Menu Ideas for Themed Football Parties
We're going to keep adding more and more
recipe ideas and menu suggestions for your football party to this page - it'll never be finished!
To start with, we're categorising the recipes by nation, so that whether you're watching England vs Algeria in the World Cup,
or throwing a Super Bowl party for your friends, there should be some suitably themed menu ideas for you.
To help you find your way around, the recipes are listed by nation alphabetically.
There's also a special section just for barbecue recipes.
To help you plan your menu, we have used the following symbols, shown after the name of each dish where appropriate:
- V = Vegetarian
- H = Hot & Spicy
- S = Starter or snack
- M = Main Course
- A = Side Dish or Accompaniement
- D = Dessert Recipes
If you have any comments on the recipes below, or want to add some ideas of your own, please don't hesitate to get in touch.
Algeria
The food of Algeria is full of flavour and well-spiced. There is a love of sweet pastries, probably originally introduced by the Turks. Spiced, roast lamb with couscous, served
with a variety of fresh vegetables could be considered the national dish.
The use of spice may not be as intense as in neighbouring Morocco, but there are many similar influences, and to some extent you could get away with borrowing dishes from any
of the other Maghreb countries if you so wished.
Spicy Fish Kebabs H S / M
Spiced Lamb Tagine H M
Chakchouka (ratatouille-style vegetable dish with eggs) V H A
Algerian Fish Soup H S
Angola
The most commonly eaten foodstuff in Angola is "Funge" - a starchy mass made with corn meal. Apparently it's a little like polenta but sticky,
and lacking in much flavour. As it's not easily available in many parts of the world, it's not particularly tasty, and doesn't really lend itself to a party situation, we'll move on...
Beans and rice are a popular meal for most everyday situations. Plain boiled rice is filling, but not as readily available as funge, as much has to be imported. Beans are flavoured
with a wide variety of additional ingredients - tomatoes, chillies, onions, garlic, etc. A good quick substitute is to use tins of "mixed beans in spicy sauce",
which are widely available in many supermarkets.
Chicken and meat (most commonly goat) are eaten, but only on special occasions for the majority of Angolans, due to the cost. However, in our book
a football match is a special occasion! Angloa has a long stretch of Atlantic coastline, so fish and other seafood are available.
There has been a Portuguese influence in Angola for over 500 years - the first Portuguese explorers arrived here in the late fifteenth century. Portuguese is still the official language,
and many dishes have Portuguese names and/or ingredients. Many dishes are very close to piri piri in their flavouring.
Angolan Grilled Prawns with a "raw" sauce - Camarao Grelhado com Molho Cru S
Angolan Chicken in a Red Palm Oil Sauce - Muamba de Galinha M
Angolan Grilled Piri Piri Chicken - Frango Grelhado Piri Piri H M
Angolan Chicken & Bean Stew - Feijoada H M
Argentina
If you're a vegetarian, then much of the Argentine cuisine is not for you. Beef has been universally popular in Argentina since its introduction by the Spanish over 500 years ago,
and continues to be one of the most frequently served foodstuffs, especially grilled or barbecued.
There is a strong European/mediterranean influence on much of the Argentinian cooking. As well as beef, chicken, lamb, pork and offal are all popular,
and the use of fresh locally grown produce is still preferred. Argentine cooking is, on the whole, less spicey than that of many other South American countries,
with sweet peppers, tomatoes, herbs and onions being widely used as flavourings rather than chillies. The European influence is evidenced in the popularity of foods such as
Italian Pasta, French style bread and seasonings such as parsley, fresh oregano, paprika, thyme and bay leaves.
Argentine Beef Empanadas
H S
Argentine Flautas
H S
Argentine Beef Stew - Carbonada Criolla
M
Argentine Beef Stew in a Pumpkin
M
Argentine Baked Chicken - Pollo Rio Negro
M
Australia
Australian cooking is a good reflection of Austrlia as a whole - it's fun, it's fresh, it's unpretentious. It's full of fresh outdoors ingredients and great natural flavours.
