Stovetop Popcorn Recipe

Course: Snack

Keyword: popcorn on the stove, stovetop popcorn, stovetop popcorn recipe

Servings: cups

Calories: 72kcal

Author: Maureen Abood

Stovetop popcorn can be perfect every time! Fresh popcorn kernels, good popping oil, the right technique and seasonings and you're off to a great bowl of popcorn.

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Ingredients

3 tablespoons oil, such as extra virgin olive oil
¾ cup popcorn kernels
3 tablespoons za'atar
fine sea salt or table salt, to taste

Instructions

In a large pot (6 quart dutch oven), heat the oil in the bottom of the pan over medium heat.
Add the kernels to the pot and put the lid on the pot over medium high heat.
As soon as a few kernels begin to pop, reduce the heat to medium so as not to overheat the hot oil and burn the popcorn. Shake the pan frequently until the popping sounds have nearly stopped. Use hot pads or a towel to hold the handles. Even if those aren't hot, the steam that escapes the pot is very hot and it's best to protect hands. Occasionally let a little bit of the steam out by lifting the lid slightly (without allowing the popping kernels to escape!). Listen for fast popping and if that doesn't happen, turn the heat up again to medium-high for a minute or two, then back to medium.
Pour the popcorn into a large bowl and immediately sprinkle za’atar and salt to taste over the popcorn. Toss and serve immediately.

Notes

Popcorn-Making Tips

Avoid high heat. Beware of high temperatures with the cooking oil; it can easily get too hot and will lead to burnt popcorn. Keep the stove between medium (to start) and medium-high heat, then back to medium heat. Listen for fast popping and if that doesn't happen, turn the heat up again to medium-high for a minute or two, then back to medium.

Keep the pan moving. Once you start hearing the kernels pop, gently shake the pan all the way until the kernels popping slow way down. This helps to prevent burning.

Get the pan off the burner. Remove the pan from the heat quickly after the popping slows down, again to avoid burning it.

Don't overfill the pan. For best results, use only enough kernels to cover the bottom of the pan in a single layer; 3/4 cup covers the base of a 6-quart pot. If doubling the recipe, pop the rest of the kernels as a second batch rather than overfilling the first time. If you try to do the whole batch at once, many of the kernels will remain unpopped and the popcorn will bust out of the pan and spill over.

Nutrition