American
Stovetop Garlic Parmesan Popcorn
Popcorn cooks in a covered pot, then gets tossed with garlic butter and grated Parmesan. It is a savory bowl snack ready in minutes on the stove.
- Prep
- 5 min
- Cook
- 8 min
- Total
- 13 min
- Servings
- 4
- Difficulty
- Easy

Photo: Fuzzy Gerdes (CC BY). Source
Why you’ll love it
- Costs less than bagged flavored popcorn.
- Garlic butter clings better when tossed hot.
- One pot handles popping and seasoning.
- Scales easily for movie night portions.
Ingredients
Ingredient amounts scale. Oven temperature and cook time do not. Salt, spices, and leaveners are a starting point after you scale. Taste and adjust.
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Instructions
- 1
Pour oil and kernels into a large heavy pot and cover.
- 2
Cook over medium heat, shaking often, until popping slows to 2 seconds apart, about 4 to 5 minutes.
- 3
Remove from heat and keep covered 30 seconds.
- 4
Melt butter in a small pan and stir in minced garlic for 30 seconds.
- 5
Drizzle garlic butter over the popcorn and toss.
- 6
Add Parmesan, salt, and pepper and toss again until coated.
- 7
Serve right away while warm.
Pro tips
- Use a pot tall enough for kernels to expand fully.
- Shake the pot so bottom kernels do not scorch.
- Grate Parmesan fine so it sticks to the hot corn.
Easy substitutions
- Parmesan
- pecorino or nutritional yeast
- butter
- olive oil
- garlic cloves
- 1/2 tsp garlic powder
Storage and reheating
Storage
Best fresh. Store cooled leftovers in a paper bag up to 1 day.
Reheating
Warm in a 300°F oven 3 to 4 minutes; avoid the microwave which softens it.
Nutrition
Estimates per serving, using standard ingredient averages and rounded to the nearest gram. This is not a lab analysis, and it shifts if you change brands or add sides.
- Calories
- 180
- Protein
- 5 g
- Carbs
- 14 g
- Fat
- 12 g
- Fiber
- 3 g
Budget friendly · Stovetop · Vegetarian
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A heavy 12-inch skillet
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An air fryer with a real basket
The air-fryer recipes expect a single layer. A crowded basket steams instead of browning.
A half-sheet pan
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A sharp chef’s knife
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A large cutting board
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Dry cups and a liquid cup
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An instant-read thermometer
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