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    Home » Instant Pot Recipe » Instant Pot Popcorn

    Instant Pot Popcorn

    Published: Dec 2, 2021 · Modified: Dec 5, 2021 by Bhawana ·

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    Instant pot popcorn is very easy to make snacks at home from scratch. Popping corn kernels in the instantpot is so much fun and it gets ready within a few minutes.

    In this post, you will find how to make movie theatre popcorn in an instant pot with just two ingredients, tips & tricks, and how you can create thirteen flavors of instant popcorn.

    my son picking cooked popcorn from a bowl filled with them
    Jump To Recipe
    • Popcorn vs Kettle corn kernels
    • Why Homemade Popcorn
    • Ingredients & Notes
    • How to make popcorn in instant pot
    • Tips & FAQ's
    • 13 Fun Popcorn Flavors
    • Best oil to cook
    • Popcorn not popping?
    • How to store
    • How to serve
    • More Instant Pot Recipes
    • Recipe

    Popcorn vs Kettle corn kernels

    There are two varieties of popcorn. Traditional popcorn and kettle corn. Ever wondered why kettle corns are always sweet and traditional ones come in different flavorings? Let see the basic difference between the two.

    Traditional movie theatre popcorn is prepared with oil, salt, and butter. Due to saltiness, you can create many flavors by adding different seasonings, like cheese, hot sauces along with olive oil. Popcorns kernels look like corn on the cob, only corn kernels are used for pop-up while heating.

    Kettle corn is a close cousin of regular corn but sweet in taste. It is made with oil, salt, sugar, and crunchier in texture. Sugar gives a nice sweet coating and crispy crunch. It gets this name from the cooking method used, kettle corn is popped in a cast-iron kettle. To make homemade kettle corn we use a special kernel known as mushroom popcorn. They are round in shape that helps in uniform sugar coating.

    Why Homemade Popcorn

    • Easy to make- Making them at home ensures the quality check. All you need is 10-15 minutes and few flavoring ideas. A perfect afterschool, mid-day, or game day snack. Kids just love this easy snack anytime. It is one of the instant pot beginner-friendly recipes to cook.
    • Budget friendly and crowd pleasing- These pressure cooker popcorns are easy on your pocket too. Economically cheap as compared to market bought. Budget friendly as they come in good quantity, and perfect to feed a large crowd. Perfect popcorn recipe for a crowd on holidys.
    • Healthy snack- Store-bought popcorns or pre-made microwavable packets are loaded with more butter then required. Having artificial flavors, salt, and sugar makes them very unhealthy. Making at home is a better choice knowing what are the ingredients used and how much. Instantpot popcorn recipe is vegan, gluten-free, easy, and healthy. Popcorns are healthy if eaten in a proper way.

    Ingredients & Notes

    Please check RECIPE CARD for detailed ingredients list with accurate measurement.

    There are only two ingredients you need, and your preferred seasoning.

    • Corn kernels- They are easily available in the market.
    • Oil- I have used coconut oil, canola oil, and peanut oil so far due to their high smoke point. Now we use only coconut oil to make them.
    • Salt- Normal cooking salt.
    • A MUST- Glass lid is required while popping in the instant pot. Without using it oil can splutter all over the place.

    What if I do not have a glass lid?

    Check in the kitchen, you might have any other glass lid that can fit on an instant pot. But if not then you can get an instant pot glass lid from Amazon.

    Variations

    You can also try the kettle corn variety that comes with the name of mushroom popcorn. Making instant pot kettle corn is the same as this recipe.

    a bowl filled with popcorn made in instant pot.

    How to make popcorn in instant pot

    Prepare instapot

    To make popcorn, first, switch on the instant pot and set SAUTE MODE on. Wait till it shows HOT on the display.

    Add coconut oil

    Adding coconut oil in instant pot

    Once you see HOT on the display screen add coconut oil and let it heat for 3 minutes.

