Nutritional yeast popcorn is not only the best popcorn ever, it's the healthiest! Popcorn tossed with olive oil, your favorite seasoned salt, and nutritional yeast.
This post includes my recommendations for the best popcorn popper for the money, and the best kernels.
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My dad wasn't a cook. He didn't even grill. To this day, I can't remember a single thing he ever cooked.
Except popcorn.
I recently started to collect a trove of sugar-free healthy snacks that I could quickly and easily make. Roasted chickpeas and pepitas made the cut. And this nutritional yeast popcorn.
🤷♀️ What is Nutritional Yeast Popcorn?
Nutritional yeast, also called "nooch", is a favorite ingredient among vegans. It gives food a cheesy, umami flavor, and is a fantastic source of protein. Best of all, it's a complete protein, which is important in diets that don't include meat or fish.
It is loaded with healthy nutrients, and is considered one of those super foods we should all be eating. It has lots of uses.
I add it to soups, casseroles and veggie burgers, but my favorite way of using this fabulous ingredient is tossing it with olive oil, seasoned salt and freshly made popcorn. It's completely addictive. So, consider yourself warned.
I find nutritional yeast in the bulk bins at my market, but you can also purchase it pre-packaged. As a note, Bragg, the one I buy pre-packaged, also has Nutritional Yeast - Smoky BBQ and Roasted Garlic flavors!!
🧅 Main Ingredients + Notes
For the all of the ingredients, measurements and directions, go to the Recipe Card at the bottom of this post.
- White popcorn kernels - there are a lot of popcorn kernels available today, and I've tried a LOT of them. My favorite is Bob's Red Mill. They pop up much bigger than any of the other ones I tried.
- Extra virgin olive oil
- Nutritional yeast - it's often available in the bulk bins in markets, or in the spices section of the store. If you don't see it, it's also available on-line.
- Seasoned salt - use your personal favorite, but mine is Jane's Crazy Mixed-Up Salt Blend
Disclosure: This post may contain affiliate links to products and foods I use in my kitchen. This means that at no additional cost to you, I will earn a commission if you click through and make a purchase. To view my entire storefront of recommended kitchen tools and equipment, check out my shop on Amazon.
🔪 Recommended Equipment
- Air Popcorn Popper - I use Ecolution's 1.5 quart popper when I'm making it just for my husband and me, and the Ecolution 3.0 quart popper for a larger group.
👩🍳 Choosing the Best Popcorn Popper
There's a surprising number of things to consider when selecting your next popcorn popper.
- Will you pop popcorn in the microwave (super fast), or on the stovetop?
- If you want to microwave popcorn, how high is your microwave?
- Do you want a separate appliance?
- Will you only use it at home, or take it camping?
- Should it be dishwasher safe?
- Do you want a convenient butter melting tray included in the equipment?
❤️ Why I Like the Ecolution Popper
- It's specially designed to circulate hot air in the container to help prevent burning and promote getting all those kernels to pop. Although I confess that I always have a few left over. Not many, but I always have a few.
- It's healthy because it's air-popped. Zero oil, my friends.
- The silicone top is handy because it's not only a lid, but it has 2 other purposes. It's the measuring cup for the kernels, so you don't need to go scrounging for a measuring cup. And it's perforated. That means if you really must have butter on your popcorn, just put a knob of butter in it before scooting it into the microwave. The butter melts over the popcorn, just like in the movie theaters.
- It's completely dishwasher safe.
- Easy storage.
- Because you're using the microwave, it's super fast. Much faster than popper appliances.
- They have two sizes.
- Both of Ecolution's models are waaaay less expensive than getting a popcorn popper appliance.
I should mention that if I was interested in having a separate appliance for popping corn, the one I would buy is the Presto Poplite Popper. It's not as large as some of the others, and it claims to pop every last kernel. This is a great review on it by an independent source, which names their favorite popcorn poppers for 2023. (The Ecolution popper came in second for them.)
📇 More Ways to Use Nutritional Yeast
If you're looking for a great vegan recipe that includes nutritional yeast, check out these Sesame Crusted Sweet Potato Cakes. They're so healthy and delicious!
And this Cauliflower Scampi dish uses nutritional yeast as an alternative to Parmesan cheese.
📇 More Snacks or Party Food Ideas
These Curried Apple Chips are a great snack or appetizer to serve at a party with cheese and crackers. They're soaked, dusted with curry powder and dried in a low temperature oven for a healthy snack.
For a party, make these jalapeño mac and cheese bites. They're perfect finger food, and big crowd pleasers!
Don't have time to run to the grocery store? Order the ingredients for this recipe using Instacart (affiliate link). Just click on the Instacart button in the recipe card below, and the ingredients will all be organized for you on their site. Plug in your zip code, choose the store you prefer, and select the ingredients you want delivered to your home.
