Recipes16 Crockpot Party Food Recipes That Cook While You Watch the Game

16 Crockpot Party Food Recipes That Cook While You Watch the Game

16 Crockpot Party Food Recipes That Cook While You Watch the Game

The crockpot is the one guest who shows up early, does the work, and never asks where the bathroom is. Sixteen recipes here, every one built to go straight from counter to crockpot to table, kept warm through four quarters without a single reheat run to the kitchen.

Dips, pulled meats, little smokies, a hot cider and a hot mulled wine, all served right out of the pot they cooked in.

Most of these lean on cheese, cream cheese or milk, so dairy is the allergen to flag loudest, with gluten in the buns, rolls and tortillas and soy in the honey garlic sauce.

One recipe (the mulled wine) carries alcohol and is written for adults only: keep it on warm rather than simmering, and have a non-alcoholic cider on the same table so nobody has to ask. For more of the spread, see 24 Super Bowl Party Food Ideas for a Crowd That Came Hungry.

This post contains affiliate links. If you buy through them, I may earn a small commission at no extra cost to you.

Table of Contents
  1. Crockpot Meatball Subs
  2. Slow Cooker Pulled Pork
  3. Crockpot Queso Dip
  4. Crockpot Little Smokies
  5. Slow Cooker Buffalo Chicken Dip
  6. Crockpot Birria Tacos
  7. Crockpot Spinach Artichoke Dip
  8. Slow Cooker Hot Apple Cider
  9. Crockpot BBQ Chicken Sliders
  10. Slow Cooker Chili
  11. Crockpot Jalapeño Popper Dip
  12. Slow Cooker Buffalo Wings
  13. Crockpot French Onion Dip
  14. Crockpot Mac and Cheese
  15. Slow Cooker Honey Garlic Meatballs
  16. Crockpot Mulled Wine
  17. Frequently Asked Questions

Crockpot Meatball Subs

Nobody wants to stand at a toaster during the second quarter. These subs solve that: the crockpot holds the meatballs hot and saucy for hours, so assembly takes thirty seconds a sandwich and she never misses a play to make one.

Watch the sauce, not the clock. It should coat the back of a spoon and the meatballs should be heated through at 165 degrees before anyone builds a sub; thin, watery sauce means it needs another thirty minutes uncovered on high.

If the rolls go soft before kickoff, toast them ahead and wrap in foil; they crisp back up the moment hot filling hits them.

Crockpot Meatball Subs. Crockpot party food
Crockpot Meatball Subs
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Crockpot Meatball Subs. Crockpot party food

Crockpot Meatball Subs

Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 3 hours
Total Time 3 hours 10 minutes
Makes 8 servings

Ingredients

  • 32 ounces frozen meatballs about 30
  • 24 ounces jarred marinara sauce
  • 1/2 cup beef broth
  • 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
  • 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
  • 8 hoagie rolls
  • 2 cups shredded mozzarella
  • 1/4 cup grated parmesan

Instructions

  • Combine the frozen meatballs, marinara, beef broth, Italian seasoning and garlic powder in a 6-quart crockpot and stir to coat.
  • Cover and cook on low for 6 hours or high for 3 hours, until the meatballs reach 165 degrees and the sauce is bubbling and thick enough to coat the back of a spoon.
  • Split and lightly toast the hoagie rolls under the broiler for 1 to 2 minutes, watching closely, until the edges turn golden.
  • Fill each roll with 4 to 5 meatballs and a generous spoonful of sauce.
  • Top each sub with mozzarella and a pinch of parmesan.
  • Return filled subs to a sheet pan and broil for 1 to 2 minutes, until the cheese melts and bubbles at the edges.
  • Serve immediately, straight from the crockpot for refills.

Good to Know

Make the meatballs and sauce a day ahead, refrigerate, then reheat gently in the crockpot on low for an hour before guests arrive.

Slow Cooker Pulled Pork

This is the one that makes the house smell like someone has been cooking all day, even when she has not touched a pan since breakfast. A shoulder roast left alone for eight hours comes apart on its own; no basting, no turning.

