Shortcut Harvest Savory Popcorn

Karen’s popcorn was the big buzz around the office that first Christmas I worked in Transition Services. Apparently she’d be bringing it in to share with everyone that week, as she only made it once a year, during the holidays. Yet, while everyone was raving about it, all I could think was, “It’s popcorn- how’s good could it be?" And even when Karen rounded my cubicle, spilling a generous sampling of her savory popcorn onto a napkin and chirped, 'just try it- you'll love it!” I felt only indifference.

But I did what any reasonable person would do if munchies were placed on their desk- I munched. And I thought that Harvest Savory Popcorn was actually quite interesting and unique tasting and like no popcorn I’d ever had before. In fact, it was really good. However, I continued about my day and didn't think much more of it. But then a strange thing happened in the days to come.

That delicious tangy, lemony, garlicky, hickory, dilly savoury popcorn seasoning haunted me and I couldn't get that damn popcorn out of my head! It was like it had some kind of spell over me. Seriously, it was weird. And then I became obsessed (as I often do with food) and I needed to have more of that popcorn in my life!

So I asked Karen for the recipe.

But when I got the recipe and looked at the steps involved and the time it took to make, I thought, "yeah right." No wonder she only made it once a year. I wouldn’t be doing that. There was baking and turning involved. Not for me. Not for popcorn. But I was torn; I really needed to eat this popcorn again. So I decided I had to try to shortcut it.

Survival of the Shortest

I love shortcut recipes and in my world it's called SURVIVAL. There are very few time-consuming recipes in my life these days that survive unless they can be shortened. Every little bit I can shave off cooking time makes a huge difference. My Shortcut Borscht is a great example of just how delicious quick, shortcut homemade food can be; it's done in 30 minutes!

🔪 Instructions

So for this recipe, the first thing I did was shorten it by using microwave popcorn instead of air popping it. You could air pop it if you want, as I know there's a lot of concern over microwave popcorn these days, but I haven't owned an air popper in years.

And then instead of baking it in the oven with the butter and Worcestershire, I just melted the butter in the microwave and added in the Worcestershire into the butter and sprinkled it on. There is no baking or turning in this recipe. You simply mix the topping together in a bowl and pour it over the popcorn.

🥘 Ingredients

In my house this savory popcorn flavoring recipe is now known as "Mommy's Special Popcorn" because I've been making it for years now; since the kids since were little. My kids love it and it's a movie night tradition. And since it isn't just plain old microwave popcorn and has other stuff in it,  it's considered special.... And you only need simple ingredients you'll inf in your pantry:

• microwave popcorn *you can use air popped popcorn or make microwav popcorn in a microwave popper (see TOP TIP)
• Hickory sticks *you can substitute Shoestring Potato Sticks (affiliate link)
• dill
• Worcestershire sauce
• lemon pepper
• onion powder
• garlic powder
• butter, melted * you can substitute vegan margarine to make it dairy-free

For me, it's an indulgence. Hickory sticks are pretty much the same as eating potato chips, but in stick form and with hickory flavoring. I love the little guys, but they are not exactly low calorie or weight watchers friendly.

But with this popcorn, I can enjoy some of them sprinkled throughout my light (smart popcorn) and get my fix. And it’s still not nearly as bad as eating potato chips straight up! I also leave out the nuts from the original recipe because they really aren't necessary and only add extra calories.

Hickory sticks are a pretty Canadian thing, so I'm not sure how easy it is to find them outside of Canada. However,  you can order Hickory Sticks HERE (affiliate link) through Amazon and believe me, if you've never had them, you need to try them!

📖Variations & Substitutions

• Spicy Popcorn - add a little cayenne pepper, chili powder or red pepper flakes, if you like it spicy
• Popcorn - use microwave popcorn in a bag, made with a microwave popper (see TOP TIP) or use air-popped popcorn. You could also use Jiffy pop or popcorn made on the stovetop or over a campfire
• Garlic powder - you can use garlic salt, but it will taste saltier
• Add-ins- you could also add parmesan cheese or nutritional yeast

So, if you want to know what to put on popcorn besides butter or you are looking for a creative popcorn flavoring recipe, this quick and easy Harvest Popcorn recipe is the perfect snack!

