Jalapeno Popcorn Recipe Made on the Stovetop

Movie night just got spicier! This delicious jalapeno popcorn recipe with a spicy kick is easy to make on a Stovetop using 4 simple ingredients. Microwave popcorn cannot hold a candle to this stovetop popcorn recipe!

When do you eat popcorn?

At game day parties, date night movies, family game nights, for party snacks, or just because you are in the mood for some popcorn?

For me, it’s just because! It has become one of my favorite go-to snacks while working on the computer (which is often).

Making it stove-top is a great way to get this perfect snack ready in a jiffy!

Originally published on November 18, 2013 at 1:15pm. Click here to see why this recipe was updated.

🛒 Ingredients

Here is a quick look at the ingredients. It is to understand why these specific ingredients were chosen. To get the full recipe, go to the bottom of this post.

Here is a quick look at the ingredients. It is to understand why these specific ingredients were chosen. To get the full recipe, go to the recipe card below.

Popcorn Kernels – I found organic popcorn kernels at my local Walmart! They are definitely a better option and worth the extra cost. These kernels are easy to find in the grocery store too. Organic popcorn will not have the pesticides and GMOs that are so prominent in corn growing. Source: Whole Food Earth and Center For Food Safety. I use a half cup of organic popcorn kernels to make this jalapeno popcorn recipe.

Grass Fed Butter – Grass-fed butter has so much nutrition like Vitamin K and E. The Best part is that it actually tastes like butter! Even your popcorn will taste so good because of it.

Nutritional Yeast (Optional) – This is affectionately known as “vegan Parmesan cheese” because it tastes so much similar. I use raw nutritional yeast and not the fortified one. This yeast is a powerhouse of Vitamin B! It has most of the Vitamin B in just one Tablespoon. Source: Dr. Berg and Dr. Axe.

Fresh Jalapeno Peppers – They are good for the gut and they help in anti-aging! So, eat more fresh jalapeños! Source: URMC and The Greatist. Trust me, you will love using jalapeno in your homemade popcorn.

👩‍🍳 Substitution tip: One of the best things about organic popcorn kernels is that they are free of the bad stuff! Non-organic regular popcorn kernels have pesticides sprayed on the plant or can be GMO!

🪜 Step-By-Step Instructions

If you are using a food scale, I have listed the exact amounts in the recipe card below.

Step 1: Prepping the jalapeno

1. First, wash the jalapenos and dry them with a paper towel. Then de-seed half of the jalapeno and cut it into small pieces. Place it in the mortar and add 4-5 drops of water (optional)
2. Use the pestle to muddle the jalapeno. It doesn’t take too much elbow grease and it is done in about 3 minutes.
3. Scrap it from the mortar and set it aside.

🌶 Handy Tip: Not all jalapenos are created equal. Some will be spicy and some not. Give it a quick taste before you choose how much you want to use. I used very little jalapeno in this recipe, but I usually make mine very spicy.

Step 2: Prepping the butter

1. Place the softened butter in a small bowl. You can microwave it or just leave it on the counter for 10 minutes.
2. Add the jalapeno and salt to the butter.
3. Mix well and set it aside. You can leave it for 30 minutes or overnight. This will let the jalapeno & salt flavor the butter.

⚖️ Measuring Info: Do you use a food scale for your food? I put the weights of each ingredient in the recipe card below.

Step 3: Heating the kernels

1. Heat a strong, heavy bottom pan that is stainless steel like this one by (Affiliate Link) Cuisinart for 30 seconds on high heat. Then, add the jalapeno butter. Optionally, you can save about 2 tsp of the butter to add on top when the popcorn has cooked.
2. No need to wait for the butter to melt, add the ½ cup popcorn kernels to the pan. You can also add jalapeno slices to the butter, to make it extra spicy.
3. Mix the butter and kernels well, making sure that the kernels are well-coated.

Step 3: Popping the kernels

1. After mixing well, make sure your kernels are in an even layer. Then, put a transparent lid on it so that you can see the kernels popping.
2. Keep moving the pan while the kernels are cooking. This will make sure that the kernels don’t burn on one side while the other side remains uncooked. If the kernels burn on one side, they will not pop.
3. The kernels will start popping after about 2-3 minutes. Keep moving the pan until about half the kernels have popped. Once the popping has slowed, turn off the heat and let it continue popping. It takes about 5 minutes after putting the lid on for the popping to stop.

