Easy Crock Pot Tailgating Recipes

Updated for the 2024 football season! These easy Crock Pot tailgating recipes are perfect for game day at home or a tailgating party on the road!

From mac & cheese to a caramel apple cobbler we've got football season covered with crowd favorites that travel well.

Need more? Check out these 65 Tailgating Recipes!

Table of Contents

• Dr Pepper Pulled Pork
• Copycat Wendy's Chili
• Tater Tot Breakfast Casserole
• Kielbasa and Baked Beans
• Slow Cooker Root Beer Chicken
• Crockpot Mac & Cheese
• Slow Cooker Chicken & Dumplings
• Crock Pot Biscuits & Gravy
• Fiesta Chicken
• Chili Soup
• White Chicken Chili
• Crock Pot Country Ribs
• Crock Pot Chicken Spaghetti
• Smoked Sausage & Potatoes
• Italian Beef Sandwiches
• Chicken Enchilada Casserole
• Creamy Ranch Chicken Sandwiches
• Crockpot Cheeseburger Macaroni Casserole
• Slow Cooker Creamy Chicken Nachos
• Crock Pot Caramel Apple Dump Cake
• 💭 Things to know
• 👩‍🍳 FAQs
• 📞 The last word
• 💬 Comments

Dr Pepper Pulled Pork

Dr Pepper pulled pork couldn’t be easier, thanks to the slow cooker! You can prep it up to 4 months in advance and freeze it until you’re ready. The pork turns out tender, juicy, and packed with flavor—perfect for piling onto your favorite sandwich buns with a big scoop of creamy coleslaw on top.

Copycat Wendy's Chili

Make the ultimate Wendy's Chili copycat recipe right in your slow cooker! It’s loaded with beef, beans, and incredible flavor. This hearty, delicious meal tastes just like the famous original!

Tater Tot Breakfast Casserole

The Slow Cooker Breakfast Tater Tot Casserole with ham is a hearty, cheesy delight. It’s perfect for feeding a crowd at family brunches. The slow cooker makes it easy to prep in advance, so it’s ready when you are. This casserole is a great go-to for busy mornings when you want something warm and filling!

Kielbasa and Baked Beans

Inexpensive, hearty, and perfect for the whole family, this slow cooker kielbasa and baked beans with beer recipe takes less than 5 minutes to prep! Whether you're tailgating on the weekend or need a quick weeknight dinner, this dish has you covered!

Slow Cooker Root Beer Chicken

Root beer chicken is tangy and delicious - perfect for thick, bbq sandwiches. One of our favorite game day crockpot recipes at home or on the road.

Expert Tip: Do not use sugar-free root beer with this recipe - it doesn't work well and the flavor is weird.

Crockpot Mac & Cheese

Creamy, gooey, crock pot mac & cheese is an easy-to-take tailgate crockpot recipe that's easy to make! Crowd favorite!

Expert Tip: Shred your own cheese! It'll melt better and give the macaroni and cheese a perfectly creamy texture. The anti-caking agent in pre-shredded varieties can leave your mac and cheese tasting gritty.

Slow Cooker Chicken & Dumplings

There's nothing as good in a chilly stadium parking lot as a bowl of steaming chicken & dumplings with a great football game on the side.

Expert Tip: I know the aroma is tempting, but refrain from opening the slow cooker lid more than necessary while the biscuit dumplings are cooking. It will release valuable heat that can interfere with their proper cooking.

Crock Pot Biscuits & Gravy

If you've ever wondered what you could make for an easy tailgating breakfast this slow cooker biscuits and gravy is the answer!

Expert Tip: If your gravy gets thick from staying on warm for a long time you can thin it with a little bit of milk or heavy cream to make a creamy gravy.

Fiesta Chicken

We love this fiesta chicken over tortilla chips for the best nachos ever.

Expert Tip: Add about a cup of milk if you'd like to serve this as fiesta chicken soup.

