Popcorn Italiano is an easy, Italian-inspired snack. Popped corn is seasoned with butter, Parmesan cheese and Italian seasonings, then baked.
Popcorn is one of my “go to” snacks. Usually we just have it drizzled with butter and salt… you know, the old-fashioned way! Sometimes I like to add Parmesan cheese to the mix, and that tastes great, too! I think it’s kind of FUN to experiment with different flavors on popcorn!
Today I want to share a simple, but yummy recipe with you for Popcorn Italiano! I found the recipe years ago in one of my old Taste Of Home magazines, and gave it a try out of curiosity. YUM! Plain popped popcorn is combined with butter, Parmesan cheese and a few Italian-inspired spices. After it’s well-seasoned, it’s baked for a short time, which cooks and crisps up the buttery, cheesy seasoning onto the popcorn.
If you like to try new things, try this yummy popcorn. It’s really good, and has lots of flavor! Here’s how to make this tasty, easy snack:
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Pop The Popcorn First
Begin by preheating your oven to 350°F. You will want the oven ready to go once the popcorn has been popped and seasoned.
For this recipe you will need 2½ quarts of popped popcorn. Pop the popcorn (hot air popcorn maker, stovetop saucepan or microwave), using your preferred method. If you’re making this in a saucepan or hot air popcorn maker, start with 1/3 cup un-popped kernels. This will give you the amount of popped popcorn you need for this recipe. Set the finished popcorn aside while you prepare the seasoned butter sauce.
NOTE: I’ve never made this recipe using microwavable popcorn. However, if using microwave popcorn, use PLAIN, unbuttered popcorn. You will most likely need a couple of bags (about 10 cups total popped popcorn) to give you the equivalent of 2½ quarts of popped popcorn.
Make The Sauce And Season The Popcorn
Now it’s time to make the buttery Italian seasoning for the popcorn. Melt butter in a small saucepan, then remove the pan from the heat. Add grated Parmesan cheese and spices (garlic powder, oregano, basil, onion powder, and salt) to the butter. Stir until fully combined.
Pour all of the warm sauce over the popcorn and mix well, stirring as you go, until the popcorn has been well coated.
Bake The Popcorn Italiano
Pour the seasoned popcorn into a 13 x 9″ baking pan. Bake the Popcorn Italiano for 13 minutes, giving it a quick stir halfway through the baking time. Once done baking, remove the pan from the oven and transfer the seasoned popcorn into a serving bowl (or bowls). It will be hot, crispy and the flavors will be “sealed” and browned onto the popcorn.
That’s it! Serve this flavorful popcorn Italiano hot, and enjoy this crunchy snack. You will definitely get the “taste” of delicious Italian flavors in every bite of this popcorn.
Thank you for stopping by and checking out this fun, unique recipe for Popcorn Italiano. It really does taste good, and I hope you enjoy it. Come back soon, and have a great day.
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Original recipe source: “Taste of Home” magazine, Sept./Oct. 1998 issue, page 54, published by Reiman Publications
Popcorn Italiano is an easy Italian-inspired snack. Popped corn is seasoned with butter, Parmesan cheese and Italian seasonings, then baked.
- ⅓ cup popcorn kernels = 2½ quarts popped
- 5 Tablespoons butter
- ¼ cup grated Parmesan cheese
- ½ teaspoon dried oregano
- ½ teaspoon garlic powder
- ½ teaspoon dried basil
- ¼ teaspoon onion powder
- ¼ teaspoon salt
Preheat oven to 350°F.
You will need 2½ quarts of popped popcorn. Pop the popcorn (hot air popcorn maker, stovetop saucepan or microwave), using your preferred method. NOTE: If making in saucepan or hot air popcorn maker, start with 1/3 cup un-popped kernels. This will produce the amount of popped popcorn needed. if using microwave popcorn, use PLAIN, unbuttered popcorn. You will need 10 cups total popped popcorn to give you amount needed. Set popped popcorn aside when done.
Melt butter in a small saucepan; remove pan from heat. Add grated Parmesan cheese, garlic powder, oregano, basil, onion powder and salt. Stir until fully combined. Drizzle sauce over popcorn and stir to combine, until popcorn is well coated.
Pour seasoned popcorn into a 13 x 9" baking pan. Bake 13 minutes, giving it a stir halfway through baking time. Once done, remove pan from oven; transfer hot popcorn into serving bowl (or bowls). Serve immediately and enjoy!
NOTE: If popping corn from scratch you will need to use 1/3 cup of popcorn kernels to yield 2.5 quarts popped popcorn. If using microwave popcorn, you will need 10 cups of plain, unbuttered popped popcorn to equal 2.5 quarts.
Here’s one more to pin on your Pinterest boards!