This Healthy Homemade Popcorn Recipe is the perfect healthy snack to meet your crunchy, savory cravings!
I love a good snack, even better when it is a tasty and healthy snack, just like this popcorn recipe, my Flaxseed Apricot Bars, Homemade Granola Bars, and my Homemade Baked Pita Chips, are so yummy, and healthy, snacks.
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One of the biggest struggles I hear from people trying to lose weight is...snacking.
Snacking too late. Snacking too much. Snacking on the wrong foods. Snacking on too many good foods. Not knowing what to snack on. And so on.
Now, I'm all about snacking and consider myself a snacking advocate. I have a snack each day in between my meals because, frankly, I like snacks. And snacks can be a great way to provide energy, continue to hit your protein goals, and stick to your stick to your macros. (If you need help with macros, check out my post How To Calculate Macros.)
So I've recently started making my own popcorn and seasoning it myself so I can control the ingredients and flavors, by doing this it helps me Eat Clean easier.
Popcorn is so dang simple! Kernels + coconut oil + heat = popcorn. Keep reading to learn how to make the best-tasting and healthiest popcorn possible.
Ingredients For Healthy Homemade Popcorn Recipe
Popcorn Kernels: The base of the recipe. When popped, they create the light and crunchy texture that carries all the seasonings.
Olive and Coconut Oil: I like using coconut oil to pop the kernels, and then olive oil to add extra flavor for the seasoning. Adds a touch of richness and helps the seasonings stick to the popcorn. A light drizzle goes a long way.
Parmesan Cheese: Finely grated Parmesan adds a savory, salty flavor with a little nuttiness that makes the popcorn more satisfying.
Italian Parsley: Fresh parsley brings a pop of color and a mild herbal note that brightens up the snack.
Step By Step Instructions
Step 1: Heat a heavy-bottom pot with a lid over medium high heat. I use my Dutch oven, but any big pot will do. Add the coconut oil plus just 4 popcorn kernels into the pot. Cover and cook for 4-6 minutes, or until all 4 of the kernels have popped - you’ll be able to hear them pop.Step 3: Cover the pot and cook, shaking frequently, for 2-5 minutes or until the popping dies down quite a bit. Once you can only hear just a pop or so every second, remove the pot from heat and take off the lid. This will allow the popcorn to dry out a little from releasing the moisture.
Step 4: Take 4 cups of the freshly popped popcorn and toss with the olive oil, finely chopped italian parsley, grated parmesan, and ½ tsp. sea salt. Store in an airtight container.
FAQs
How To Store
Stovetop popcorn is always best enjoyed fresh! But, if you need to store it, the best way is to seal it in an air-tight container then set it aside in your freezer.
This might come as a shock for you ( as it did for me!) but freezing the popcorn will keep it fresh for a longer period. And some trivia! Popcorn never fully freezes, so you don't have to worry about the texture changing. Just make sure that you don't refreeze your air popped popcorn once you've taken it out of the freezer because it will affect the texture and taste. And don't freeze unpopped kernels, as it could affect their ability to pop correctly later.
Do I Need Oil To Make Popcorn?
Nope! You don't really need oil or butter to make popcorn kernels pop. You can actually just use water and it will still pop the same way. Adding oil or butter to your popcorn is mainly for flavor and to act as grease to prevent it from burning.
So if you want to try water, just pour enough to keep the kernels covered but not floating. If the kernels haven't popped and the water has already evaporated, feel free to add just a tad bit more. I personally prefer the flavor with the coconut oil popped popcorn.
How Do I Make The Salt Stick To The Popcorn?
If you aren't planning to use any butter, one way to go make sure that your salt doesn't end up at the bottom of the bowl and on your popped popcorn is to use superfine salt.
TIP: You can use a mortar and pestle or run regular salt through your food processor making it more of a fine dust than granules.
How To Make Vegan
Popcorn in its unflavored form is generally vegan. But when you start adding animal products - found in butter and cheese - it no longer qualifies. So if you want dairy-free popcorn, make it at home with oil instead of butter.
I've made several different toppings so far, like cinnamon and coconut sugar, cilantro and lime, and this parmesan and sea salt popcorn. Let me tell you. The flavor is super fresh and vibrant -- SO different than your typical microwaveable popcorn.
