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Switch up your snack routine with Savory “Cheesy” Popcorn!
Have you recently bought a new ingredient that is sitting in your pantry just because you really don’t know really how to use it? I bought nutritional yeast for one recipe and it’s been sitting in my pantry ever since.
Did you know… National Popcorn Day is January 19th? I wanted to celebrate with a delicious new popcorn recipe! Popcorn is one of my favorite snacks. Many people don’t realize, but popcorn is a whole grain. The white part that puffs up is the endosperm, the flakey part is the bran, and the part that usually gets stuck in your teeth is the germ.
Popping popcorn at home is very simple. Bonus – there is the flexibility to play around with different toppings.
What is nutritional yeast?
Nutritional yeast is made from a single-celled organism, Saccharomyces Cerevisiae, which is grown on molasses and then harvested, washed, and dried with heat to kill or “deactivate” it. Because it’s inactive, it doesn’t grow like baking yeast does so it has no leavening ability. Yeasts are members of the fungi family, like mushrooms. (source)
The golden flakes of nutritional yeast have a nutty aroma and well known cheesy flavor, making it a go-to vegan substitute for Parmesan cheese. (Hence the quotes in the recipe title “cheesy”) If you like this recipe and don’t have or want to use nutritional yeast, simply swap with Parmesan cheese.
Using nutritional yeast is a great alternative for those with lactose intolerance or who are vegan. Plus, nutritional yeast is rich in Thiamin, Riboflavin, Niacin, Vitamin B6, Folate and Vitamin B12.
Flavor combinations
Sprinkle nutritional yeast on popcorn and call it a day, or add a few extra spices to kick it up a notch. I added salt, garlic powder, cayenne pepper, and smoked paprika for an overall savory flavor profile.
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Savory “Cheesy” Popcorn
- Cook Time: 5
- Total Time: 5 minutes
- Yield: 8
- Category: snack
- Method: stove top
- Cuisine: american
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon canola oil
- 1/4 cup popcorn kernels
- olive oil spray
- 2 tablespoons nutritional yeast
- 1/8 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
- 1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika
Instructions
- Heat oil in a large pot over medium heat. Add a few pieces of popcorn – if the corn slowly spins in the oil then the oil is hot enough.
- Add remaining popcorn and cover with a lid. Once the popcorn starts popping, shake the pot gently to have the oil evenly coat the kernels.
- Remove from heat when the popping stops (when you can count to 3 between pops) and transfer to a large bowl.
- Combine the nutritional yeast, salt, garlic powder, cayenne pepper and smoked paprika in a small bowl and mix to combine.
- Get a large serving bowl and place half of the popcorn in it. Spray generously with olive oil then sprinkle over half of the spice mix. Add the remaining popcorn and repeat once more. Toss to coat and serve.
Keywords: popcorn, nutritional yeast, vegan, snack
Wow! We were on the same wavelength! Will definitely have to try your version too- I like the idea of using smoked paprika.
So many people seem to love nutritional yeast. I need to try it!
I could not live without my nooch! So delish!
I almost did nutritional yeast with popcorn. Now I want to try it for sure. Your recipe looks amazing!!!
This looks like a great snack, Julie! I’ve tried nutritional yeast on kale chips but never cooked with it myself. I love cheddar popcorn so this would be a good place to start.
This makes me want popcorn now! I always forget to use my nutritional yeast, thanks for the reminder!
I LOVE “cheesy” popcorn! One of my favorite evening snacks. I also sneak it in to the movie theaters!
Can I stretch my parm by adding some nutritional yeast, instead of totally substituting it? 🙂
of course! That would be fine!
I just bought a container of nutritional yeast because I figured it was time I try it. Can’t wait to experiment with it and first up will definitely be adding it to my Boom Chicka Pop! Also, thanks for the explanation of what it is!