And it draws from cultural influences that reflect the origins of many of Australia's inhabitants - Europe and South East Asia. As a result, Aussies were cooking what has
become "trendy fusion food" years before it became fashionable in Europe.
Barbecued Chilli & Sesame Beef
S M H
Barbecued Corn on the Cob
S A
Barbecued Prawn Skewers with Lemongrass
S
Australasian Prawns
M H
(Kangaroo) Steak with Mushroom Sauce
M
Stir-fried (Ostrich) Steak with Chilli
M H
Aussie Potato Pancakes
A
Lamingtons
D
Chocolate Chip Oat Slices
D
Brazil
Brazilian cooking has been influenced by many other nations and cultures. In addition to the cooking of the indigenous peoples, Brazilian cuisine has been heavily influenced by
the Portuguese, who first colonised the area 500 years ago, and by the culture of the West African slaves that they broguht with them.
Additionally, the style of cooking and the ingredients used differs by region in this vast country, although rice and beans as staples are consumed almost everywhere.
In the north, close to the Amazon, fish is an important source of protein, and there is an abundance of fresh local root vegetables and fruit.
By contrast, the central and western areas, much of which is open grassland, produce large quantities of beef, corn and pork.
Like their close neighbours and arch-rivals the Argeninians, Brazilians love to barbecue, and often a barbecue becomes an all day event, with mountains of beef being slowly
barbecued throughout the afternoon, being gradually eaten slice by slice, washed down with cold beer. The beef is often simply salted and cooked - very little marination.
The Brazilians claim to have been the first to introduce beef to South America, even before it arrived in Argentina. Whether that's true or not, beef is certainly always on the menu!
Brazilian Spicy Barbecue Sauce - Molho Apimentado
H A
Brazilian Barbecued Chicken Kebabs - Churrasco de Frango
S
Brazil's National Dish - Pork & Black Bean Stew (Feijoada)
H M
Brazilian Chicken in Red Wine - Frango ao Vinho
M
Brazilian Fish Stew - Moqueca de Peixe
H M
Brazil's classic Caipirinha cocktail
A
Cameroon
The cuisine of Cameroon is one of the most varied in Africa. Staple foods in Cameroon include cassava, yam, rice, plantain, potato, maize, beans, and millet, but some are more popular in
certain regions than others.
A typical main meal consists of rice, mashed potato, cassava or couscous served with a stew or soup. Vegetables such as spinach, onion, tomatoes, peppers and squashes are common,
and dishes are flavoured with peanuts, chillies and ginger. There is a large variety of different fruits grown in Cameroon, including bananas, citrus fruits, pineapple, mangoes and grapes.
Cameroon Beef Kebabs - Brochettes à la Camerounaise
H S
Cameroon Beef & Coconut Curry
H M
Fried Spinach
A V
Zom - Beef & Spinach Stew
M
Banana Bread
D
Chile
Like many Latin American countries, Chile's cuisine has been influenced not only by the early Spanish settlers, but also by the many immigrants from other European countries over the years.
Combine this fact with an incredibly diverse terrain (deserts, rain forests, mountains, beaches, glaciers...) and a huge coastline, and you begin to understand why it is hard
to define one style of cooking as "the Chilean cuisine".
Seafood is extremely popular; what beef is in Argentina, seafood is in Chile! As well as a host of different freshwater and sea fish, plus the usual crab, lobster, clams, mussels etc,
Chileans seems quite happy to eat almost anything else that comes from the sea too! There are a whole host of intirguing and unique seafood ingredients that are popular in the
restaurants of Santiago that simply aren't available for the rest of us to enjoy, but if you ever visit the country, be brave and try at least one item on the menu
that you haven't tried before!
Chilean anticuchos - barbecued skewered meat
S
Empanadas - individual meat pies*
S
Ceviche - cold Chilean seafood salad
S
Pastel de choclo - Chilean shepherds pie
M
Grilled Chilean Sea Bass with Sherry Cream Sauce
M
Chilean Bean, Vegetable & Pasta Stew - Porotos con Rienda
M
Chilean Pisco Sour Cocktail
A
*These empanadas are listed as Argentinian in our database, but are cooked in Chile with an almost identical recipe.