    Add Kernels

    Adding kernels to hot coconut oil

    After 3 minutes add corn kernels. Mix with the help of a spatula till every kernel is covered in coconut oil. Stir occasionally for 1-2 minutes.

    stirring kernels in hot coconut oil

    Let Them Pop

    covering the lid

    After 1 minute 30 seconds around, close the pot with the glass lid and allow them to pop.

    Doneness

    cooked instant pot popcorn

    Initially, you will notice popping sound frequently and then it slows down. Once you notice the slowing down press CANCEL mode.

    Shake- Hold the inner pot using mittens and give a shake. This will allow any uncooked kernel to go down at the bottom and pop up further. Let it sit for another 30 seconds.

    Remove the glass lid and shake the popcorn well. At this point, you can add your favorite seasoning with little butter. Transfer them to a bowl and enjoy.

    Instant Pot Popcorn- is very easy to make snack at home. Learn how to make popcorn in an instant pot with just two ingredients, in a few minutes.
    cooked popcorn in instant pot

    Serve these instant pot popcorn immediately. Check the below section for extra flavors or seasoning to make fun popcorn for the party.

    popcorn served in a bowl in front of instant pot

    Tips & FAQ's

    • The First & foremost tip is to avoid using butter. Butter gets burnt at the bottom of an instant pot. Use it after popping up and mix nicely.
    • Once you see HOT on the display screen then add coconut oil. Let the oil heated for 2 minutes before adding kernels. This step is actually very important.
    • Do not stuff instant pot with popcorn kernels. Ideally, ⅓ quantity is good enough to cover the bottom of 6qt instant pot evenly.
    • Close the pot with glass lid. While it helps to maintain the temperature of the inside pot, it also helps to avoid spluttering oil. Be careful.
    • Once popping sounds go down, CANCEL the SAUTE mode, and take out the insert pan.
    • Dont let stay popcorns in instapot for longer, transfer to a bowl asap.
    What is the best oil to make popcorn?

    Coconut oil is the best oil to make popcorn due to its high smoking point. It provides the perfect temperature to pop kernels without breaking. So if you think can I use coconut oil for popcorn then your answer is definitely YES.
    You can use olive oil, clarified butter, and homemade ghee to make popcorn without coconut oil. Always add butter at the end of the cooking process and you can make instant pot popcorn with butter easily.

    Can I make popcorn without oil?

    Using oil ensures corn kernels to be heated evenly and helps them in popping without burning. Without oil making popcorn at home is not easy, you will end up burning them even before popping them up.

    Traditionally corn kernels are prepared by using the hot sand frying/hot salt frying cooking technique used by street vendors. This is the only way to make popcorn without oil or butter. You can always season them with desired flavorings.

    Why doesn't popcorn pop in my instant pot mini

    If you are using instant pot mini then ⅓ cup quantity may not work and overcrowd the bottom of the insert pan. Use ¼ cup with coconut oil and you are good to go.

    How to butter popcorn without it getting soggy?

    Ever wondered why homemade popcorns get soggy with butter when compared to movie popcorn? This is because butter has higher water content than butter-flavored oil popcorns you get at movie theatres. Due to butter-flavored oil that has low/no water content, popcorn has a distinct flavor and crunch.
    To get the same effect use clarified butter AKA ghee infused with your favorite flavoring. Ghee has a high smoking point and is healthy. If you wonder can you make popcorn with ghee then the answer is Yes. Instant pot popcorn with ghee has a similar process as this recipe.

    13 Fun Popcorn Flavors

    My family enjoys butter popcorn more often and I do make cheese, caramel, and cinnamon sugar flavored popcorns on kids' demands. All these flavorings work well for instant pot popcorn.

