There’s going to be football on from noon until the turkey is carved and I’m not eating three games’ worth on an empty stomach. So there are bound to be snacks, just not enough to spoil people’s appetites for dinner.
No cooking needed
Dips, salsas, boards and fruit that are assembled cold.
Spicy Guacamole
This easy recipe for guacamole is made with ripe avocados, jalapeño, lime and salt. I like mine a little chunky. Tips: Make guacamole just before serving and cover with plastic wrap pressed to the surface to prevent browning. Serve with chips and vegetables.
Cowboy Caviar
Black beans, corn, black-eyed peas and peppers tossed with tangy dressing is a dip and salad all in one. The beans give it plenty of plant protein and fiber. It holds up on the counter for up to 2 hours, then goes back in the fridge.
Mango Pico de Gallo
Pico de gallo is the classic mix of tomato, onion, cilantro, jalapeño and lime, but this version has diced mango mixed in for a sweet-spicy flavor. Tips: It’s a nice change of pace from all the heavy, cheesy snacks. Try it with chips or spooned over carne asada fries. Make up to 1 hour ahead. It’s sure to liven up your snack spread.
7-Layer Dip
Layer refried beans, sour cream or Greek yogurt, guacamole, salsa, shredded cheese, sliced olives and chopped green onions in a serving dish and each dip will have a taste of everything. Tips: This seven layer dip recipe can be made ahead of time. Use sturdy chips for dipping.
Black and Gold Snack Board
Pick your team’s colors and make a charcuterie board to match. This black and gold tailgate charcuterie board is piled with black olives, blackberries, cubed cheddar, pretzels and yellow pepper strips. Tips: Make it even more filling with additions like salami and cheese.
Football Fruit Tray
Turn a watermelon into a football and you’ll have an instant Thanksgiving centerpiece. Fill the space around it with grapes, pineapple and berries. Tips: Between all the fried snacks, people will be happy to have some fresh fruit to munch on. Offer a Greek yogurt dip alongside for added protein.
Baked in the oven
BBQ Chicken Flatbread
Combine shredded chicken, mozzarella, barbecue sauce and diced red onion on store-bought flatbread and pop in the oven for a pizza-like snack that’s ready in about 10 minutes. Tips: The protein-packed chicken makes this more filling than pizza. Slice into squares and serve. Garnish with fresh cilantro, if desired. Season with salt right after baking.
Buffalo Wings
Make-ahead Buffalo chicken wings get extra-crispy when baked on a rack at high heat, and tossed with buffalo wing sauce when done. Tips: Serve with celery and a Greek yogurt-based blue cheese dip. Figure on about 6 chicken wings per person.
Bacon Cheese Fries
Crispy fries topped with crumbled bacon and melted cheddar cheese bake up with big flavor in one easy sheet pan recipe. Tips: Add extra protein by serving these bacon cheddar baked fries with a Greek yogurt-based ranch dip.
Pigs in a Blanket
Pigs in a blanket are a Thanksgiving appetizer you can count on: They’re easy, ready in about 15 minutes and always popular. Tips: Make with mini sausages and crescent roll dough. Brush with egg wash before baking and sprinkle with everything bagel seasoning. Offer mustard for dipping.
Homemade Tortilla Chips
Crispy, salty and sturdier than tortilla chips from the bag, these baked tortilla chips are great with thick dips. Tips: Cut corn tortillas into wedges, brush with oil and bake until crispy. You may want to double the recipe, as these disappear quickly!
BBQ Chicken Drumsticks
An easy, protein-packed Thanksgiving appetizer, chicken drumsticks are hand-friendly, inexpensive and fun. Tips: Grill or bake chicken drumsticks and glaze with your favorite barbecue sauce toward the end of cooking. Chicken drumsticks are a little neater than chicken wings. Make a big platter, as these go quickly!
The safe minimum internal temperature for poultry (including wings and drumsticks) as set by the USDA FSIS is 165°F.
Loaded Nachos
Crispy tortilla chips are layered with seasoned ground beef, beans, cheese and sliced jalapeño peppers, then baked until bubbly. Distribute toppings evenly over the nachos so each serving has a bit of everything. These are my most requested Thanksgiving appetizer! Tips: These loaded nachos are even better with toppings like sour cream and pico de gallo sprinkled over after baking.
Turkey Cranberry Sliders
For a Thanksgiving twist, make sliders on Hawaiian rolls with sliced turkey, Swiss cheese and cranberry sauce. Brush Hawaiian rolls with butter and bake with Swiss cheese, leftover turkey and cranberry sauce until bubbly and melty. Tips: Cranberry turkey sliders are a fun Thanksgiving appetizer for leftover turkey Friday. Make a batch to have ready for any late-arriving Thanksgiving football fans!
Made on the griddle or stovetop
Queso Blanco Dip
Make restaurant-style white queso at home. The creamy, mild flavor of White American cheese makes a smooth white queso dip when melted with a splash of milk and green chiles. Tips: Stir in crumbled cooked chorizo sausage for a heartier white queso dip.
Smash Burger Sliders
Quick and easy Thanksgiving appetizer smash cheeseburgers cook up fast on a screaming hot griddle. Tips: Add pickles and cheese to extra-thin beef patties and serve on small slider buns. One pound of ground beef will yield about 8 smash cheeseburgers. Have these ready to go just before kickoff.
Carne Asada Fries
Carne asada fries are like a meal in themselves, as crispy fries are piled with grilled steak, cheese, guacamole and pico de gallo. Tips: Cut steak into thin slices, as skirt steak works well, and grill in a screaming-hot skillet. These will get messy, so plan on serving with forks.
Pizza Pockets
Use a pie iron to make pizza pockets stuffed with turkey pepperoni, part-skim mozzarella cheese and sauce. Tips: Pizza pockets are fun for kids to make. For lighter pizzas, try turkey pepperoni and part-skim mozzarella. Halve them to make serving sizes more manageable.
Slow cooker and long cooks
Chili Cheese Dip
This easy-to-make chili cheese dip has just 3 layers: cream cheese, chili and cheddar cheese. Tips: Chili cheese dip comes together in about 5 minutes. Chili plus cheese means chili cheese dip is a filling snack for between quarters. Keep chili cheese dip hot in a small slow cooker.
Baby Back Ribs
Cooked low and slow for hours, tender, juicy, fall-off-the-bone ribs are the ultimate hand-friendly football food. Tips: Rub ribs with a spice mixture the night before and bake ribs for about 3 hours. Cut baked ribs between the bones for individual rib fingers and offer additional barbecue sauce for dipping.
Pulled Pork Slider Bar
Piled on slider buns and served with fixings like barbecue sauce, pickles and slaw, pulled pork lets folks build their own sandwich. Tips: Cooked down low and slow until fall-apart tender, pulled pork is made from inexpensive cuts like pork shoulder and feeds a lot of hungry football fans. Make the pulled pork the day before and keep it warm in the slow cooker.
