Discover a healthier way to snack with this easy Lemon Parmesan Rosemary Popcorn! If you’re a fan of rosemary and Parmesan, this wholesome popcorn snack hits all the right notes. Packed with fiber and flavor, it’s the perfect combo of tangy lemon zest, aromatic rosemary, and savory Parmesan cheese, so you can satisfy your snack cravings without compromising! {Gluten-free}
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Easy Parmesan Rosemary Popcorn with Lemon!
Although I post a lot of fun snack recipes, popcorn is one of our family’s all-time favorite snacks! It’s so easy to make, is loaded with fiber, and can take on different flavors and seasonings so well. It’s just as great with a little olive oil and salt as it is with those fancy popcorn seasonings from the grocery store!
But, this is my very favorite savory popcorn recipe. The nice rosemary flavor and the pop of lemon zest are so addictive – I guarantee this popcorn smells as good as it tastes!
Why This Recipe is Dietitian-Approved
- Quick and Easy: Popcorn is one the easiest snacks to make! Use your favorite method, whether that’s popping a bag of microwave popcorn, making stovetop popcorn, or using an air popper. It’s ready in just a few minutes, perfect for game day or movie night!
- Healthy snack: This savory popcorn recipe has fiber and antioxidants from the popcorn, some healthy fats from the olive oil, and lots of flavor from the rosemary, lemon zest, and Parmesan. There’s no sugar, you can control the sodium, and it’s much lower in fat than a bag of chips (or cookies)!
- No sugar or additives: Have you seen the ingredients on those little jars of popcorn seasoning? They tend to be very heavily processed. Most of them contain a variety of ingredients to add flavor, keep them fresh (a.k.a preservatives), and anti-caking agents to keep them free flowing. They’re also really high in sodium! You don’t have to worry about any of that with this simple homemade popcorn recipe. It uses just a handful of simple ingredients, and you’re in control of the quality of the ingredients!
Ingredient Notes
- Popcorn kernels: Feel free to prepare the popcorn however you’d like, but make sure it’s unseasoned and unsalted. You want just plain popped popcorn.
- Extra-virgin olive oil: This will help you pop the popcorn using the stovetop method, and it also acts like glue to help the toppings stick to the kernels. Melted coconut oil is a good alternative.
- Lemon zest: This is my favorite part! You can zest the lemon directly over the warm popcorn. Use a microplaner to make sure the pieces are teeny tiny.
- Parmesan cheese: Some shredded or finely grated Parmesan will add a savory, umami flavor that’s perfect with rosemary.
- Fresh rosemary leaves: Grab a couple of rosemary sprigs from your garden (or the grocery store) and chop them into very fine pieces. If they’re too large, the rosemary can be overpowering and won’t distribute evenly throughout the popcorn.
- Seasoning: For flavor, sprinkle some sea salt and freshly cracked black pepper.
Step-by-Step Instructions
Quick Microwave Method:
- Put ¼ cup of kernels into a brown paper lunch bag at a time. Fold the bag over at the top several times. Place in the microwave for 1 1/2-3 minutes, or until the popping sound decreases. Repeat with the other ¼ cup of kernels.
- Once all the kernels have been popped, place the popcorn into a very large bowl. Drizzle olive oil over the popcorn and gently toss to coat.
- Use a Microplane or grater to grate some lemon zest and Parmesan over the bowl of popcorn. Add rosemary, then season with a little salt and pepper, to taste. Toss to distribute the seasonings. Let the popcorn sit about one minute before serving.
Non-Microwave Method:
- Heat oil in a medium, heavy saucepan over medium-high heat. Place popcorn kernels in oil in the saucepan; shake lightly to distribute kernels evenly. Cover and cook 2 minutes or until kernels begin to pop, shaking pan frequently. Continue cooking 1 minute, shaking pan constantly. When popping slows down, remove the pan from heat and dump the popcorn into the bowl. Sprinkle the seasonings over the popcorn as stated above in the microwave method.
Keep scrolling to the recipe card below for the full printable recipe!
Tips for the Best Popcorn
- When popping the kernels, watch it carefully as you don’t want the popcorn to burn. I like to start by microwaving it for 1 minute and then check it and remove any pieces that have already been popped. Then place the bag back in the microwave for 30 seconds or so to allow the remaining kernels to pop.
- Give the popcorn a good toss before serving since some of the rosemary popcorn seasoning will settle to the bottom of the bowl.
