Even if you can’t make it all the way to the Summer Olympics in Paris this year (which take place from July 26th to August 11th, 2024), we think you should still eat like you’re there. How do you do that? Well, by hosting a gold medal-worthy Olympics watch party with all the best appetizers, drinks, and national dishes you can dream of. No matter which athlete (or country) you’re rooting for, we’ve got plenty of recipes to keep you fueled up to cheer on your team from the opening ceremony to the closing ceremony.
Since the Olympics games originated in Greece, we’ve taken it as the most delicious excuse to load up our watch party with as many of our favorite Greek foods as possible. Feta cheese, perhaps our most favorite Greek contribution of all, has found its way into our hearts and our stomachs a lot lately, especially in the form of mini phyllo feta bites, sheet-pan spanakopita quesadillas, Greek feta dip, and spanakopita stuffed shells.
Rooting for another team? We’ve got all the best national dishes (and fun fusions) that’ll become mainstays well after the games are over. Not to toot our own horn too much, but we feel pretty certain that Team Canada would be pleased by our poutine recipe, Team Lebanon and Syria with our kibbeh-spiced lamb skewers, Team South Korea with our Korean corn dogs, Team Germany with our hot German potato salad, and Team Nigeria with our jollof rice. Team France will likely not be happy with our croissant hot dogs, but they’re the perfect French-American combo to go along with a slice of American pie (or a French Blonde cocktail). Whatever you choose, be sure to enjoy these recipes with five Olympic “rings” (like our blooming quesadilla ring or our mochi donuts) and a Gold Rush cocktail to really feel like a winner!
PHOTO: RACHEL VANNI; FOOD STYLING: BROOKE CAISON
1
Blooming Quesadilla Ring
A quesadilla ring (or five!) is the best way to make quesadillas for an Olympic party. The ring makes for a fun, cheesy, pull-apart game-day app for the biggest game day of all. Buffalo chicken is a must for any gathering, and this creamy, spicy filling is one of our favorite ways to serve it. Assemble the ring ahead of time and bake it off when you’re just about to serve it so that it’s hot and ready to go!
Get the Blooming Quesadilla Ring recipe.
PHOTO: ANDREW BUI; FOOD STYLING: MAKINZE GORE
2
Greek Feta Dip
Greece has given us the Olympics, but it’s also given us creamy feta cheese that gets even better when whipped. Whipped feta has become the base for many of our most popular dips (who can forget our cranberry whipped feta), but when we’re craving fresh summer flavors, we turn to this Greek-inspired recipe. Serve it at your Olympics watch party for a creamy dip that everyone will be reaching for.
Get the Greek Feta Dip recipe.
PHOTO: JULIA GARTLAND; FOOD STYLING: BARRETT WASHBURNE
3
American Pie
This slab pie is the edible centerpiece every Olympics watch party needs! Filled with fresh summer fruits and brimming with patriotic personality, this is the most festive treat from sea to shining sea! Best of all, it’s actually easy to make. Be prepared to mediate the fights that will surely break out when people are choosing who gets the stars and who gets the stripes!
Get the American Pie recipe.
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PHOTO: ANDREW BUI; FOOD STYLING: ERIKA JOYCE
4
Gold Rush Cocktail
Go for the gold, all you fans of the whiskey sour! The Gold Rush cocktail is the whiskey drink you’re already in love with. Very similar to a whiskey sour, this shaken bourbon cocktail calls for honey syrup instead of simple syrup. You also won’t find egg whites in this recipe. This drink was born at the bar of Milk & Honey, a former swanky, members-only staple of the NYC bar scene. They were known for creating memorable cocktails, and the Gold Rush is no exception.
Get the Gold Rush Cocktail recipe.
PHOTO: JOSEPH DE LEO; FOOD STYLING: PEARL JONES
5
Croissant Hot Dogs
Forget what you know about a ballpark hot dog, and elevate it with this simple (and very Parisian) ingredient swap. We love the richness of a charred hot dog inside of a flakey and buttery croissant. Top it with mustard, and it tastes just like a pig-in-a-blanket—it’s your favorite finger food turned life-size!