If you saved 2 tsp of melted butter, drizzle it now. Also, if you are using nutritional yeast, top it on the popcorn now and then serve it.

I prefer to muddle my jalapeno using a (Affiliate Link) mortar and pestle. You can use a blender, mince it, or cut it into very small pieces.

🌿 Handy Tip: It’s important to continuously move the pan because the kernels will cook evenly.

Why are my popcorn kernels not popping?

1. You are crowding them in the pan – This was my problem when I first experimented with stove-top popcorn. I was using 1 cup in a small pan. Some of the kernels were burning while others were not cooking at all. The best practice is to make sure that the kernels are in one single layer on the pan. That means cooking in batches, then so be it. For this recipe, I was cooking ½ cup kernels at a time.
2. You are not shaking the pan while it’s cooking – By shaking, I don’t mean aggressively shaking the pan such that the kernels are flying out of the pan. Just move the pan gently on the stovetop without lifting it. This will make sure that the kernels are cooking evenly.
3. Your kernels are too old – When I first started experimenting with this recipe, I couldn’t get a single kernel to pop. I used up the 2 whole bags I had bought for this recipe. Then, I noticed the expiration date. Turns out, the kernels were very close to the expiration date. So, I went and bought new kernels that had a long expiration date and they popped!!
4. Your heat is too low – if the kernels don’t get adequate heat, they will not pop. Check your heat and make sure it’s set to high.
5. Your heat is too high – This might seem counter to what I said above. But, some stove top’s high setting may be too high for the kernels. They end up burning before they can pop. In that case, set your heat to medium-high heat.

Did you encounter any difficulties when following this jalapeno popcorn recipe? Sound off in the comments below.

If you love popcorn, here are even more popcorn recipes that no one can resist

✋ Handy Tip: Do not crowd the kernels. Make sure the kernels are in a single layer. This way, they have the room to pop.

❓ Answering Common Questions

⏰ Substitution tip: Use pickled jalapeños or jalapeño powder, if you are short on time. The popcorn will have a lot of flavor and hit the spot.

🍿 What are other ingredients for flavoring popcorn?

• Tomato powder, jalapeno powder, or chili powder.
• (Affiliate Link) Jalapeño cheddar popcorn powder or hot sauce.
• Nut filled popcorn.
• Caramel or maple syrup.
• White popcorn using cheddar cheese powder.
• Coconut oil.
• Cayenne pepper or garlic salt.
• Avocado oil or extra virgin olive oil instead of butter (½ cup oil)

What will you be adding to this jalapeno popcorn recipe?

📦 Storing leftover popcorn

Cooked popcorn will go stale very quickly. To delay that staling, store leftover popcorn in an airtight container. I love these (Affiliate Link) glass jars with bamboo containers because the popcorn can last a long time in it.

You can freeze or refrigerate the popcorn. Use freezer-friendly containers that have a tight sealing lid. Once frozen, use it up within 1-2 months. They will thaw easily at room temperature in a large bowl. Serve it as a party snack and everyone will love it.

🧊 Handy Tip: You can freeze popcorn easily. Put it in a freezer-friendly airtight container and use it up within 1-2 months.

👩‍🍳 Try these Jalapeno Recipes

Pineapple Rice With Jalapeno – This tangy and spicy rice is the ultimate comfort food. Made with simple, pantry ingredients, this rice is a fan favorite.

Pineapple smoothie with jalapeno – You have to try a pineapple smoothie with just a hint of heat! It’s so delicious and easy to make.

Vegan cowboy queso – Cowboy up your snack game! This queso is so easy to make and a delicious snack for any chip. When my friends are playing video games, this is their favorite snack!

Do you love spicy popcorn recipes?

💌 Sharing is caring

Don’t be shy, chime in below in the comments. Let me hear your opinion on this easy jalapeno popcorn recipe. If you enjoyed this, please give it a 5 star rating and share it on Facebook, Pinterest, Twitter, Instagram, and Youtube.

