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Our Best Super Bowl Recipes

Wings, chili, guacamole and more: Here are all the recipes you need for the big game.

A platter filled with glazed ribs is surrounded by glasses of beer and open beer bottles.
Credit...Johnny Miller for The New York Times. Food Stylist: Simon Andrews.

Come Feb. 8 at 6:30 p.m. Eastern time, the New England Patriots will face off against the Seattle Seahawks in Santa Clara, Calif. And whether you’re a die-hard football fan or you’re just tuning in for the Bad Bunny concert, one thing is true: Super Bowl food can be just as exciting as the game itself. Need ideas for the big day? The 26 recipes below are just a few you can gather around — a mix of dishes you know well and hopefully a few new favorites.

An overhead image of a cast-iron skillet of spinach artichoke dip. There is a hand dipping a chip into the dip, and a bowl of tortilla chips in the bottom left corner.
Credit...Christopher Testani for The New York Times. Food Stylist: Monica Pierini.

Whether in a bread bowl or with some chips, do serve this cheesy, creamy dip — arguably the ultimate Super Bowl food — from Alison Roman. It may very well be the star of the party.

Recipe: Spinach Artichoke Dip

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A close-up, overhead shot of ham and cheese sliders on a piece of parchment paper over a wooden counter.
Credit...Christopher Testani for The New York Times. Food Stylist: Simon Andrews.

These sliders from Lidey Heuck are a crowd favorite, and they couldn’t be easier to prepare. They’re made with pull-apart Hawaiian sweet rolls, which get brushed on all sides with a buttery, seasoned glaze. You don’t need to take apart the individual rolls — simply slice through the whole package horizontally, layer with ham and cheese, and bake.

Recipe: Ham and Cheese Sliders

Dozens of oyster crackers that were garnished with dried dill and spices.
Credit...David Malosh for The New York Times. Food Stylist: Simon Andrews.

If you won’t have much time on the big day, these beloved Southern crackers from Sheela Prakash are a cinch to make ahead of time, and commenters say they can stay fresh for weeks in an airtight container. Coat some oyster crackers in dried spices, let them rest, then bake in a 250-degree oven to lock the flavors in — and resist the urge to eat them all before the game.

Recipe: Fire Crackers

A close-up shot of cheesy breadsticks cut into rectangular sticks with threads of melting cheese stretching between them. There is a small bowl of marinara in the top right corner.
Credit...Linda Xiao for The New York Times. Food Stylist: Sue Li.

Instead of ordering from Domino’s and risking a ludicrous wait time, make these cheesy breadsticks from Ali Slagle, cheese pull guaranteed. Store-bought pizza dough makes prep a breeze, and baking them in a metal pan creates wonderfully crispy edges. Serve immediately with marinara sauce, and experience bliss.

Recipe: Cheesy Breadsticks

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A skillet with a large chocolate chip cookie, studded with pretzels, potato chips, M&Ms and pieces of chocolate. It is cut into slices, and one slice has been taken out.
Credit...Rachel Vanni for The New York Times. Food Stylist: Samantha Seneviratne.

Whether your team wins or loses, you’re going to want dessert. Make Samantha Seneviratne’s kitchen sink skillet cookie and customize it with sprinkles in your favorite team’s colors.

Recipe: Kitchen Sink Skillet Cookie

An image of a bowl of chili with large chunks of beef, garnished with sour cream, chopped white onion, cilantro and diced avocado, served over rice. There is a fork to the right.
Credit...Kate Sears for The New York Times. Food Stylist: Hadas Smirnoff.

This chili from Kay Chun features large, tender pieces of beef chuck roast in a vinegary, spicy vindaloo-inspired sauce, and it’s a welcome reprieve from conventional ground-meat chilies. Toasting and blending your own spices to make chili paste is the key to this recipe, and is totally worth it. Top it with classic add-ons like sour cream and avocado, or whatever you like.

