Buttery Rosemary & Black Pepper Movie Night Popcorn (Vegan Option)
Is popcorn a MUST for movie night in your home? It is at ours whether we’re at the theater, or…AT HOME. Of course, I love going to the theater – the big screen, the sound system, and feeling like you’re in the movie. BUT there is something to be said about movie night at home, as well. The ability to hit pause to grab more snacks and not miss a second. PLUS, the comfy clothes, a nice glass of wine, AND a heaping bowl of Buttery Rosemary and Black Pepper Popcorn.
THE POPCORN.
Yes, I’m yelling a bit – but hey, how can you not be when you’re snacking on a hot bowl of popcorn with melted butter, rosemary, and black pepper. The only decision is whether we’re having…light butter (him)…OR…movie butter (ME). Seriously, once you eat a bowl of this, you’ll never go back to the bagged or microwave stuff again. And you won’t be eating the fake stuff in the theater either.
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Tips for Making the Perfect Popcorn
Ingredient Quality
Let’s talk about the quality of ingredients. The better the ingredients, the better your popcorn. Of course, you can use a regular butter, but simple ingredients really elevate your snack. We use REAL butter – real French butter. It melts smoother, tastes richer, and absolutely makes a difference in flavor. But look if you’re vegan, use a good quality olive oil, instead.
We also use a good sea salt, hand-harvested here in Portugal. And I really love playing with infused finishing salts our friends bring us from down in the Algarve. One of my favorites is infused with lemon peel. Totally makes a big WOW factor.
Finish off your popcorn with finely chopped fresh rosemary and cracked black pepper before drizzling over your freshly popped popcorn. I’ll be perfectly honest this stuff is so good I’ve eaten a whole LARGE bowl solo while catching up on Bridgerton (anyone else a Bridgerton fan?).
Now I will tell you that one thing I’m not a fan of when it comes to popcorn is the hulls that get caught up in your teeth. Yes, totally not sexy. I’d rather be licking buttery fingers and sipping rosé than picking my teeth. Over the years I’ve found some brands have way less hulls than others. A few of my favorites are:
- Anthony’s Organic Yellow Popcorn Kernels (organic, non-gmo)
- Amish Country Midnight Blue, Rainbow, & Medium Yellow Popcorn Kernels Popcorn (fun colors)
- 365 by Whole Foods Market, Organic Yellow Popcorn Kernels (organic)
Making Your Popcorn
Use a really large pot, so you give every kernel room to pop and stay crisp. You want the pot – and the oil – to get good and hot, right before smoking. Yep, you’re using just a bit of oil, not butter, to pop your popcorn. And then once you add the kernels, don’t leave them sitting still. Start shaking (or use a swirl method) to keep them from burning. The movement is the secret to fluffy, unscorched popcorn. You’ll keep the pop on the burner until you hear the ‘popping’ sounds slowing down. Then remove from the heat. The leftover heat will continue popping the last kernels.
Now it’s time to layer on the love. Drizzle your butter, rosemary, and black pepper mix over the popped popcorn. Sprinkle with salt and then toss gently so that every handful gets flavor. As always season to your taste. If you want more – or less – salt and pepper, adjust to your tastes. Don’t happen to be a fan of fresh rosemary? Try thyme, oregano, sage, or a mix. Don’t have fresh herbs or time? Try a salt mix like a lemon rosemary sea salt.
Serving Notes
Your popcorn is always best enjoyed freshly made or it gets soggy. But if you don’t plan to eat all at once, hold off adding the butter. Then warm up your popcorn in the microwave and add the rest of the butter mix when you’re ready to eat. Store popped popcorn without butter in a paper bag or sealed container.
Now go grab the biggest bowl you have, pour yourself a glass of something delicious (Portuguese rosé is my go-to!), and press play. Buttery Rosemary & Black Pepper popcorn is made for movie night a whole lot more fun.
Btw, just in case, you’re a fan of having more than one snack, try my homemade ‘Cheez-It’s’ recipe or Pepper, Fennel Seed and Thyme Olive Oil Crackers.
What’s your go to snack for movie night? Let me know in the comments. Also let me know if you give this popcorn a try.
Buttery Rosemary & Black Pepper Movie Night Popcorn
Ingredients
- ½ cup popcorn kernels
- 1 tsp sunflower or vegetable oil
- ½ tsp sea salt, or to taste
- ½ tsp fresh ground black pepper, or to taste
- 2 Tbsp finely chopped fresh rosemary (or substitute with your favorite fresh herbs)
- ¼ cup butter (or 1/8 cup for lightly buttered)
Instructions
- Make the Rosemary Butter:
- Put the butter in a microwave-safe cup (like a coffee mug) and melt for 30–45 seconds. Stir in the chopped rosemary and black pepper, then microwave for an additional 15 seconds to gently infuse. Set aside.
- Heat the Oil & Pop the Kernels:
- Place sunflower or vegetable oil in a large, heavy-bottomed pot with a lid. Set over medium-high heat and add three test popcorn kernels. Cover and heat until the test kernels pop.
- Pour in the remaining 3/4 cup popcorn kernels. Shake the pot to coat kernels in oil. Keep shaking the pot every few seconds as it heats up; this prevents burning.
- Leave the lid slightly ajar until you hear the first pops, then set the lid mostly on. Continue shaking the pot occasionally until the popping slows to several seconds between pops.
- Remove the pot from heat. Pour half the popcorn into a large bowl. Drizzle half of the rosemary butter and sprinkle with sea salt. Add the remaining popcorn, drizzle over the rest of the butter and salt, and toss well to coat. Taste and add more salt or black pepper as desired.
- Serve immediately with your favorite movie. Garnish with extra rosemary or an extra touch of finishing salt—lemon or wine-infused salt is fantastic!