    • Butter
    • Caramel
    • Garlic parmesan
    • Barbeque
    • Buffalo
    • Cinnamon sugar adding sugar & cinnamon powder makes sweet & warm popcorn. They taste really amazing with the sweetness of using cinnamon sugar.
    • Garlic & herb add any herb like oregano, rosemary along with minced garlic in melted butter. Add this garlic herb butter to hot popcorn.
    • Cheese you can add cheddar & parmesan cheese to popcorns and just microwave for 1 minute.
    • Chilli lime flavour Adding cayenne pepper along with lemon juice & lemon zest gives a refreshing zingy taste.

    These seasonings will go well with kettle corn as well. Just pop them with oil & salt and use any of these seasonings to make kettle corn more interesting. This is a detailed infographic on delicious homemade popcorn flavors.

    infographic that displays 13 delicious flavors for homemade popcorn.

    Best oil to cook

    So, should you choose Coconut oil when making instant pot popcorn? Which is the best oil to use for making popcorn? Coconut oil is BEST if used while making popcorn in the instant pot for various reasons.

    • It is much healthier with good fats.
    • Has a high smoke point.
    • It also ensures to cook kernels at high heat which is required for them to pop.

    It is my first preference after using canola and peanut oil. Other oil may break down at higher temperatures result in burnt popcorn. If coconut oil is not available then feel free to use olive oil, clarified butter, or ghee.

    Check Instant Pot Ghee

    It is always best to add butter and favorite seasoning while serving.

    Popcorn not popping?

    Popcorn kernels pop up for one reason. There is trapped moisture inside the skin of the kernel. When kernels are cooked at high temperatures and pressure becomes too much to bear when they pop up.

    If popcorn kernels are old and this moisture is dried out, in this case, kernels will not pop out and burn easily at the bottom. Make sure you are buying good kernels and keeping them in an airtight container after use.

    Popcorn will not pop up if they are stored for a longer time, or very old packages date or stored in open. TRIED & TESTED

    How to store

    Popcorn gets soggy if kept longer at room temperature. You can store them in an airtight container for some time. I prefer to store them only for two days in a glass jar, beyond that, I noticed a stale smell.

    How to serve

    Serve immediately with your favorite seasoning as mentioned above and enjoy.

    They are best to enjoy in short trips, as snacks in school, or while watching movies and anytime if you want.

    cooked popcorns in instant pot insert

    More Instant Pot Recipes

    You can check some more beginner-friendly Instant Pot Recipes from the blog.

    • Instant Pot Beets
    • Instant Pot Hard Boiled Eggs
    • 2 Ingredient Homemade Instant pot Yogurt
    • Homemade Ghee | Instant pot & Stovetop

    Few more Instant pot dinner recipes to make

    • Palak paneer in the instant pot
    • Instant Pot Spanish rice
    • Sarson ka saag
    • Instant pot urad dal recipe
    • easy Tofu curry vegan

    ★ Did you make this recipe? Please give it a star rating below! For more quick & easy recipes, FOLLOW ME on Facebook, Twitter, YouTube & Pinterest.

    Recipe

    my son picking cooked popcorn from a bowl filled with them

    Instant Pot Popcorn With 13 Flavoring Ideas

    Instant Pot Popcorn- is very easy to make snack at home. Learn how to make popcorn in an instant pot with just two ingredients in 13 different flavors/seasonings.
    5 from 11 votes
    Print Pin Rate
    Course: Snack
    Cuisine: American, Indian
    Prep Time: 2 minutes
    Cook Time: 10 minutes
    Total Time: 12 minutes
    Servings: 4
    Calories: 110kcal
    Author: Bhawana

    Equipment

    • Instant Pot

    Ingredients

    • 2 tablespoon coconut oil costco coconut oil
    • 1 teaspoon salt
    • ⅓ cup popcorn kernels
    US Customary - Metric

