This tasty popcorn recipe combines the flavors of tangy Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese and aromatic extra-virgin olive oil with just the right amount of black-pepper bite. We recommend serving it alongside Black Sesame and Mustard Popcorn and Spicy Cinnamon-Sugar Popcorn for a gourmet treat.
What to buy: Be sure to use real Parmigiano-Reggiano and freshly ground black pepper, and don’t skimp on the quality of your extra-virgin olive oil!
We found that fine salt (a.k.a. table salt) works best on popcorn, because its fine grain adheres better to each kernel.
Special equipment: We tested this recipe with popcorn made in an air popper, which produced stellar results.
This recipe was featured as part of our story on dorm cooking.
- Yield: 6 to 8 servings
- Difficulty: Easy
- Total: 10 mins
Ingredients (6)
- 1/2 cup finely grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese
- 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- 1/2 teaspoon fine salt
- 1/2 cup popcorn kernels
- 3 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
- 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
Instructions
- In a small bowl, toss together the cheese, pepper, and salt until well combined.
- Using an air popper, pop the corn kernels into a large bowl. Meanwhile, combine the butter and olive oil in a small bowl. As the large bowl begins to fill with popcorn, alternately drizzle the butter–olive oil mixture over the popcorn and sprinkle it with the cheese mixture, occasionally tossing to coat.
- When the popcorn stops popping, use your hands to toss everything together and ensure that the ingredients are evenly distributed. Serve immediately.