Cote d'Ivoire (Ivory Coast)
The food of the Ivory Coast, or Côte d'Ivoire, has slow-simmered stews and a variety of starches and grains.
Chicken and fish are popular. Tomatoes, aubergine (eggplant) and onions are important vegetables.
Cassava root, plantains, and rice form the bulk of starchy calories.
A popular dish is mafé, or sauce d'arachide, which is meat in peanut sauce.
Side dishes include fried or mashed plantains and attieke - grated and cooked cassava.
Small, local restaurants called maquis serve dishes like kedjenou, chicken stewed with vegetables.
Chilled Avocado Soup
H S
Kedjenou
(chicken stewed with vegetables) H M
Mafé
(meat in peanut sauce) M
Halibut, Coconut & Rice Casserole
H M
Denmark
What the Danes do well, they do very well (probably the best in the world!), and they're not afraid to tell the world about it!
Butter, beer and pork products (pork and bacon especially) feature heavily in their everyday cuisine, and in their list of major exports.
It's also said that nobody in Denmark lives more than 30 miles from the sea, so seafood is also extremely popular.
Savoury Danish Pastries with Bacon & Blue Cheese S
Danish Open Sandwiches - Smørrebrød S
Grilled Salmon with Warm Salad M
Stuvet Oksekød - Danish Beef Stew M
Æblekage (Danish Apple Pudding) D
Egypt
The food of Egypt is full of flavour and well-spiced, without being particularly hot in the chilli sense.
They eat a lot of beans and pulses, eggs and omelettes, and poultry (pigeon is particularly popular, as are goose, chicken and quail).
Seafood is also popular near the red sea, and breads are served with every meal.
Djej M'Ahmar
M (Roast chicken, stuffed with couscous and served with a red sauce)
Ful Nabed A
(Egyptian-style Butter Beans)
Melokhia A
(Egyptian-style Spinach)
England
A couple of ideas first of all to warm you up after those cold January FA Cup 3rd round matches:
Meg's FA Cup o' Soup S
Winter Warmer Shepherds Pie M
Beef in Ale Casserole
M
Germany
Germans are perhaps best known for their meat dishes, especially pork based recipes. As well as big pork roasts, different regional types of sausages - such as the Nürnberger Bratwurst -
are very popular. It is customary in most parts of Germany to eat these sausages with mustard and chips. OK, nothing unusual in that. But the Germans like chips with mayonnaise. Now that sounds a bit odd to us Brits, but having chips with salt and vinegar on sounds odd
to the Germans, so give it a go - you might enjoy it! Getting a selection of German sausages, a jar of German mustard, a huge bowlful of chips, and some German beer is as good a place as any to start for a German themed party.
Pretzels
S
Bavarian Schweinsbraten - Roast Pork
M
Bavarian Potato Dumplings (Kartoffelknödel)
A
German Meatballs
M
German Red Cabbage (Rotkohl)
A
Ghana
Many Ghanaian recipes include - and indeed rely heavily on - ingredients that are not always easy to find elasewhere, such as red palm oil.
Everyday food for most Ghanaians consists of a staple called fufu, made from ground cassava, served with a soup or watery stew made with whatever is in season,
often yams, peanuts and/or plaintains, and almost always chillies. Often fish is added. Rice and millet are also widely used and eaten.
Chicken and goat are reared by many families and eaten on special occasions.
There are many similarities between the cuisine of Ghana and that of its near neighbours. Hkatenkwan, a chicken stew made with peanut (groundnut) butter,
is for example similar to Ivorian Mafé (Meat in Peanut Sauce). Fufu is popular throughout western Africa.
Jollof is an "all in one" dish with chicken, rice and vegetables in a tomato-based sauce, very simlilar to
Kedjenou from the Ivory Coast. Either could be used if you are planning a Ghanaian party, so we won't reproduce them here.
Hot Plaintain Crisps S
Braised Chicken with Chillies H M
Shoko
(Beef & Spinach Stew) H M
Simple Ghanaian Fried Fish
H M
Hungary
While goulash (gulyas) may be Hungary's most famous dish internationally, what many people think of as goulash probably owes more to other Hungarian dishes.
