausage shop, do it... it is worth the extra cost. Serve with brown mustard on substantial hoagie rolls, never on hot dog buns. Mustard is important and must always be stone ground. Add warm sauerkraut and ketchup, if you like. Chow down! Think about those Wisconsin summers! Listen to some polka!
By Bob Cody

Awesome Crispy Baked Chicken Wings

Rating: Unrated
186
Incredibly tasty variation of baked chicken wings with no marinade - just butter, garlic, and herbs. Great for the low-carb eater!
By MARKANDANGIE

Slow Cooker Beer Pulled Pork

Rating: Unrated
203
My way of making pulled pork is simple: slow cooker, 1 can of beer, a 5 to 6 pound pork butt, seasonings, and a bottle of barbecue sauce. My beer choice is Shiner Bock®. My seasoning choices are salt, pepper, onion powder, and garlic powder. My barbecue sauce choice is Sweet Baby Ray's®. Just put it in a slow cooker before you go to bed and when you wake up the magic has happened. See for yourself. This recipe is perfect for a party, and you can even prepare 2 and feed around 30 people. Serve on onion or hamburger buns.
By Paula Todora (Paula T)

Chinese Pork Chops

Rating: Unrated
259
This is a great and easy way to add flavor to pork chops, and it is always a hit at family gatherings. Just take a few minutes to make the marinade and let it sit for several hours. If cooking in the oven, set at 350 degrees F and cook for 30 minutes, or until done.
By Ben

Apple Squares

Rating: Unrated
1210
Apples, nuts and cinnamon make these bars delicious. They hardly last a day at my house!
By BarbiAnn

Southern-Style Egg Salad

Rating: Unrated
53
Southern egg salad, primarily used for sandwiches. Serve on fresh bread of your choice. My wife likes to make double-decker sandwiches (utilizing whole wheat bread for the center slice) with pimento cheese on the other half. Trim the edges and cut into 2 or 3 pieces. Great for tailgating.
By Walter R.
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