Recipe: Fiery Vindaloo Chili

An image of a plate of crispy tofu nuggets, with a small bowl of ketchup, on a teal background.
Credit...Armando Rafael for The New York Times. Food Stylist: Cyd Raftus McDowell.

Jenné Claiborne’s air-fried tofu nuggets are crispy, satisfying and, yes, meaty enough to satisfy those game-day cravings. The extra-firm tofu is brined in a flavorful marinade of pickle juice, garlic powder, tamari and smoked paprika, then coated in flour for that unmistakable crunch. If you don’t have an air fryer, you can also make these in the oven, and they’ll emerge just as crispy.

Recipe: Crispy Tofu Nuggets

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A black platter holding halved deviled eggs topped with a dusting of paprika and a couple of chives is photographed from the side.
Credit...Christopher Testani for The New York Times. Food Stylist: Simon Andrews.

The ultimate finger food, deviled eggs are welcome just about everywhere they go. This recipe, which Alex Witchel adapted from the “U.S.A. Cookbook” by Sheila Lukins, keeps it simple, with just mustard, mayo, Tabasco and paprika. (Add chives if you like.) Set out a tray and watch them disappear.

Recipe: Classic Deviled Eggs

Halved jalapeños stuffed with a cheesy filling and wrapped with strips of bacon sit on a light gray-blue plate.
Credit...Linda Xiao for The New York Times. Food Stylist: Monica Pierini.

Alexa Weibel made sure these poppers are as easy as can be. Halve the peppers, stuff them, wrap them in bacon and put them in the oven. That’s it! A tiny bit of lime zest in the cheesy filling adds verve to counter the rich bacon, but you can leave it out if you prefer.

Recipe: Jalapeño Poppers

A close-up shot of a light blue plate filled with golden-brown Brazilian cheese bread (pão de queijo), with a small bowl of red dipping sauce in the center.
Credit...David Malosh for The New York Times. Food Stylist: Simon Andrews.

These classic Brazilian treats have a chewy surprise inside, a mix of melted hard and semi-firm cheeses that are perfectly salty against the tapioca starch exterior. Make a double batch of this Kristina Felix recipe, and freeze some for future you.

Recipe: Pão de Queijo (Chewy Cheese Buns)

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A large Dutch oven holds a cornbread-topped chili, finished with baked Cheddar. To the right is a small bowl holding a serving that’s garnished with sour cream and sliced scallions.
Credit...Ryan Liebe for The New York Times. Food Stylist: Barrett Washburne.

Melissa Clark swaps out the meat for a hearty base of beans and vegetables in this comforting pie that melds chili and cornbread. Best of all, she finishes the cornbread with a heaping handful of Cheddar, for a one-pot meal that can easily feed a hungry (and nostalgic) crowd.

Recipe: Vegetarian Tamale Pie

A large white platter topped with glazed riblets is photographed from overhead.
Credit...Johnny Miller for The New York Times. Food Stylist: Simon Andrews.

“As a pairing, fruit preserves and fatty meats go way back,” Eric Kim writes in the story accompanying this recipe. And this recipe is no different, combining Concord grape jelly and baby back pork ribs, for tender meat under a shiny, grapy glaze that’s tempered by rice vinegar.

Recipe: Baby Back Ribs With Sweet and Sour Glaze

An overhead shot of a hand dipping a ridged potato chip into French onion dip, garnished with chives
Credit...Christopher Testani for The New York Times. Food Stylist: Simon Andrews.

Yes, dehydrated French onion dip from the foil packet — you know the one — is indisputably delicious, but have you tried Dan Pelosi’s version? He caramelizes onions from scratch, then mixes them with a deeply flavored sour cream base. Prep it ahead overnight, and let everyone gather around with crinkly potato chips. (Again, you know the ones.)

Recipe: French Onion Dip

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An overhead shot of a baking sheet filled with potato skins. Each one is topped with melted cheese, bacon, a dollop of sour cream and chopped scallions.
Credit...Ryan Liebe for The New York Times. Food Stylist: Barrett Washburne. Prop Stylist: Paige Hicks.