Resist the urge to check it early. The pork is done when two forks pull it apart with almost no resistance and a thermometer reads 195 to 205 degrees, well past safe and into shreddable.

If the crowd is smaller, a 3-pound shoulder works in a 4-quart pot; just trim the cook time by about an hour.

Slow Cooker Pulled Pork. Crockpot party food
Slow Cooker Pulled Pork
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Slow Cooker Pulled Pork. Crockpot party food

Slow Cooker Pulled Pork

Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 8 hours
Total Time 8 hours 15 minutes
Makes 10 servings

Ingredients

  • 4 pounds boneless pork shoulder
  • 1 yellow onion sliced
  • 1/4 cup brown sugar
  • 1 tablespoon smoked paprika
  • 1 tablespoon garlic powder
  • 1 tablespoon salt
  • 1 teaspoon black pepper
  • 1 cup chicken broth
  • 1 1/2 cups barbecue sauce
  • 10 hamburger buns optional

Instructions

  • Mix the brown sugar, smoked paprika, garlic powder, salt and pepper in a small bowl and rub it over the pork shoulder on all sides.
  • Lay the sliced onion in the bottom of a 6-quart crockpot and set the pork on top.
  • Pour the chicken broth around the sides of the pork, cover and cook on low for 8 to 10 hours, until the meat shreds easily with two forks and reaches 195 to 205 degrees.
  • Lift the pork onto a cutting board, shred with two forks, and discard any large pieces of fat.
  • Skim excess fat from the liquid left in the crockpot, then return the shredded pork to the pot.
  • Stir in the barbecue sauce until every strand is coated.
  • Keep on warm for serving, stirring occasionally so the bottom layer does not dry out.

Good to Know

Shred and sauce the pork a day ahead, refrigerate, then warm through on low for about an hour before serving.

Crockpot Queso Dip

Queso that seizes up and goes rubbery before halftime is a specific kind of disappointment. Kept in a crockpot on low, it stays pourable for hours, which is the whole point of serving it this way instead of in a bowl someone has to keep microwaving.

It is done the moment it looks glossy and smooth, no lumps, thin enough to coat a chip without clumping. If it tightens up later, a splash of milk and a stir brings it right back.

Skip the meat entirely for a vegetarian table; the cheese and chiles carry it fine on their own.

Crockpot Queso Dip. Crockpot party food
Crockpot Queso Dip
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Crockpot Queso Dip. Crockpot party food

Crockpot Queso Dip

Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 2 hours
Total Time 2 hours 10 minutes
Makes 10 servings

Ingredients

  • 2 pounds processed cheese cubed
  • 1 cup shredded pepper jack cheese
  • 10 ounces canned diced tomatoes with green chilies undrained
  • 1/2 cup milk
  • 1 teaspoon ground cumin
  • 1 pound cooked ground beef or chorizo drained, optional
  • 1 jalapeno diced, optional
  • Tortilla chips for serving

Instructions

  • Place the cubed cheese, pepper jack, diced tomatoes and milk in a 4-quart crockpot.
  • Stir in the cumin.
  • Cover and cook on low for 1 1/2 to 2 hours, stirring every 30 minutes, until the cheese is fully melted and the dip looks smooth and glossy with no lumps.
  • Stir in the cooked meat if using, along with the diced jalapeno.
  • Keep on warm, stirring every 20 minutes or so; thin with a splash of milk if it starts to thicken.
  • Serve directly from the crockpot with tortilla chips.

Good to Know

Swap half the processed cheese for shredded sharp cheddar if you want a less processed flavor; just stir more often since it melts less smoothly.

Crockpot Little Smokies

These need almost nothing from her and that is exactly their job: a bag of cocktail sausages, a bottle of sauce, and three hours of being left alone. Guests find them by smell before they find the bowl.

The sauce is ready when it turns glossy and clings to the sausages instead of pooling thin at the bottom; stir once midway so every piece gets coated evenly.

Short on time before guests arrive? High heat for 2 hours gets there just as well as low for 4.