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Jalapeno Popcorn

Rini

Movie night just got spicier! This delicious jalapeno popcorn recipe with a spicy kick is easy to make on a Stovetop using 4 simple ingredients. Microwave popcorn cannot hold a candle to this recipe!

5 from 51 votes

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Prep Time 35 minutes mins

Cook Time 8 minutes mins

Total Time 43 minutes mins

Course Snack

Cuisine American, Mexican

Servings 2 people

Calories 148 kcal

Equipment

• 1 Mortar and pestle
• 1 Stainless Steel Pan

Ingredients

  

1x2x3x

• ½ jalapeno 20g; de-seeded and cut into chunks.
• 3½ Tbsp grass-fed butter about 40g
• 1 tsp salt 5g
• ½ cup organic yellow kernels 100g

Optional Ingredient

• 4 drops water
• 1 tsp nutritional yeast

Instructions

 

Step 1: Prepping the jalapeno

• Place jalapeno in the mortar and add 4-5 drops of water (optional)
  ½ jalapeno, 4 drops water
• Use the pestle to muddle the jalapeno until it's a paste consistency.
• Scrap the muddled jalapeno from the mortar and set it aside.

Step 2: Prepping the butter

• Place the softened butter in a small bowl. You can microwave it or just leave it on the counter for 10 minutes.
  3½ Tbsp grass-fed butter
• Add the muddled jalapeno and salt to the butter.
  1 tsp salt
• Mix well and set it aside.
• You can leave it for 30 minutes or overnight.

Step 3: Heating the kernels

• Heat a strong, heavy-bottomed stainless steel pan for 30 seconds on high heat.
• Add the jalapeno butter. Optionally, you can save about 2 tsp of the butter to add on top when the popcorn has cooked.
• No need to wait for the butter to melt, add the kernels to the pan.
• Mix the butter and kernels well, making sure that the kernels are well-coated.

Step 4: Popping the kernels

• make sure your kernels are in a single layer.
• Put a transparent lid on it so that you can see the kernels popping.
• Keep moving the pan while the kernels are cooking.
• The kernels will start popping after about 2 minutes.
  ½ cup organic yellow kernels
• Keep moving the pan until about half the kernels have popped.
• Once the popping has slowed, turn off the heat and let it continue popping.
• It takes about 5 minutes after putting the lid on for the popping to stop.
• If you saved 2 tsp of jalapeno butter and/or nutritional yeast, top it now.
  1 tsp nutritional yeast

Video

Notes

*** Nutrition Info is approximate.  Consult your health care professional/dietician for more accurate information. 

Food Scale Values

Butter – 40g (3.5 Tbsp)

Popcorn Kernels – 100g (½ cup)

Salt – 6g (1 tsp)

Once the popcorn is popped, it yields about 110g-115g or 9 cups (loosely packed)

Tips

– One of the best things about organic popcorn kernels is that they are free of the bad stuff! Non-organic regular popcorn kernels have pesticides sprayed on the plant or can be GMO!

– Not all jalapenos are created equal. Some will be spicy and some not. Give it a quick taste before you choose how much you want to use. I used very little jalapeno in this recipe, but I usually make mine very spicy.

– It’s important to continuously move the pan because the kernels will cook evenly.

– Do not crowd the kernels. Make sure the kernels are in a single layer. This way, they have the room to pop.

– Use pickled jalapeños or jalapeño powder, if you are short on time. The popcorn will have a lot of flavor and hit the spot.

– You can freeze popcorn easily. Put it in a freezer-friendly airtight container and use it up within 1-2 months.

Nutrition

Serving: 58gCalories: 148kcal

Keyword flavored popcorn, how to make popcorn stove top, jalapeno popcorn

Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!

Version 1

Occasionally, I will go through old recipes to update the content. Sometimes, I update just the images and sometimes, I give the recipe a complete makeover.

This recipe gets a complete makeover and not just because of the horrid images! This blog was only 18 days old when I posted this recipe, so I give myself a pass on the images, lol!

But, the more egregious reason is that I had used store-bought tomato powder to flavor the popcorn. This powder was full of really bad ingredients like MSG, Yellow 5, Red 40, and Tricalcium Phosphate.

I have sprinkled homemade tomato powder in this recipe in the past and it was very good.

Click here to see the original recipe.