9 best Super Bowl food ideas to make 2021 feel like a party

When it comes to this year’s Super Bowl, there’s a bit of a party pooper looming over the usual festivities: The pandemic. 

Gone are the days of seven layer spectaculars, where double dippers are a danger to society. Now, even if you’re watching the big game with family or your bubble, small, individual snacks will be the real winners of this game. 

Also, never underestimate the power of a hot dog, said Bruce Kraig, author of “Hot Dog: A Global History” and food historian. This one can appeal to all fans, regardless of whether or not their team is playing. Many supposedly regional dishes, such as barbecue, nachos and fried chicken, now make up America’s “national cuisine,” Kraig told The Post. 

So regardless of where you’re watching the game, or who you’re watching it with, these pandemic party-friendly recipes, courtesy of Delish.com and foodie TV and podcast host Kelly Senyei should keep things festive and tasty.

Buffalo Chicken Puff Pastry Bites

“Grab your muffin pan for an individual spin on Buffalo chicken dip starring rotisserie chicken tossed with Buffalo sauce, cream cheese and chives,” Senyi told The Post. “Fill each muffin pan cup with a puff pastry square, pile in the dip, and then bake until golden before garnishing with chives and a drizzle of Ranch or blue cheese dressing.”

All-purpose flour, for dusting work surface 
1 (17.3-oz.) package frozen puff pastry (2 sheets), thawed
2 cups diced store-bought rotisserie chicken
2 1/2 Tablespoons hot pepper sauce, or more to taste
3 oz. cream cheese, softened
1 Tablespoon chopped fresh chives, plus more for garnishing
3 Tablespoons blue cheese crumbles, for serving

Preheat the oven to 375°F. Lightly flour your work surface then unfold each of the puff pastry sheets. Cut each sheet into 9 squares. Add one square to each muffin tin cup, pressing it down in the center. (You will have six extra squares, which can be re-frozen or used in another recipe.)

In a medium bowl, mix together the chicken, hot pepper sauce, cream cheese and chives. Divide the chicken mixture equally among the puff pastry cups. Bake the cups until the puff pastry is golden brown and puffed, 18 to 22 minutes.

Remove the puff pastry cups from the oven and let them cool for 5 minutes before using a knife to loosen them around the edges. Garnish the cups with blue cheese crumbles and chives then serve. 

Guacamole Deviled Eggs

“Ditch the chips and the communal bowl-o-guac in favor of cool and creamy deviled eggs,” Senyei said. “Mash up the yolks with avocado, diced red onion, cilantro and plenty of fresh lime juice then pile the mixture inside the egg whites. Top off each bite-sized snack with crumbled cotija and a sprinkle of taco seasoning. “

6 large eggs
1 small avocado, peeled, pitted and diced
1 Tablespoon fresh lime juice 
2 Tablespoons mayonnaise
2 Tablespoons small diced red onion
1 Tablespoon chopped fresh cilantro
Crumbled cotija cheese, for garnishing
Taco seasoning, for garnishing

Add the eggs to a medium saucepot and fill it with enough water to cover the eggs by 1 inch. Set the saucepot over medium-high heat and bring the water to a boil. 

Once the water is boiling, cover the saucepot and turn off the heat. Let the eggs sit for 11 minutes then rinse them with cold water. Once the eggs are cooled, peel them then cut them in half lengthwise.

Add the yolks to a small bowl and set the halved egg whites aside. Add the avocado, lime juice and mayonnaise to the bowl with the yolks and mash to combine. Stir in the red onion and cilantro then taste and season the mixture with salt and pepper.

Arrange the halved egg whites on a plate. Spoon the avocado mixture into each egg white. Garnish with crumbled cotija cheese and a sprinkle of taco seasoning then serve.

Spicy Asian Chicken Wings

Wings did pandemic partying before it was cool. These naturally-individual bites do require some finger-licking, so just make sure you sing that “Happy Birthday” song at the sink before you dive into these bad boys. 

Recipe by Makinze Gore

⅔ cup extra-virgin olive oil
⅔ cup low-sodium soy sauce
½ cup honey
½ cup chili garlic sauce
Juice of 2 limes
8 cloves garlic, minced
2 tbsp. freshly minced ginger
4-pounds chicken wings

In a large bowl, whisk together oil, soy sauce, honey, chili garlic sauce, lime juice, garlic, and ginger. Set aside one cup of mixture. Add chicken wings to remaining marinade and toss to coat. Cover and refrigerate for 2 hours.

Preheat oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit. Remove wings from marinade and place on wire rack. Bake until golden and crispy, 50 to 60 minutes, flipping wings halfway through.

In a small saucepan over medium heat, bring mixture to a boil, then reduce heat and let simmer until thickened, 10 minutes.

Turn oven to broil. Brush sauce over wings and broil until caramelized, two to three minutes.

Kansas City Style Barbecue Sauce

Got some Chiefs fans in the house? Whip up an alternative sauce for those wings, or for some individually-served ribs. 

Recipe by Alyssa Rosello

1 ½ cup ketchup
1 cup packed brown sugar
½ cup water
¼ cup apple cider vinegar
1 tbsp. Worcestershire sauce
1 tbsp. molasses
1 tsp. kosher salt
½ tsp. garlic powder
½ tsp. onion powder
¼ tsp. ground mustard
¼ tsp. smoked paprika

In a medium saucepan over medium-high heat, whisk all ingredients until combined. Bring mixture to a boil, then reduce heat and let simmer, stirring occasionally, until thick, about 45 minutes. Let cool to room temperature and store refrigerated in an airtight container, or use immediately for wings, sandwiches or ribs. Makes about 3 cups.