These are so serious, they’re baked twice! First, to tenderize the potatoes whole, then to crisp them as wedges. Use small bowls to serve your preferred toppings — bacon, sour cream, scallions, etc., etc. — and let everyone assemble their own. Seriously!

Recipe: Serious Potato Skins

Three bowls of chili, packed with beans and ground beef, and garnished with sour cream and shredded cheese, are photographed from overhead. To the top of the frame are a couple of small bowls holding sour cream and shredded cheese, and some lime wedges.
Credit...Armando Rafael for The New York Times. Food Stylist: Simon Andrews. Prop Stylist: Paige Hicks.

Pierre Franey’s five-star chili is ready in 35 minutes and great for a crowd, so you can maximize your time curled up on the couch. Just don’t spill it while celebrating a touchdown.

Recipe: Turkey Chili

A Bundt cake finished with a white glaze is photographed from overhead on a rimmed pink plate.
Credit...Yossy Arefi for The New York Times (Photography and Styling)

If you’re hosting a group that loves something sweet, this lemony glazed poundcake is just the thing. It comes from Otis Lee of Mr. Fofo’s Deli in Detroit. When Mr. Lee died from coronavirus complications in 2020, his son Keith inherited the recipe, for a cake that’s coated in a lemon glaze as soon as it’s out of the oven, and shared it with us. We’re so grateful. (Watch Keith make his father’s cake.)

Recipe: Otis Lee’s Detroit Famous Poundcake

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A white plate piled high with hot wings coated in a rich, dark red sauce, topped with sesame seeds and sliced scallions.
Credit...Christopher Testani for The New York Times. Food Stylist: Simon Andrews.

This recipe, which Melissa Clark adapted from the chef Rio Irie, is flavored with ginger, soy sauce, fish sauce and mirin, for a Japanese take on wings. The yuzu kosho and shimichi togarashi are truly special, but if you can’t find them, feel free to use the recommended swaps.

Recipe: Rio’s Spicy Chicken Wings

A wooden cutting board featuring six golden-brown biscuits with visible layers and flecks of pickles.
Credit...Armando Rafael for The New York Times. Food Stylist: Samantha Seneviratne.

Is there any phrase more pleasing to the ear than pickle biscuits? In addition to chopped pickles, Andy Baraghani’s recipe brilliantly incorporates pickle brine, whose acidity makes these crunchy-on-the-outside biscuits especially tender and ready to pair with barbecue and stews.

Recipe: Pickle Biscuits

A bowl filled with rice, meatballs and sliced scallions sitting on a dark blue background is photographed from overhead. A pair of metal chopsticks sit atop the bowl.
Credit...Julia Gartland for The New York Times. Food Stylist: Barrett Washburne.

These meatballs are incredible as the basis of a weeknight meal, but they’d also be so welcome on a Super Bowl spread, set out with toothpicks for a slightly retro but still super modern feel. Kay Chun flavors these meatballs with just a few key ingredients (scallions, garlic and soy sauce) to recall Korean barbecue and employs a genius trick: using Ritz crackers in place of bread crumbs to moisten and bind. Best of all, you can prep these well ahead of time and bake them off just before everyone shows up.

Recipe: Korean Barbecue-Style Meatballs

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A rimmed sheet pan is three-fourths of the way filled with tortilla chips, cheese, tomatoes and avocado. To the left, a large portion of the nachos is missing, already eaten.
Credit...Christopher Simpson for The New York Times. Food Stylist: Simon Andrews.

Nachos for true meat lovers, this recipe from Pati Jinich joins strips of beef sirloin, chorizo and bacon together as a topping for crisp tortilla chips (store-bought, or homemade if you’re feeling ambitious). It’s all topped with a melty cheese in a dish that echoes a popular style of taco filling.