Crockpot Little Smokies. Crockpot party food
Crockpot Little Smokies
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Crockpot Little Smokies. Crockpot party food

Crockpot Little Smokies

Prep Time 5 minutes
Cook Time 3 hours
Total Time 3 hours 5 minutes
Makes 12 servings

Ingredients

  • 28 ounces cocktail sausages little smokies, two 14-ounce packages
  • 1 cup brown sugar
  • 1/2 cup ketchup
  • 1/2 cup barbecue sauce
  • 1 tablespoon yellow mustard
  • Toothpicks for serving

Instructions

  • Whisk the brown sugar, ketchup, barbecue sauce and mustard together in a bowl.
  • Place the cocktail sausages in a 4-quart crockpot and pour the sauce over them.
  • Stir gently to coat every sausage.
  • Cover and cook on low for 3 to 4 hours or high for 2 hours, stirring once halfway through, until the sauce turns glossy and clings to the sausages instead of running thin.
  • Keep on warm and serve straight from the crockpot with toothpicks.

Good to Know

Double the recipe for a crowd over fifteen; the sauce ratio scales evenly with a second package of sausages.

Slow Cooker Buffalo Chicken Dip

The dip everyone claims they are not that into, right up until the bowl is scraped clean. Cream cheese needs gentle heat to melt without breaking, which is exactly what the crockpot gives it that a stovetop rushes past.

Watch for smoothness before adding the chicken: if the cream cheese still looks lumpy, give it another fifteen minutes rather than stirring harder.

No rotisserie chicken on hand? Two drained cans of chicken breast work in a pinch, shredded with a fork.

Slow Cooker Buffalo Chicken Dip. Crockpot party food
Slow Cooker Buffalo Chicken Dip
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Slow Cooker Buffalo Chicken Dip. Crockpot party food

Slow Cooker Buffalo Chicken Dip

Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 1 hour 45 minutes
Total Time 1 hour 55 minutes
Makes 10 servings

Ingredients

  • 16 ounces cream cheese softened and cubed
  • 1 cup buffalo sauce
  • 1/2 cup ranch dressing
  • 3 cups cooked shredded chicken
  • 1 1/2 cups shredded cheddar divided
  • Celery sticks and tortilla chips for serving

Instructions

  • Combine the cream cheese, buffalo sauce and ranch dressing in a 4-quart crockpot.
  • Cover and cook on low for 1 hour, stirring once, until the cream cheese melts completely and the mixture looks smooth with no lumps.
  • Stir in the shredded chicken and 1 cup of the cheddar.
  • Cover and cook on low for another 30 to 45 minutes, until it is hot throughout and bubbling gently at the edges.
  • Sprinkle the remaining cheddar over the top, cover, and cook 5 more minutes until melted.
  • Serve warm with celery sticks and tortilla chips.

Good to Know

Swap ranch for blue cheese dressing if the table prefers a sharper bite; the melt time stays the same.

Crockpot Birria Tacos

This is the recipe that makes people put their phones down. It takes more from her than the dips do, but almost none of that work happens near the stove; the crockpot does the long braise while she does anything else.

The beef is ready when two forks pull it apart with no resistance at all and the broth has gone rich and dark red. Keep that fat skimmed off the top; it is what you dip the tortillas in before frying.

No griddle? A nonstick skillet over medium heat crisps the folded tacos just as well, two at a time.

Crockpot Birria Tacos. Crockpot party food
Crockpot Birria Tacos
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Crockpot Birria Tacos. Crockpot party food

Crockpot Birria Tacos

Prep Time 30 minutes
Cook Time 8 hours 10 minutes
Total Time 8 hours 40 minutes
Makes 8 servings

Ingredients

  • 3 pounds beef chuck roast cut into large chunks
  • 4 dried guajillo chilies stemmed and seeded
  • 2 dried ancho chilies stemmed and seeded
  • 1 white onion quartered, plus 1/2 cup diced for serving
  • 4 garlic cloves
  • 2 roma tomatoes
  • 4 cups beef broth divided
  • 2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
  • 1 teaspoon ground cumin
  • 1 teaspoon Mexican oregano
  • 2 bay leaves
  • 1 cinnamon stick optional
  • 16 small corn tortillas
  • 2 cups shredded Oaxaca or mozzarella cheese
  • 1/2 cup chopped cilantro lime wedges, for serving

