Olive Oil Popcorn
Popcorn is the perfect snack. It’s whole-grain healthy, addictively tasty and easy to experiment with. It’s traditional to toss it with lots of melted butter, but you’ll find that olive oil works just as well—and it’s a lot better for you.
Ingredients
2 tablespoons olive oil
1/2 cup popcorn kernels
a sprinkle or two sea salt and freshly ground pepper
2 more Tablespoons olive oil
1/2 cup popcorn kernels
a sprinkle or two sea salt and freshly ground pepper
2 more Tablespoons olive oil
Instructions
Pour the first 2 tablespoons of olive oil into a 3- or 4-quart pot set over high heat. Add the popcorn and shake the pan to evenly distribute it into 1 thin layer.
Continue heating until the first kernel or two pops. Cover the pot with a lid or sauté pan, leaving a gap for the steam to escape so the popcorn doesn’t get soggy.
Listen to the popcorn. It will gradually increase in cadence until it’s popping continuously. Eventually it will start to slow down. When it does, turn the heat down to low, and, after a minute or two it will stop popping. Turn off the heat and generously season the popcorn, splashing in the second 2 tablespoons of olive oil. Toss everything together until combined well. The olive oil will help the seasoning adhere.
Continue heating until the first kernel or two pops. Cover the pot with a lid or sauté pan, leaving a gap for the steam to escape so the popcorn doesn’t get soggy.
Listen to the popcorn. It will gradually increase in cadence until it’s popping continuously. Eventually it will start to slow down. When it does, turn the heat down to low, and, after a minute or two it will stop popping. Turn off the heat and generously season the popcorn, splashing in the second 2 tablespoons of olive oil. Toss everything together until combined well. The olive oil will help the seasoning adhere.
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Recipe Submitted by
Chef Michael
I’m a FoodTV host, cookbook author and official food ambassador for Prince Edward Island, more importantly I’m a Dad and passionate home cook!
Variation
For a “grown up” version, toss popcorn with 1/2 teaspoon or so of any aromatic dried herb or spice you care to try. Ground cumin, cinnamon, thyme, rosemary and paprika are all excellent choices. For a savoury twist try grated Parmesan cheese or garlic powder. For a sweet treat try adding 1/2 teaspoon each of sugar and cocoa powder.
I find some sprinkled seasoning salt is good too.
I’m hooked on the Flavacol, which gives it the yellow colour and flavour of movie popcorn. I mix a small spoon of it in with coconut oil in the popper and add melted butter at the end.
OKAY I consider myself a bit of a popcorn connoisseur this is my favorite version ……. pop it the same way as Michael then , add a good shake of Sea salt , 1/8 of a tspn. of Curry , a good shake of cayenne pepper , a dot of melted butter [ or not ] and then …….. a very healthy dose of nutritional yeast , OMG !! delicious add the yeast last and sit the pot on the burner turned off and shake it well … the remaining heat activates the full [ yum ] flavor of the yeast !!! of course this can be tweeked many ways . My daughter learned about the nutritional yeast at fiddle camp in Maine , we now have it every evening !!
I love crumbling kale chips (roasted with apple cider vinegar) on my air popped corn!
I have discovered using Ghee for making popcorn. After it’s finished I sprinkle some sea salt and we’re good to go!
It is the only way we are having popcorn in the house. Love making it in the wok. Great treat.
I also have been making this for some time,, delicious!
I’ve been making olive oil popcorn for 20 years since I can’t have dairy.
A recent convert to paprika popcorn – YUM !
we love playing with popcorn seasoning flavours -
parmasan and chili powder
nutmeg
chinese 5 spice
vanilla sugar
asigo and lime with sea salt
cardamon and bergamot
chicken boullion powder w/ sage
any really fragrant spice combination can be fabulous
Sounds yummy! We use an electric frypan, 1/3 cup popcorn, and turn it up to the hottest setting (400F on ours) and wait for the popcorn to slow popping before turning down the heat. Have to keep shaking the pan, though otherwise get lots of burnt popcorn!
I’ve not been able to eat butter for a while, so I’ve been seasoning mine with a splash of grapeseed oil, and some sea salt, smoked paprika & cumin.
instead of using sea salt for the olive oil popcorn, would normal table salt work just as well