Themed Indy 500 party foods and party drinks to to fuel your festivities! Whether you’re a die-hard racing fan or just love a good excuse for a summer cookout, these easy dishes will rev up your Indianapolis 500 race day celebration — everything you need to keep your guests cheering all day long and racing back to the food table for more!
13 Easy Indy 500 Party Foods And Cookout Recipes
These are our favorite easy dip recipes, easy appetizers and summer backyard bbq party foods that are fun for Race Day party foods. (Please enjoy the clever Indy 500 themed food names!)
Epic Indy 500 Party Recipe Ideas
- Speedway Sliders
- Raceway Roasted Corn
- Grandstand Guacamole
- Pit Stop Parmesan Artichoke Dip
- Andretti Antipasto
- Checkpoint Chili
- Fuel Tank Totchos (Nachos)
- Pit Stop Pickle Corn Dogs
- Checkered Flag Fiesta Dip
- Pole Position Popcorn Bar
- Indy Ice Cream Center
- Turbocharged Tea
- Pit Row Punch
Get the recipes for Indy 500 summer party foods below!
Get Race-Day Ready With Simple Indy 500 Themed Foods
Speedway Sliders
These ham sliders are easy foods to make for a crowd!
You can make them ahead of time because they’re just as good at room temperature.
(FYI: Speedway is also the name of the area where the Indy 500 cars race!)
Fuel Tank Totchos (aka: Buffalo Tater Tot Nachos)
I love these loaded tater tots for a summer cookout party because you can make a big pan of them and then everyone can help themselves.
It’s an easy, no-fuss appetizer for BBQ parties!
This loaded totchos recipe can be made with buffalo chicken or without for vegetarian totchos as a main dish.
Serve it up with sour cream, shredded cheddar cheese, and green onions.
I like this as an alternative to the hot chicken dip that everyone seems to serve at parties now or an alternative to buffalo chicken wings.
(It gets my vote for one of those perfect bbq appetizers!)
ALSO TRY THESE EASY PARTY RECIPES: SIMPLE SUMMER SALADS
Raceway Roasted Corn
What’s a fun summer cookout without juicy grilled corn on the cob?!
However, if you want to try something different, try Mexican corn on the cob or street corn in a cup!
This Mexican street corn off the cob is sometimes called elote salad, but it can be used as a tortilla chip dip, too!
It’s one of our favorite dip recipes or even cookout sides to go with anything that you’re grilling at the BBQ party.
It is a definite crowd pleaser savory dip!
SERVING TIP: Serve this Mexican elotes with lime slices so party guests can squeeze fresh lime juice over it before eating!
Get The Mexican Street Corn Dip Recipe
Andretti Antipasto Charcuterie Board
A charcuterie board named after the famous racing family (Mario Andretti and family), featuring a selection of meats, cheeses, fruits, olives, dips and spread, fresh veggies and fruits, and dipping sauces.
These all make great graze boards and simple appetizers to pair with a variety of summer party dips.
How To Make A Summer Party Graze Board
Pit Stop Parmesan Artichoke Dip
This artichoke parmesan dip is another warm dip and is our go-to cookout side dishes because it’s such an easy last minute recipe to whip up!
I happen to think it’s one of the best summer dip recipes because not a lot of other parties have it (most people make it as spinach artichoke dip).
It’s definitely a crowd-pleasing dip!
If you like traditional spinach artichoke dip, you’ll love this dip too.
RECIPE TIP: You can also turn this into a yummy hot crab dip by adding shredded crab meat.
Grandstand Guacamole
We call this guacamole dip, but some people also call it guacamole salad.
We eat it with tortilla chips and it’s a perfect summer recipe for parties like your Indy 500 cookout party.
Get The Homemade Guacamole Dip Recipe
Checkpoint Chili
You may be thinking chili? for summer cookout parties?! but, honestly, this white bean chicken chili is always a hit at our cookouts and we rarely have any left!
It’s a lighter version than other chilis and there’s a bonus: it’s a crockpot set-and-forget recipe! Flip the temp over to low for the party!
Recipe Tip: Offer mini bread bowls or cups with spoons as an easy way for guests to carry and eat the chili.
Pit Stop Pickle Corn Dogs
These pickle corn dogs are more finger food recipes that are always huge hit for parties, I think because not everyone else is making them.
And, because they’re foods on a stick, they’re easy to carry around and eat at parties!
GET THE PICKLE CORNDOGS RECIPE
Checkered Flag Fiesta Dip
This is one of my daughter’s favorite dip recipes, so definitely don’t count it out for kids at your summer party (especially if you can get fresh sweet corn and cut it off the cob!).
It’s a simple recipe and a last minute dip ready in minutes.
Eat these black beans and corn with corn chips or tortilla chips like a chunky salsa.
Recipe for Black Bean and Corn Salad Dip
Pole Position Popcorn Bar
A popcorn bar is a really fun cookout party snack food idea.
You can make popcorn (or buy pre-popped popcorn) and supply different popcorn seasonings and add-ins (think: M&Ms, chocolate chips, etc.) for people to make their own popcorn snack.
You can also offer up homemade kettle corn, chocolate covered popcorn (in black and white race flag colors), and the best toffee popcorn you’ll ever have!
Indy Ice Cream Center
Another fun party food bar or dessert bar is to have an ice cream bar, especially if you have an Indianapolis 500 race party for kids and adults.
Set up different ice cream scooping stations and then a toppings station.
Easy dessert idea and keeps everyone cool at the cookout!
LEARN HOW TO SET UP AN ICE CREAM BAR THAT DOESN’T MELT!
Turbocharged Tea
This fun sun tea becomes “Turbocharged” with different tea add-ins at a bar table where guests can add what they want to their tea.
Pit Row Punch
Make this fun raspberry punch for a refreshing race day thirst quencher!
It’s an easy party drink for kids and adults!
ALSO GREAT FOR COOKOUT PARTY DESSERTS: Sheet Pan Oven Smores For A Crowd
ALSO CHECK OUT: INDY 500 PARTY GAMES AND IDEAS
Happy race day!
I hope you enjoy these Indy 500 party foods!
