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There are so many good kinds of popcorn in this world. This perfect popcorn recipe with nutritional yeast is our absolute favorite. It’s quick, easy, super-savory, and mind-bendingly delicious. Here’s how to make it.
Why we love this recipe
Everybody needs a go-to popcorn recipe. That’s a truth universally acknowledged. We’ve tried many methods and variations over the years, from stovetop popping to microwave hacks, from sweet to savory, from good to better to best. Popcorn with nutritional yeast is the recipe we come back to time after time. Snack after snack. Movie after movie. It’s our perfect popcorn.
It won’t surprise you that my favorite popcorn is:
- Packed with umami
- Full of whole-grain, gluten-free, vegan-if-ya-want goodness
- Only four ingredients, even when you count the salt
- Less than ten minutes from ready at any moment
I haven’t yet figured out how to make it braces-friendly (and I’m not holding my breath for that one), but otherwise, like the title says, we think it’s perfect.
What you’ll need
Here’s a glance at the ingredients you’ll need to make this recipe.
- Start with good-quality popcorn kernels. There’s surprising variety in shape, size, and texture. You can click through on the link to learn more if you like.
- Nutritional yeast has a super-savory, almost cheese-like flavor that adds depth and crave-ability to this recipe. It’s typically made from the single-celled organism Saccharomyces cerevisiae, grown on molasses and then harvested, washed, and dried with heat. This “deactivates” the yeast, meaning it can’t grow or leaven baked goods. Nutritional yeast is a great source of vitamins and minerals. It’s vegan and naturally gluten-free.
- You can choose between a good butter and a good olive oil. It’s great both ways.
- Fine sea salt works beautifully, but we sometimes substitute truffle salt when we’re feeling crazy.
How to make it
Here’s what you’ll do to make an irresistible bowl of nutritional yeast popcorn. You can see the steps in action in the video that accompanies this post, and get all the details in the recipe card below.
- Pop the popcorn kernels in an air popper or on the stovetop. (See below for stovetop instructions.)
- In a mortar or spice grinder, grind the nutritional yeast and salt together to make a fine powder.
- Pour the olive oil or melted butter over the popcorn.
- Sprinkle with the nutritional yeast mixture, toss with your hands to coat, and serve.
Expert tips and FAQs
To pop the kernels on the stovetop, here’s what to do.
Set a large, heavy pot over medium heat. Pour in two tablespoons of safflower oil and add two or three kernels. Position the lid and wait for the kernels to pop.
Briefly remove pot from heat and add the rest of the kernels. Replace the lid and give the whole thing a really good shake, then set the lid slightly ajar to let steam escape.
Place pot back on the heat and cook, shaking frequently, until popping slows dramatically. Remove from heat and place in a bowl.
Popcorn is at its best right away, but if necessary you can make it up to a couple of hours in advance at leave at room temperature.
Leftover popcorn, if such a thing exists, will keep in an airtight container at room temperature for a day or two.
More favorite quick & easy snacks
- Spicy pepitas
- Roasted pumpkin seeds
- Chili salt edamame
- Charred shishito peppers
- Crunchy roasted chickpeas
Hungry for more?
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Popcorn with Nutritional Yeast
Ingredients
- ½ cup (100 grams) popcorn kernels
- 3 tablespoons (45 ml) extra virgin olive oil or melted butter
- ¼ cup nutritional yeast
- ½ teaspoon fine sea salt, or truffle salt
Instructions
- Pop the popcorn kernels with an air popper into a large bowl.
- Drizzle with the olive oil or melted butter.
- With a mortar and pestle or spice grinder, grind the nutritional yeast and salt together until you have a fine powder. Sprinkle over popcorn and toss to coat.
Notes
- This is a great place to use a really flavorful, good quality butter (grass-fed, cultured, and salted is my preference) or olive oil.
- To pop the kernels on the stovetop, here’s what to do. Set a large, heavy pot over medium heat. Pour in two tablespoons of safflower oil and add two or three kernels. Position the lid and wait for the kernels to pop. Briefly remove pot from heat and add the rest of the kernels. Replace the lid and give the whole thing a really good shake, then set the lid slightly ajar to let steam escape. Place pot back on the heat and cook, shaking frequently, until popping slows dramatically. Remove from heat and place in a bowl.
- Leftover popcorn, if such a thing exists, will keep in an airtight container at room temperature for a day or two.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Hungry for more?
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