4 Super Easy (And Yummy) Apps With 5 Ingredients Or Less

Bring out your best snacks for football game day!

By
Published December 05, 2025
Game day snack table featuring multiple cheese dips, tortilla chips, crackers, celery sticks and football decorations.
Scott Suchman (Prop and Food Stylist: Lisa Cherkasky)

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If I’m hosting a football watch party at home, I’m happy to make a big pot of chili or a variety of hot appetizers for everyone to munch on. But if I'm invited to a tailgate party at the stadium, I want to bring something quick, easy and that can be served cold or at room temperature. This is where the simplicity of dips and spreads works best. I also keep a staple of simple ingredients in my kitchen in case unexpected company arrives for a game.

Two-ingredient appetizers, such as onion dip with chips or a container of sour cream mixed with a packet of taco seasoning mix, are great last-minute dips. My mother used to mix equal amounts of mayonnaise with Parmesan cheese and some diced onion, then broil it until bubbly and brown. She served it with toast points or crackers and it was always a hit with our guests.

Here are four of my favorite go-to appetizers with five ingredients or fewer:

Golden baked cheese dip in a white casserole dish surrounded by crackers and party snacks.
Scott Suchman (Prop and Food Stylist: Lisa Cherkasky)

Baked Ricotta

Although this popular recipe only calls for a handful of ingredients, you can take it up a notch by adding red pepper flakes, minced garlic, a spoonful of grated Parmesan or chopped fresh thyme to the ricotta. If you can't find the shredded Italian cheese blend, use half cheddar and half mozzarella with 2 teaspoons of Italian seasoning.

Serves 4

  • 1 (15-ounce) container whole milk ricotta cheese
  • 1/2 cup Italian blend cheese, shredded, plus 1/4 cup more for topping
  • 1 teaspoon lemon juice
  • *Optional: salt & pepper to taste

Preheat oven to 425ºF. In a medium-sized bowl, mix all ingredients together (except for the extra 1/4 cup of cheese). Pour into a small, greased baking dish. Sprinkle the remaining cheese over the top and bake for 15 minutes. Serve with buttery crackers.

Creamy cheese dip with celery garnish served in a slow cooker alongside crackers and celery sticks.
Scott Suchman (Prop and Food Stylist: Lisa Cherkasky)

Slow Cooker Buffalo Chicken Dip

Unlike most baked buffalo chicken dips, this delicious recipe from Allrecipes calls for a slow cooker to keep the dip warm during your party (no congealing of the cheese!).

Makes 5 cups

  • 2 (10-ounce) cans chunk chicken, drained
  • 3/4 cup hot pepper sauce (such as Frank’s RedHot)
  • 2 (8-ounce) packages cream cheese, softened
  • 1 cup ranch dressing
  • 1 1/2 cups shredded cheddar cheese
  • Serve with: Celery, cut into 4-inch pieces and 1 (8-ounce) box chicken-flavored crackers

Gather all the ingredients. Heat chicken and hot pepper sauce in a skillet over medium heat until heated through, 3-5 minutes. Stir in cream cheese and ranch dressing. Cook and stir until well blended and warm, 3-5 minutes. Mix in half of the cheddar cheese and transfer the mixture to a slow cooker. Sprinkle the remaining cheese over the top. Cover and cook on low until the dip is hot and bubbly, about 15 minutes. Serve with celery sticks and crackers.

Cheese ball topped with chives and bacon bits served with crackers on a wooden board.
Scott Suchman (Prop and Food Stylist: Lisa Cherkasky)

The Million Dollar Spread

The almonds in this recipe threw me off at first — I wasn’t sure how it would taste. However, this turned out to be one of the easiest and most delicious appetizers I’ve ever made. You can serve the spread in a bowl or form the mixture into a large cheese ball once it’s cold enough. It really does taste like a million dollars!

Serves 10-11

  • 28 ounces shredded sharp cheddar cheese
  • 1/2 cup cooked, crumbled bacon (or you can use Bacon Bits)
  • 1 1/2 cups mayo
  • 1/2 cup slivered almonds (you can toast them first if you prefer)
  • 5-6 green onions, sliced

Mix all the ingredients thoroughly in a bowl. Cover and refrigerate for 2 hours. Serve with crackers.

Creamy dip topped with black olives served with tortilla chips on a wooden platter.
Scott Suchman (Prop and Food Stylist: Lisa Cherkasky)

Fiesta Corn Dip

This tasty, chunky dip from An Affair From The Heart is as simple as it gets and can be thrown together in 5 minutes!

Makes 5 cups

  • 2 (8-ounce) pkgs. cream cheese, softened
  • 1 (10-ounce) can Rotel tomatoes (do not drain)
  • 1 (3.8-ounce) can sliced black olives, drained
  • 1 (7-ounce) can Mexicorn, drained
  • 1 packet Hidden Valley Fiesta Ranch Dip Mix

In a mixing bowl, whip cream cheese with Fiesta Ranch Dip Mix until smooth. Stir in the corn and Rotel tomatoes. Fold in sliced olives. Serve with corn tortilla chips.

What’s YOUR favorite dip or appetizer to make? Let us know in the comments below.

Marcia Kester Doyle is a Yahoo Life Columnist and the author of Who Stole My Spandex? Life In The Hot Flash Lane. Her work has appeared in The New York Times, The Washington Post, The Huffington Post, The Independent, Stylist, U.S.A. Today/Reviewed, Cosmopolitan, Good Housekeeping, AARP, Woman's Day, Country Living, House Beautiful, and many others. You can find her at marciakesterdoyle.com.