Bad Bunny Halftime Fiesta: A Puerto Rico–Meets–Mexico Super Bowl Menu

Hook: Turn halftime anxiety into a fiesta — effortlessly

Half-time is the toughest part of game day: guests want food fast, you want something that feels authentic and fun, and no one wants soggy chips or a kitchen meltdown while Bad Bunny is owning the stage. If you’re wondering how to serve snacks that channel Puerto Rico’s heat and heart while honoring Mexican techniques — and still feed a crowd between plays — this plan is for you. Think shareable plates, bold citrus and smoke, easy make-ahead tricks, and a playlist that keeps feet moving. No stressed hosts, just a halftime spread people will talk about all week.

Why Puerto Rico–meets–Mexico works for Super Bowl 2026

In 2026 the world is leaning into cross-cultural menus that are both crowd-pleasing and rooted in place. Bad Bunny’s Super Bowl halftime announcement (January 16, 2026) pushed Puerto Rican flavors to the top of party minds — the trailer literally promises “the world will dance.” Fans want to feel that moment at home. At the same time, Mexican shareables — tacos, fundido, elote — remain game-day gold. The result is a natural, delicious fusion: tropical citrus and sofritos meet chiles, cotija and open-fire smoke. The trends we’re using here include:

• Shared plates and hand-helds: Easier for crowds and perfect for halftime multi-tasking.
• RTD and canned craft cocktails: Use quality canned mezcal or rum spritzes as a fast back-up (2025–26 saw major growth in Latin-inspired RTD sales).
• Plant-forward swaps: Plant-based chicharrón and vegan queso are much improved in 2026 — great for dietary inclusivity.
• Sustainability: Guests expect reusable serviceware and compost-friendly disposables at gatherings.

“The world will dance.” — Bad Bunny (promotional trailer, Jan 2026)

Fast menu overview: Shareable plates for halftime glory

This lineup is built for stress-free execution and maximum味 (flavor). It mixes a few big make-ahead items with quick finishing touches for halftime.

• Tostones Cups with Mojo Pulled Pork & Pineapple Pico — crunchy plantain cups that stand up to saucy fillings.
• Queso Fundido con Longaniza y Tostones — gooey melt with island-spiced sausage and crunchy plantain chips.
• Air-Fried Alcapurria Bites — handheld fritters (yautía + green banana dough) stuffed with picadillo or mushroom ragout (vegan option).
• Ceviche de Camarón with Mango-Papaya Tostadas — bright, citrusy, and served on crisp tostadas.
• Guava-Churro Bites — fried churro holes filled with guava & queso fresco or vegan cream.
• Cocktails & Mocktails: Mezcal-Guava Margarita, Coquito Spritz (light coconut rum spritz), Tamarind Pineapple Agua Fresca.
• Playlist: A halftime-to-postgame flow built around Bad Bunny, modern reggaetón, classic salsa and bomba, and select mariachi remixes for peaks and transitions.

Shopping list & tools (for 12 guests)

Keep one master list so you can shop online or at a Latin market. Quantities assume other snacks are present and guests will graze.

• 8–10 large green plantains (make tostones cups and chips)
• 3–4 lb shredded pork (rotisserie pork + mojo shortcut) or 3 lb jackfruit for vegan
• 1 lb longaniza or Mexican chorizo
• 2 lb shrimp (peeled) for ceviche
• Mango, papaya, pineapple, 3 limes, oranges
• Guava paste (pasta de guayaba) and cream cheese or queso de hoja
• Yautía or frozen green banana mash (or pre-mixed alcapurria mix if available)
• Fresh cilantro, onion, garlic, ají peppers or serrano/habanero, cotija cheese
• Tortillas and tostada shells, or extra plantain chips
• Tequila or mezcal, Puerto Rican rum, canned mezcal spritzes for backup
• Reusable platters, warming tray or slow cooker, skimmers, tongs

Recipes & quick timelines (actionable, halftime-ready)

1) Tostones Cups with Mojo Pulled Pork & Pineapple Pico (serves 12)

Why it works: Tostones cups are sturdy, gluten-free, and handheld. The mojo (garlic-citrus) nods to Puerto Rico; the filling borrows Mexican-style salsa and pickled pineapple for brightness.

1. Mojo Pulled Pork shortcut: Warm 3–4 lb rotisserie pork, shred. Toss with 1 cup mojo roja (blend 6 garlic cloves, 1 cup orange juice + 1/4 cup lime juice, 2 tbsp olive oil, 1 tsp oregano, salt). Heat gently in a skillet with 1/4 cup reserved juices until warmed through.
2. Pineapple Pico: dice 1 cup fresh pineapple, 1/2 red onion, 1 jalapeño, 1/2 cup cilantro, juice of 1 lime, salt to taste.
3. Tostones cups: Peel and slice plantains into 1–1.25" rounds. Fry or air-fry at 375°F until just soft, smash into cups with a small cup or spoon, then fry again until crisp. For faster prep, use frozen tostones if your market carries them.
4. Assembly: Spoon mojo pork into cups, top with pineapple pico and a sprinkle of cotija.