Instructions

  • Toast the dried guajillo and ancho chilies in a dry skillet over medium heat for 1 to 2 minutes per side, until fragrant, then soak in hot water for 10 minutes until pliable.
  • Drain the chilies and blend with the onion quarters, garlic, tomatoes, vinegar, cumin, oregano and 1 cup of beef broth until smooth.
  • Place the beef chunks in a 6-quart crockpot, pour the chili sauce and remaining 3 cups of broth over, and add the bay leaves and cinnamon stick.
  • Cover and cook on low for 8 hours, until the beef shreds easily with two forks.
  • Remove the beef, shred it, and discard the bay leaves and cinnamon stick.
  • Skim the fat from the broth and set it aside; return the shredded beef to the crockpot on warm.
  • Dip each tortilla in the reserved fat, fill with beef and cheese, fold in half, and pan-fry on a hot griddle for 2 minutes per side, until crisp and the cheese melts.
  • Serve with diced onion, cilantro, lime wedges and a small cup of the warm broth for dipping.

Good to Know

Braise the beef a day ahead and refrigerate it in the broth; the flavor deepens overnight and frying the tacos takes fifteen minutes on game day.

Crockpot Spinach Artichoke Dip

The dip that photographs best right after someone has already dug in, cheese pulling, spinach flecked through. It earns its spot by being the one green thing on the table that nobody has to be talked into.

Give the cream cheese its own time before the spinach goes in; rushing that step is how you end up with white lumps instead of a smooth base.

For a lighter version, swap half the mayonnaise for plain Greek yogurt; the texture barely changes.

Crockpot Spinach Artichoke Dip. Crockpot party food
Crockpot Spinach Artichoke Dip
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Crockpot Spinach Artichoke Dip. Crockpot party food

Crockpot Spinach Artichoke Dip

Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 1 hour 55 minutes
Total Time 2 hours 10 minutes
Makes 10 servings

Ingredients

  • 16 ounces cream cheese softened
  • 1/2 cup sour cream
  • 1/4 cup mayonnaise
  • 10 ounces frozen chopped spinach thawed and squeezed dry
  • 14 ounces canned artichoke hearts drained and chopped
  • 2 garlic cloves minced
  • 1 cup grated parmesan
  • 1 cup shredded mozzarella divided
  • Crusty bread or crackers for serving

Instructions

  • Combine the cream cheese, sour cream, mayonnaise and garlic in a 4-quart crockpot.
  • Cover and cook on low for 30 minutes, until the cream cheese softens enough to stir completely smooth.
  • Stir in the spinach, artichoke hearts, parmesan and half the mozzarella.
  • Cover and cook on low for 1 to 1 1/2 hours, stirring once, until hot throughout and bubbling gently at the edges.
  • Top with the remaining mozzarella, cover, and cook 10 more minutes until melted.
  • Serve warm with crusty bread or crackers.

Good to Know

Squeeze the spinach bone-dry before it goes in; leftover water is the most common reason this dip turns thin.

Slow Cooker Hot Apple Cider

Something warm that is not coffee and not alcohol, so the kids’ table and the adults’ table can share one pot without anyone checking labels. It also happens to make the whole room smell like it.

Give it time before tasting; the spices need a full hour just to start releasing, and three to four hours to taste properly steeped rather than just warm.

Strain the whole spices out with a fine mesh sieve before serving if anyone at the party is young enough to chase a floating clove around a mug.

Slow Cooker Hot Apple Cider. Crockpot party food
Slow Cooker Hot Apple Cider
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Slow Cooker Hot Apple Cider. Crockpot party food

Slow Cooker Hot Apple Cider

Prep Time 5 minutes
Cook Time 3 hours 30 minutes
Total Time 3 hours 35 minutes
Makes 10 servings

Ingredients

  • 1 gallon apple cider
  • 4 cinnamon sticks plus extra for garnish
  • 1 tablespoon whole cloves
  • 1 teaspoon allspice berries
  • 1 orange sliced
  • 1/4 cup brown sugar optional

Instructions

  • Pour the apple cider into a 6-quart crockpot.
  • Add the cinnamon sticks, cloves, allspice berries, orange slices and brown sugar if using.
  • Cover and cook on low for 3 to 4 hours, until the cider is steaming hot and smells strongly of cinnamon and clove.
  • Strain out the whole spices and orange slices with a fine mesh sieve, or ladle carefully around them.
  • Keep on warm for serving, ladling into mugs with a fresh cinnamon stick in each.

