Jalapeno, Garlic, and Parmesan Cheese Popcorn Recipe

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Jalapeno, Garlic, and Parmesan Cheese Popcorn Recipe

Updated on January 26, 2018

A Scrumptious & Spicy Vegetarian Snack For The Grown Ups!

Tired of the same old plain butter popcorn movie night after movie night? Spice things up this weekend and serve a big bowl of jalapeno, garlic, and parmesan cheese popcorn instead.

I love the old-fashioned taste of popcorn popped in a little oil directly on the stove top. No microwave popcorn for this girl, and well, hot air popcorn is just a little bleh and boring to me! I have been dropping hints that I would love a stove-top kettle corn popper for Christmas; I have been very good this year, so I am hoping Santa will leave one under the tree for me. In the meantime, I will continue to make my popcorn in a big, heavy stainless steel pot, which works just as well.

I like to use peanut oil in this recipe because it can be heated to a very high temperature without smoking or burning and it has a wonderful light, nutty flavor which makes the popcorn taste amazing.

If you want your popcorn extra spicy, leave the seeds inside the jalapeno pepper and add a dash of cayenne pepper. The green flesh of the jalapeno is very mild, whereas the seeds and the white membrane are what contain most of the heat.

Prep time: 5 min
Cook time: 5 min
Ready in: 10 min
Yields: 4 people – 2 cups each

Ingredients

  • 1/2 cup popcorn kernels, (I prefer Orville Redenbacher’s; no kernels are left unpopped!)
  • 3 tbsp peanut oil
  • 1/4 cup butter
  • 1 jalapeno, seeded and finely diced
  • 1 clove garlic, crushed
  • 1/2 cup Parmesan cheese
  • 1/2 tsp sea salt
  • 1/8 tsp cayenne pepper (optional)

Instructions

  1. Heat peanut oil in a large pot or stove-top kettle corn popper over medium heat.
  2. Add the popcorn kernels to the pot and cover with a lid.
  3. As soon as the kernels start popping, lift and shake the pot every few seconds until all the kernels are popped. Use a pair of oven mitts for this step – your hands can get very hot standing over a burner and they also protect your hands from the hot steam that escapes out from underneath the lid.
  4. Pour the popped popcorn into a large bowl.
  5. Heat the butter, crushed garlic and diced jalapenos in a small saucepan. Cook over medium-low heat about 1 minute, just long enough to melt the butter and to slightly soften the garlic and peppers, allowing the flavors to blend together.
  6. Drizzle the jalapeno garlic infused butter over the popcorn.
  7. Sprinkle the parmesan cheese on top and season with sea salt and a little cayenne pepper to your liking. Stir the popcorn really well to mix the butter, cheese and spices evenly.
  8. Dish the popcorn out into individual bowls or serve it family style in one large bowl.