Nigella Lawson’s Party Popcorn
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Say goodbye to boring plain popcorn and hello to a flavor explosion with Nigella Lawson’s party popcorn recipe!
Leave it to Nigella Lawson. I was once content to eat my popcorn with just butter and salt, but after trying her party popcorn recipe, there’s no going back. A delightful mix of sweet and savory flavors—think cinnamon, cumin, and paprika—this stuff is downright habit-forming. Adapted from Nigella Express, one of my go-to cookbooks, this snack is a breeze to whip up in less than fifteen minutes. While it’s named “party popcorn,” don’t reserve it just for entertaining—it’s equally delicious for family movie nights or anytime snacking.
“Delicious! We keep saying that we need to step away from the bowl, but it’s impossible! Thanks for sharing such a yummy recipe—I never would have thought to combine those spices with popcorn, but it totally works. 🙂”
What you’ll need to make Party Popcorn
Step-by-Step Instructions
Begin by heating the oil and popping corn in a large pot. Don’t be tempted to increase the quantities — the kernels should be in a single layer to ensure even popping.
Cover the pot with a lid and wait for the kernels to start popping. As it pops, shake the pan gently now and then to keep the kernels moving. When the popping slows to 2-3 seconds apart, remove the pan from the heat.
Next, melt the butter in a small bowl and add the spices, sugar, and salt.
Stir to combine.
Then drizzle the mixture over the popcorn, stirring as you go so that it coats the popcorn evenly. It will clump in some spots — that’s okay.
Continue tossing the popcorn until it’s well coated.
Then transfer to serving bowls or popcorn bags and enjoy.
Note: The original recipe, as published here, calls for 4 teaspoons of salt. That’s way too much salt (and possibly a typo) so I reduced the amount significantly here.
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Nigella's Party Popcorn
Say goodbye to boring plain popcorn and hello to a flavor explosion with Nigella Lawson’s party popcorn recipe!
Ingredients
- 3 tablespoons vegetable oil
- ¾ cup popcorn kernels (I like Pop Secret Jumbo Popping Corn)
- 3 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 1½ teaspoons ground cinnamon
- 1½ teaspoons paprika
- 1½ teaspoons ground cumin
- 1 tablespoon sugar
- ¾ teaspoon salt
Instructions
- Pour the vegetable oil into a very large pan over medium-high heat. Add the kernels, then set the lid on top.
- Wait for the kernels to start popping, then shake the pan gently now and then to keep the kernels moving. When the popping slows to 2-3 seconds apart, remove the pan from the heat.
- In a small bowl, melt the butter in the microwave. Stir in the cinnamon, paprika, cumin, sugar and salt. Use a spoon to drizzle the mixture over the popcorn, stirring as you go so that it coats the everything evenly. Pour into bowls or popcorn bags and serve.
Nutrition Information
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- Per serving (10 servings)
- Serving size: 2 cups
- Calories: 109
- Fat: 8 g
- Saturated fat: 2 g
- Carbohydrates: 9 g
- Sugar: 1 g
- Fiber: 2 g
- Protein: 1 g
- Sodium: 46 mg
- Cholesterol: 9 mg
This website is written and produced for informational purposes only. I am not a certified nutritionist and the nutritional data on this site has not been evaluated or approved by a nutritionist or the Food and Drug Administration. Nutritional information is offered as a courtesy and should not be construed as a guarantee. The data is calculated through an online nutritional calculator, Edamam.com. Although I do my best to provide accurate nutritional information, these figures should be considered estimates only. Varying factors such as product types or brands purchased, natural fluctuations in fresh produce, and the way ingredients are processed change the effective nutritional information in any given recipe. Furthermore, different online calculators provide different results depending on their own nutrition fact sources and algorithms. To obtain the most accurate 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.
Gluten-Free Adaptable Note
To the best of my knowledge, all of the ingredients used in this recipe are gluten-free or widely available in gluten-free versions. There is hidden gluten in many foods; if you're following a gluten-free diet or cooking for someone with gluten allergies, always read the labels of your ingredients to verify that they are gluten-free.
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Made these for a snack. Great flavor! I have to figure out how to distribute the seasonings so that most of the popcorn is coated.
Hi Kim, Glad you enjoyed. It will never be perfect, but if you slowly drizzle and toss it helps 🙂
hi do you hve a carmel popcorn recipe?
Hi Morgan, Unfortunately, I don’t but I will add it to my list. Stay tuned 🙂
Regarding the Party Popcorn (which I plan to make and serve at my upcoming gathering), can this be made ahead? If so, how much ahead of the actual party? I like to leave as much prep as possible well before the event!
Hi Peggy, I would say it’s fine to make it earlier in the day before your event but not the day before. Hope everyone enjoys!
I was anxious to try this recipe, it sounded so good. I had hoped for a richer flavor. I found the flavors to be too subtle for my taste, but a light snack just the same.
very good recipe my kids loved it! This was super easy to make.
This was over the top fantastic. My hubby and I gobbled down an entire bowl in minutes! Thank goodness there wasn’t another another bowl. It would have also disappeared!
Do NOT like caramel corn – this sounds way better – gotta try it thanks!
Delicious! We keep saying that we need to step away from the bowl, but it’s impossible! Thanks for sharing such a yummy recipe – I never would have thought to combine those spices with popcorn, but it totally works 🙂
I’m not a huge fan of cumin. Is there another spice that would work? Also, is it smoked paprika or regular? Thanks so much!
Hi Rebecca, You can just leave the cumin out. The recipe calls for regular paprika, but I bet smoked would work too.
As I type this, I am on my fourth bowl of Party Popcorn. Addictive, indeed! I am so glad you shared this recipe, Jenn. (I couldn’t imagine this with 4 teaspoons of salt—could that have been a typo in Nigella’s book?)
I know! I thought it must be a typo as well, but it’s printed that way online too. Anyway, glad you liked it!
The recipe I’m reading only calls for 3/4 tsp salt, not 4! Which is correct?
Hi Carolyn, The correct amount is 3/4 teaspoon. The original recipe from Nigella Lawson has 4 teaspoons, which I think has to be a typo.
Yum! Sounds so good! Our family loves homemade popcorn, and I’m always looking for new flavor combinations to mix it up. Can’t wait to try this out!