👪 Serving size

This savoury popcorn serves 8, but you can double the recipe for a bigger group (or if you just want more :)) by clicking on the blue servings number in the recipe card. Simply select the number of servings you'd like and ingredient amounts will adjust accordingly.

🌡️Storage

Store this savory popcorn in an airtight container in a cool dry place for up to 4 days.

I only worked at that job in Transition Services a couple of years and I managed to get some really great recipes during my stint there. But by far, this Savory Harvest Popcorn was the best and it's become my favorite snack,

And the shortcut version is just as delicious and because, let's be real, there are much better ways to spend your time than baking and turning popcorn. So if you're looking for savory popcorn recipes, then give this a try. And if you're looking for THE BEST popcorn seasoning, you'll love this Shortcut Harvest Popcorn recipe. This recipe is great for game days, game nights, family movie night or for any time you want a crunchy snack!

🍿Shortcut Harvest Savory Popcorn Recipe

This Shortcut Harvest Savory Popcorn is a creative and unique savory popcorn seasoning recipe made with microwave popcorn, hickory sticks, dill, lemon pepper, garlic powder, onion powder, butter and Worcestershire sauce. 

4.75 from 4 votes

Print Pin Rate

Course: Snack

Cuisine: North American

Keyword: popcorn, savory, seasoning

Special Diet: Vegetarian

Servings: 8 people

Calories: 143kcal

Author: Terri Gilson

Prep Time: 8 minutes minutes

Cook Time: 2 minutes minutes

Total Time: 10 minutes minutes

Cook ModePrevent your screen from going dark

Equipment

microwave

microwave popper

Ingredients

• ▢ 1 85g -pkg of microwave popcorn (plain or butter flavor) * you could use air popped if you prefer it over microwave.*you could also use popcorn kernels in a microwave popper- see TOP TIP
• ▢ 2 cups Hickory sticks * you can substitute Potato Sticks
• ▢ 1 tablespoon dill weed
• ▢ 2 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
• ▢ ½ teaspoon lemon pepper
• ▢ ½ teaspoon onion powder
• ▢ ¼ teaspoon garlic powder
• ▢ 2 tablespoon butter melted

US Customary - Metric

Instructions

• Pop popcorn, as per package instructions (or use a microwave popper - see TOP TIP), Pour into a large bowl, then add hickory sticks.
• Melt butter in microwave for about 30-45 seconds (covered to avoid splattering), then mix worcestershire with melted butter, in a small bowl.
• Add a little bit of the butter, then sprinkle on half of each of the spices and mix. Then add the remainder of the butter and spices and mix. 

Notes

*See post contents for important recipe information and tips!

Nutrition Facts

🍿Shortcut Harvest Savory Popcorn Recipe

Amount Per Serving

Calories 143 Calories from Fat 90

% Daily Value*

Fat 10g15%

Saturated Fat 2g13%

Cholesterol 7mg2%

Sodium 143mg6%

Potassium 360mg10%

Carbohydrates 11g4%

Protein 1g2%

Vitamin A 90IU2%

Vitamin C 4.1mg5%

Calcium 7mg1%

Iron 0.4mg2%

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.

Nutrition

Calories: 143kcal (7%) | Carbohydrates: 11g (4%) | Protein: 1g (2%) | Fat: 10g (15%) | Saturated Fat: 2g (13%) | Cholesterol: 7mg (2%) | Sodium: 143mg (6%) | Potassium: 360mg (10%) | Vitamin A: 90IU (2%) | Vitamin C: 4.1mg (5%) | Calcium: 7mg (1%) | Iron: 0.4mg (2%)

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