Authentic gulyas is more of a soup than a stew, whereas the stew that most people refer to as goulash is actually closer to the Hungarian national dish "Pörkölt".
But there is much more to Hungarian cuisine than just goulash. The Turkish influence - stemming from their invasion of Hungary in the sixteenth century - brought spices, the most widely
used of which is paprika. Hungarians' love of pastry dishes and filo pastry in particular can also be traced back to this Turkish influence.
Hungarians as a rule eat a lot of meat, especially pork, beef and various kinds of sausage.
Hungarian Beef Soup - Marha Gulyas
M
Hungarian Beef "Goulash" - Pörkölt
M
Hungarian Chicken Paprikash
M
Hungarian Warm Bacon & Potato Salad
A
Hungarian Chocolate Mousse Cake - Sutemeny Rigo Jancsi
D
Hungarian Stacked Pancakes - Rakott Palacsinta
D
Italy
Italians tend to eat their evening meals late, but many enjoy aperitivo in the bars on the way home from work in the early evening.
This is not dissimilar to the Spanish tapas concept, but in Italy acts as a kind of "happy hour". When a bar is offering aperitivo, a customer orders a drink
and can then help themselves to small portions of many different dishes that are available in the venue in a "buffet" style. As long as you are ordeing drinks, and the
"happy hour" is still operating, you can continue to help yourself to the food. To most Italians, this is an opportunity to relax over a drink and a small snack
on the way home from work. To us, with our football party heads on, there's an idea for a party here. Invite some friends round for the game, set up the buffet featuring
some pizzas and some of the recipes below, let people help themselves to drinks and food before the game, then again at half time, and then again after the final whistle.
It is perhaps misleading to think of "Italian food", as many dishes popular in the area around Milan
are more closely related to the cuisines of alpine neighbours such as Switzerland, Austria and Slovenia, than they are to southern Italian cooking.
Risotto with Bacon & Cheese - Risotto alla pilota
M
Milanese Chicken in Mushroom & Ham Sauce - La Piccata Milanese
M
Milanese Veal Cutlet - La Cotoletta Alla Milanese
M
"Woodman's Mushrooms" - Pappardelle alla Boscaiola
M
Milanese Biscuits - Biscottini di Milano
D
Japan
Japanese food has evolved over centuries of traditions, and more recently has also blended in a few influences from China, Korea and the West. Being an island culture, seafood of many
types is very popular in Japan, and meat dishes have only started to become popular relatively recently. Noodles and rice are the main staples. Japanese rice is of the short grain, sticky type. There are many types of Japanese noodles, the main ones being Soba, which are thin
noodles made of buckwheat, and Udon, which are thicker wheat noodles. A traditional Japanese meal consists of a bowl of soup, a bowl of rice, some pickles and 2-3 "side dishes"
- which could be fish, meat, vegetables or tofu, and may be raw, grilled, boiled, steamed or deep-fried - all served together.
Vegetable miso soup
V S
Chirashizushi - "Scattered Sushi"
M
Chicken Yakitori - Grilled Chicken Kebabs
M
Cucumber & Avocado Sushi
V S
Chicken & Egg Rice Bowl - Oyakodon
M
Tempura - Deep Fried Prawns & Vegetables in Batter
M
Korea - North & South
Central to Korean cuisine are rice, noodles, tofu, vegetables, and meats. Traditionally, Korean meals are served with many side dishes (banchan) and steamed short-grain rice.
Kimchi, a fermented, spicy vegetable dish is omnipresent as an accompaniement to every meal. Korean cooking is flavoured with spices including sesame oil, soy sauce, chillies, garlic, ginger,
and doenjang (fermented soybean paste).
While the main staples eaten are rice and noodles, pulses - especially soybeans, mung beans and azuki beans - remain extremely popular, and are used in many different ways. The main sources of
protein are chicken and pork (but beef - which is highly valued - and dog meat are also eaten). As the Korean peninsula is almost surrounded by water, fish and seafood are very popular,
and can be either grilled or eaten in soups and stews. Koreans eat a very wide selection of different vegetables, many of which are not well known in the west; popular vegetables include
include potato, sweet potato, cabbage, spinach, courgettes, mushrooms, cucumber, garlic, chillies, various types of seaweed, and lotus root.
