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Popcorn has always been a favorite snack of mine, and it all started with those iconic holiday popcorn tins. Every Christmas, we’d receive a big bucket filled with three types of popcorn—classic buttered, rich caramel and sharp cheddar. The variety was irresistible, and the tradition turned into a lifelong love for this crunchy, satisfying treat.
Popcorn truly is the perfect snack, in my opinion. It’s light, airy and endlessly munchable, making it great for movie nights, road trips or just relaxing at home. It’s also surprisingly healthy! Naturally low in calories (although those number start going up as you load on the toppings) and high in fiber, popcorn makes a great snack.
What I love most, though, is how customizable it is. You can keep it simple with a touch of butter and salt, or get creative with flavors like cinnamon sugar, Parmesan and garlic or even spicy chili powder. For a sweet twist, I like to drizzle melted chocolate over freshly popped kernels, but I tend to prefer salty popcorn snacks, and I’m always looking for new ways to dress up this old standby.
In my quest for popcorn greatness, I ran across a recipe idea from content creator @thejoshelkin, which triggered a memory deep in my social media brain—a similar recipe a few years ago from recipe developer and food content creator Johnathan Melendez. The idea combines two of my favorite foods—popcorn and pepperoni pizza—so it immediately went to the top of my must-make list.
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@jonjonmelendez My favorite snack! Pepperoni Pizza Popcorn #fyp #foryoupage #viral #pizza #recipe
♬ Nice and Easy – Louis Adrien
What’s So Great About Pepperoni Pizza Popcorn?
I fear that after I make Pepperoni Pizza Popcorn my life is never going to be the same. It looks tangy, cheesy, salty and oh-so-perfect.
This snack combines the best of popcorn and the best of pepperoni pizza in one snack. The genius starts by crisping up some of those mini pepperonis in a little bit of olive oil, then removing them from the pot and popping the kernels in the pepperoni oil so the popcorn is infused with the spicy, meaty flavor.
An additional seasoning blend helps drive the pizza connection home, but we bet just the first step would already make our popcorn 10x better.
Related: Here’s What Happens to Your Body if You Eat Popcorn Every Day
How to Make Pepperoni Pizza Popcorn
You can find the full recipe in Melendez’s Instagram caption or on his blog, but the process is pretty straightforward. As mentioned above, start by crisping up some mini pepperonis in a large pot. Transfer them to paper towels to drain while you make the popcorn.
To make the popcorn, add the kernels to the pepperoni oil in the pot and cover with the lid. To make sure the kernels pop and don’t burn, keep the heat on medium-low. Depending on your stove and your pot, you may need to shake the pot occasionally or more often. You want to hear a constant, relatively consistent popping happening for 3 to 5 minutes. Once the popping has mostly stopped, you can turn off the heat.
Next up: a pizza-inspired spice blend. Mix together salt, black pepper, garlic powder, dried basil, dried basil, dried oregano, dried parsley and red pepper flakes. Sprinkle the spice blend, a generous handful of grated Parmesan cheese and the crispy mini pepperonis over the popped popcorn and shake gently to coat.
Serve with your favorite show or movie and your favorite snacking partners. That’s amore!
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