Good to Know

This is the non-alcoholic option for the table; add a shot of spiced rum to individual mugs rather than the whole pot, so it stays safe for anyone not drinking.

🛍 Shopping guide

Crockpot BBQ Chicken Sliders

Chicken breasts have a reputation for drying out the second anyone looks away. Slow and covered in sauce, they do the opposite: they shred with almost no effort and stay juicy for the whole time the pot holds them warm.

It is ready the moment a fork pulls through with no resistance and the chicken reads 165 degrees at the thickest piece; shred it right there in the pot rather than dirtying a second dish.

Short on slider buns, pile it onto a baked potato instead; the sauce does the same job either way.

Crockpot BBQ Chicken Sliders. Crockpot party food
Crockpot BBQ Chicken Sliders
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Crockpot BBQ Chicken Sliders. Crockpot party food

Crockpot BBQ Chicken Sliders

Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 5 hours 30 minutes
Total Time 5 hours 40 minutes
Makes 12 servings

Ingredients

  • 2 pounds boneless skinless chicken breasts
  • 1 1/2 cups barbecue sauce divided
  • 1/2 cup chicken broth
  • 1 teaspoon garlic powder
  • 1 teaspoon onion powder
  • 12 slider buns
  • 2 cups coleslaw mix optional, for topping

Instructions

  • Place the chicken breasts in a 6-quart crockpot.
  • Pour the chicken broth and 1 cup of the barbecue sauce over the top, then sprinkle with garlic and onion powder.
  • Cover and cook on low for 5 to 6 hours or high for 3 hours, until the chicken shreds easily with a fork and reaches 165 degrees.
  • Shred the chicken directly in the crockpot with two forks.
  • Stir in the remaining 1/2 cup of barbecue sauce.
  • Keep on warm, piling onto slider buns and topping with coleslaw just before serving.

Good to Know

Shred the chicken ahead and store it in the sauce; it reheats on low for 45 minutes with no loss of texture.

Slow Cooker Chili

The dish that needs a spoon and nothing else, which is exactly what a room full of people balancing plates on their knees wants. It also happens to taste better after it has had hours to sit and think about itself.

It is ready when the vegetables have gone fully tender and the whole pot has thickened enough that a spoon leaves a trail across the bottom for a second before it closes back up.

Vegetarian at the table? Swap the beef for two more cans of beans and use vegetable broth instead.

Slow Cooker Chili. Crockpot party food
Slow Cooker Chili
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Slow Cooker Chili. Crockpot party food

Slow Cooker Chili

Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 7 hours
Total Time 7 hours 20 minutes
Makes 10 servings

Ingredients

  • 2 pounds ground beef browned and drained
  • 2 15-ounce cans kidney beans, drained
  • 28 ounces canned diced tomatoes
  • 8 ounces canned tomato sauce
  • 1 yellow onion diced
  • 1 bell pepper diced
  • 2 tablespoons chili powder
  • 1 tablespoon ground cumin
  • 3 garlic cloves minced
  • 1 cup beef broth
  • Shredded cheese sour cream and sliced green onion, for topping

Instructions

  • Brown the ground beef in a skillet over medium-high heat, breaking it up as it cooks, then drain the fat.
  • Combine the beef, kidney beans, diced tomatoes, tomato sauce, onion, bell pepper, chili powder, cumin, garlic and broth in a 6-quart crockpot.
  • Stir well to combine everything evenly.
  • Cover and cook on low for 6 to 8 hours or high for 4 hours, stirring occasionally, until the vegetables are fully tender and the chili has thickened enough to leave a trail across the bottom when you drag a spoon through it.
  • Taste and adjust salt.
  • Serve directly from the crockpot with shredded cheese, sour cream and green onion on the side.

