Nutritional Yeast Popcorn
Add a new level of flavor to your homemade popcorn with some nutritional yeast. This simple, vegan ingredient lends a cheesy, buttery taste to your popcorn and enhances the already delicious experience of stovetop popcorn.
Why I love this vegan popcorn
We make stovetop popcorn at least once a week. It’s hands-down our favorite late night snack, and it’s a great healthier option when we’re craving salty snacks. Stovetop popcorn is so much easier than it seems, and you control the ingredients – meaning no butter, healthier oil options, and just the right amount of salt. It’s cheaper to make than microwave popcorn. You can make as much as you want, rather than being stuck with the tiny amount of an individual bag.
If you like this recipe, you have to try this french onion dip, and this olive oil bread dip and this shrimp toast.
Searching for more appetizer recipes? Try making these puff pastry sausage rolls or these restaurant style beer battered onion straws.
Ingredients & substitutions
- Popcorn kernels – Yellow or white? That depends on your preference, but a yellow popcorn kernel will give you a larger, fluffier popcorn with a slightly nutty flavor while popping white kernels resuls in a softer and smaller popcorn, with a more mild flavor.
- Nutritional yeast – This is deactivated yeast, that adds a savory, cheesy flavor, kind of like a cheese powder that is sold for popcorn topping.
Making changes to a recipe can result in recipe failure. Any substitutions listed below are simple changes that I believe will work in this recipe, but results are not guaranteed.
The following is a detailed overview of the recipe steps with added tips and tricks for recipe success. For a simplified and printable version, including ingredient amounts and more formal instructions, see the recipe card below.
How to make stovetop popcorn
Heat the oil. Get a large saucepan. We use a 3 quart-sized, but I’ve also heard of people doing it in an even larger one (like a pasta pot). I just prefer the single, long handle. Into that pot, measure out 3 tablespoons vegetable oil and a heaping 1/2 cup of kernels. Swish the kernels around in the pan to coat them in the oil.
Cover and pop. Cover the pot and place over high heat (or one notch under if yours gets particularly hot). Allow the kernels to begin popping. Holding the lid on with one hand, shake the pot frequently to prevent the kernels from burning. Once the popping slows (to about 1 pop per second), remove from heat and place into a large bowl. Season with nutritional yeast and salt, to taste.
FAQs and tips for making nutritional yeast popcorn
Ingredients
- 1/2 cup popcorn kernels
- 3 tablespoons vegetable oil
- 1 – 2 tablespoon nutritional yeast
- Fine salt or popcorn salt
Instructions
- In a large, covered saucepan, heat oil and popcorn kernels over high heat. Allow the kernels to begin popping. Holding the lid on with one hand, shake the pot frequently to prevent the kernels from burning.
- Once the popping slows (to about 1 pop per second), remove from heat and place into a large bowl. Season to taste with nutritional yeast and salt.
My dad is the same as you – he can eat a huge bowl of popcorn for dinner! I grew up watching him pop kernels on the stovetop in one of those hand-cranked popper things! I actually fell in love with this popcorn they have at a gastropub around here, where O and I met (awwwww…. yeah..). I started making it and I think you would loooooove it. It’s like.. melt 2 T butter, add about 2-4 T brown sugar, salt to taste (gotta be salty though!) and a few nice, generous sprinkles of cayenne. Oh man.. the salty, buttery, sweet, spicy?! It like does not get better than that.
And oh.. are you saying babies are hard work and inconvenient..? You’re telling me this NOW?! UNDO! UNDO!!
hahaha ok, I’m leaving!
That popcorn sounds amazing! Maybe I’ll have that for dinner tonight. No actually, I’m going to eat cheese. Marc is going to be away so I have to eat cheese! And babies are hard work, but not always. Plus, they’re super duper cute! I promise you’re going to love it. We just had a hard day the other day trying to be quiet. Hockey is over now so no more pregame naps!