15 Game Day Snacks You Need To Make for March Madness
Cyd Converse
We make no secret of our love for a good spread of game day snacks around here. You could even say we're fanatical about game day snacks.
Come March, few things get my friends and I more riled up more than heckling each other over our highly competitive bracket pool.
Our group text thread becomes a mashup of who is winning, whose bracket got busted and which Cinderella story has ruined our chances for glory.
While it's true that we're mostly passionate about March Madness for the bragging rights, we're also very very into the food.
From Selection Sunday through the Final Four, we cook and we bake and we fry up a feast every weekend as we assemble to watch the upsets unfold.
By Monday or Tuesday we're comparing recipe ideas and by Friday and Saturday we're putting out a spread of game day snacks fit for actual royalty.
And isn't that the best part about sports competitions? It's the heckling, the laughter, the camraderie...and the food!
As we gear up for another exciting weekend of basketball, here are 15 game day snacks you need to make before the sun sets on March Madness.
Need more ideas? Here are some additional recipes you can make for basketball season.
1. Pretzel Dogs Recipe
As it turns out, hot dogs wrapped in buttery, soft pretzel dough and sprinkled with coarse salt may just be the easiest game day snack you'll ever make. I'll take bets that they are also the first to disappear off the snack table, too! Serve them with ketchup and mustard for dipping and your friends will be singing your praises even as they rip on the disastrous state of your bracket.
2. Mexican Sweet Potato Fries Recipe
Homemade fries are a requisite game day snack and I'm crazy about these Mexican sweet potato fries! Sweet potatoes are sliced into thin fries then tossed with olive oil and taco seasoning. Served with a side of cilantro avocado dipping sauce that you can quickly make in the food processor, these fries take game day snacking to a delicious new level.
3. Oven Fried Pickles Recipe
I love a good fried pickle, but I love these ones even more because they aren't actually fried - they're baked in the oven! Dredged in panko bread crumbs they come out just as crispy as if they were fried, but with much less work and none of the messy clean up. Serve them with sriracha ketchup for maximum effect. Your friends will love them!
4. Texas Caviar Recipe
Texas caviar has been making the rounds since way back in the 1940s, but it tastes as fresh today as it did back then. Made with beans, peppers, chiles, onion and garlic, the flavors come to life once tossed with the homemade dressing packed with fresh herbs and lemon. Serve your Texas caviar with your favorite tortilla chips or use it to top burgers. Either way, don't plan on leftovers.
5. Baked Goat Cheese with Harissa Recipe
My friends and I like to serve at least one game day appetizer that's a little bit elevated and unexpected. My pick for March Madness is this tangy and creamy baked goat cheese and harissa dip! Harissa is warm and lightly spicy, but when paired with the tangy goat cheese, tomatoes and fresh herbs, it is a culinary sensation. Toss chopped baguette or sliced pita on the side for an appetizer you'll want to write home about.
6. Guacamole Wontons Recipe
Let's get something out of the way right now. I am never going to talk about game day snacks and not talk about these guacamole wontons. They have become my forever favorite to serve or bring to a friend's house when watching the game. Crispy, salty wonton wrappers are fried around delicious pillows of creamy homemade guacamole. That's it. That's all I need to say. Make these for your friends and change your life!
7. Grilled Beef Skewers with Jalapeño Avocado Dipping Sauce
The meat lovers in your crowd will go wild for these grilled beef skewers! The beef is first drenched in a cilantro lime marinade then served with a jalapeño avocado dipping sauce that is truly out of this world. Serving them on the skewers makes them perfect for easy game day snacking. If you're not into beef, give chicken a try! Either way the platter will be wiped clean in minutes.
8. Sweet and Spicy Sausage Subs Recipe
These sausage subs are not your average sausage served in a hoagie roll. No, these are special. Special enough for game day! Smoked sausage is topped with pineapple cubes, cool cucumbers and fresh jalapeño for a sweet and spicy combination that will knock more than one pair of socks off. With a sriracha ranch drizzled over top, each bite is a bit of sweet, a bit of spice, and a bit of smoke. You have to try them!
9. Sheet Pan Chicken Nachos Recipe
We can't talk about game day snacks without mention of nachos and these sheet pan chicken nachos are my pick. Grab a rotisserie chicken and they're even easier to make! Toss everything on a sheet pan, pop in the oven until golden and melted and you've got a mass quantity of snacking material all prepared on a single sheet pan. Don't forget the toppings on the side!
10. Buffalo Chicken Pizza Recipe
This Buffalo chicken pizza with blue cheese avocado dressing is the blockbuster mash up of two of your favorite snack foods in one - pizza and wings! With fried Buffalo chicken bites made with homemade Buffalo sauce and a flavorful blue cheese avocado dressing, this pizza is perfect for all of your March Madness festivities. Let the best bracket win!
11. Peanut Butter Brownies Recipe
Every game day fiesta needs a little something sweet on the game day menu and you'll be hard pressed to find a sports fan in sight that doesn't love a good peanut butter and chocolate combo. Fudge brownies are stuffed with peanut butter cups and topped with swirls of peanut butter, satisfying that, "Should we have a dessert?" question that always seems to come up.
12. Moscato Sangria Recipe
Is sangria a snack? I'm not really here to debate that one, I'm just here to suggest that you make this refreshing and crowd-pleasing moscato sangria if serving up a signature cocktail during your game day party is your vibe. (For the record, it's absolutely my vibe.) Made with wine and orange liqueur, this sangria is packed with raspberries, starfruit and citrus. It's fizzy, fruity and delicious!
13. Beet Hummus Recipe
Add something fresh and colorful to your snack spread (it is spring after all) with our insanely tasty beet hummus recipe! Roasted beets and garlic come together as the star of the game. We love this hummus served with loads of fresh veggies like cucumbers, carrots and radishes, but it's also delicious with pita or garlic bread. Don't let the beets scare you - you'll love this hummus!
14. Toaster Oven Chex Mix Recipe
Everyone loves a good snack mix when they're watching a game...or nervously pacing the room hoping their bracket doesn't get smashed to bits with one missed foul shot. This classic Chex mix recipe is so easy to make and you can even make it in the toaster oven! Late night snacking during March Madness has never tasted better.
15. Pesto Chicken Pull Apart Sliders Recipe
I've said it before and I'll say it again - the grocery store rotisserie chicken is your best friend! Pop off and grab a rotisserie chicken then get yourself home to whip up these pesto chicken pull apart sliders before tip off. These chicken sliders get cleaned up every single time I make them and it's easy to understand why. They are super delicious and the small size makes it easy to eat two or even three!
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