What’s the Best Super Bowl Dish? | America's Test Kitchen (2024)

What’s your favorite part of the Super Bowl? The halftime show? The commercials? Naturally, our favorite part here at ATK is the food.

But with so many choices, where to begin? Do you go for a grazing spread or serve up a full meal? We asked test cooks, food stylists, and other kitchen folks for their favorite dishes to make for the big game.

So whether you want to wow a crowd or are just looking for something tasty to tuck into while you root for your team, here are our some of our favorite Super Bowl dishes.

“I love to make these football sandwiches. Savory pastrami and kraut squished between pillowy dinner rolls spread with hot, buttery sauce? It’s a no-brainer.”—Ashley Moore, Food Stylist

“Sometimes it’s difficult to plan a huge feast for the Super Bowl so naturally this will lead to the always easy nachos. You can put whatever pantry item you want on them and they take no time at all. I especially like our Smoked Nachos from the The Outdoor Cook. This one’s for those that are not afraid to use their grill no matter the weather.” —José Maldonado, Test Cook

“I am a fan of simple taste when it comes to Super Bowl spreads. Manageable, efficient foods that I can eat while staring at the TV for four hours are best. The favorites that come to mind are Andrea Geary’s Dakgangjeong (Korean Fried Chicken Wings) and Matthew Fairman’s Lemon Pepper Wings. Round it out with the Everything Bagel Pigs in Blankets and you’re all set for the game.” —Ethan Rogers, Kitchen Facilities and Equipment Coordinator

“One of my favorites has to be the Buffalo Chicken Dip. It combines two of the most iconic sporting tailgate foods, plus it’s easy to eat (and share!) but you still get that punch of flavor. I personally like to add a dash of extra-spicy hot sauce to it to kick up the heat a bit. Everyone always loves it.” —David Yu, Test Cook

“I like to serve this warm, gooey artichoke dip at gatherings of all kinds, but especially the Super Bowl. All you need are a few pantry ingredients. And you can never go wrong with an onion dip. This one is special because it features these amazing caramelized onions.” —Ashley Moore, Food Stylist

“Cast Iron Baked Pepperoni Pizza Dip is my all-time favorite. I am all about dips and have been making this for the past three years now, per the request of my friends. It is a huge hit amongst both the adults and kiddos. Super-easy, with like nine ingredients. And I love that both the dip and the dip vessels (the pizza dough) are all in the same pan!” —Sam Block, Digital Test Cook

“I’m not sure if everyone would classify this as a Super Bowl dish but personally I make Ashley Moore’s Greek Layer Dip a TON for any kind of party that needs ‘dips’ that aren’t always super-heavy. It comes together in no time, holds forever, and only gets better as the vegetables marinate.” —Alli Berkey, Culinary Producer

“You can’t go wrong bringing any kind of a hot cheese dip to a party. My two go-to recipes from Cook's Country are the Buffalo Chicken Dip (it uses rotisserie chicken! Huzzah!) and the Spinach-Artichoke Dip. No football is ever huddled around as closely as these dips are at a party.” —Christie Morrison, Executive Editor, Video and Cooking School

“Chili! I know it is unimaginative, but it’s the dish that I associate with the big game. We have many good chili options, but my favorite is the Best Ground Beef Chili. Making homemade chili powder is the key—dried ancho chiles, chipotles, and paprika, along with a healthy dose of herbs and spices. I make a double or triple batch of chili powder and freeze it.” —Keith Dresser, Executive Food Editor

“My non-traditional favorite is Seattle-style Chicken Teriyaki. It’s a sweeter, charred version of teriyaki chicken, a signature Seattle dish (where I’m from). Weather permitting, I’m whipping out the grill for burgers and hotdogs, so this is the perfect time for Seattle teriyaki. The char you get from the grill of that marinade and glaze on the chicken is just unbeatable. It’s a great way to represent my team and hometown (even if they are not in the game!). Go Hawks!” —David Yu, Test Cook

“Being born and raised in New York, I have seen a lot of sausage and peppers as game-day fare. When I head to a stadium it’s usually the first thing I search for...accompanied by a fresh brew of course. Going to school in New Orleans and living there for 10 years, I have had my fair share of gumbo and red beans and rice on game day. They’re two dishes that a lot of people will put on in the morning and let simmer until Saints’ (New Orleans’ football team) game time. It’s an easy, communal thing.” –Jose Maldonado, Test Cook

“I love making Red Lentil Tacos. They’re nutritious, and the filling is an awesome substitute for a meat based taco filling—you can also use it for a nacho topping. The Honey-Walnut Shrimp (Hétáo Xiā 合桃蝦) from A Very Chinese Cookbook is also fantastic. I will be making it for this Super Bowl to switch things up (and to have a decadent bite while I watch Usher).” —Olivia Counter, Test Cook

“Katsu! This was a big staple for football potlucks for me growing up, it’s a pseudo-Japanese-American-Hawaiian dish that is so popular in Hawai’i they will sell party platters of it at the grocery store in the deli section (Foodland!), almost like a party pack of wings would be. You can make huge batches of it and serve it with rice, or order it from a Hawaiian drive-in like L&L’s. We have a delicious Tofu Katsu recipe from Amanda Luchtel.” —Matt Young, Video Producer