Vegan Popcorn
Make the best homemade vegan popcorn with this easy recipe! Light, crunchy, and full of cheesy Nooch flavor—perfect for movie nights or anytime snacking.
This post may contain affiliate links. Disclosure Policy
You’ll also get even more vegan recipes delivered to your inbox every week!
Indulge in a bowl of our savory vegan popcorn, a delightful snack that’s both crunchy and packed with flavor. This recipe is like a SkinnyPop Copycat Recipe, and it combines the wholesome goodness of popcorn with a blend of nutritional yeast, paprika, and turmeric, offering a cheesy taste without any dairy. Whether you’re settling in for a movie night or looking for a quick, satisfying treat, this vegan popcorn is sure to become a favorite.
Sprinkle some vegan parmesan cheese over the top for even more delicious flavor.
The Snack I’m Always Craving
I’m always on the hunt for that perfect snack—something quick, tasty, and guilt-free. This vegan popcorn checks all the boxes.
The combination of nutritional yeast and spices creates a flavor that’s so addictive, it’s become my go-to treat, and I can’t wait for you to try it!
You can get creative with the spices. I have a section below on different spice blend ideas. I’m thinking about making a green goddess spice blend. Wouldn’t that be amazing on popcorn? The sky’s the limit!
Ingredients & Substitutions
You can find the full printable recipe, including ingredient quantities, below. But first, here are some explanations of ingredients and steps to help you make this recipe perfect every time.
- Popcorn Kernels: Opt for high-quality, organic kernels for the best popping results. You’ll typically find these in the grains or snack aisle of your grocery store.
- Vegetable Spray: Choose a neutral-flavored spray like canola or sunflower oil to lightly coat the popcorn, ensuring the seasoning adheres well. Look for it near the cooking oils.
- Nutritional Yeast Flakes — Using nutritional yeast flakes (paid link) creates a cheesy flavor
- Paprika: Adds a mild sweetness and vibrant color. For a smoky twist, consider using smoked paprika. Located in the spice aisle.
- Turmeric: Offers an earthy flavor and beautiful golden color. It’s also known for its anti-inflammatory properties. Find it in the spice section.
- Sea Salt: Enhances all the flavors. Adjust to your taste preference.
How to Make Vegan Popcorn
With just a handful of ingredients and a few easy steps, you’ll have the best homemade vegan popcorn ever! Check out the recipe card below for full details.
First, let’s pop the popcorn! Do you prefer the stovetop method or the microwave? I’ve got you covered with both options below.
Using a reusable popcorn popper makes quick, easy, oil-free microwave popcorn in minutes, so it’s my favorite.
Now for the real magic—we’re baking the popcorn! This crucial step locks in the flavor, removes excess moisture, and keeps your popcorn irresistibly crisp for days (or even longer!). Trust me, once you try it this way, you’ll never go back!
Marly’s Tips
Microwaves vary, so be sure to keep an eye on your popcorn. Once you hear the popping slow down, use oven mitts to remove the container from the microwave. No one likes burnt popcorn!
Frequently-Asked Questions
Is popcorn vegan?
Popcorn is plant-based and therefore safe for vegans to eat. However, sometimes the seasonings in commercially sold popcorn are not vegan. It’s good to read labels and look for added dairy before buying and consuming store-bought popcorn.
Is movie theater popcorn vegan?
Most movie theater popcorn is vegan because popular movie theater chains, like AMC, make its popcorn with coconut oil and a mixture of seasonings that have been reported to be vegan.
Vegan Popcorn Seasoning
Once the popcorn is popped, it’s time to transform it into a vegan Cheesy Popcorn recipe.
The cool thing is, you can make the final version of this DIY Microwave popcorn to taste like whatever you want. Here are some more vegan popcorn seasoning ideas:
- Buttery DIY Microwave Popcorn — To make vegan butter popcorn, melt 1 to 2 tablespoons of vegan butter and pour it over the popcorn, and then sprinkle with sea salt.
- Vegan Parmesan Popcorn – Sprinkle with Vegan Parmesan and some salt.
- Black Pepper Popcorn – Top popcorn with freshly ground black pepper and some salt.
- BBQ Popcorn – Sprinkle with BBQ seasonings (I use McCormick’s GrillMates Brown Sugar Bourbon or any kind of BBQ seasoning).
How to Get Nutritional Yeast to Stick to Popcorn
Seasoning popcorn is easy—but getting it to stick? That’s the trick!
