Fun Ideas for Game Day Salsas and Dips

Chips and dip are essential party staples, especially on game day. Replace your old jar of salsa with one of these simple yet delicious party dips. It doesn’t matter which team you support as long as you have food on the table, correct? While there are numerous foods you may prepare for Game Day, I believe that dips would be required. Nothing beats watching a game while dunking chips or vegetables in a great dip! 

Chips and salsa are the perfect, traditional pairing for sporting events. Invite your friends to gather around the coffee table to watch the game while snacking on freshly prepared salsa. Forget consuming the canned varieties on the supermarket shelves; they are frequently loaded with preservatives and excessive sodium. 

Prepare this salsa, it is made with fresh tomatoes, buttery avocados, spicy cilantro, and a pinch of salt. Serve with crudités or corn tortilla chips as the best gluten-free appetizer for a sporting event.

 A person dipping chip on a salsa

Game Day Salsa

Ingredients 
  • 4 big heirloom tomatoes, chopped
  • 1 ripe avocado, peeled, seeded, and cubed 3 finely chopped scallions
  • 1 teaspoon balsamic vinegar
  • 1/4 cup coarsely chopped fresh cilantro
  • 1/4 teaspoon sea salt
  • 1/4 teaspoon pepper freshly ground
  1. In a food processor, add all ingredients; pulse at low speed for 30 seconds, or until salsa is thoroughly incorporated.
  2. Remove salsa from the food processor and place in a bowl for serving.
  3. Serve with gluten-free crackers, crudités, or tortilla chips.

Ideas for Delicious Game Day Dips

Lasagna Dip with Pasta Chips

Lasagna in dip form is quite delicious, especially when served with freshly fried spaghetti chips. This meaty, cheesy appetizer will be a hit at any gathering, believe us.

Roasted Cauliflower with Onion in a Creamy Sauce

This cheesy, flavorful, and so-snackable Roasted Cauliflower and Onion Dip is the perfect addition to your next party’s table. This vegetarian dip is simple to prepare, but packs a flavorful punch. It was inspired by a popular frozen treat from Trader Joe’s.

Miso Ranch Sauce

This dip is about to become your go-to for parties. It is simple to prepare and can be served with any type of vegetable (we particularly like it with carrots, radishes, and cucumbers). Avoid pureeing the chives and pepper, since they may darken the sauce. Use leftover dip as a spread for pulled pork, hamburgers, and other sandwiches, or thin it out with water or an additional two tablespoons of buttermilk to dress lettuces.

Guacamole and its related foods

The volatile oil of the vegetables is released and the flavors of ripe avocado, tomato, white onion, serrano chili peppers, and coriander are distributed more evenly when guacamole is ground in a molcajete, the Mexican pestle and mortar made of lava stone. According to Mexican cuisine expert Diane Kennedy, lime should be omitted or added sparingly, although Martha Ortiz of Dulce Patria in Mexico City and Ella Canta in London recommend soaking the onion in lime juice for 30 minutes. The coriander imparts a wonderful dark green hue to the guacamole. Guasacaca is the Venezuelan version of guacamole with the addition of vinegar and parsley. It is served as a dip with fried plantain and yuca, and can also be drizzled over empanadas. Peruvian guacamole is known as salsa de palta and is comprised of aji rocoto paste, lime juice, and fried cassava.

 Nachos near a bowl of guacamole

Skordalia

Depending on the location, skordalia is made with either potato, for a smoother texture, or bread with a grainier finish, and is topped with nuts: walnut, almond, or chestnut. Sometimes, an egg is beaten into the skordalia to make the meal more flavorful. As with the majority of dips, it is best made with a pestle and mortar for a smoother consistency: pound mashed potatoes with olive oil, vinegar, raw garlic, lemon juice, and almonds. A dip typically served at room temperature for raw vegetables. When chilled, pita bread served warm is the superior companion.

Romesco

A classic Catalan dip is a thick, viscous romesco made with roasted red peppers, toasted almonds, garlic, olive oil, and smoked paprika-dusted bread. Purchased romesco is insufficient. The dip intensifies the smokiness of the charred calcots. In the onion family, calcots are midway between a leek and a spring onion and are usually consumed at calcotadas. During these Catalan winter barbecues, calcots are charred on grills before being served with bowls of romesco. Dipped shrimp or grilled bread is also excellent with romesco sauce.

Jalapeño Popper Dip

This 30-minute variation on jalapeño poppers is warm, cheesy, and smokey! The dip is not particularly spicy, but you can add additional jalapeños if you prefer a kick.

Simple Buffalo Chicken Sauce

This buffalo chicken dip dish is guaranteed to be a success, so stock up on potato chips, carrot sticks, and celery. It is stuffed with buffalo chicken and blue cheese and is delicious and spicy.

Cheeseburger Dip

Everything you love about a cheeseburger, including ground beef, cheese, and toppings, in a scoopable, crowd-pleasing dip. It also features a sprinkle of unique sauce on top.

Slow Cooker White Cheese Sauce

Spicy, cheesy, and very delectable, this Slow Cooker Queso Blanco is the perfect dish for your next party! With only a handful of ingredients, you can create your new favorite dip!

A dish featuring my favorite ingredient, cream cheese, and bursting with real, spicy flavor. Obviously, it pairs well with chips, but I encourage you to look “outside the bag” and “within the box” for other fantastic dipping partners.

If you serve this savory and cheesy Slow Cooker Queso Blanco at your next party, your guests will congregate in one area…

Perhaps you should double the recipe because, believe me, this dip will go. Feed the masses.

French Onion Spread

Transform a soup into a dip, and you have instant admirers! Hot dips are very warming and cozy! This French onion dip is delicious and creamy, with caramelized onions! They are certain to sell out rapidly!

A tray of chips with dip.

Bacon and Cheese Dip

Simple party dip suggestions are usually a hit! The dip is prepared by combining cream cheese, sour cream, bacon, chives, cheddar cheese, garlic powder, onion powder, and parsley.

Strawberry Fruit Dip

Strawberry fluff pairs well with fresh fruit such as apples, raspberries, pineapple, and bananas. This sweet dip is featured in the category of cold dips.

Strawberry cream cheese, cool whip, and marshmallow crème compose this dessert. Heavenly sweet!

BBQ Chicken Pizza Dip

No matter what party dip ideas you contemplate, this one conjures up thoughts of addiction! One dish. Make ahead. Bake. Hot dips always triumph! What’s not to love about a chicken, BBQ sauce, numerous spices, cheese, and vegetable concoction?

Chicken Enchilada Dip

Turning entrees into game day dips appears to be a common trend! Here are the delectable Mexican tastes of enchiladas we seek! This dip is comprised of chicken, enchilada sauce, black beans, corn, taco spice, cheese, and cilantro.

To summarize

Finger foods are the best thing to serve at parties. The only thing worse than a party with no snacks is a party where you have to put down your cup of touchdown punch, pick up a plate, and move around the table as carefully as possible to avoid awkward elbow bumps. Dips are easy to make, and the only thing you have to worry about when it comes to serving is which tortilla chip to use. Dips that are fun to eat are also great party favor.