Get the Croissant Hot Dogs recipe.
PHOTO: RACHEL VANNI; FOOD STYLING: TAYLOR ANN SPENCER
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Mini Phyllo Feta Bites
Since the Olympics originated in Greece, and we love any excuse to eat our favorite Greek food (feta), so this bite-sized appetizer is our new favorite BOGO special. Salty, gooey feta cheese is wrapped in the flakiest golden-brown layers of phyllo dough. Everything gets drizzled in sticky-sweet honey and topped with flaky salt for extra crunch, and voilá: You have an elegant hors d’oeuvre with just six ingredients.
Get the Mini Phyllo Feta Bites recipe.
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PHOTO: RACHEL VANNI; FOOD STYLING: MAKINZE GORE
7
French Blonde cocktail
This refreshing drink has found its way into the spotlight recently after it was rumored that Taylor Swift prefers it as her cocktail of choice. Honestly, we’re not surprised! The cocktail—which features gin, the French aperitif Lillet Blanc, St-Germain liqueur, and grapefruit juice—is bright, citrusy, and just a touch floral. It also has a relatively low ABV (alcohol by volume), which makes it perfect for a summer Olympics watch party.
Get the French Blonde recipe.
PHOTO: ANDREW BUI; FOOD STYLING: TIFFANY SCHLEIGH
8
Sushi Sandwiches (Onigirazu)
If you’re solidly Team Japan, or just can’t get enough of the viral salmon and rice bowl, you need to try this sushi sandwich. Inspired by the popular Japanese onigirazu, this variation’s got the same elements of your favorite lunch—spicy salmon, seasoned sushi rice, cucumber, quick-pickled cabbage, carrot, and avocado—all wrapped in nori and served with plenty of sriracha-soy mayo. These flavor-packed, portable pouches are perfect for a picnic, quick lunch, or afternoon snack.
Get the Sushi Sandwiches (Onigirazu) recipe.
PHOTO: ANDREW BUI; FOOD STYLING: MAKINZE GORE
9
Croque Monsieur Bites
We took the croque monsieur, a classic French sandwich made with toasty bread, melty cheese, salty ham, and a silky béchamel, and turned it into an appetizer that hits all the high notes: buttery, crispy, creamy, cheesy, salty, and a little nutty.
Get the Croque Monsieur Bites recipe.
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PHOTO: LUCY SCHAEFFER; FOOD STYLING: FRANCESCA ZANI
10
Korean Corn Dog
With toppings like fries, puffed rice, and crushed ramen, and with a finishing sprinkling of sugar, South Korean corn dogs have become one of the most popular street foods in the world. Whether you’re making corn dogs or just regular hot dogs, they’re sure to be a topping inspiration at your watch party.
Get the Korean Corn Dogs recipe.
PHOTO: ANDREW BUI; FOOD STYLING: BROOKE CAISON
11
Mochi Donuts
In the spirit of all things Olympic rings, we give your next food obsession. Mochi donuts, also called pon de ring donuts, are a crispy, springy, sweet treat that combines the chewy texture of Japanese mochi with the crispy fried goodness of the American donut.
Get the Mochi Donuts recipe.
PHOTO: RACHEL VANNI; FOOD STYLING: MAKINZE GORE
12
Sheet-Pan Spanakopita Quesadillas
We love a good mashup, especially when it means making something we love in an easier way. Enter this innovative recipe, which combines the savory spinach filling from classic Greek spanakopita and the format and toppings of a great quesadilla. It’s reimagined on a sheet pan and is perfect for a crowd. You’ll skip spanakopita’s standard phyllo dough wrapper and instead use tortillas to make a large-scale quesadilla that bakes in the oven (rather than on the stovetop).
Get the Sheet-Pan Spanakopita Quesadillas recipe.