Chili Cheese Dip

“Beef was always the prized meat,” Kraig says of the Midwest. “It’s the cattle center.” And that’s why a hearty chili cheese dip ticks all the boxes for a Kansas-inspired snack. On the other hand, a queso dip featuring a sweet and spicy garnish of elote — that’s Mexican “street corn” — is a tasty nod to the taquerias of San Francisco’s Mission District. This year, put your dips into small ramekins for easy-grabbing and individual munching. 

Recipe by June Xie

For dip:
1 tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil
¼ cup small red onion, finely chopped, plus more for garnish
2 tbsp. jalapeño, minced, plus more for garnish
1 tsp. chili powder
½ tsp. kosher salt
½ tsp. freshly ground black pepper
15-oz. can chili or 1 ½ cups homemade chili
8-oz. block cream cheese, cubed
2 ¼ cups shredded cheddar

For garnish:
Minced jalapeño
Finely chopped red onion
Diced tomatoes
Tortilla chips, for serving

In a medium skillet over medium heat, heat oil. Add onion and jalapeño and cook until deeply golden, 7 minutes. Stir in chili powder and cook until fragrant, 1 minute more, then season with salt and pepper. Pour in prepared chili and bring to a low simmer. Stir in cream cheese until combined, then add cheddar and stir until melted. Remove from heat. Garnish with more jalapeño, red onion and tomatoes, and serve warm with tortilla chips.

Instant Pot Street Corn Queso

Recipe by Lena Abraham

For dip:
2 tbsp. unsalted butter
1 clove garlic, minced
¼ tsp. cayenne
2 tbsp. all-purpose flour
2 cups whole milk
4 cups shredded cheddar
2 cups shredded Monterrey Jack cheese
Kosher salt
Tortilla chips, for serving

For garnish:
2 tsp. vegetable oil
¼ cup frozen corn, rinsed and drained
¼ cup crumbled queso fresco
¼ cup white onion, chopped
½ jalapeño, thinly sliced into rounds
Cilantro leaves, for garnish
Chili powder, for garnish

Set Instant Pot to saute and heat vegetable oil. Add corn and cook, stirring occasionally, until corn begins to char, four to six minutes. Remove corn from Instant Pot and set aside in a bowl.

Melt butter in pot. Add garlic and cayenne and cook until fragrant, about one minute. Add flour and whisk until smooth, then cook one to two minutes until flour is no longer raw.

Add milk and bring up to a simmer. Cook, stirring occasionally, until milk has thickened slightly, two to three minutes more. Add cheeses and whisk until smooth and completely melted. Switch Instant Pot to “Keep Warm” and cover until ready to serve.

When ready to serve, give queso a final stir and season with salt if needed. Top with charred corn, queso fresco, onion, jalapeño and cilantro. Garnish, if you like, with a pinch of chili powder. Serve with tortilla chips.

Chili Garlic Baked Sweet Potato Chips

Can’t have a party without chips — even if that means transferring your chip bowl to smaller, one-person bowls. 

Recipe by Lauren Miyashiro

2 medium sweet potatoes, thinly sliced
1 tbsp. vegetable oil
1 tbsp. cornstarch
1 tbsp. chili powder
2 tsp. smoked paprika
1 tsp. garlic powder
1 tsp. mustard powder
2 tsp. kosher salt
½ tsp. freshly ground pepper
2 green onions, finely sliced
⅔ cup sour cream

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Place two wire racks on two large rimmed baking sheets. Toss sweet potatoes in oil until evenly coated.

In a separate large bowl, whisk together cornstarch, spices, salt and pepper. Add sweet potatoes and toss until evenly coated in spice mixture.

Place sweet potatoes on wire racks in a single layer. Bake for 25 to 35 minutes, until crisp and dry. (They’ll continue to crisp as they cool.)

While the sweet potatoes cool, fold green onions into sour cream and serve with chips.

Churro Chips

Recipe by Makinze Gore

6 medium flour tortillas
4 tbsp. melted butter
1 cup granulated sugar
1 ½ tbsp. cinnamon

Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Cut each tortilla into 8 triangles. Toss tortilla pieces in butter, making sure both sides are coated. In a medium bowl, whisk to combine cinnamon and sugar. Toss tortillas in cinnamon sugar until fully coated. Place on a large baking sheet in a single layer. Bake until crispy, eight to 10 minutes. Let cool on pan five minutes before serving.

Fireball Sangria

Napa, Calif., no longer has a lock on wines — the Kansas City area is now home to a number of wineries.

But no matter where you get your red, this syrupy, cinnamon-heavy Fireball currently ranks as one of America’s favorite whiskeys.

Recipe by Candace Braun Davison

1 Granny Smith apple, diced
1 orange, chopped
1 blood orange, chopped
⅓ cup Fireball whiskey
¾ cup apple juice
1 (750-ml) bottle red wine

Soak apples and oranges in Fireball for at least 20 minutes. Pour fruit and whiskey into a large pitcher, along with apple juice and wine. Chill in the refrigerator for at least 30 minutes before serving.