If you’re using the stovetop method, the natural oil from popping helps seasonings cling to each kernel. But if you’re making microwave popcorn, you’ll need a little extra help.
For the best results, lightly spray the popcorn with vegetable cooking spray before adding nutritional yeast. Prefer a richer, buttery taste? Drizzle melted vegan butter instead, then toss well for even coverage.
Pro tip: Spreading the popcorn on a baking sheet ensures every kernel gets coated in that delicious, cheesy Nooch (yep, that’s what the cool kids call nutritional yeast).
Now, who’s ready for a batch of Nooch Popcorn? I won’t tell if you eat the whole bowl!
Subscribe and Get a Free Easy Vegan Recipes eBook
Plus our latest vegan recipes, delivered right to your inbox!
We won’t send you spam. Unsubscribe at any time.
Vegan Popcorn
Ingredients
- ⅓ cup popcorn kernels
- Vegetable Spray
- 3 teaspoons nutritional yeast flakes
- ½ teaspoon paprika
- ¼ teaspoon turmeric
- Sea salt to taste
Instructions
Pop the Popcorn
- Stovetop Method: Add 2 tablespoons of oil in a heavy bottomed pot with a lid. Tilt the pan back and forh to make sure the oil is distributed across the pan. Place over medium-high heat and add 2 popcorn kernels. When these kernels pop, the oil is hot enough. Use a slotted spoon to remove the popcorn.
- Add the remaining popcorn, shaking the pan to coat the corn and to distribute the kernels evenly across the bottom of hte pan. Tilt the lid slightly to vent the steam. Place on the heat and cook and shake. The kernels will pop vigorously. Once the popping slows down, remove the pan from heat.
- Microwave Method: Place the popcorn kernels in the microwave popcorn popper. Place the lid on the container and microwave for approximately 3 minutes. (Microwaves vary so be sure to test this and watch closely so your popcorn doesn't burn).
- Use a kitchen towel to remove the container from the microwave, being careful not to jostle the lid, because steam will be released. Once it's on the counter, carefully remove the lid.
For the Seasoned Popcorn
- Preheat oven to 225°F/107°C. Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper.
- In the meantime, place the nutritional yeast flakes, paprika, turmeric, and salt in a small bowl. Stir to combine.
- Pour the popped popcorn into a baking pan, removing unpopped kernels and discard. Spread popped popcorn across the pan. Spray with vegetable cooking spray. Sprinkle the Nooch mixture over the popcorn and use your hands or a spoon to distribute the seasonings throughout the popcorn.
- Bake for 20 minutes, stirring every 10 minutes or so.
- Pour the seasoned popcorn into a serving bowl. It's fun to serve this while it's still warm, but you can also store it in an airtight container and enjoy later too.
Recommended Equipment
(The products above contain sponsored links to products we use and recommend)
Notes
The nutrition information shown is an estimate provided by an online nutrition calculator and should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice.
More Vegan Snacks
Here are some more vegan snack recipes you will love:
This post was originally published in 2016 and was updated to include new photos, new text, and an updated recipe in 2021.
Vegan Popcorn Brands
If you’re not into making your own vegan popcorn, there are some favorite vegan popcorn brands you can buy in the store. I’m not sure if these are intentionally or accidentally vegan popcorn, but we get to enjoy it either way:
- SkinnyPop makes several varieties of vegan popcorn — such as the Original, Sea Salt & Pepper, Vegan White Cheddar Popcorn (it’s dairy-free), and Sweet & Salty Kettle.
- Angie’s Boom Chicka-Pop Salted Caramel actually has “vegan” on the bag!
- 365 Everyday Value Original Flavored Popcorn.
About the Author
Hi! I’m Marly McMillen. I’m the founding editor, author, recipe developer, vegan home chef, and food stylist behind Namely Marly. I’m so grateful to you and every member of my audience for your support and dedication. More about Namely Marly ›
6 Responses to Vegan Popcorn
Rate / Comment
This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.
Thank you for the amazing ideas
WOW, this gadget looks super interesting, definitely, will try it!
This looks amazing!! Thinking about getting that popcorn maker…
These look really delicious. I love popcorn…
I am popcorn crazy and I got a popcorn maker for Christmas this year and have been “popping” non-stop!! It’s so amazing how FRESH popping you own tastes!
It’s so true, Rebecca! I honestly never liked the weird film that would coat my mouth after eating store-bought microwave popcorn. It’s just another example of how fresh is best!! 🙂