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Nutritional Yeast Popcorn (Best Popcorn Ever!!)
Equipment
Ingredients
- ¼ cup White popcorn kernels
- 2 tablespoons Extra-virgin olive oil
- 1 teaspoon Seasoned salt mix
- 2 tablespoons Nutritional yeast or more, according to your own preferences
Instructions
- Measure the popcorn kernels in the top lid of the Micro-Pop Popcorn Popper, and spill them into the popper. Place it in a microwave oven, and pop for 4 minutes (depending on the strength of your microwave oven.
- Transfer the popped popcorn into a large bowl. Drizzle the popcorn with
- Drizzle with olive oil enough to lightly coat. It's best to start with a couple tablespoons and add more as desired. Sprinkle with the seasoned salt to your own tastes - again it's best to start with a smaller amount as it's easy to add more if you want.
- Generously sprinkle with nutritional yeast - this is magic stuff that really makes this popcorn addictive.
- Toss with your hands or a wooden spoon to coat the popcorn, and serve.
The Ninja Baker
Thank you for doing the inspired research, Susan. Interesting that a brand known for being healthy has the kernels to match your cheese-like nutritional yeast...Ps.For some reason popcorn is a popular snack in Japan right now =)
shelby
This is my FAVORITE way to eat popcorn! We did this all the time also. I even have Grumpy hooked on it - but for some strange reason he calls it "flux" lol
The Finer Cookie/Kim
Men can be so stubborn! Such a cute post. I had popcorn for dinner last night.
Nicole - Crazed Mom
Hey woman! I am dying to try this now! We have that same popcorn "maker". My son has it living next to the microwave, he makes popcorn so much! Definitely trying this!
Bestguidesforhealth
Thank you. I try make it.
TerriSue
Hi Susan, We discovered nutritional yeast 35 years ago when we became vegetarians. One of the first cookbooks I bought was THE FARM COOKBOOK. I can't even remember where we got the tip about putting nutritional yeast on popcorn but my husband has probably had it that way every Sunday night for the last 35 years with only a few missed weeks. An early present in our marriage for him from me was a shaker that could handle the size of the yeast and had a slide closure on it. It is sitting in our fridge right now. I never thought about using olive oil though. We cut out the butter long ago. Tonight I am going to bring out the EVOO and step up the flavor of a long standing Sunday dinner! It is so much better than Jiffy Pop. I never had that where it wasn't burn't and burn't popcorn has a horrible smell and taste. Entertainment wise, for a child anyways, was there ever anything better than Jiffy Pop?
Jennifer
Ooh! My family loves popcorn, and cheese popcorn...yes! I've heard a lot of good things about nutritional yeast, I'll have to try it!
Liz
I love popcorn and this sounds like a delicious way to get my fix. Thanks for the BRM recommendation, too!
Sam @ PancakeWarriors
Love nooch for it's cheesy qualities!! So perfect on popcorn!
Cindy Kerschner
Now I need to get these ingredients and start popping!
Carlee
How funny that he'd rather suffer the headaches than make the coffee! I can appreciate a good stubborn streak! We also love popcorn and I have been interested in trying nutritional yeast. I think I need to just go for it!
Stacy
I've been waiting for this one since I saw your title in the forum, Susan! I bought a bag of nutritional yeast that I have only used to make one thing, a lovely chickpea veggie soup from Kathy Heston's Easy Vegan Cookbook - which I highly recommend, by the way. I'll be putting it on popcorn now too. Thank you!
monica
Your dad sounds so much like my husband. We have movie night with the kids and he has the big carnival popper on wheels - it's wayyyy to much popcorn but the Grandchildren love it. I've never tried Bob's red Mill for some reason though I love their products.
Wendy Klik
I have never tried nutritional yeast. I am going to rectify that with this popcorn recipe. Thanks
Sarah Reid, CNP (@jo_jo_ba)
How awesome! Lucky dad
Constance Smith
What a great idea!
Liz @ Books n' Cooks
I've never heard of adding nutritional yeast to popcorn, but after your wonderful post, I'm definitely going to try it!
Oui, Chef
I've heard of seasoning popcorn with nutritional yeast, but haven't gotten around to trying it yet. Now, with your rave review, I MUST!
best kitchen gadgets
You're dad's cool! At least, the whole family can count on him during movie night at home.
Jake
I'm totally agree with you : pop corn made with nutritional yeast is the best ever !
Jenni
Nutritional yeast on popcorn is the best! I pop mine in ghee/coconut oil and then go crazy with the nooch and some other toppings. Popcorn for dinner is my favorite!
The Wimpy Vegetarian
Oh yes!!!! I love popcorn for dinner!!!