It’s Wild card weekend, here are 14 regional recipes for each matchup. What better way to enjoy a weekend of football than with the regional dishes of each fan base!
The NFL playoffs are upon us, and the stakes (and appetites) are higher than ever! Wild card Weekend always delivers memorable matchups. We decided to fuel your adrenaline and watching parties by providing regional recipes for each game to match the on-field battles and magnify your enjoyment! So grab your jerseys, fire up the grills and ovens, and get ready to tackle these epic eats for each Wild Card showdown!
We may not be able to attend the games in person, but no worries! Why? Have you seen the forecast for Kansas City and Buffalo? In addition to watching each game in the comfort of your home, we are bringing the best football food right to your kitchen with these 14 delicious recipes from each Wild Card matchup city.
More than just rooting for your favorite team, this weekend is a chance to discover hidden gems and crown the champion of football food! So, whether you’re glued to the screen or just looking for a tasty adventure, try out these recipes and let us know which city takes home the gold (or rather, the plate!). So, there is no need to call an audible – just grab a spatula and get cooking! We can’t wait to hear about your favorite bites.
Super Wild Card Weekend:
Saturday’s Games;
Recipes for Browns vs Texans
This game recipe face off involves kielbasa and fajitas
- Cleveland: Get ready to embrace this city’s Polish heritage with a Polish Boy sandwich. This sandwich takes a Kielbasa, cooked on a grill or skillet, topped with cole slaw, fries and a few dollops of a special spicy sauce made with banana peppers, garlic and mustard on a toasted hoagie roll This sandwich is a Cleveland classic.
- Houston: Texas is the home of Tex Mex cuisine, so saddle up for some Tex-Mex goodness with sizzling grilled fajitas. Seasoned chicken, steak, or shrimp combined with bell peppers and onions, served on warm tortillas with all the fixings – guacamole, pico de gallo, sour cream, and salsa. Nothing is more Tex Mex than a fresh fajita. Prefer Tex Mex in a one pot meal? Try our Tex Mex chicken and vegetables.
Tex-Mex Chicken and Vegetables
Difficulty: EasyA delicious Tex-Mex one pot meal filled with summer-time vegetables, black beans and melted cheese.
Polish Boy
Difficulty: EasyThis sandwich defines gameday food. Kielbasa topped with Cole slaw, French fries and a special sauce in a hoagie roll.
Recipes for Dolphins vs Chiefs
This games recipe battle places a tropical Cuban inspired roast against a belly-filling combo that we never would have placed together.
- Miami: Put on a fedora and get your Cuban on with our Tropical Pork Loin. Picture a juicy pork loin marinated in a vibrant blend of lime, garlic and caribbean spices, then grilled to smoky perfection. This is a taste of Miami sunshine on a plate. Pair it with mango salsa and coconut rice for a side of island vibes. More adventurous, make it into a Cubano sandwich!
- Kansas City: Get your chili fix with a Kansas City twist. Our hearty chili is packed with shredded beef, beans, tomatoes and a blend of spices that’s sure to warm you up. Enjoy your chili hot? Add as much heat as you desire. Then it gets a bit different. Don’t forget the cinnamon rolls on the side – they’re a Kansas City tradition for a reason. We don’t currently have a recipe for homemade cinnamon buns. Use a local bakery, chain or buns from the refrigerated section of your supermarket.
Cubano (Cuban Sandwich)
Cooks in 70 minutesDifficulty: EasyA healthier version of the classic Cubano or Cuban sandwich.
Shredded Beef Chili con Carne
Cooks in 70 minutesDifficulty: EasyA simple and delicious chili recipe made with beef and beans in a tomato based sauce.
Sunday’s Games;
Recipes for Steelers vs Bills
- Pittsburgh: Show your Steeler spirit with fried zucchini with marinara. Our Parmesan crusted zuchini bites are crunchy and savory, with a cheesy crust that counters the sweet fresh marinara sauce. It’s a finger-lickin’ good appetizer.
- Buffalo: Go all-in on the Buffalo theme with a legendary buffalo chicken dip. Creamy, cheesy, and loaded with chunks of tender chicken and a fiery kick – it’s the ultimate dip for your chips, pretzels, pitas or even carrots and celery sticks.