- Rather than drizzling, you can also spray the popcorn with olive oil since it distributes the olive oil more evenly, which helps the toppings better adhere to each piece.
Recipe FAQs
I highly recommend making this popcorn fresh to order. After a few hours, the popcorn will begin to absorb the moisture from the oil and lemon zest and lose its crisp crunch.
The answer: whichever method you prefer. Whether you’re a fan of air poppers, prefer to microwave, or like making stovetop popcorn the old fashioned way, the only thing that matters is that you end up with popped popcorn! I prefer to ditch the microwave bags when possible and use a regular brown paper lunch bag. It works great!
Technically, you can use any type of liquid fat or oil to dress the popcorn, although butter is not a good choice for popping (it burns too easily). I prefer to use olive oil for its heart-health benefits. Butter is high in saturated fat and also contains dairy, which can be a problem for some people.
Storage Guidelines
Once prepared, this easy popcorn recipe is best enjoyed within a few hours, but can be stored in an airtight container for up to one day.
Serving Suggestions
Although we normally eat this savory snack before watching a movie, it’s actually a fantastic option for baby showers, bridal showers, etc. It’s so tasty and easy to munch on, and your guests will be raving over it, too.
Serve it in a cute bag for an extra touch, or make it in a large serving bowl. Pair it with your favorite munchie snacks or the ultimate charcuterie board for a real crowd-pleasing treat! It’s also great with these goat cheese cucumber appetizers or these spicy nuts!
Recipe Variations
- Garlic rosemary parmesan popcorn: This might not be a great option for date night, but garlic tastes amazing with parmesan too! To keep the flavor from being too sharp, gently warm the garlic in the olive oil first. Garlic salt would work, too (but skip the other salt in the recipe).
- Make it vegan: Instead of parmesan, use nutritional yeast flakes! They have a great cheesy flavor that works great in this recipe.
- Try other grains: Did you know you can pop other grains, like amaranth and quinoa? They’re so tiny that they can be hard to pop like regular popcorn, but you may need to stick with the stovetop method and be careful not to burn them.
You’ll Also Love
- Popcorn Balls without Corn Syrup
- Halloween Trail Mix
- Key Lime Protein Bars
- Cinnamon Honey Roasted Almonds Recipe
- Pumpkin Flax Seed Granola Recipe
Did you make this recipe? Scroll down to leave a star rating and review!
Lemon Parmesan Rosemary Popcorn Recipe
Ingredients
- 1/2 cup popcorn kernels
- 3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
- Zest of 1 medium lemon
- 1/4 cup finely grated Parmesan cheese
- 1/2 tablespoon finely chopped fresh rosemary (or more to taste)
- Sea salt and freshly cracked black pepper to taste
Instructions
Quick Microwave Method
- Put ¼ cup of kernels into a brown paper lunch bag at a time. Fold the bag over at the top several times. Place in the microwave for 1 1/2-3 minutes, or until the popping sound decreases. Repeat with the other ¼ cup of kernels.
- Once all the kernels have been popped, place the popcorn into a large bowl. Drizzle olive oil over the popcorn and gently toss to coat.
- Use a Microplane or grater to grate some lemon zest and Parmesan over the bowl of popcorn. Add rosemary, then season with salt and pepper, to taste. Toss to distribute the seasonings. Let the popcorn sit about one minute before serving.
Non-Microwave Method
- Heat oil in a medium, heavy saucepan over medium-high heat. Add popcorn kernels to oil in saucepan; shake lightly to distribute kernels evenly. Cover and cook 2 minutes or until kernels begin to pop, shaking pan frequently. Continue cooking 1 minute, shaking pan constantly. When popping slows down, remove the pan from heat and dump the popcorn into the bowl. Sprinkle the seasonings over the popcorn as stated above in the microwave method.
Notes
- When popping the kernels, watch it carefully as you don’t want the popcorn to burn. I like to start by microwaving it for 1 minute and then check it and remove any pieces that have already been popped. Then place the bag back in the microwave for 30 seconds or so to allow the remaining kernels to pop.
- Give the popcorn a good toss before serving since some of the rosemary parmesan seasoning will settle to the bottom of the bowl.
- Rather than drizzling, you can also spray the popcorn with olive oil since it distributes the olive oil more evenly, which helps the toppings better adhere to each piece.
Nutrition
This recipe was originally posted in May 2015 and was updated in April 2024 to include more helpful tips and photos.
Popcorn is one of my favorite snacks but it never occurred to me to add lemon – cannot wait to try this!! Pinned!