Bulgogi - Korean Barbecued Beef
M
Hot & Spicy Squid Stir Fry - Ohjinguh bokkeum
H M
Korean Ginger Tea
Mexico
Mexican food isn't all exactly like the recipes we expect in a "Mexican" restaurant, which is richer and has a lot more meat in than you would expect on the average Mexican's dining table.
Mexican restaurant food is more like "special occasion" Mexican cuisine, but that's fine - a football party IS a special occasion!
That said, I cannot vouch for the authenticity of all of these recipes. Some I know for sure have been simplified, and the volume of chillies reduced significantly in at least one case!
But authentic or not, give them a go, because they're all delicious!
Cocktails made with tequila
Nachos Nibbles
V S
Quesadillas
V S
Acapulco Chicken
H M
Mexican Turkey in Chilli & Chocolate Sauce - Mole Poblano
H M
Spicy Filled Tortillas
V H M
Chilli Bean Tacos
V H M
Netherlands
Dutch cooking today, unlike the cuisines of some neighbouring countries, has been influenced by their explorations over the past few centuries (think Dutch East India Company).
So there are many Malaysian and Indonesian restaurants, especially in the major cities, and spicy food is more popular than you might at first expect for a northern European country.
Additionally, there is quite a large Moroccan population living in Holland's major cities, and their style of cooking is also extremely popular. Combine these two diverse influences
with a traditional northern European "meat and two vedge" style of cooking, plus some internationally famous cheeses, and you will begin to see that the Netherlands has a surprisngly broad range of dishes to offer,
which is good news for those wishing to throw a Dutch football party.
Dutch Slow-Braised Beef (Draadjesvlees)
M
Fish with Tomato & Grape Salsa
M
Pork in Sweet Soy Sauce (Babi Ketjap)
M
Spicy Chicken (Ajam Seitan)
H M
Dutch Roast Potatoes with Bacon & Garlic
A
Nigeria
The many different geographical factors and culutural groups in Nigeria lead to a varied cuisine. Fruits - such as melon, mango, pineapple, banana and citrus fruits are widely available and popular with all.
There are vegetarian groups within the population. Others eat fish, and with other groups meat dishes - especially kebabs cooked over an open fire - are popular.
Staple sources of carbohydrate include rice, cous cous and yams. Food flavourings reflect the fact that European traders have visited Nigeria since the 1400s, bringing with them
spices from the far east such as nutmeg and cinnamon. Stock cubes seem to be widely used in cooking now, and peanuts are a commonly used flavouring.
Spicy Minced Meat Kebabs (Tsiren Dakakken Nama) H S M
Beef Kebabs with Spicy Peanut Marinade (Tsire) S M
Spinach & Egg Stew V H M
Chicken Yassa Casserole H M
Fish Stew (Be Eja Tutu)
H M
South Africa
Barbecued meat is a big part of South African cuisine, but there's a lot more to South African cuisine than just barbecue.
Curry-lovers will be delighted to know that curries are very popular in South Africa, especially in the Durban area,
so we have an excuse for a good curry or two!
Influences on South African cooking come from Europe, the Indian sub-continent, and of course the indigenous South African peoples. We'll try to include some examples of each,
but leave out such African delicacies as Ulusu Lwenkomo (stewed ox tripe), stewed rat and Mopane Worms. No, seriously, if you want to try these recipes, they do exist
so feel free to search for them online. This site is all about throwing a party, and we're not sure how well some of those recipes would go down with your party guests, but it's
obviously entirely up to you!
Butternut Soup S
Barbecue Fish Parcels S
South African "Sundowners" - Barbecued Chicken Wings
S
Cape Malay Kebabs (Sosaties) H S / M
Bobotie H M
Potato & Pea Curry (Muttar Batata) V H A
Yellow Rice V A
Spain
Throughout Spain, Tapas are a popular way to eat. For those not familiar with them, tapas are more a way of eating than necessarily a specific recipe or recipes.