Recipe: Bricklayer-Style Nachos

Chicken wings, coated in a red-orange sauce, are photographed overhead on a round white plate. On the right portion of the plate is a spent lemon wedge.
Credit...David Malosh for The New York Times. Food Stylist: Simon Andrews.

These wings have real culinary chops. Melissa Clark based this recipe’s clever technique on one found in Ben Mims’s “Air Fry Every Day,” which he in turn got from J. Kenji López-Alt. First air-fried, then tossed with a buttery, lemony, honeyed sauce while still hot, they absorb the sauce quickly and glaze themselves tidily.

Recipe: Air-Fryer Spicy Chicken Wings

An overhead shot of a blue baking dish filled with macaroni and cheese. A serving spoon has scooped out a portion.
Credit...Linda Xiao for The New York Times. Food Stylist: Monica Pierini.

Don’t boil your pasta ahead of time for this mac and cheese from Melissa Clark. Instead, let the milk in the sauce seep into the elbows, cooking them as the rest bakes. Use all Cheddar or a mix of cheeses: This is a great way to use up any odds and ends in the fridge after a party.

Recipe: Easy Baked Mac and Cheese

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A skillet filled with buffalo chicken dip sits next to a plate of celery and purple carrots, with a glass of beer in the upper left corner.
Credit...John Kernick for The New York Times. Food Stylist: Simon Andrews.

This Ali Slagle dip is a perfect home for a store-bought rotisserie chicken or just some leftover chicken. Tucked away amid four kinds of dairy and hot sauce, it’s a nice tender bite amid a lot of very good goo. The finest, in fact. Pair it with something bright and fresh like celery and carrots for a light counterpoint to this rich recipe, but potato and tortilla chips are very nice, too.

Recipe: Buffalo Chicken Dip

A black bowl filled with guacamole and surrounded by tortilla chips is photographed from overhead.
Credit...Linda Xiao for The New York Times. Food Stylist: Monica Pierini.

Please find me the person who can say no to guacamole. And this five-star one, which Florence Fabricant adapted from the chef Josefina Howard, is particularly excellent in its flavor and simplicity. Onion, chile, cilantro, tomato and the star, avocado, are folded together, and that’s it. It’s a small amount, perfect for just a couple of guests, but it’s also easy to double, triple or more.

Recipe: Guacamole

A round pizza dough on a wooden peel is topped with a spiral of red tomato sauce.
Credit...Christopher Testani for The New York Times. Food Stylist: Simon Andrews.

You could, of course, order pizza in advance of the big game, but you wouldn’t be alone. Not by a long shot. To avoid a potentially lengthy wait, why not take matters into your own hands? This pizza dough, from the Brooklyn restaurant Roberta’s, is easy to pull together. Just let it sit for a few hours, then top however you’d like and bake in a hot, hot oven.

Recipe: Roberta’s Pizza Dough

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A white bowl filled with a golden queso that’s been garnished with herbs is photographed from overhead. It’s surrounded by tortilla chips on a white platter.
Credit...Linda Xiao for The New York Times. Food Stylist: Monica Pierini.

Alexa Weibel knows the secret to a true Tex-Mex queso is just two ingredients: a processed American cheese, like wonderfully melty Velveeta, and some chile-laced tomatoes (a.k.a. Ro-tel). But from there? Add whatever you like, whether it’s spices or black beans and scallions, a little lime zest or some chipotles en adobo. The choice is all yours. And if anyone in your viewing party is avoiding dairy, this vegan version is sure to please.

Recipe: Queso

An oval white platter topped with shredded pork coated in a red sauce is photographed from overhead. To the left of the platter is a spoon coated in the red sauce.
Credit...Armando Rafael for The New York Times. Food Stylist: Maggie Ruggiero.

Sliders! Tacos! Rice bowls! You can do so much with Genevieve Ko’s easy, smoky pulled pork, built on guajillo and chipotle chiles. Prepare it ahead of time — days or even weeks in advance — and keep it in the fridge or freezer, ready to feed a crowd.

Recipe: Pulled Pork

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