Inspired by… Super Bowl LI:
Who doesn’t love eating crunchy, tasty pretzels during a big game? They’re addicting, right? If you think regular pretzels are hard to stop eating, wait until you try my Taco Pretzels! They’re crispy, smoky, and salty with a kick of heat. Perfect for the Super Bowl or just anytime you want a crunchy, flavorful snack (read: all the time!)
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It’s that time of year again, guys! That one magical day where people who don’t really watch football the other 364 days of the year come together with those who do, and watch one of the biggest televised events of the year. Yup, you guessed it. It’s the SUPER BOWL (what gave it away?) I have to admit that I generally fall into the former category of people watching. I can follow the game and I like football enough, but it’s not really my thing. That being said, I absolutely LOVE the Super Bowl! Yes, I do love the halftime show (usually), the commercials, and all that other good stuff. But, the thing I love the most about the Super Bowl is memories I have of watching it with my dad, when I was growing up. He loves sports—NFL, NBA, NCAA, you name it. I, on the other hand, not as much, BUT we always watched the Super Bowl together.
There was this one time, back when I was about 15 years old, that my mom went to visit relatives leaving my dad and I at home, just the two of us, for Super Bowl Sunday. We decided to use this opportunity to make all the food that mom usually didn’t want us to eat. You know, JUNK FOOD! We cooked it all from scratch: nachos, pesto meatballs, chili, mac and cheese, wings etc. etc. You name it; we cooked it. We had enough food to feed the whole Super Bowl stadium, but there was only the two of us to eat it. Needless to say, we were very happy and VERY full by the time the game was over. Plus, leftovers for days. Cooking all that Super Bowl food with my dad is one of my favorite memories, especially since it was one of many things that jogged my interest in cooking. So, of course, I had to make a snack inspired by the Super Bowl in honor of my daddy.
My dad loves pretzels, so my Super Bowl LI inspired snack is one of his favorites: my Taco Pretzels! The first time I made him these Taco Pretzels, he literally could not stop eating them. He dipped them in some spicy hummus that we had and didn’t stop until the hummus tub was empty. I don’t blame him; they really are addicting! Plus, these pretzels are “healthy-ish” enough for mom and tasty enough for dad! Mom AND dad approved! That’s how you know they’re good.
These pretzels are extra crunchy with a smoky, spicy taco flavor running through them. And, they’re super easy to make! I just mixed a pre-made taco seasoning (I recommend Old El Paso 
If you’re looking for other Super Bowl snacks, be sure to check out my easy Smoky Ranch dip too! It actually complements the Taco Pretzels perfectly, as a dipping sauce, as well as wings, raw veggies, mini hot dogs, or anything else you may be serving.
No matter what team you’re rooting for, enjoy these crunchtastic Taco Pretzels with your family and friends, and I guarantee you’ll have an amazing time! Or, hog them all for yourself… either way. 😉
PS How cute is this Football Stadium Chip and Dip set I got?? It’s super durable and hand painted. You can get your own in time for the Super Bowl, right here
- 1 (16 oz) bag of pretzel twists (see note)
- ¾ cup vegetable oil
- 2 tablespoons taco seasoning
- 1 teaspoon chili powder
- Guacamole, salsa, queso, black bean dip, or anything else you want, for dipping (optional)
- Preheat oven to 200 degrees.
- Add oil, taco seasoning, and chili powder into a gallon ziploc bag.
- Zip tightly and shake well.
- Carefully open bag and add pretzels. Shake well (but carefully) until all pretzels are evenly covered in taco oil.
- Place pretzels in a large baking dish. Pour any remaining oil from the bottom of the bag on top of the pretzels and toss to coat.
- Put baking dish in pre-heated oven and cover with foil.
- Bake for 90 minutes, removing from oven and stirring every 30 minutes or so to ensure even baking. Pretzels should be hot and crispy.
- Allow pretzels to cool before eating. Serve with your favorite dip (I love them with guac) or enjoy on their own!
The pretzels will keep for several weeks stored in a tightly sealed jar or bag
This would be a fun easy snack to prepare for Super Bowl. Thank you for sharing this idea!
VelvaTomatoes on the Vine
Thank you so much, Velva!
Gimme alllll the game day eats!!! These are so awesome, and would go so well with just about any dip on the table! Saving this one for sure!
Thank you so much, Karly! It definitely goes well with any dip. Perfect for game day! Thanks for stopping by!
This is an excellent idea for an easy and relatively healthy party food! Regular pretzels are great and these seasoned with taco seasoning sound flat out amazing, thank you! I’d definitely need to pair mine with some homemade guacamole.
Thank you so much, Erica! They really are delicious with guacamole. Definitely my preferred way of eating them, although they do taste fantastic with any dip. Thanks for stopping by!
I love what an easy snack this is for game day! And smoky taco seasoning?? You had me with that description right there!
Thank you so much, Mikaela!
What a fun idea for a party. Just put them out and don’t say a word. Let people discover them. Thanks for this!
Thank you so much, Romain! I love the idea of putting them out and letting people discover them. Thanks! 🙂
Yay! So easy and tasty! I could definitely see myself dipping the taco pretzels in guacamole, hummus, your smoky ranch dip… 🙂 Thanks for sharing!
Thank you so much, Marie! That’s what’s so great about these pretzels– they taste good with pretty much any dip, so the possibilities endless! 🙂
I don’t watch sports but that doesn’t matter because I LOVE snacky foods for breakfast, lunch and dinner! haha
and pairing up with the smoky ranch dip? Yuuuuuuuuuummy! Thank you for the great idea of hummus too! I always have a tub of that and carrots just won’t do!
You’re speaking my language, Joyce! I’m obsessed with hummus and always have a giant tub of it in the fridge. And let me tell you, these pretzels taste dynamite with hummus (especially, spicy hummus!) Definitely give it a try. Thank you so much for stopping by!
These look super easy and very kid friendly, too. I should make these with my nephew when he visits this month. I love the idea of using your smoky ranch dip with these. That sounds like a killer combo!
Thank you so much, Alison! These pretzels are definitely great for kids, but they are a bit spicy, so you may want to omit the chili powder for your nephew! I made a batch of these once without the chili powder for my friend’s kids and they were a hit! Hope you and your nephew enjoy them! 🙂
What a great idea! And so easy, too! Yum! My kids would love these, I’ve got to try them!
Thank you so much, Riva! They’re delicious and kids love them! You may want to omit the chili powder, when you make them for your kids though because they are a little spicy. Thanks for stopping by! 🙂
Love me some salty snacks! This sounds BOMB! Can’t wait to try it!
Thank you, Jamie! I’m all about salty snacks too! Definitely give these a try! 🙂