Good to Know

Chili freezes well for up to three months; make a double batch and keep half for a smaller gathering later.

Crockpot Jalapeño Popper Dip

Everything people love about a jalapeño popper, minus the part where someone has to fry a tray of them to order. The crockpot keeps it hot and the toasted crumb on top gives it the crunch a plain dip never has.

Give the cream cheese its softening time before the cheddar and jalapeños go in, or it stirs lumpy no matter how hard anyone works at it.

Milder table? Swap the pickled jalapeños for a small diced green bell pepper; same texture, almost no heat.

Crockpot Jalapeño Popper Dip. Crockpot party food
Crockpot Jalapeño Popper Dip
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Crockpot Jalapeño Popper Dip. Crockpot party food

Crockpot Jalapeño Popper Dip

Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 1 hour 20 minutes
Total Time 1 hour 35 minutes
Makes 10 servings

Ingredients

  • 16 ounces cream cheese softened
  • 1/2 cup sour cream
  • 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
  • 1 1/2 cups shredded cheddar
  • 1/2 cup pickled jalapenos diced, plus more for topping
  • 6 slices bacon cooked and crumbled, divided
  • 1/2 cup panko breadcrumbs
  • 1 tablespoon butter melted

Instructions

  • Combine the cream cheese, sour cream and garlic powder in a 4-quart crockpot.
  • Cover and cook on low for 20 to 30 minutes, until soft enough to whisk completely smooth.
  • Stir in the cheddar, diced jalapenos and half the bacon.
  • Cover and cook on low for 45 minutes to 1 hour, until hot throughout and bubbling gently at the edges.
  • Toast the panko in a dry skillet with the melted butter over medium heat for 2 to 3 minutes, stirring constantly, until golden brown.
  • Top the dip with the toasted panko, remaining bacon and extra jalapeno slices.
  • Serve warm with tortilla chips or celery.

Good to Know

Toast the panko topping no more than an hour ahead so it still has its crunch when it hits the dip.

Slow Cooker Buffalo Wings

Wings without the standing-over-a-fryer part. The crockpot gets them fall-off-the-bone tender first, and a quick pass under the broiler afterward does the job a deep fryer usually handles, with none of the oil smell left in the house.

Watch the broiler closely at the end; the window between crisped skin and burnt sauce is short, about a minute, not longer.

For anyone at the table who wants it milder, toss a separate tray in plain melted butter before adding sauce to the rest.

Slow Cooker Buffalo Wings. Crockpot party food
Slow Cooker Buffalo Wings
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Slow Cooker Buffalo Wings. Crockpot party food

Slow Cooker Buffalo Wings

Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 3 hours 10 minutes
Total Time 3 hours 25 minutes
Makes 8 servings

Ingredients

  • 3 pounds chicken wings split into flats and drumettes
  • 1 teaspoon garlic powder
  • 1 teaspoon onion powder
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 1/4 cup butter melted
  • 1 cup buffalo sauce
  • Celery sticks and blue cheese dressing for serving

Instructions

  • Toss the wings with garlic powder, onion powder and salt, then arrange them in a single layer in a 6-quart crockpot.
  • Cover and cook on low for 3 to 4 hours or high for 2 hours, until the chicken is tender and reaches 165 degrees.
  • Lift the wings out, pat them dry, and arrange on a foil-lined sheet pan.
  • Broil for 4 to 5 minutes per side, watching closely, until the skin is lightly crisped and browned at the edges.
  • Toss the hot wings in the melted butter and buffalo sauce.
  • Serve immediately with celery sticks and blue cheese dressing.

Good to Know

Pair these with games for the lull between plays; see 16 Super Bowl Party Games With Free Printables for People Who Came for the Food.

🛍 Shopping guide

Crockpot French Onion Dip

French onion soup, concentrated down into something a chip can carry. The caramelizing happens on the stove, slow and unhurried, and the crockpot only has to hold the result warm and melted for serving.

Do not rush the onions past medium-low; they need the full half hour to go deep golden and jammy, not just soft, or the dip tastes flat instead of sweet.

No gruyere on hand, a sharp Swiss works just as well and melts the same way.