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PHOTO: ANDREW BUI; FOOD STYLING: SPENCER RICHARDS
13
Poutine
The national dish of Canada, poutine is the ultimate comfort food. Made with French fries, gravy and cheese curds, this recipe is not only customizable based on what you have on hand (and how much effort you want to put in), but it’s also much simpler to make at home than you may think. For the fries we recommend our double fried iteration, but your go-to recipe will certainly work here, just as long as they’re extra crispy! Hearty midnight snack, here we come.
Get the Poutine recipe.
PHOTO: RACHEL VANNI; FOOD STYLING: ADRIENNE ANDERSON
14
One-Pot Greek Chicken Chili
Featuring tender pieces of dark meat chicken, creamy white beans, and tender veggies, this cozy Greek-inspired chili is the perfect filling-but-not-too-heavy dinner for when you need to serve a crowd at your Olympics watch party. Flavored with a bouquet of hearty herbs, this stew is easy to throw together in one pot for minimal mess and maximum flavor.
Get the One-Pot Greek Chicken Chili recipe.
PHOTO: JOSEPH DE LEO; FOOD STYLING: LAURA REGE
15
Bánh Mì Turkey Burgers
Turkey burgers can have a reputation for being boring, but when done right, they’re anything but. We amped up these burgers by incorporating the flavors of one of our favorite sandwiches (and one of Vietnam’s national dishes): bánh mì. Pickled veggies, spicy mayo, and cilantro all top our seasoned turkey burgers for a cheap and easy meal that couldn’t be more exciting, especially served with chili oil smashed potatoes.
Get the Bánh Mì Turkey Burgers recipe.
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PHOTO: RACHEL VANNI; FOOD STYLING: ADRIENNE ANDERSON
16
Kibbeh-Spiced Lamb Skewers
A national dish of both Lebanon and Syria, these delicious kibbeh skewers are versatile enough to be served as the main course with rice or as an easy appetizer at a more casual Olympics cocktail party. The grated onions in the lamb mixture make for a tender kebab, and the orange zest adds an unexpected flavor combination that accompanies the spiced meat perfectly.
Get the Kibbeh-Spiced Lamb Skewers recipe.
PHOTO: JULIA GARTLAND; FOOD STYLING: TAYLOR ANN SPENCER
17
Hot German Potato Salad
Unlike the chilled, creamy, mayo-dressed picnic staple we’re familiar with, German potato salad is served warm, or even hot, with a bacon vinaigrette. We repeat, bacon vinaigrette. If you’ve never made a dressing with bacon fat, you’re in for a treat. The best part of this is that there’s no need to wait for the potatoes to get to room temperature before tossing everything together and heaping it on your plate.
Get the Hot German Potato Salad recipe.
Andrew bui
18
Spanakopita Stuffed Shells
It’s always a thrill when you can take two mainstays of different cuisines and mash up them up into something wholly unique and delicious. Spanakopita is closely associated with Greek cooking, and we would surmise that just about every connoisseur of Italian-American cooking has either made or eaten their fair share of stuffed shells. Although many stuffed shell recipes contain spinach, we tweak that template here by adding feta, dill, and scallions. The result is a slight spin that just might be better than the original.
Get the Spanakopita Stuffed Shells recipe.
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19
Homemade Dumplings
Fans of Team China, have we got the most delicious Olympics watch party activity for you. Take your time and give this homemade dumpling process lots of love—餃子 (jiao zi) are often made in the company of loved ones around Chinese New Year to celebrate families gathering together. Their shape resembles Chinese gold ingots, a currency that was used during the Ming dynasty, and are meant to represent prosperity, wealth, and health.
Get the Homemade Dumplings recipe.
PHOTO: ERIK BERNSTEIN; FOOD STYLING: LENA ABRAHAM
20
Chicken Empanadas
Rooting for Team Chile or Team Argentina? Make a batch of both country’s national dish: empanadas. Empanadas come in many different forms with many different fillings. This version is a flavor bomb, with tender chicken thighs, peppers, and olives, bolstered by tomato paste and paprika, but feel free to go the ground beef route if that’s more your jam!
Get the Chicken Empanadas recipe.
