The Cured Meat That Will Give Your Popcorn A Massive Flavor Boost

Popcorn is a snack that is perfect for nearly every occasion whether it's movie night, a slumber party, or a family picnic — it's hard to resist these popped goodies. It can also be a nostalgic treat, reminding us of our childhood movie theater or a fun sleepover. Those of us who have popcorn on the regular know that it can become a bit dull when it's always made using the same method. Maybe you've already tried adding nutritional yeast or everything bagel seasoning, but there's one simple ingredient to make your popcorn taste better than it ever has: Diced pepperoni.

Adding pepperoni pieces to your popcorn will give it a smoky, salty, and slightly spicy flavor that will make regular popcorn a thing of the past. You can simply mix in some diced pepperoni to your buttered popcorn, but if you want to make it taste more like a pepperoni pizza, you can also add sun-dried tomatoes, oregano, parmesan cheese crisps, and salt. Simply toss your ingredients through your buttered popped kernels, and you'll have popcorn so tasty you might even have to pause your movie to enjoy it.

If you want to add texture as well as flavor to your popcorn, consider pan-frying your pepperoni first. This will make it crispy, adding a crunch to your bowl of popcorn. If you usually make your popcorn on the stovetop, you can use a large pot to fry the pepperoni and pop the popcorn in the remaining pepperoni oil for an extra layer of smoky flavor. Just make sure to avoid the mistake of using too much oil, and leave only enough to coat the bottom of the pan.

To ensure that your pepperoni flavors don't get overpowered by burnt popcorn flavors, shake the pot regularly if making stovetop popcorn; if microwaving, take your popcorn out once the popping intervals are 2-3 seconds apart. Feel free to shake all the ingredients with the popcorn in a closed pot, so that the popcorn is evenly coated. Your pepperoni pieces deserve to be in every bite! This pepperoni popcorn is best served immediately, as popcorn goes stale quickly, especially with added ingredients. Since this smoky snack is so deliciously flavored, leftovers won't be an issue anyway.