Sweet and Salty Masala Popcorn

This simple to make sweet and salty masala popcorn is the perfect flavor-forward snack for a Super Bowl party or a cozy movie night. Not only is it delicious, it’s also low in calories and high in fiber.

Last week, while making a batch of sweet and salty homemade popcorn for movie night, I got to thinking… Indian spices might really send the flavor profile of an already delicious stovetop popcorn through the roof.

And I wasn’t wrong! This homemade sweet and salty masala popcorn is the result of a little trial and error spice-mix experimentation in the kitchen. Not only was our movie night just a bit tastier last week, my solution for a delicious and easy shareable Super Bowl snack was found with a minimal amount of brain power invested. That’s a win any day!

How to Make Stove Top Popcorn

While my mother used to make popcorn on the stove when we were super young, the only homemade popcorn recipes I had ever made up until last week started with the press of the start button. So I picked up some popcorn kernels at the grocery store a month back and promptly forgot about them until movie night rolled around.

Two things surprised me about making popcorn on the stove:

1. It’s easy. One of the absolute easiest kitchen tasks of all time.
2. Stove top popcorn isn’t super greasy like the microwave stuff tends to be, but is just as flavorful.

Start by heating up a small amount of oil in a deep pot (one that has a lid). Once the oil is hot, add a couple of kernels as testers. When they start popping, add the rest of your popcorn kernels to the pot.

Now comes the fun part. Place a lid on top (vented to let the steam out) and shake the pan back and forth a bit to make sure there is even distribution. Then watch your popcorn come to life! Pull the pan off the flame when the popping stops.

How to Make the Popcorn Seasoning

Making the spice mixture for this sweet and salty Super Bowl popcorn recipe is incredibly simple. A bit of kosher salt and sugar delivers the salty sweetness so familiar in Western treats like kettle corn.

However everything is cranked up to 11 when you introduce intense garam masala powder. That wonder-spice is mixed with cumin and chili powder to create an intensely nutty and smoky spice blend that plays super nicely with the sugar and salt.

The spice mixture is then mixed in a small pan with butter or a plant based butter substitute. It’s all heated, stirred and then added to your popcorn as soon as it finishes popping. The result is well rounded sweet, salty, smoky popcorn perfection!

What is Garam Masala?

Garam masala is a spice wunderkind. But instead of being a single spice, garam masala is a blend of Indian spices, often sold pre-mixed. While the name translates into ‘warm spice mix’ that shouldn’t imply spiciness.

Most versions include varying amounts of other spices like cardamom, cumin, cloves, nutmeg and mace. And, while the version you buy at the store may taste a certain way, it’s not uncommon to find another version that switches up the proportions a bit and tastes slightly different. Not to mention the countless proprietary homemade versions made in Indian kitchens over generations.

Regardless of the taste variations, garam masala is a mixture of spices that delivers a complex bouquet of flavor to this otherwise simple homemade popcorn recipe.

Does this Recipe Work with Microwave Popcorn?

Sure! It totally works.

The reason I made this sweet and salty masala popcorn on the stovetop is because I was looking to try something new. But believe me when I tell you that nuking popcorn is the way I’ve done it for most of my life!

And just to be on the safe side, I tried microwave popcorn with this sweet and salty masala recipe too. Just pop your microwave popcorn like normal – and prepare the buttery masala topping in a separate container. Mix it all up in a bowl – and voilà!

The only difference is that, when you make popcorn on the stove, you’re using oil and kernels. That’s a pretty low calorie method. Some microwave popcorns can be pretty high in fat and calories – so if you’re adding the buttery spice mixture to a high fat microwave popcorn, it can potentially be be a bit of a gut bomb.

Calories in Popcorn

While movie style popcorn is loaded with butter and chemicals, it’s totally possible to make healthy popcorn at home. And if not totally healthy, at least healthier! If you’re making your own popcorn on the stove top with olive oil – or even using an air popper – you’re cutting down on the calorie content significantly.

Then, if you use a small amount of good quality oil, butter (or a vegan butter alternative) to bind your spice mix to the popcorn, you’re still sitting pretty in the calorie department.

For example, a medium sized popcorn at the cinema can run around 700 calories. By contrast, one cup of air popped popcorn has around 30 calories. And a cup of oil popped popcorn has about 55 calories. Sure a cup of popcorn is well shy of the amount you’re getting at the movies when you order that medium, but it does leave you a bit of room to add a few calories with your own homemade flavor enhancers without going overboard.

How to Serve Masala Popcorn

Other simple and delicious snacks to serve with masala popcorn:

• Loaded Nachos With Kimchi and Miso Crema
• Oven Baked Za’atar Fries
• Simple Fresh Salsa
• Guasacaca (Venezuelan Style Guacamole)
• Avocado and Cheese Dumplings

Did you like this recipe? Are there changes you made that you would like to share? Share your tips and recommendations in the comments section below!

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