2) Queso Fundido con Longaniza y Plantain Chips (serves 12)

Why it works: Queso fundido is a shared, communal dip that loves the intense seasoning of Puerto Rican longaniza. Serve in a cast-iron skillet on a warming tray.

1. Brown 1 lb crumbled longaniza or chorizo with 1/2 cup diced onion and 2 cloves garlic. Stir in 1/4 cup sofrito or chopped bell peppers, 1 tsp achiote (optional) and cook until fragrant.
2. Fill a 10" cast-iron skillet with cooked sausage and top with 3 cups shredded Oaxaca or Chihuahua cheese. Bake at 400°F until bubbly and browned (8–10 minutes) or melt under a broiler.
3. Serve with warm plantain chips (from extra tostones) and tortilla strips.

3) Air-Fried Alcapurria Bites (vegan option available)

Why it works: Small, crisp fritters are perfect for snacking, and air-frying keeps them lighter for a crowd. Use a mushroom or seasoned jackfruit picadillo to swap vegan.

1. Dough: Combine 2 cups grated yautía (or 1 cup yautía + 1 cup green banana mash), 1/4 cup flour or chickpea flour (for gluten-free keep to starch only), salt and a splash of oil until pliable. Form 1" balls.
2. Filling: Saute 1 lb ground pork or crumbled mushrooms with sofrito, tomato, olives, capers for picadillo flavor. Season with cumin, oregano, salt, pepper.
3. Stuff, seal, spray with oil, and air-fry at 375°F for 8–10 minutes until golden.

4) Ceviche de Camarón with Mango-Papaya Tostadas

Bright, citrusy ceviche is refreshing during a long game and stands in contrast to greasy snacks. Prep ceviche 1–2 hours before serving so flavors meld but citrus doesn’t “cook” the shrimp too long.

1. Marinade: Juice of 6 limes + 2 oranges, 1/2 cup finely diced onion, 1/2 cup cilantro, 1 habanero or serrano (optional).
2. Toss 2 lb small-cooked shrimp with marinade and 1 cup diced mango + 1/2 cup papaya. Chill 1–2 hours. Serve on tostadas with radish and cilantro.

5) Guava-Churro Bites (dessert)

Handheld and shareable — churros meet Puerto Rican guava paste and queso de crema for a crowd-pleasing finish.

1. Make a small-batch churro batter or use pre-made pastry. Pipe small rounds into hot oil and fry until golden. Roll in cinnamon sugar.
2. Slice guava paste into thin strips and microwave briefly to soften, or mix guava paste with softened cream cheese for a filling. Pipe into cooled churro holes.

Cocktails & Mocktails: two signature drinks + fast back-ups

Keep cocktails accessible: one rum-forward nod to Puerto Rico, one mezcal-forward nod to Mexico, plus a crowd-friendly non-alcoholic agua fresca. Use canned RTD craft cocktails as a fast backup — in 2025–26 premium Latin RTDs and canned mezcal spritzes became party staples for hosts who need consistency and speed.

Mezcal-Guava Margarita

• 2 oz mezcal
• 1 oz triple sec
• 1.5 oz fresh lime juice
• 1 oz guava syrup (mash guava paste with hot water)
• Habanero slice optional for heat
• Shake with ice, serve on rocks with salted rim.

Coquito Spritz (lighter)

• 1.5 oz light Puerto Rican rum
• 1 oz coconut cream (or 1 oz coquito mix)
• Top with sparkling water or canned hibiscus spritz
• Serve chilled with cinnamon dust.

Tamarind-Pineapple Agua Fresca (Mocktail)

• Blend 2 cups pineapple chunks, 2 tbsp tamarind paste, 4 cups cold water, sweeten to taste. Strain and chill.

Timing & execution: halftime is 15 minutes — here’s the game plan

Halftime is short. Use this timeline so food is hot and guests are fed without you missing the show.

1. -2 days: Shop, marinate pork, make mojo, chill cocktails if pre-batching.
2. -1 day: Make pulled pork, pico, and churro filling; refrigerate. Make ceviche marinade but only combine shrimp 1–2 hours before serving.
3. Kickoff – 30 minutes: Bake or re-crisp tostones; assemble alcapurria bites to be air-fried; set up halftime station and platters.
4. Halftime (15 minutes): Air-fry alcapurria (8–10 min), reheat queso fundido for 6–8 min to bubble, re-crisp tostones 10 min, spoon pork into cups, plate ceviche on tostadas.
5. Post-halftime: Keep queso on warming tray; top-up small platters in rotation.

