Healthy Vegan Popcorn Toppings
Discover these healthy popcorn toppings and cooking methods that are not only delicious but completely butter-free! From savory seasonings to sweet treats, these ideas make snacking guilt-free and full of flavor.
Popcorn is one of the world’s healthiest and most popular snack foods. Whether binge-watching your favorite TV show or sitting down to a movie with friends, air-popped popcorn is a great snack.
The problem is that we tend to top it with greasy unhealthy recipes, but that is a thing of the past with these easy, healthy, and delicious popcorn seasonings that will help keep the calories and fat down.
We have so many healthy vegan snacks on this website like our oil-free homemade potato chips, these easy stuffed dates, and this amazing dairy-free spinach artichoke dip.
Reasons you will love these toppings
- Flavor-Packed Variety: These oil-free vegan popcorn seasonings bring bold and exciting flavors, from cheesy to spicy, to elevate your snack game.
- Healthier Snacking: Made with wholesome, plant-based ingredients, these toppings keep your popcorn light, nutritious, and guilt-free.
- Quick and Easy to Make: These simple seasoning ideas come together in minutes, perfect for last-minute movie nights or anytime cravings.
- Customizable Fun: Mix and match these toppings to create endless combinations, letting you personalize your popcorn exactly how you like it!
Is popcorn vegan?
Yes, popcorn is indeed vegan, but is it healthy? We have always loved popcorn as a snack at my house. Years ago, we loaded it down with lots of melted butter and salt, but our waistlines and blood pressures showed it.
Nowadays, we know better ways to enjoy this delicious snack without harming our health. There are so many great ways to eat vegan popcorn in a healthy way!
We’ve got information on different ways to cook it without oil and about 20 different variations of toppings to keep it from increasing your weight and biometrics.
Popcorn nutrition facts
Oil-free air-popped popcorn is a healthy and nutrient-dense snack that’s low in calories yet packed with goodness. A single cup of air-popped popcorn contains only about 30 calories, making it a great option for those watching their calorie intake. It’s also high in dietary fiber, supporting healthy digestion and helping you feel full longer.
Additionally, popcorn is a whole grain, providing essential nutrients like magnesium, phosphorus, and B vitamins. With no added oils or butter, air-popped popcorn is a heart-healthy snack that you can enjoy guilt-free while still satisfying your crunch cravings!
Air popping is one of the healthiest ways to prepare popcorn because it does not involve oil, which adds to the fat and calorie content. It can be made on the stovetop, in an air popper, or in the microwave.
Stovetop oil-free method
The recipe card at the bottom of the page has the full list of ingredients with measurements and instructions.
Things you are going to need:
- popcorn kernels
- large pot with a tight-fitting lid and handles on each side
- 2 hand towels or oven mitts to hold onto hot pot handles
- Seasonings and spices (many options listed below)
Cooking popcorn on the stovetop takes about 10 minutes and requires active participation. The pot can not be left alone on the heat and demands shaking of the contents throughout the process to prevent the popcorn from sticking to the bottom of the pot and burning.
Complete printable instructions from LiveStrong can be found below in the recipe card.
Brown paper bag method
- Prep the Popcorn: Add 1/4 cup of popcorn kernels to a plain, unlined brown paper bag. If you’d like, sprinkle in a pinch of salt for seasoning before popping.
- Fold the Bag: Fold the top of the bag over twice, about 1 inch per fold, to keep it securely closed during popping.
- Place in Microwave: Lay the bag flat in the microwave with the folded side facing up.
- Set the Time: Microwave on high for 2-3 minutes. Listen carefully and stop the microwave when the popping slows to about 2-3 seconds between pops.
- Remove and Enjoy: Carefully remove the bag (it will be hot!), open it, and enjoy your freshly popped popcorn. Add your favorite oil-free seasonings for extra flavor!
Microwave air popper method
This is the method that I use because I have a Presto PowerPop, and it is so easy to use and get perfect popcorn every time.
- Add Popcorn: Pour up to 1/3 cup of popcorn kernels into the bowl. You can also add seasonings at this stage if desired.
- Cover with Lid: Place the vented lid securely on top of the bowl to prevent kernels from flying out during popping.
- Microwave the Popcorn: Place the entire popper in the microwave. Cook on high power for 2–5 minutes, listening for popping to slow to about 1–2 seconds between pops.
- Carefully Remove: Using oven mitts or a towel (as the popper may be hot), remove it from the microwave.
- Serve and Enjoy: Let the popcorn cool slightly, then remove the lid and enjoy. Add any additional seasonings for extra flavor!
Healthy vegan popcorn seasonings
So if butter and oil are not great choices for air-popped popcorn, what are some other options for healthy popcorn toppings? Thankfully, there are so very many.
Once your popcorn is popped using one of the methods above, the key is to lightly mist it with a water bottle or cooking sprayer. Cooking sprayers disperse a finer mist which is best.
Don’t overspray, as you only want enough water (or other liquid as listed below) to make the dry seasoning stick but not cause the popcorn to become chewy. Go very easy with the misting.
In a large bowl, mist and season the popcorn, tossing it around in the bowl as you go to thoroughly coat each piece. So basically, mist-sprinkle with seasoning-toss-mist-sprinkle-toss-and so on.
Here are some healthy topping combinations. Just put any liquid ingredient listed in the spritz bottle and mist. Then sprinkle with dry seasonings and toss to coat well.