    Instructions

    • First, switch on the instant pot and set SAUTE MODE on.
    • Once you see HOT on the display screen add coconut oil and let it heat for 3 minutes.
      2 tablespoon coconut oil
    • After 3 minutes add corn kernels. Mix with the help of a spatula till every kernel is covered in coconut oil. Stir occasionally for 1-2 minutes.
      ⅓ cup popcorn kernels
    • After 1 minute 30 seconds around, close the pot with the glass lid and allow them to pop.
    • Initially, you will notice popping sound frequently and then it slows down. Once you notice the slowing down press CANCEL mode.
      Shake- Hold the inner pot using mittens and give a shake. This will allow any uncooked kernel to go down at the bottom and pop up further. Let it sit for another 30 seconds.
    • Shake the popcorn well. At this point, you can add your favorite seasoning with little butter. Transfer them to a bowl and enjoy.
    • Serve these instant pot popcorn immediately. Check the below section for extra flavors or seasoning to make fun popcorn for the party.

    Notes

    Tips
    • The First & foremost tip is to avoid using butter. Butter gets burnt at the bottom of an instant pot. Use it after popping up and mix nicely.
    • Once you see HOT on the display screen then add coconut oil. Let the oil heat for 2 minutes before adding kernels. This step is actually very important.
    • Do not stuff instant pot with popcorn kernels. Ideally, ⅓ quantity is good enough to cover the bottom of the 6qt instant pot evenly.
    • Close the pot with a glass lid. While it helps to maintain the temperature of the inside pot, it also helps to avoid spluttering oil. Be careful.
    • Once popping sounds go down, CANCEL the SAUTE mode, and take out the insert pan.
    • Don't let stay popcorns in instapot for longer, transfer to a bowl asap
     

    Nutrition

    Calories: 110kcal | Carbohydrates: 10g | Protein: 1g | Fat: 7g | Saturated Fat: 6g | Sodium: 582mg | Potassium: 37mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 1g | Iron: 1mg
    Tried this Recipe? Pin it for Later!Mention @Code2Cook2017 or tag #Code2Cook!

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    Comments

    1. angela

      August 02, 2020 at 8:40 am

      5 stars
      Such an easy and fun recipe! My kids went crazy for this... and I love not having to buy another microwave popcorn bag. Thanks so much for sharing!

      Reply
    2. Dannii

      August 02, 2020 at 7:48 am

      5 stars
      I never would have thought to do popcorn in the instant pot. I can't wait to give this a try.

      Reply
    3. Sisley White

      August 02, 2020 at 7:32 am

      5 stars
      What a fabulous way to use a instant pot for movie night. I can't wait to this.

      Reply
    4. Shanna

      August 02, 2020 at 6:47 am

      5 stars
      This is such a great idea. I have never thought of using my instant pot to make popcorn. Thank you for sharing.

      Reply
    5. veenaazmanov

      August 02, 2020 at 6:46 am

      5 stars
      Wow. It is time to plan a movie and get going to make some amazing Popcorn. Simple and yet so exciting.

      Reply
    6. Saif

      August 01, 2020 at 11:46 pm

      5 stars
      I love popcorn. Perfect snacks when watching movies or my favorite Netflix shows.

      Reply
    7. Sue

      August 01, 2020 at 7:50 pm

      5 stars
      Why have I never thought of this? I'll be making this very soon!

      Reply
    8. Andrea Metlika

      August 01, 2020 at 7:16 pm

      5 stars
      I'm in awe about this. I am trying this tomorrow for movie day!

      Reply
    9. Cathleen @ A Taste of Madness

      August 01, 2020 at 2:09 pm

      5 stars
      I had no idea that you could make popcorn in the Instant Pot!! This is genius, thank you so much for the recipe. 🙂

      Reply
      • Bhawana

        August 01, 2020 at 5:49 pm

        hahaha, yeah nowadays instant pot is everywhere :).

        Reply
    10. Colleen

      August 01, 2020 at 1:35 pm

      5 stars
      Popping corn in the instant pot is a great idea! I love all of your seasoning suggestions too. Can't wait to try this.

      Reply
      • Bhawana

        August 01, 2020 at 5:49 pm

        Thanks so much.

        Reply

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