Move over, microwave popcorn! Instant Pot Popcorn is easy, healthy, and delicious.
Is it movie night or you just need a binge-able snack that isn’t too unhealthy? Homemade popcorn is a no-brainer, but choose wisely among the available options. Microwave popcorn: way too many preservatives and the taste can often be lackluster. Air popped or stovetop popcorn are okay alternatives, but often require separate, bulky equipment. The best choice is to use your Instant Pot, which pops up fluffy, warm popcorn with minimal ingredients and effort. No long lists of ingredients or additives; you just need the popcorn, coconut oil, and salt. The simplicity of this popcorn recipe is a great use of the versatile Instant Pot.
Why You Will Love This Recipe
Hot, freshly popped popcorn is addictive and, with the right seasonings, a delicious, healthy way to enjoy a snack. Just salt sprinkled on top is the classic, but if you’re in the mood to mix things up a bit, you can, yet not add too many calories. How ’bout trying my Sesame Caramel Popcorn for a nutty twist? Or you could try sprinkling it with a mix of grated parmesan cheese, garlic powder, and a little olive oil. Another fun variation is to sprinkle with salt, then add a couple of shakes of cayenne pepper and chili powder and some lime zest, for a chili-lime flavor. If you are having a sweet tooth, you might enjoy caramel corn.
The coconut oil used here is such a healthy fat and heightens the popcorn’s flavor just right. Is there a coconut aftertaste to the popcorn? Maybe just slightly, but my kids, who hate coconut, have yet to complain. And while this particular recipe only uses 1/4 cup of unpopped kernels, you can easily make more by doubling up or making additional batches – if you try to make more than double in one batch, the popcorn clumps up and loses that fluffy, light texture. So for a crowd, just allow for extra time to make additional batches, which is super easy given the easy, quick steps!
What Kind Of Popcorn Should I Use?
With such a minimalist recipe, there is only really one ingredient to focus on: the corn! Yellow popcorn pops up best and biggest; white corn kernels are a bit smaller but still tasty. Other artisanal popcorn like blue or red is fine too, but again, may not yield the big, fluffy popped corn as the yellow.
Ingredients
- 1 tbsp coconut oil
- 1/4 cup popcorn
- 1/4 tsp sea salt
How to Make
Step 1: Power on your Instant Pot and select the “Sauté” function. Adjust the settings to a higher sauté temperature and wait for 2-3 minutes until the pot reaches the desired heat level.
Step 2: Add the coconut oil and wait until it melts. Then add the popcorn kernels and sprinkle the sea salt over it.
Step 3: Stir with a wooden spoon to make sure the popcorn is coated with the oil and salt.
Step 4: Cover the instant pot with a lid and cook for 1-2 minutes, or until the popcorn has popped. Switch the Instant Pot off and transfer the popcorn to a bowl.
Top Tips For a Perfect Instant Pot Popcorn
- Coconut oil makes the healthiest, tastiest popcorn: it’s solid before heated, so it comes in a jar. If you don’t have any, you can use any oil with a high smoke point, like canola oil. Butter can be used as well, but definitely adds unwanted fat and calories if you’re trying to keep this a healthy snack. For a buttery topping without too much guilt, consider our homemade popcorn butter .
- When first placing the popcorn in your Instant Pot, spread the kernels out around the edges – most Instant Pots are domed on the bottom, so that center part heats the fastest and you risk burning them. Once the popping starts, it doesn’t matter as much.
- Use any glass lid from one of your other pots to cover when the popping first starts. It doesn’t have to fit exactly, as long as it covers the top of your Instant Pot!
- Have a big bowl or container ready to go before you start popping, so you can get the popcorn out quickly and enjoy while it is still nice and warm. And for flavor inspiration, check out our sesame caramel popcorn recipe .
FAQs
Your popcorn may be stale or expired, meaning the hulls won’t swell like they should. Make sure to use fresh popcorn kernels for the best results.
Yes! Otherwise, the popcorn will just burn. Hot oil in a hot Instant Pot is the perfect environment for popcorn to get poppin’!
Once there are about 15 seconds between the pops, turn it off, give it a shake, and pour into your waiting bowl.
Serving Suggestions //
A bowl of this fresh, healthy snack definitely won’t last long at your gathering (or, let’s face it, when it’s just you, popcorn, and a good movie)! While popcorn alone is delicious, or with the parmesan-garlic/chili-lime variations mentioned above, you might also want to consider making something sweet to go along with the savory taste of this snack. Here on Baked Bree, we’ve got tons of options. Go for an easy sweet that’s still relatively low in fat with these Rainbow Rice Krispie Treats, which can be made ahead of your popcorn. Or if you’re in need of something more protein heavy, you can pair your Instant Pot popcorn with my Easy Pesto Chicken. Going all in on the Instant Pot? Can I recommend my Instant Pot Carrot Curry Soup?
How to Store //
Instant Pot Popcorn, with its fresh, light taste, is best eaten right away. But if you want to prep ahead of time and serve your popcorn later, just spread the popcorn out on a baking sheet to cool. Once cool, you can store the popcorn in a resealable gallon bag or airtight container for up to 2 days at room temperature.
Instant Pot Popcorn
Ingredients
- 1 tbsp coconut oil
- 1/4 cup popcorn
- 1/4 tsp sea salt
Instructions
- Power on your Instant Pot and select the “Sauté” function. Adjust the settings to a higher sauté temperature and wait for 2-3 minutes until the pot reaches the desired heat level.
- Add the coconut oil and wait until it melts. Then add the popcorn kernels and sprinkle the sea salt over it.
- Stir with a wooden spoon to make sure the popcorn is coated with the oil and salt.
- Cover the instant pot with a lid and cook for 1-2 minutes, or until the popcorn has popped. Switch the Instant pot off and transfer the popcorn to a bowl.