Healthy Parmesan Crusted Zucchini Bites
Difficulty: EasyA healthy, simple, quick and delicious side using zucchini, an abundant summer vegetable
Buffalo Red Hot Chicken Dip
Difficulty: EasyCreamy, spicy with chunks of blue cheese and chicken. Serve with chips or veggies.
Recipes Packers vs Cowboys
- Green Bay: Go all-in with beer soaked red hot brats, grilled to juicy perfection and piled high with caramelized onions infused with Franks Red Hot sauce and chedder cheese. This isn’t one of our dishes, so click here for the recipe. Don’t like spice? Just grill up the brats and smother in mustard and sauerkraut.
- Dallas: Texas-sized appetites demand Texas chili, simmered with rich beef, fire-roasted tomatoes, and a kick of chili powder. Our recipe includes beans, so it isn’t a true Texas chili. If you want a classic Texas chili, omit the beans, however we think you will love this recipe as is. Pair it with fluffy and silky cornbread for dipping and scooping up every fiery morsel.
Shredded Beef Chili con Carne
Cooks in 70 minutesDifficulty: EasyA simple and delicious chili recipe made with beef and beans in a tomato based sauce.
Recipes Rams vs Lions
- Los Angeles: Bring the fiesta with tacos galore! Chicken, Carnitas, al pastor, barbacoa – the options are endless. Don’t forget the fixings: pico de gallo, guacamole, and a mountain of cilantro. Our Mexican chicken tacos are loaded with Mexican flavors and can be served with hard or soft taco shells. We prefer soft corn tortillas.
- Detroit: Show your Motor City pride with a classic Detroit-style pizza. A Detroit-style pizza squares off with its crispy, Sicilian-inspired crust, tangy sauce and gooey cheese pull. We choose to prepare our pizza on a grill using a barbeque skillet. The undercarriage of the pie has a focaccia like consistency, very similar to the classic Detroit style. The crust can then be topped with a tangy tomato sauce and classic brick cheese or mozzarella. The recipe presented also adds pesto, this is optional. This is the fifth game of the weekend, but we hope you can continue on with our culinary wildcard weekend. This is a flavor fight you won’t want to miss!
Chicken Tacos
Difficulty: EasyCreate chicken tacos in minutes when made with our crockpot Mexican chicken.
Crockpot Mexican Chicken
Difficulty: EasyThis crockpot mexican chicken can be used to make all your favorite Mexican dishes! It’s simple and loaded with Mexican flavor. It’s better than takeout!
Homemade Grilled Pizza with Pesto
Difficulty: EasyHomemade pizza that will be better than most average pizzerias. Create a pizza with a crunchy crust, savory topping and a slight flavor of smoke from the grill.
Monday Nights Game
Recipes Eagles vs Buccaneers
- Philadelphia: Everybody thinks Philly cheesesteak when they think of Philadelphia football food, but we took a different path and went with a Stromboli. These pizza rolls can be filled with Italian meats such as pepperoni, salami, ham capicola and provolone. Another option that our recipe presents is comprised of sausage with spinach or broccoli filling capped off with mozzarella and pecorino Romano. If you prefer meat, simply replace the filling in our recipe with your favorite Italian meats and some provolone.
- Tampa Bay: Go tropical with a Cuban sandwich. Layers of juicy roasted pork, ham, Swiss cheese, pickles, and mustard pressed on toasted Cuban bread. Tampa’s version of this sandwich can include salami in place of the ham. Our recipe recommends ham. To get the Tampa version, simply replace the ham with salami. Whichever version you make, you get a taste of the Sunshine State in every bite.
Stromboli
Cooks in 60 minutesDifficulty: EasyStromboli is a pizza roll up into a loaf with your favorite toppings as the filling.
Cubano (Cuban Sandwich)
Cooks in 70 minutesDifficulty: EasyA healthier version of the classic Cubano or Cuban sandwich.
Postgame Roundup
So there you have it, folks! The NFL Wild Card Weekend’s culinary matchups are set. Now it’s up to you to decide which recipes will take home the win. Get cooking, cheer on your team, and remember, the only thing bigger than these rivalries is the food and company with you enjoying the games. Please let us know what you made and which recipes were the favorites.
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