Dietary swaps & inclusivity

Make sure everyone eats well without losing flavor.

• Vegetarian/vegan: Swap pork for jackfruit or seasoned mushrooms; use vegan cheese and chickpea flour in alcapurria dough.
• Gluten-free: Plantain-based elements are already GF; use corn tostadas and corn masa for any fried or breaded items. Skip wheat flour in alcapurria dough or replace with rice flour.
• Lower alcohol: Offer the tamarind-pineapple agua fresca and low-ABV canned mezcal spritzes.

Sourcing authentic ingredients in 2026

Finding sofrito, guava paste, longaniza or yautía in 2026 is easier than ever thanks to online Latin specialty grocers, supermarket expansions and improved cold chains. Tips:

• Check local Latin mercados for fresh yautía, green bananas and plantains — they’re often cheaper and fresher than mainstream grocers.
• Buy guava paste, adobo, and sofrito from specialty brands online if your store is limited. Look for refrigerated sofrito for best flavor.
• If you can’t find sour orange (naranja agria) for mojo, mix 3 parts orange juice with 1 part lime juice for a close, bright substitute.
• For longaniza: choose a local Latin butcher or order vacuum-packed from trusted online specialty butchers. Use Mexican chorizo as a substitute if needed.

Presentation & service tips for a football crowd

Small changes elevate the experience and reduce mess.

• Use warming trays or small chafing dishes to keep queso and mojo pork hot.
• Label dishes with small cards noting allergens and whether items are vegan or GF.
• Serve drinks from dispensers (mocktail) and keep canned RTDs on ice for easy refills.
• Set a “halftime station” near the TV with plates, napkins and tongs so guests can grab and go.
• Consider compact lighting kits and small fans if you’re hosting a backyard watch party — little comfort upgrades keep people dancing.

Playlists & music flow: from kickoff to confetti

Curate a playlist that moves the room the way Bad Bunny moves the stage. In 2026, fans expect a live-set vibe with reggaetón, afro-caribbean rhythms, salsa, bomba and modern remixes. Here’s a simple flow:

• Pregame (Kickoff to 1st quarter): Upbeat reggaetón, modern Latin pop — set energy high.
• Halftime (warm-up before show): Iconic Puerto Rican tracks, vintage salsa and bomba samples leading into Bad Bunny’s hits. Cue Bad Bunny as the halftime show begins.
• Post-halftime & celebration: Mezcla of mariachi remixes, punta and bachata for danceable end-of-game vibes.

Include explicit Bad Bunny blocks during halftime and give fans a moment to sing along. Share your playlist on streaming platforms and include download links on any event page.

Budget & servings: feed 12 for under $200 (estimate)

Smart shopping and partial store-bought shortcuts keep costs reasonable. Estimated breakdown:

• Proteins (pork, shrimp, sausage) — $60–$80
• Produce & pantry (plantains, citrus, mango) — $40–$50
• Alcohol & RTDs — $40–$60 (lean on 1–2 signature cocktails + canned spritzes)
• Misc (tortillas, tostadas, cheese) — $20–$30

Per person this comes out roughly $12–$18 depending on alcohol choices and substitutions.

Trends & predictions for future game-day menus

As we head further into 2026, expect these developments to shape halftime menus:

• More island–mainland mashups: Chefs will continue blending Caribbean sofritos and Mexican chiles into hybrid plates.
• Premium canned cocktails as main pours: Convenience + craft quality will keep RTDs in play for hosts who don’t want a full bar.
• Expanded plant-based options: Jackfruit carnitas, plant-based longaniza and vegan cheeses will become indistinguishable from originals for many guests.
• Smaller hosts will borrow lessons from hybrid pop-ups and micro-events to streamline setup, pricing and guest flow.

Final tips from a host who’s been there

From experience hosting several Latin-fusion halftime parties, my top hacks are: (1) make at least one big, saucy protein ahead so you can spoon it into vessels, (2) always have extra tostadas or chips on hand in case a platter empties, and (3) keep drink stations simple and labeled. Don’t try to make everything from scratch — great rotisserie pork plus a stellar mojo will beat a stressed, overcomplicated show.

Call to action — throw the halftime party everyone remembers

If you loved this plan, download the printable shopping list and 15-minute halftime checklist from mexicanfood.online. Want the playlist ready to go? Grab our curated “Bad Bunny Halftime Fiesta” stream and share your photos with #BunnyHalftimeFiesta — we’ll feature the best setups on our social channels. Let’s make halftime the highlight of the night: bold flavors, easy execution, and all the Latin music energy your guests need to dance through the rest of the game.

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