How to make popcorn on the stove for a quick and easy snack

• It takes less than 10 minutes to make your own fresh popcorn at home.
• The only ingredients are popcorn kernels, high-heat cooking oil, and toppings of your choice.
• Using a heavy-bottomed pot will help prevent popcorn from burning.

"Making popcorn at home is fun and you can get creative with your toppings," says Charles Coristine, president and CEO of LesserEvil. Popcorn is a whole grain snack that is packed with nutrients and fiber. It's a fun and affordable snack to share with family and friends, and convenient to make since you only need a few simple ingredients.

It's easy to adjust the amount of popcorn you want to make depending on the number of snackers. Plus, you can customize the seasoning to create one-of-a-kind flavors that you wouldn't find in stores.

"At LesserEvil we believe ingredients mean everything, so when making your popcorn look for clean, healthy, and organic ingredients," Coristine says.

Quick tip: 1/2 cup of dried popcorn kernels yields 15 cups of cooked popcorn and should be popped with 2 tablespoons of oil. Adjust the recipe as needed by keeping the same ratio of kernels to oil. For example, if you only want 7 cups of popcorn, use 1/4 cup of dried kernels and 1 tablespoon of oil.

Ingredients

• 2 tablespoons high heat cooking oil, like avocado oil or coconut oil
• 1/2 cup popcorn kernels
• 1 tablespoon melted butter or ghee to taste (optional)
• Salt (optional)
• Any additional sweet or savory toppings
  
  

Tools:

• Large heavy-bottomed pot with a lid
• Large bowl for serving

Quick tip: A large Dutch oven is best, but any heavy enameled iron or aluminum pot or pan will work. Avoid lightweight pans because they don't conduct heat as evenly, leaving the popcorn susceptible to burning.

How to make popcorn on the stove

1. Heat the oil. Place the pot on the stove and add in the oil. "Medium heat is optimal to avoid any scorching," Coristine says.

2. Add the kernels. Start by adding in a few kernels and wait for them to pop. If the kernels don't pop then the oil is not hot enough.Once they begin to pop, toss the remaining kernels in the warm oil.

3. Cover the pot. Listen for the popping to begin. Once it begins, shake the pan back and forth over the burner with the lid on. Continue until popping slows down to two to three seconds between each pop. "Make sure to tilt the lid so that steam can escape as the kernels begin to pop," Coristine says.

4. Remove from heat. Uncover, and take the pan off of the burner. Add the popcorn into a large bowl.

5. Add your favorite toppings. Let the popcorn cool slightly, then add in your favorite toppings like dark chocolate or nutritional yeast. Toss the popcorn to evenly coat each piece.

Topping ideas

• Nutritional yeast – a vegan alternative for a cheesy flavor
• Ghee
• Chocolate chunks or melted chocolate for drizzling
• Pumpkin spice seasoning
• Cinnamon sugar
• Caramel
• Matcha
• Chili flakes

Quick tip: If you have a large storage container with a lid, add toppings in the container, cover, and shake to evenly coat your popcorn. "It also helps to grind down your toppings or make sure they're in powder form," Coristine says. The finer the particles, the more evenly they will distribute.

Insider's takeaway

Making popcorn at home is affordable and doesn't require much time. You only need a couple of ingredients – popcorn and oil – and a heavy-bottomed pot with a lid. Keep the heat at a medium level to prevent your popcorn from burning. For toppings, you can keep it simple with salt and butter, add sweet chocolate, caramel, or matcha, or toss your kernels in gourmet seasoning blends.