The Best Homemade Popcorn Seasoning (Easy Savory Spice Blend)
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If you’re looking for a simple way to make popcorn taste amazing without weird additives, this homemade popcorn seasoning is a must-try.
Almost every time we make this and bring it somewhere, someone asks, “What’s on this popcorn?!”—and then goes back for more. It’s that good.
The best part? It’s made with simple herbs and spices you likely already have on hand (or can easily mix up ahead of time). It’s actually based on my homemade vegetable broth seasoning, but it works incredibly well as a savory, crave-worthy topping for popcorn.
So, we have a popcorn problem.
Healthy Stovetop Popcorn, Healthy Peanut Butter Popcorn, and Healthy Kettle Corn, we love basically every which way to enjoy popcorn including this Dorito Popcorn.
But as a whole foodie family, we do not love the icky chemical fake stuff that most popcorn seasonings are made of.
Well, great things often come as the result of mistakes and that includes this homemade popcorn seasoning recipe. It seriously might be the best popcorn seasoning you have ever tasted.
How this Homemade Popcorn Seasoning Recipe Came to Be
Pretty much we take this popcorn (and we take it EVERYWHERE), people ask us for the recipe. It's even been called “seriously delicious” by some.
This great popcorn seasoning originated one day when we were preparing popcorn to take to an outing.
We'd been avoiding gluten (so pretzels are out of the question [except for the gluten-free ones that cost a small fortune!]) and we avoid MSG type stuff and artificial cheezy flavor that is on simply every variety of Doritos and such snack foods. Not to mention the GMO corn.
We often would take this Herb Popcorn with us, but we'd run out of the topping blend. So, I decided to try topping the popcorn with this Homemade Vegetable Broth Mix instead.
And it was surprisingly delicious.
Oh, and in my opinion, the best way to pop popcorn is in a handy dandy crank handle stainless steel popper.
Recipe Notes and Substitutions
- Blending: While this recipe is basically just my Homemade Vegetable Broth seasoning on top of popcorn, you definitely want to blend the seasoning before using it on popcorn so that the homemade popcorn seasoning will adhere well. Otherwise, you will have large flakes of rosemary and parsley on your popcorn. Not fun!
- Organic: I highly recommend using only organic popcorn. Almost all corn in the US is GMO, which creates all kinds of problems for your health, so please choose organic. Popcorn is such a reasonable snack, it's not a big deal to spend a little extra on buying organic!
- Avocado Oil: Although you can make the popcorn with either butter or organic coconut oil, I recommend using avocado oil since it has such a high smoke point!
- Thyme: You can try subbing organic thyme for the summer savory, but it will be a tad stronger.
- Oil Topping: Popcorn must be popped with some oil or have a healthy oil spray on it for the seasoning mix to stick. Alternatively, sprinkling with some water works as well but it's a little tough to get the water to work without ending up with soggy popcorn.
How to Get Seasoning to Stick to Popcorn
Dry seasonings won’t stick well to plain air-popped popcorn unless there’s a little moisture on the popcorn first, in the form of fat or even water.
To help this homemade popcorn seasoning stick, try one of these options:
- Melted butter or ghee – classic and very flavorful
- Olive oil or avocado oil spray – a lighter option. A refillable oil sprayer works really well for this.
- A light mist of water – works in a pinch if you want to avoid added fat (I used to avoid fat, but now I eat a lot of it.)
After lightly coating the popcorn, sprinkle the seasoning over the top and toss well.
Where to Buy Quality Spices
And if you are looking for a good place to get spices, try Frontier. I love their quality and mission. Starwest Botanicals has great products too.
How to Make Homemade Popcorn Seasoning
- Combine the spices.
- Blend until the mixture becomes a fine powder.
- Sprinkle over freshly popped popcorn.
The Best Homemade Popcorn Seasoning Ever!
Ingredients
- 4 tablespoons celery salt (see my Homemade Celery Salt)
- 4 tablespoons dried parsley flakes
- 2 tablespoons garlic powder
- 2 tablespoons salt
- 2 tablespoons ground summer savory
- 2 teaspoons dried marjoram
- 2 teaspoons dried thyme
- 1 teaspoon pepper
- 1 teaspoon turmeric
- 1 teaspoon ground sage
Instructions
- Combine all in a small bowl.
- Store in glass or plastic container with a tight fitting lid.
- Stir or shake occasionally before use to redistribute ingredients.
- Simply sprinkle on top of freshly popped popcorn and enjoy!
Notes
- Blending: For best results, blend the seasoning mix before using so it sticks evenly to the popcorn. This prevents large herb flakes (like rosemary or parsley) from separating.
- Organic Popcorn: I recommend using organic popcorn whenever possible, since most conventional corn is genetically modified. It’s an easy upgrade for a healthier snack.
- Best Oil for Popping: You can use butter or coconut oil, but avocado oil is ideal due to its high smoke point.
- Herb Substitution: If you don’t have summer savory, you can substitute thyme, but the flavor will be slightly stronger.
- Helping Seasoning Stick: Popcorn needs a bit of oil (or a light oil spray) for the seasoning to adhere. A light mist of water can work, but too much may make the popcorn soggy.
Nutrition
Nutritional information is provided as a courtesy and is merely an approximation. Optional ingredients are not included and when there is an alternative, the primary ingredient is typically used. We cannot guarantee the accuracy of the nutritional information given for any recipe on this site. Erythritol carbs are not included in carb counts since they have been shown not to impact blood sugar. Net carbs are the total carbs minus fiber.
