Olive Oil Popcorn with Smoked Paprika & Rosemary

There is no resisting this Smoked Paprika & Rosemary Olive Oil Popcorn recipe! It can be made in 5 minutes and is a fantastic whole grain snack. 102 calories and 3 Weight Watchers Freestyle SP

Olive oil popcorn has stolen our hearts! If I had to choose one snack to have with me on a desert island, it would be a battle between hummus, cheese and crackers, and popcorn. Don’t make me choose – I can’t do it! We actually go through a lot (and I mean A LOT) of popcorn in our house. It’s often the snack of choice for my youngest son when he comes home from school, and as soon as our kids go to bed at night, my husband and I pop ourselves a bowl before sitting down in front of the TV for our nightly Netflix viewing.

Not only is popcorn completely additive, but it’s a great whole grain snacking option. Popped popcorn contain 3.6 grams of fiber per 3-cup serving, which is almost as much as one medium apple. That’s not to say that you should throw away all fruit and devote your fiber efforts solely to popcorn, but clearly it’s a snack you can feel good about – that is, depending on how you dress it up.

While you can’t beat popcorn with a drizzle butter and a shake of salt, I wanted to switch things up a bit with an olive oil and spice version. The combination of smoked paprika and rosemary is a favorite of mine, and I use it to season everything from grilled potatoes to roasted almonds. Next logical step…olive oil popcorn!

How to make olive oil popcorn:

• My son received an air popper (this one) for Christmas a couple of years ago and I’ve lost count of how many times we’ve used it. Air popping is a great option for avoiding the questionable ingredients in store-bought microwave popcorn.
• However, if you don’t have an air popper and prefer not to cook the popcorn in oil on the stovetop, you can make your own version of microwave popcorn. Just place the kernels in a brown paper lunch bag, fold over the top edge of the bag and pop as usual in the microwave, stopping the microwave when there are 2 to 3 seconds between pops. You may need a couple of bagfuls for this recipe.
• In a small microwave-proof bowl, stir together the olive oil and whatever seasonings you prefer. In the case of this olive oil popcorn recipe, I used smoked paprika and rosemary, but my family also loves this sriracha lime version and this healthy taco version.
• Heat the olive oil mixture for a about 20 seconds, give it a good stir, then toss with the popcorn.

We fell in love with the spice mixture on this olive oil popcorn, and I have a feeling it will be our new Netflix companion!

Other healthy snack recipes:

No-Bake Carrot Cake Granola Bites {Cookin’ Canuck}
Peanut Butter & Jelly Muffins (Whole Wheat) {Cookin’ Canuck}
Easy Chimichurri White Bean Hummus {Vegan} {Cotter Crunch}
Metabolism Boosting Smoothie {The Recipe Rebel}

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Smoked Paprika & Rosemary Olive Oil Popcorn Recipe

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Prep Time 2 mins

Cook Time 3 mins

Total Time 5 mins

There is no resisting this Smoked Paprika & Rosemary Olive Oil Popcorn recipe! It can be made in 5 minutes and is a fantastic whole grain snack. 102 calories and 3 Weight Watchers Freestyle SP

Yields 8 cups

Ingredients

• 1/4 cup popcorn kernels
• 2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
• 1/2 tsp smoked paprka
• 1/2 tsp crushed rosemary
• 1/4 tsp kosher salt

Directions

1. Pop the popcorn kernels using an air popper. Alternatively, place the kernels inside of a paper lunch bag, fold over the top of the bag and cook in the microwave until there are 2 to 3 seconds between pops. Transfer the popcorn to a bowl.
2. In a small glass bowl, stir together the olive oil, smoked paprika, rosemary and salt. Microwave until just heated, about 20 seconds.
3. Drizzled the oil mixture over the popcorn, tossing with your hands. Serve.

by Dara Michalski

Recipe Notes

Weight Watchers Points: 3 (Freestyle SmartPoints), 3 (Old SmartPoints), 3 (Points+)

This recipe was originally posted on January 8, 2016, and was updated on April 1, 2019.

Disclosure: I am a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for me to earn fees by linking to Amazon.com and affiliated sites.