Air Fryer Popcorn

Air fryer popcorn can be tricky but I'm going to show you the foolproof way to make the best air fryer popcorn recipe out there!

I'm obsessed with my air fryer and cook with it every chance I get! Homemade popcorn can be made in a ton of different ways; pot on the stove, bag in the microwave, jiffy pot pan, you get the idea. But if you are looking to cook popcorn kernels in an air fryer, this is how you do it.

How To Make Air Fryer Popcorn

The tricky part about air fryer recipes is everybody's air fryer is slightly different. I use the Ninja Foodie 9 in 1. When I was researching this recipe I saw a lot of people use aluminum foil to poke some holes in it and place it over the grate. In my air fryer, I didn't need to do that because the slots in the grate were small enough. So if you have small slots in your air fryer grate, you're good to go!

Also, this recipe works best if you're using Jumbo kernels so they don't fall through the grate. Be forewarned that with the air fryer there is a little bit more spillage than more traditional methods and air fryers tend to make popcorn more dryer (which makes sense) but can easily be fixed by adding plant-based butter to it after!

1. In a small bowl quickly mix the popcorn kernels and olive oil. Coating them.
   
2. Place coated kernels directly in to the Air fryer's basket - Cook & Crisp basket if using the Ninja Foodie, or whichever basket your air fryer comes with. If using the Nija Foodie don't place directly on ceramic pot the kernels will not pop. Turn air fryer up to 400 degrees and set timer for 15 minutes. at around the 6-7 minute mark you'll start to hear them pop and they should be all done by the 11 min mark, again may differ slightly air fryer to air fryer.
   
3. When you hear the popping slow down to one pop every couple seconds the popcorn is ready. Pour the popped corn into a bowl and top with your favourite toppings. (see next section).

Additional toppings for popcorn:

• Nutritional Yeast
• Plant-based Butter
• Dried Dill
• Salt
• Peanut Butter (if you've never tried it, try it! Sweet and salty so good!)

Kitchen Equipment I used for recipe:

• Ninja Foodie 9-1 Air Fryer Unit – Okay I’ll be the first to admit I was an air fryer hater before but now I am the ultimate air fryer truther! This is the unit I use and it’s unreal because it comes with an instant pot, steamer, dehydrator, sautee, and more all in one unit! It comes in a couple of different sizes (I got the 8 quarts and it’s huge but I love it).
• Aesthetically pleasing teal spoon set – a lot of people recently have been asking about my spoon set and I feel like a fraud because everyone thinks it’s some expensive set but it’s super inexpensive and they look amazing!
• Super cheap but quality non-stick pan – A good non-stick pan will change your life and it doesn’t have to break the bank. I love this one because it’s made out of granite and is super durable!

If you try this recipe, please leave it a 5-star review in the comments section below! I’d love to hear from you! You can rate it, comment about it, send us pictures about it on Instagram @RescueDogKitchen.

Nutrition Facts for Air Fryer Popcorn

The nutrition information presented here is for all of the ingredients. I take all of the nutritional information from Cronometer a nutritional tracker website that provides you with a lot of great information, especially regarding micronutrients!

*this was calculated using the optional ingredient of nutritional yeast because I literally always put it on. But if you don't have any, simply deduct the B vitamins and 1 g of protein out.

It's been pretty common knowledge for a while now that there isn't much nutritional value to corn. One amazing thing about popcorn though is, a little bit of kernels makes a ton of popcorn so it's a really amazing low-calorie snack (if you don't add a ton of bad things on top).

Nutritionally speaking though there really isn't a ton to talk about here except maybe fibre.

Commonly Asked Air Fryer Popcorn Questions

Can I pop popcorn in my air fryer?

Yes! Popping popcorn in an air fryer is not only doable but it's also delicious! Although there are a few nuances to how one would normally prepare and cook popcorn that we detail in this blog post.

Is air-fried popcorn healthy?

Yes, air-fried popcorn is a healthy low-calorie snack. Depending on what you add to it after the fact it's easy to make it unhealthy though.

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Other recipes you might like:

• Air Fryer Nachos
• Air Fryer Cinnamon Rolls
• Air Fryer Tater Tots

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