After posting my DIY microwave popcorn the other day, I wanted to post a more classic "homemade" version. My roommate in college used to make stove top popcorn all the time as a quick snack for study sessions because it is so much healthier than the usual chips or cookie floating around the house.
I never buy the pre-packaged microwave popcorn bag from the grocery store, mainly because it is so much cheaper, healthier and just as simple to do it yourself. To make my popcorn at home, in just minutes, I either use this, stove top method, or my microwave method. The best part is, you can make as much or as little as you want!
First off, you can pick up a pack of kernels and a 100-pack of paper lunch bags for pretty inexpensive at the grocery store, that will yield a lot more servings for your $$ than the pre-packaged varieties will give you...cheap! Secondly, certain store bought brands of the pre-packaged popcorn bags contain Artificial Flavors, weird ingredients, added butter, salt... unwanted calories. And don't even try to Google "is microwave popcorn bad for you" if you ever want to eat the stuff again. Now, if it is homemade, you know exactly what is going into it and you can customize it with any kind of seasoning blend you like, from sweet to spicy (see my suggestions in the recipe below), or super healthy, with just a tiny bit of salt. Lastly, it doesn't get more simple than to throw some kernels in a pot, cover and wait... It probably takes just as long to unwrap the individually, plastic wrapped packages, and prep the folded bag, right?!
All you need is a little oil, a pot and some kernels. Heat the oil and a 3 kernels in your covered pot on medium heat.
Once they pop, your oil is hot enough and you can add the rest of the kernels.
Cover and heat until all of the kernels begin popping, gently shaking the pot side to side, over the burner. Once the popping slows to 2-5 seconds between pops, your popcorn is ready to be seasoned.
Remove the pan from the heat and dump the popcorn into a large bowl immediately and add any type of seasoning you like from spicy to cheesy to sweet (see suggestions below in recipe).
DIY Healthy Homemade Stove Top Popcorn
Yield: about 8 cups popped
Ingredients
Directions
*Tips: Try to keep the lid slightly ajar when cooking, to let the steam escape keeping the popcorn crisper instead of chewy from the moisture. Remove seeds by placing a cooling rack over the top of the bowl of popcorn and flipping everything upside down, so the seeds fall out, into a bowl or onto a towel, and the popcorn stays in the bowl.
Note: You can easily double or triple the recipe to make as much popcorn as you want by using larger pot, as long as the kernels are no higher than a single layer on the bottom of the pot.
Ingredients
- 3-quart covered saucepan
- 1/4 cup popcorn kernels
- 1 teaspoon-2 tablespoons vegetable oil, depending on your preference
Seasonings
- Classic: 1-2 tablespoon melted butter, margarine or calorie free spray butter, plus 1/2 teaspoon salt (popcorn salt is best), or to taste
- Sweet Snickerdoodle: 3 tablespoons granulated sugar plus 1 teaspoon cinnamon
- Garlic Parmesan: 1/3 cup grated Parmesan cheese, 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder, 1/4 teaspoon salt, 1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
- Spicy: 1 teaspoon chili powder, 1/4 teaspoon hot sauce, 1/2 teaspoon salt, 1/4 teaspoon ground cumin, 1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
- Seasoning packets: taco seasoning, soup or spaghetti sauce mix packets, etc., to taste
Heat the oil and 3 kernels in a covered 3-quart pot on medium heat. Once the 3 test kernels pop, your oil is hot enough and you can add the rest of the kernels. Cover and heat until all of the kernels begin popping, gently shaking the pot side to side, over the burner. Once the popping slows to 2-5 seconds between pops, remove the pan from the heat and dump the popcorn into a large bowl, season and enjoy!
*Tips: Try to keep the lid slightly ajar when cooking, to let the steam escape keeping the popcorn crisper instead of chewy from the moisture. Remove seeds by placing a cooling rack over the top of the bowl of popcorn and flipping everything upside down, so the seeds fall out, into a bowl or onto a towel, and the popcorn stays in the bowl.
Note: You can easily double or triple the recipe to make as much popcorn as you want by using larger pot, as long as the kernels are no higher than a single layer on the bottom of the pot.
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Be sure to check out more simple, fun snack recipes below!