Crockpot French Onion Dip. Crockpot party food
Crockpot French Onion Dip
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Crockpot French Onion Dip. Crockpot party food

Crockpot French Onion Dip

Prep Time 30 minutes
Cook Time 1 hour 10 minutes
Total Time 1 hour 40 minutes
Makes 10 servings

Ingredients

  • 4 large yellow onions sliced
  • 3 tablespoons butter
  • 1/4 cup beef broth
  • 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
  • 8 ounces cream cheese softened
  • 1 cup sour cream
  • 1 cup shredded gruyere divided
  • 1 teaspoon fresh thyme leaves

Instructions

  • Melt the butter in a large skillet over medium-low heat and add the sliced onions.
  • Cook, stirring often, for 25 to 30 minutes, until the onions turn deep golden brown and jammy.
  • Transfer the caramelized onions to a 4-quart crockpot along with the beef broth and Worcestershire sauce.
  • Stir in the cream cheese, cover, and cook on low for 30 minutes, until melted completely smooth.
  • Stir in the sour cream and half the gruyere.
  • Cover and cook on low for 20 to 30 minutes, until hot throughout.
  • Top with the remaining gruyere, cover, and cook 10 more minutes until melted.
  • Sprinkle with thyme and serve warm with chips.

Good to Know

Caramelize the onions up to three days ahead and refrigerate; it is the only step with real hands-on time.

Crockpot Mac and Cheese

Boxed mac and cheese never had a chance against this. The custard base sets slowly in the crockpot instead of scorching the way it does in a pot left on the stove, which is how it stays creamy for the whole second half instead of just the first.

It is ready when the sauce looks thick and the edges have set while the center still has a gentle wobble; stirring at that point brings it all together glossy.

Short on gruyere, straight sharp cheddar works fine on its own, just slightly less nutty.

Crockpot Mac and Cheese. Crockpot party food
Crockpot Mac and Cheese
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Crockpot Mac and Cheese. Crockpot party food

Crockpot Mac and Cheese

Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 2 hours 20 minutes
Total Time 2 hours 35 minutes
Makes 10 servings

Ingredients

  • 16 ounces elbow macaroni cooked al dente and drained
  • 3 cups shredded sharp cheddar
  • 1 cup shredded gruyere or Monterey jack
  • 12 ounces canned evaporated milk
  • 1 cup whole milk
  • 3 tablespoons butter cubed
  • 2 eggs beaten
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
  • 1/2 teaspoon paprika

Instructions

  • Whisk the evaporated milk, whole milk, eggs, salt, pepper and paprika together in a bowl.
  • Combine the cooked macaroni, 2 1/2 cups of the combined cheese and the butter cubes in a greased 6-quart crockpot.
  • Pour the milk mixture over and stir until every piece of pasta is coated.
  • Cover and cook on low for 2 to 2 1/2 hours, stirring every 30 minutes, until the sauce is thick and the edges are set while the center still wobbles gently.
  • Top with the remaining cheese, cover, and cook 10 more minutes until melted.
  • Serve warm directly from the crockpot.

Good to Know

Undercook the pasta by a full minute or two before it goes in; it keeps absorbing liquid in the crockpot and overcooks fast otherwise.

Slow Cooker Honey Garlic Meatballs

Smaller and sweeter than the sub version, built for toothpicks rather than rolls. These disappear from the table fastest of anything on this list, mostly because the sauce is the kind people keep going back to scrape at.

The sauce is ready to serve once it thickens enough to coat the back of a spoon; that only happens after the cornstarch slurry goes in near the end, so do not skip that step waiting for it to happen on its own.

Nut-free and dairy-free as written, which makes this the easiest one to put out for a mixed table of allergies.

