If you're anything like me, watch parties are all about the food. Though its still a sensitive subject for me as a Pats fan, putting out a serious spread for Super Bowl LLI was a must. When I think of game-day food, dreams of warm bubbly buffalo chicken dip dance through my head. However, after recently becoming a vegetarian, I realized that all of the super bowl foods of my dreams were suddenly off the table and set out to make the most epic vegan apps.
In order to satisfy my cravings, and to finally prove to my friends that we could all enjoy chowing down on some good vegan food, I set out on a mission to bring some plant-based apps to our watch party. The final product? Even my die hard carnivore friends (and by die hard I mean the ones who are insulted by a meatless super bowl...trust me, I used to be one of them) couldn't stay away from these babies. With a little help from the Well Vegan, here's my roundup: three vegan appetizers for everyone in your crowd.
I'm eternally grateful for this insanely easy and tasty vegan recipe, not only because it blew my friends minds, but also because I ate 20 of them in bed as a cried myself to sleep after the Patriots lost. Pathetic, I know. But if you want comfort food, trust me this is it. For the vegan cream cheese, I used Kite Hill's chive flavor that paired perfectly with the creamy mashed potato filling.
I know what you're thinking. How can this one be vegan? The super bowl just wouldn't be the same without buff dip, so this one needed to be a hit. Using jackfruit in place of shredded chicken was a total game changer. Just keep the tofu on the DL.
3. Dijon Smothered Pigs in a Blanket
To be completely honest, I'm still not quite sure what these veggie dogs are made of. Vegetables, spices, and gluten are some of the core ingredients in these veggie dogs, and take my former-meat-lover-in-recovery word for it, they were addictive. Between the flakey crust glazed with a vegan cornstarch "egg" wash and a generous coating of dijon, the flavor of these Field Roast dogs made everyone in my crowd a happy camper.
Hopefully this roundup provides a beacon of hope as you embark on your next meatless watch party. Whether you're a vegan or a true meat lover, I guarantee you'll still be the ultimate party host after whipping up this spread. And always remember, you can still be vegan and eat your buff dip too.