Popcorn is one of the most under appreciated and delicious snack choices out there, perfect for making any time, no movie necessary! This garlicy-herby blend is the perfect way to elevate your regular old salt-and-butter popcorn, not to mention a great way to use up thriving herb plants and dried harvested goods.

HOMEMADE POPCORN’S ENVIRONMENTAL BENEFITS

Buying pre-packaged and convenience food from fast food chains or grocery stores promotes the use of single use containers, utensils, napkins, and more that’ll end up in landfills and oceans, whereas making the same meal at home makes single use items obsolete
Rosemary, oregano, and many other herbs can be easily grown at home (even for beginners), and can be propagated from just a small cutting
Purchasing herbs loose and popcorn in bulk cuts down on excess packaging going into landfills or oceans, especially when using Reusable Produce Bags and Bulk Bin Bags

Garlic Herb Seasoned Popcorn

Prep Time: 5 Minutes
Total Time: 10 Minutes
Makes 1 Serving

Ingredients:

Seasoning Blend (Makes ~1/3 cup) (see notes for pre-ground spices)

5 tsp Dried Rosemary

4 tsp Dried Oregano

3-4 tsp Course Salt

2 tsp Granulated Garlic / 1 – 1 ½ tsp Garlic Powder

1 ½ tsp Dried Dill

8-10 Whole Peppercorns / ¼ - ½ tsp Ground Pepper

Popcorn

2-3 tbsp Neutral Oil (Canola, Vegetable, or Coconut)

¼ cup Popcorn Kernels

2-3 Tbsp Garlic Herb Seasoning Blend

Optional: 1 tsp fine salt or to taste

Additional Tools

A spice grinder (coffee grinder or mortar and pestle)

1 Large pot with a well-fitting lid (stainless steel, ceramic, or Dutch oven)

Potholders

Instructions:

1. SEASONING: Start by adding all the seasoning ingredients to a spice grinder, and grind until they reach a fine powder. If you don’t have a spice grinder, this can also be done in a clean (and dry) coffee grinder, or by hand in a mortar and pestle. Taste a sprinkle of the seasoning, it should be quite salty but flavorful, and make any adjustments to suit your preferences. Transfer the mixture into a small cup or clean spice jar.

2. HEAT: For the popcorn, place a large pot onto the stove over medium-high heat. Pour in the oil while the pan is still heating, and gently swirl the pot to ensure the bottom is fully coated. Test the heat by placing one popcorn kernel into the oil and wait until it pops (this may take a 1-2 minutes).

3. POPPING: Once the tester kernel has popped, you’re ready to start. Pour in the rest of the popcorn kernels, cover with a lid, and (using potholders) gently swirl the pot the coat all the kernels in oil. Then allow to sit over the heat until the kernels begin to pop. While holding the lid in place, sternly shake the pan for 10-15 seconds to mix the popped and un-popped kernels, then allow to sit on the heat for 30-40 seconds, and repeat. Continue this while the popcorn is rapidly popping, keeping the lid in place the entire time. Once the popping begins to slow (5-6 seconds between kernel pops), you’ll know that they popcorn is finished. Turn off the heat and remove the pan from the burner, a few kernels may continue to pop from the residual heat.

4. ENJOY: Add your seasoning while the kernels are hot to ensure it adheres best. To season the whole pot of popcorn, add in your herb mix directly to the pot, place the lid back on, and shake vigorously (flipping upside down if needed) to get every kernel coated. To season individual servings, pour the 1/2 popcorn into a bowl and sprinkle over a little seasoning, lightly shake, add the rest of your popcorn, followed by more seasoning, and shake again. Taste the popcorn and add more seasoning blend, salt, or pepper if necessary, and enjoy!

5. STORAGE: The dried seasoning can be stored in a clean spice jar in a cupboard or pantry for up to 6 months. Popped popcorn can be stored in a bowl covered with a silicone bowl cover or matching lid once cooled. This will keep for 3-4 days, though it’s best enjoyed fresh off the stove.

Notes:

Using Dried Herbs — If you don’t have any freshly dried or whole herbs on hand, no need to worry! You can make the seasoning blend using the same quantities as the whole herbs above (using variations for Garlic Powder and Ground Pepper), along with a fine table salt. Just add the ground spices to a small bowl and mix. This will leave you with an almost identical tasting seasoning blend, just with a slightly larger quantity. If you're up for a DIY activity, you can even try drying your own herbs at home.

Choosing Your Pot – It’s best to err on the side of “bigger is better” for popcorn making, as you can’t switch to a larger pot once started. Always choose a larger pot than you think you’ll need, which will actually make shaking and seasoning the popcorn easier later on. We’d also recommend against using a pot with non-stick coating, as these can leach some nasty chemicals into your food, especially at high temperatures such as this. And with the oil, nothing will stick anyways.

Popping for a Crown – This popcorn Is perfect for your next movie night, watch party, or party of one! Scale up the recipe by doubling or tripling the popcorn part of the recipe (the herb blend makes extra anyway, so you should be good with a single batch of that). The original ¼ cup in the recipe makes about the same amount as a standard microwave popcorn bag, so scale accordingly!

Clumping Herbs — If you made the seasoning blend a few days ago and now the mixture is clumping in the jar, no worries! This just means that there was a little moisture left in the herbs before they were ground up. You can remove the lid from the jar and set in a sunny spot for 1-2 days or spread the blend out on a flat dish and place in a warm oven to further dry out, or just shake the jar to break up any clumps before sprinkling over popcorn.

General Purpose Seasoning Blend – If you like the flavor of the garlicy-herby blend, why not add it to some of your other dishes? This seasoning is great for keeping on the table along with your usual salt and pepper. Make a large batch by doubling or tripling the recipe and store it for later. It makes a great flavorful addition to soups, pastas, veggies, and more, and can be added while cooking or just before eating. Just remember that the seasoning does have salt added in, sprinkle over a little at a time to keep from accidentally oversalting.

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