Slow Cooker Honey Garlic Meatballs. Crockpot party food
Slow Cooker Honey Garlic Meatballs
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Slow Cooker Honey Garlic Meatballs. Crockpot party food

Slow Cooker Honey Garlic Meatballs

Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 4 hours 15 minutes
Total Time 4 hours 25 minutes
Makes 10 servings

Ingredients

  • 28 ounces frozen meatballs
  • 1/2 cup honey
  • 1/3 cup soy sauce
  • 1/4 cup ketchup
  • 4 garlic cloves minced
  • 1 tablespoon rice vinegar
  • 1 tablespoon cornstarch mixed with 2 tablespoons water
  • Sliced green onion and sesame seeds for garnish

Instructions

  • Whisk the honey, soy sauce, ketchup, garlic and rice vinegar together in a bowl.
  • Place the frozen meatballs in a 4-quart crockpot and pour the sauce over, stirring to coat.
  • Cover and cook on low for 4 hours or high for 2 hours, until the meatballs are heated through and the sauce bubbles gently at the edges.
  • Stir in the cornstarch slurry.
  • Cover and cook 10 to 15 more minutes, until the sauce thickens enough to coat the back of a spoon.
  • Garnish with green onion and sesame seeds and serve with toothpicks.

Good to Know

Use gluten-free soy sauce (tamari) if anyone at the table needs it; nothing else in the recipe needs to change.

Crockpot Mulled Wine

The adult counterpart to the cider pot across the table, for anyone who wants their warm drink with a little more weight to it. It should never simmer hard enough to cook off the alcohol; the whole point is low heat and slow steeping.

Watch the surface, not the clock: tiny bubbles along the edge are fine, anything closer to a rolling simmer means the heat is too high and needs to drop.

Pour it for adults only, keep the non-alcoholic cider close by for anyone who is not drinking, and serve one glass at a time rather than letting people refill from a hot pot unsupervised.

Crockpot Mulled Wine. Crockpot party food
Crockpot Mulled Wine
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Crockpot Mulled Wine. Crockpot party food

Crockpot Mulled Wine

Prep Time 5 minutes
Cook Time 2 hours
Total Time 2 hours 5 minutes
Makes 8 servings

Ingredients

  • 750 ml bottle dry red wine such as merlot or cabernet
  • 1 orange sliced, plus zest
  • 3 cinnamon sticks
  • 8 whole cloves
  • 2 star anise pods
  • 1/4 cup honey or brown sugar
  • 1/4 cup brandy optional

Instructions

  • Pour the wine into a 4-quart crockpot.
  • Add the orange slices, zest, cinnamon sticks, cloves, star anise and honey.
  • Cover and cook on low for 2 hours, stirring once, until steaming and fragrant; the surface should show only small bubbles at the edge, never a rolling simmer.
  • Stir in the brandy if using.
  • Keep on warm for serving, ladling into heatproof mugs with a cinnamon stick and orange slice in each.

Good to Know

Adults only, and skip the warm setting past two hours; simmer too long and the wine turns bitter rather than smooth.

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Frequently Asked Questions

How long can you keep food warm in a crockpot during a party?

Food safety guidance caps the warm setting at about four hours. Most warming settings on slow cookers will maintain food around 145 degrees, and Crock Pot recommends only keeping food on warm for up to four hours.

Can you leave a slow cooker on warm overnight for a party?

No. Can I leave my crock pot on warm overnight? No, warm mode is not designed for overnight use, even if the display says on. Refrigerate leftovers instead and reheat fresh the next day.

What size crockpot do I need for party food?

A 6-quart crockpot handles pulled pork, chili and sliders for ten or more; a 4-quart or mini crockpot is the better fit for dips and little smokies so they stay thick and do not spread thin across the base.

How do you keep a crockpot dip from drying out at a party?

Add a splash of liquid and keep the lid on between servings. Use the warm setting only for hardy dishes that can handle long cooking times, add a splash of broth or water if needed, and keep the lid on, lifting it only briefly to stir.

Can I make crockpot party food ahead of time?

Most of these can be assembled or even fully cooked a day ahead, refrigerated, then reheated gently on the stovetop or in the microwave to a safe temperature before going back into the crockpot to hold warm for serving.

How many people does one crockpot of party food feed?

A 6-quart crockpot of a main like pulled pork or chili serves roughly 10 to 12 people as part of a spread; a 4-quart dip serves about 10 as an appetizer alongside other dishes.

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Welcome! I'm Helen, sharing party ideas, holiday fun,…