The idea is to order small portions of many different dishes as you order your drinks over the course of the evening - each time you order a round of drinks, order another tapas or two.
To our way of thinking, if they can be prepared in advance, is there a better way to combine food, drink and a good footy game on the TV?! We think not!
There are so many recipes and ideas for tapas - or Pintxos as they are known in the Basque region - that we may end up having a whole page dedicated to them.
For now, we'll add a few here as a start, along with some main courses from different Spanish regions.
Basque Smoked Fish & Fruit Tapas
S
Chorizo & Cheese Tortilla
S
Catalan Fish Stew (Suquet de Peix)
M
Catalan Mushrooms - Xampinyons en Salsa
V S or A
Chorizo & Mozzarella Bites
S
Stuffed Tomatoes
S
Spanish Fried Potatoes in Sauce - Patatas bravas
V S or A
Gazpacho
V S
Spanish Chicken & Chorizo Casserole
M
Spanish Barbecued Lamb
M
Switzerland
Perched up in the Alps and sandwiched between Germanic, French and Italian influences, the traditional Swiss diet tends to be quite heavy on pork and dairy produce, especially cheese, so quite high
in fat and calories - perfect for climbing up and down mountains all day, but less well suited to some forms of modern life.
The obvious choice for a Swiss football party is to do fondue. The word fondue is derived from the French for "melted".
You can do cheese, broth and/or chocolate, and believe it or not, there are different types of fondue pot for each type - see the Switzerland Page
for more information.
Classic Chocolate Fondue
D
Alternative Chocolate Fondue
D
Classic Swiss Cheese Fondue Recipe
S or M
Alternative Cheese Fondue Recipe with Cheddar & Beer
S or M
Blue Cheese Fondue Recipe
S or M
Oil Fondue Recipe for Breaded Chicken
S or M
Basic Recipe for Bourguignonne Fondue - Beef in Oil
S or M
Asian-influenced Seafood Broth-style Fondue
S or M
Uruguay
Uruguayan food is very similar to that of its larger neighbours Argentina and Brazil. Uruguayans love a traditional barbecue - asado - which is usually cooked over a
wood fire for an authentic flavour. As in Argentina, beef is universally popular, as are Spanish style sausages such as chorizo and Empanadas.
They also love large meat-based sandwiches (like a club sandwich made with steak) called Chivito al pan,
which are extremely popular with locals and tourists alike, and are ideal to serve at a Uruguayan football party.
Beef Empanadas
H S
Steak Club Sandwich - Chivito al pan
S
Steak Club Sandwich Version 2 - Milanesa al pan
S
Uruguayan-style Beef & Rice Stew
M
United States of America
With so many cultures melding together, the cuisine of the United States is hugely varied. Here are a few ideas to get you started:
Jalapeno Poppers H S
BBQ Garlic Prawns H S / M
(OK, the US recipe is called "BBQ Garlic Shrimp - it's a translation thing!)
Jambalaya H M
Slow Cooker Chilli H M
Barbecue Recipes from around the World
Algerian Spicy Fish Kebabs
Angolan Grilled Prawns with a "raw" sauce - Camarao Grelhado com Molho Cru
Angolan Grilled Piri Piri Chicken - Frango Grelhado Piri Piri
Australian Barbecued Chilli & Sesame Beef
Barbecued Corn on the Cob
Australian Barbecued Prawn Skewers with Lemongrass
Brazilian Spicy Barbecue Sauce - Molho Apimentado
Brazilian Barbecued Chicken Kebabs - Churrasco de Frango
Chilean anticuchos - barbecued skewered meat
Nigerian Spicy Minced Meat Kebabs (Tsiren Dakakken Nama)
Nigerian Beef Kebabs with Spicy Peanut Marinade (Tsire)
South African Barbecued Fish Parcels
South African "Sundowners" - Barbecued Chicken Wings
South African Cape Malay Kebabs (Sosaties)
Spanish Barbecued Lamb
American BBQ Garlic Prawns