More Homemade Popcorn Recipes
Try these other delicious ways to flavor popcorn:
- Healthy Stovetop Popcorn – the best method for perfectly popped popcorn every time
- Dorito Popcorn – a bold, cheesy-flavored popcorn made with nutritional yeast and spices
- Garlic Herb Popcorn – a savory herb popcorn with garlic and herbs
So, the next time you are hankering for some yummy organic popcorn, try topping it this way!
I'd love to hear your thoughts after you make this homemade popcorn seasoning!
for the corn sensitive people sorghum can be popped and is like a mini size it smoked when popped but no burnt taste to it.
I’ve seen that. Does it really work? I saw popped sorghum online and in a nearby Indian store. Looked great! Is it hard to pop yourself? Can you use a regular popper?
It won’t work with a “regular” air popper but any of the pot or pot stirrers will and somewhere there is a sorghum air popper. I think its amaranth but there is another grain that will pop too……..
Thanks, Sarah! I’ll have to try it! And a sorghum popper – sounds wonderful! Amaranth is the one that will pop but it is too small to work in my “stirring type” popper. Thanks!
With this great amount of salt,my blood pressure would blow off my meter.
You are so funny! I enjoyed reading this post as much as I am sure I’ll enjoy the veggie broth popcorn recipe! I’m so glad the Lord crossed our paths! I hope we can spend some time together in person soon! Are you going to Allume???
Hi Kelly! How are you!? I wasn’t planning on it….I’ve never gone to a blogging conference. I did see that you are. Have you ever been to one? I’ll have to check into it. I sure would love to get together. :).
Sometimes kitchen mistakes really make for better food – I mistakenly spilled some falafel spice (bought at my favorite place in NYC Kalustyan’s) on my tuna salad many years ago and now we can’t eat tuna any other way. This sounds outstanding. Always trying to find a new popcorn recipe that I like. Lime and Chile is delicious but this sounds outstanding. Thanks.
Hello Risa. We used to make Chili Lime Popcorn as well. I must say, however, that this is a clear winner for us. Hope you think so too! I love falafel! Wonder about that mixture :-). It’d be great to be able to recreate it!
Thank you for your submission on Nourishing Treasures’ Make Your Own! Monday link-up.
Check back later today when the new link-up is running to see if you were one of the top 3 featured posts! 🙂
Thanks, Lea!
Yum! I love a good popcorn recipe! I have a linky going on at my blog & would love for you to join in- it closes tonight.
https://cookingwithkaryn.blogspot.com/2011/12/what-makes-you-say-mmmmm-linky-creamy.html
thanks!
Thanks Karyn – I’m really under a pile right now but I’ll see what I can do :-). hope you like it!
It’s official — we don’t make nearly enough popcorn! This sounds really interesting and I’m sure that seasoning tastes great on all sorts of things. I’m a huge fan of making my own blends, partially because we’re in Germany and you just can’t get blends like you do in the US. And partially because they’re way healthier without extra unnecessary flavor boosters, and you can tweak them just the way you want them. 😉
I hope you like it Tiffany! Where are you in Germany? I visited Munich and Heidelberg in my- ahem – younger days. Saw Dachau too. Nothing to celebrate, but in my opinion, a must see.
We live near Frankfurt. It’s not one of those cities you need to visit…like Munich! 😉 My MIL grew up near Dachau and a lot of Germans refuse to go near the camps because they have been shamed for so many years. So I’ve never been there but always been interested.
Oh, I’m sure Frankfurt would be wonderful – I really enjoyed Germany. I honestly don’t think the Germans need to be ashamed. I think the Holocaust needs to be remembered. If the German people are sorry that is what matters. We all have the capability for that kind of evil in our hearts (to quote Corrie ten Boom). You should visit if you get a chance.
Thanks for the support;) Say a little prayer for me! I’ll let you know how it goes.
Wish you could try it – it tastes great on veggies too – so you can try the seasoning!
Sorry to bother you again, I decided to go with the Provence blend, the only problem is that I don’t know how much salt to use! I can’t eat corn, so I can’t taste it, and I’m cooking for 20 other people that I’m trying to impress;) Could you suggest an amount of salt to add in the recipe for the Provence? I’m actually making the popcorn soon, so you may not even be available to answer.
Thanks sooooo much!
Oh, you’re no bother….and you’re lucky. I was supposed to be out, but we missed a deadline :-). I just sprinkle it on top along with the spice mix. I have honestly never measured it :-). I think you’ll be fine. After I sprinkle both on, I toss the popcorn around a bit so that it coats all of the corn. I so hope they like it. We honestly take our popcorn everywhere!
Adrienne,
I just stumbled upon your blog in searching for a natural popcorn seasoning. We are having a “movie night” at our business Wednesday night, and I decided to make popcorn, rather than buy it. I want something special for the popcorn, that would be appealing to all tastes. Would you suggest this recipe, or the Herbes de Provence? I always get a little nervous when I serve publicly;) Love your blog, and thanks so much.
Nikki
Hi Nikki. Hmmmm….hard to say. I think they are both wonderful and they even taste great mixed. I don’t think you could go wrong. The only thing I will say is that the “special seasoning” one can be a little spicy if you include the pepper in it. My youngest is sensitive to spicy foods and he commented negatively to popcorn with the seasoning the first time that I put it on (when it had pepper in it), but he later asked for more :-). I don’t cook much with pepper because of him and because I have read that it is hard on one’s digestive system and we could all use a little bit of TLC in that area :-).