Chili Soup

A big crockpot of this hearty chili soup is tailgate heaven.

Expert Tip: Chili powder spice level varies from manufacturer to manufacturer and even from batch to batch. For best results always taste as you go.

White Chicken Chili

Creamy and comforting white chicken chili has won more than one blue ribbon at chili cook-offs!

Expert Tip: Crumble tortilla chips on top. I like the crunchy texture and salty flavor that tortilla chips bring to this, as well as other casserole recipes. Just crumble a handful on top before serving.

Crock Pot Country Ribs

There are lots of ways to make ribs but these Dr Pepper ribs fall are fall apart delicious AND they're a tailgating party classic.

Expert Tip: For best results add layers of flavor. Rub the seasonings into the meat, then add the sauces. After the meat is done brush on some of the sauce from the slow cooker before serving.

Crock Pot Chicken Spaghetti

I never liked taking a casserole dish for tailgating - too hard to keep hot! I created this crockpot chicken spaghetti to be easy!

Expert Tip: Try cooked ground beef instead of the chicken.

Smoked Sausage & Potatoes

Cheesy smoked sausage and potatoes in the crockpot is always a hit!

Expert Tip: I use thin skinned, Yukon Gold potatoes when I know I don't want to take the time to peel!

Italian Beef Sandwiches

Make this tangy Italian beef in the crockpot and just add to split open hoagie rolls or hamburger buns.

Expert Tip: 8 hours is the minimum cooking duration, but feel free to leave it in the Crockpot for a long time—even up to 12 hours! With slow cooker recipes like these, the meat just keeps getting more tender and flavorful!

Chicken Enchilada Casserole

Have Tex-Mex the easy way with this slow cooker chicken enchiladas casserole!

Expert Tip: Flour tortillas don't hold up as well in crockpot recipes and can turn mushy, so I recommend sticking with corn for the best results.

Creamy Ranch Chicken Sandwiches

Creamy ranch shredded chicken sandwiches have just the right tingle-level with a slice of pepper-jack melting on top.

Expert Tip: For tailgating substitute chicken thighs for the chicken breast in this recipe. They are more forgiving of long cooking times and sitting on the "warm" setting for hours.

Crockpot Cheeseburger Macaroni Casserole

Crockpot cheeseburger macaroni casserole is a hearty recipe that feeds a crowd of people inexpensively. Got leftover chili? Dump a few spoonfuls over the top of each serving. It's so good!

Expert Tip: Since crockpot pasta dishes tend to dry out of they sit on warm for too long bring along a can of evaporated milk. You won't need to keep it cool and you can add some to the crockpot if the food starts looking dry.

Slow Cooker Creamy Chicken Nachos

Crock Pot Caramel Apple Dump Cake

You know the most popular spot is the one with the dessert, right? No one can resist this crockpot apple dump cake.

Expert Tip: As always when cooking in a crockpot, keep the lid closed as much as possible. This helps maintain proper cooking temperature.

💭 Things to know

• Keep in mind that once your food is cooked you shouldn't hold it much more than 4 hours on warm.
• Keep hot foods hot and cold foods cold - stay safe!
• Fill a shower cap with crushed ice and pull the elastic around bowls of food you want to keep chilled. Works like a charm.
• Freeze water bottles to use in place of ice in the coolers. They'll keep things cold and you can drink them when they've melted. No need to plunge your hands into cold slush to get a drink!
• If you're cooking on site (and not just keeping warm) then prep everything ahead of time.
• Bring extra coolers with extra ice!

👩‍🍳 FAQs

📞 The last word

These cream cheese sausage balls aren't made in the slow cooker but you can keep them warm in one - and they're perfect game day snacks!

Tailgating party food needs to be portable and that's where the slow cooker steps in. As long as you have access to an electrical outlet or a battery of some sort you're ready to roll with these easy crockpot recipes for tailgating!

First published September 7, 2023. Last updated September 18, 2024 to add more recipes and information.