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Make tailgating better with a batch of Chorizo Stuffed Bacon Wrapped Dates! They’re an easy appetizer you can make for a crowd on game day or any gathering. Scroll down for 19 more amazing tailgating recipes!

Football season! It’s here, finally. I’ve been waiting all summer.

A couple weeks ago I got to watch the the first game of the year with friends and family at a dear fellow fan’s house. It was awesome to finally watch football again!

Oh, and the food. Football fans sure know how to eat.

Whenever I tailgate with this group, there is always a massive spread of deviled eggs, delicious dips and decadent pulled pork. There’s always craft beer and sometimes (if I’m there) bottled tailgate cocktails. Maybe even cheese dip. Or beer cheese dip.

It’s a feast.

And that’s how tailgating should be, in my opinion. Food and football just go hand in hand.

So that’s where these Chorizo Stuffed Bacon Wrapped Dates come in.

Sweet, salty and a little spicy, this is a meaty appetizer that’s sure to please a crowd of hungry tailgaters.

Chris and I first made these Chorizo Stuffed Bacon Wrapped Date for a potluck this summer. We were on the Whole30, and wanted to bring a compliant appetizer, so we decided to put a box of medjool dates in our pantry to good use.

They were all gone within an hour.

No joke. That’s what I call a party success!

I’m not sure what I love more: the spicy meaty center, or the sweet date it’s enrobed in. Or perhaps it’s the crispy bacon on the outside.

Or maybe it’s the fact that you can just pop one of these in your mouth for a burst of all these flavors and textures. (What the heck — go for two.)

Whatever the reason, this is an appetizer that you can bring to any kind of gathering, all year long .Chorizo Stuffed Bacon Wrapped Dates are the perfect finger food. Touchdown! // susannah

Scroll down for the recipe!

I teamed up with a few friends to bring you tailgating recipes to enjoy all season long.

Caramelized Onion Dip by Culinary Adventures with Camilla
Creamy Pepita Dip by The Mexitalian
Traeger Pulled Pork by Or Whatever You Do
Tricolor Potato Pancakes with Horseradish Cream by A Little Gathering
Baked Brie Crescent Bites by The Culinary Compass
Aunt Julie’s Pepperoni Bread by Off the Eaten Path
Jalapeño Ranch Dip by A Joyfully Mad Kitchen
Corn Dip by Me and My Pink Mixer
Slow Cooker Apple Cider Chicken Sliders by Cake ‘n Knife
Easy Pepperoni Bread by Love Bakes Good Cakes
Bacon Wrapped Cheese Smokies by West Via Midwest
Easy Roasted Veggie Fajitas by Hello Little Home
Chicken Swiss Dip by The Life Jolie
Pumpkin Pulled Pork Bowls by The Speckled Palate
Easy Potato Chip Nachos by Honey and Birch
Apple Pie Twists by 2 Cookin Mamas
Buffalo Cauliflower + Blue Cheese Dressing by For the Love of Food
Pigskin Cheeseball by Love & Flour

Want even more ideas? We have even MORE tailgating recipes from last football season!

Pin these Chorizo Stuffed Bacon Wrapped Dates for later!

Chorizo Stuffed Bacon Wrapped Dates

Author: Susannah Brinkley
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 30 minutes
Total Time: 40 minutes
Yield: 30-40
Category: Appetizer
Cuisine: American

Ingredients

1 pound Mexican chorizo sausage
35 to 40 pitted medjool dates
2 pounds thin bacon, cut in half

Instructions

Preheat oven to 425°F. Line a baking sheet with foil.
Remove chorizo from casing. In a medium skillet over medium heat, cook chorizo, stirring often and breaking the chorizo into chunks. Cook 5-6 minutes, until the chorizo is bubbling and completely separated. Transfer to a paper towel-lined plate and let cool for 10 minutes.
Once chorizo is cool to the touch, stuff the dates with chunks of chorizo. Wrap each one in half a strip of bacon and secure with a toothpick. Place on foil-lined baking sheet.
Bake for 15 to 18 minutes, turning the dates halfway through to cook the bacon evenly. Serve warm or at room temperature.