List of healthy vegan popcorn toppings seasonings:
- Chili powder, nutritional yeast, and sea salt
- Lime juice, lemon pepper dry seasoning, salt
- Amino acids and nutritional yeast
- Tabasco and nutritional yeast
- Nutritional yeast and garlic powder
- Amino acids and curry powder
- Balsamic vinegar, garlic salt, and onion powder
- Turmeric and cayenne pepper
- Dill pickle juice and chili powder
- Apple cider vinegar, lemon pepper, and sea salt
- Lime juice and taco seasoning
- Dairy-free ranch seasoning
- Lime juice with smoked paprika
- Plum vinegar, garlic powder, and salt
- Pickle juice and dill, chili powder, garlic powder, cinnamon
- Soy sauce, lemon pepper, curry, garlic powder, dill
- Trader Joe’s chili lime
- Old Bay Seasoning
- Cinnamon and coconut cane sugar
- Maple syrup drizzled over and sprinkled with cinnamon
So for a recap of some liquids to mist on air-popped corn before sprinkling with dry seasonings, here we go!
- Water
- Lime juice
- Lemon juice
- Pickle juice
- Balsamic vinegar
- Apple cider vinegar
- Plum vinegar
- Any vinegar of your choice
- Amino acids
- Soy sauce
If you try this recipe, please let us know how you like it by rating it and leaving a comment. We love to hear from you!
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Stove Top Popcorn Cooking Instructions
Ingredients
Instructions
- Preheat a stove top burner on medium-high heat. Pour popcorn kernels into a medium-to-large pot. This amount of kernels produces 2 quarts of popcorn when popped. If you need more than this, cook the popcorn in batches. The popcorn needs room to pop; doubling or tripling the recipe and attempting to cook it at one time will prove to be unsuccessful.
- Place the pot on the stove top and cover with the lid. Grab each handle of the pot if they are heat-resistant and won't get hot during cooking. If the pot doesn’t have handles or if the handles are not heat resistant, use clean hand towels or oven mitts to hold the middle edges of the pot on each side. Be careful not to touch the stove top burner.
- Shake the pot lightly back and forth several times to move the kernels around. This prevents them from sticking to the bottom of the pan. Within a few seconds, the popcorn should begin to pop.
- Listen as it pops and shake the pot three times every 10 seconds. When you hear the popcorn popping begin to slow, remove the pot from the heat, but keep the lid on.
- Remove the lid when you no longer hear the popcorn popping. This could take between 15 to 30 seconds.
- Pour the popped popcorn into a bowl. Mist lightly with water or other liquid ingredient listed above. This is to make the seasonings stick to it and add flavor. Sprinkle any dry seasoning. Many options are listed above.
- Toss the popcorn lightly in the bowl to distribute the seasonings and serve.
Video
Notes
- Toppings- See the list of healthy topping suggestions in the post above.
- Spritz- Once your popcorn is popped using one of the methods above, the key is to lightly mist it with a water bottle or cooking sprayer. Cooking sprayers disperse a finer mist which is best.
- Go easy- Don’t overspray, as you only want enough water (or other liquid as listed above) to make the dry seasoning stick but not cause the popcorn to become chewy. Go very easy with the misting.
- Mix well- In a large bowl, mist and season the popcorn, tossing it around in the bowl as you go to thoroughly coat each piece. So basically, mist-sprinkle with seasoning-toss-mist-sprinkle-toss-and so on.
Nutrition
Disclaimer
To obtain the most accurate representation of the nutritional information in a given recipe, you should calculate the nutritional information with the actual ingredients used in your recipe, using your preferred nutrition calculator. You are solely responsible for ensuring that any nutritional information provided is accurate, complete, and useful.
Microwave safety
Fear of microwaves is not science-based. We are surrounded by devices that emit minute quantities of electromagnetic radiation. A microwave is about as dangerous as a laptop, probably less as we don’t hold it in our lap while it operates. This article, Are Microwaves Safe, should be helpful.
More Easy Healthy Snacks
I hope you enjoyed browsing this list of healthy popcorn toppings and found some new flavor combos to try! Now that you’re all set with these tasty ideas, I hope you’re inspired to pop a big bowl and start snacking!
About Terri Edwards
Hi guys! I am the content creator behind EatPlant-Based and a licensed Food for Life instructor with the Physicians Committee for Responsible Medicine. I am passionate about sharing healthy recipes and tips to empower others to get healthy. I’m so glad you’re here! Read More…
I don’t understand one thing when I read the instructions on paper bag popcorns. Do you mean that the bag should be folded outwards to remain open, or fold to close? Probably a language mix up since I’m Swedish, but need to ask😅
Hi Frida- Ha! No worries at all. Yes, the bag needs to be folded closed. Hope you enjoy it! 🙂
Balsamic and salt. Yummy!
Thank you
Can you use healthy oil in the mister like olive oil?
Hi Margaret- We really try to stay away from all oils. This article, Is Olive Oil Healthy,? might be helpful in explaining why.
Doesn’t the popcorn get soggy from the liquid? I understand not to use a lot of the liquid, but I would think any amount would make it soggy.
Hi Sue- Since you just barely mist the popcorn, it doesn’t get soggy at all. It’s just enough to make the seasonings stick to it.
These recipes are excellent. Thanks for sharing them