Savory Pizza Popcorn
This savory pizza popcorn is so delicious – it's hard to believe that it's healthy! Not to mention simple. The trick is to use freshly ground cheese, not grated cheese, for the cheese to stick to the popcorn. I used my food processor to grind it up, but it's available to buy already ground in some stores. I bought the Italian seasoning at Costco, but any high-quality Italian seasoning will work. Use a mister full of olive oil to spray onto the hot popcorn. This way, less oil is needed to cover more popcorn, helping the cheese and spices stick without using an unhealthy amount of oil.
Savory Pizza Popcorn
Yield: 8 1-cup servings
Prep time: 5 MinCook time: 25 MinTotal time: 30 Min
This savory pizza popcorn is so delicious – it's hard to believe that it's healthy! Not to mention simple. The trick is to use freshly ground cheese, not grated cheese, for the cheese to stick to the popcorn. I used my food processor to grind it up, but it's available to buy already ground in some stores. I bought the Italian seasoning at Costco, but any high-quality Italian seasoning will work. Use a mister full of olive oil to spray onto the hot popcorn. This way, less oil is needed to cover more popcorn, helping the cheese and spices stick without using an unhealthy amount of oil.
Ingredients
- 8 cups popped popcorn (1/3 cup popcorn kernels)
- Olive oil mister (or olive oil nonstick spray)
- 1/2 cup ground (not grated) fresh Pecorino Romano or Parmesan cheese
- 1 Tbsp Rustic Tuscan Seasoning (or a good Italian seasoning)
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 300 degrees F. Line a sheet cake pan with parchment paper or spray with nonstick spray. Process cheese on high until ground, or purchase ground, not grated, fresh Pecorino Romano or Parmesan cheese using a food processor. Pop the popcorn using one of the following methods:
- Stovetop: Put 1 Tbsp oil into a large, deep, heavy-bottomed pot over medium-high heat. Drop in 1 kernel of corn and when it pops, add 1/3 cup popcorn kernels, replace the lid and give the pot a firm up-and-down shake every 30 seconds or so to heat evenly. When popping slows after 2 to 3 minutes, remove the pot from heat and transfer popcorn to the pan. Separate unpopped kernels so you don't accidentally bite into one later.
- Microwave: Place 1/3 cup popcorn kernels in a paper lunch bag. Fold over the top edge to secure; microwave on high for about 2 minutes, or until kernels have mostly stopped popping and there are 3-5 seconds between pops. There are also some popcorn bowls specially designed for air-popping in the microwave that work well. Spray the hot popped popcorn with olive oil using an oil mister so that the seasoning will stick. Separate out unpopped kernels.
- Popcorn Popper: Some poppers require oil while others use hot air. Follow the manufacturer's instructions. When using a hot-air popper, have an oil mister filled with olive oil ready to spray on the hot popcorn as it comes out of the popper—separate unpopped kernels.
- Spread popcorn out on the parchment-lined pan. Spray popcorn with olive oil, coating well. Sprinkle cheese and Italian seasoning over popcorn, distributing evenly. Put into the oven for 10 to 15 minutes. Lift both sides of parchment paper and slide popcorn into serving bowl. Enjoy!
