The FIFA World Cup brings the world together like no other sporting event. One screen. Dozens of countries. Endless reasons to snack. Friends crowd around TVs in living rooms and bars. Families gather for all-day cookouts and late-night kickoffs. Cities erupt when goals are made. Flags wave from balconies and cheers echo for hours after the final whistle.
And through it all, there’s food.
Whether you’re hosting a FIFA World Cup watch party or showing up with a dish to share, your appetizers should be as globally influenced as the tournament itself. We’re talking crispy bites, bold sauces, fresh herbs and flavours drawing inspiration from Sweden to Spain, Morocco to Japan and everywhere in between.
To build the ultimate watch-party spread, mix these globally-inspired appetizers with classic crowd pleasers that people can easily grab between plays. Then, add plates of fresh fruit and cut vegetables to balance richness and add texture. Finally, fill bowls with crackers, chips, salted nuts and snack mixes for easy grazing. With the table set you can sit back and enjoy the action.
Smoky Mutabal Eggplant Dip
Roasted eggplant gives this creamy mutabal a sweet, smoky flavour to this ultra-addictive dip. The addition of creamy yogurt adds richness and tang. Serve with lightly toasted pita or sliced veggies.
ELLE Gourmet tip: Look for eggplants with smooth, shiny purple skin, bright green stems and no dull colouring or bruise spots. Eggplants should feel heavy for their side, and should be firm to touch but yield a little with gentle pressure.
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DIY Bruschetta Bar
A DIY bruschetta bar is the ultimate, timeless crowd-pleasing appetizer. Choose one, or all, of these zippy toast toppers for your watch party. Arrange toasted crostini, around bowls of fresh toppings.
ELLE Gourmet tip: Prepare all the components of the do-it-yourself bruschetta bar the night before to save time and deepen the flavour. Store toasts at room temperature in a sealed container. Store toppings in airtight containers in the fridge overnight and remove from the fridge about an hour before serving.
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Sushi Rolls
Homemade sushi rolls add fresh colours and flavour to your game-day spread. Customize the fillings of each rolls to match your favourite team colours.
ELLE Gourmet tip: For the cleanest cuts, use your thinnest, sharpest knife. Wet and clean the knife with a damp cloth between each slice. This prevents tearing the nori and the rice sticking to the blade.
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Gluten-Free Pão de Queijo (Brazilian Cheese Bread)
These bite-sized pillowy bites are naturally gluten-free thanks to tapioca flour. Serve warm as a perfect complement to a cold, crisp pilsner.
ELLE Gourmet Tip: Tapioca starch or tapioca flour are the same thing and can usually be found in the natural food section of your grocery store.
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Warm Olives With Citrus and Chili
Warming olives in olive oil turns a simple snack into an elegant appetizer. As the olives warm, the skin softens and the flavours intensify. Adding citrus zest and a subtle punch of chili add brightness and heat.
ELLE Gourmet tip: Make a double batch. Trust us.
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Baked Brie With Hot Honey
Hot honey is having a moment. And when paired with a rich, creamy Brie, we totally get it. The ooey-gooey cheese tames the sweet heat and leaves you wanting more. This is the kind of five-ingredient (not counting the hot honey) appetizer we turn to again and again.
ELLE Gourmet tip: The hot honey recipe is top notch. But if you find yourself pressed for time, look for our list of the top made-in-Canada hot honeys.
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Chicken Teriyaki Meatball Skewers
There’s no watch party without meatballs. A sweet and sticky teriyaki glaze makes this chicken version shine.
ELLE Gourmet tip: If you like, make a separate batch of the teriyaki and honey sauce to serve in a small dish for dipping.
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Simple Hummus
Make it once and you’ll be amazed at how delicious, economic and versatile homemade hummus is. Loaded with protein, fibre and healthy fats it’s a great dip to have in your repertoire. Serve with veggie sticks and seedy crackers for a healthy option at the table.
ELLE Gourmet tip: Once you’ve mastered the base recipe, try adding sautéed or steamed greens, cooked edamame, steamed carrots or beets or fresh herbs to change the colour and flavour profile of your next batch.
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Warm Chorizo Sidra
Two ingredients, heaps of flavour.
ELLE Gourmet tip: In this recipe, Spanish chorizo refers to the fermented, cured, smoked and richly flavoured sausage that doesn’t need cooking. Just warming through in liquid or sauce. Not to be confused with the fresh, or raw, chorizo sausages typical to Mexican cuisine that require full cooking.
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Crispy Air-Fryer Chicken Wings
An air-fryer makes clean and efficient work of cooking chicken wings. Crispy on the outside, succulent inside. You can keep the air-fryer going, hands-free, to keep your party deep in chicken wings all night long.
ELLE Gourmet tip: Every air-fryer basket is sized differently. The key to maximum crispiness is to not overcrowd the basket. Adjust the number of wings per batch to suit your model and keep the wings at an approximate single layer on on the bottom of the basket.
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Cucumber and Smoked Salmon Bites
With a nod to both Canadian and Nordic countries, these fresh two-bite appetizers offer a cool, crisp break from the typically abundant (and salty) game night snacks.
ELLE Gourmet tip: The recipe calls for dairy-free cream cheese, great for folks who are going without dairy. For those who are tolerating dairy, a soft, flavoured cheese spread, such as Boursin, can add extra creaminess and a boost of flavour.
