Instant Pot Popcorn

Nervous about making popcorn on the stove? Set your worries aside, this Instant Pot Popcorn tutorial is exactly what you need!

How to Make Popcorn in the Instant Pot

If you are a bit skeptical about this tutorial, let me just start off by saying, you aren't making popcorn under pressure. Instead, this tutorial is a guide on how to use the saute function on the Instant Pot for a stress-free way to make homemade, buttery popcorn.

My family loves popcorn, and we don't own a microwave, so making it on the stove is the only option. Except, making popcorn on the stove terrifies me. And, even though I've made dozens of batches of popcorn the traditional way, I still for some reason get nervous about the need to have my gas stove on with such high heat cooking something that pops up at you on the stove. So one day, I decided to give it a go using the Instant Pot, which uses electric heat. Surprisingly, after one batch, I knew this was now my forever method of making popcorn.

Making popcorn in the Instant Pot not only feels safer (since it uses electric heat), but it also results in pretty even results with your popcorn; you'll notice very few unpopped kernels. Oh, also, kiss the smell of burnt popcorn goodbye with this method!

More of a visual learner? Check out the video of me making it (below near the recipe) to see just how it's done!

Ingredients Needed and Substitutions

Here is a brief overview of the ingredients needed for this recipe. The full recipe with quantities is listed below this text in the recipe card. If substitutions are available for this recipe, they'll be listed here. If you don't see a substitution you are looking for, please leave a comment below.

• refined coconut oil (this cooks the popcorn, and can be substituted with any other neutral oil, or ghee--you can also do a mix of butter and another high heat oil, but if you add butter by itself, it will burn)
• raw popcorn kernels
• salt (this is optional, but recommended)
• melted butter (this is optional, but of course, the most popular seasoning for popcorn--see the list below for more recommendations for different seasonings)

Kitchen Tools Needed

For this, you need a 6 or 8-quart Instant Pot. I don't have any experience with non-Instant Pot brand electric pressure cookers, so I cannot advise if they work the same or not.

In addition to the Instant Pot, you also need a tight-fitting tempered glass lid. You can't use the lid that the Instant Pot comes with, because the machine will start to warn you if you cover the pot while using the saute function. It doesn't need to be a glass lid, but it's useful for seeing the popcorn.

Here is the tempered glass lid that is meant for the Instant Pot. I haven't tried this one, as I have an off-brand lid that I can't recall where it came from, but given that it's an Instant Pot brand, it likely works great.

Not All Instant Pots Work the Same

I've tried about 6 or 7 different types of Instant Pots over the years. There are different models and different sizes. And even though the manufacturer claims they should all work the same in terms of pressure cooking and heating, I have found that not to be true.

So, even though I'm giving explicit instructions in terms of how long to heat the oil, and cook the popcorn, I must say that every Instant Pot is going to work differently, so keep that in mind that you should also look for the visual cues as well.

A Note About Quantities

The recipe calls for ½ cup of uncooked kernels. This will yield about 8 cups of popcorn, depending on how fluffy the kernels pop up (and if there are any unpopped kernels). This is the maximum amount of kernels I recommend making in a 6-quart Instant Pot.

My family eats far more popcorn than that on movie nights, so I typically make about 1 cup of kernels, and it fills up my 8-quart Instant Pot. So if you are looking for bigger serving sizes, make sure they will fit in your Instant Pot!

Basic Steps for Making Popcorn

Before we dive into how to make popcorn, let me just share a quick overview of the science behind what makes a hard kernel of corn pop into the popcorn we know and love.

The kernel is made up of two parts: the hard exterior, known as the hull, and the starchy interior, known as the endosperm. The kernel also contains a tiny bit of moisture inside (or at least it should). When the kernel is heated, that water turns into steam. The steam builds pressure within the hard outer hull of the kernel, causing the pressure to pop open the hull, and expose the interior starchy endosperm to break out and expand to puffy popcorn. That's your science lesson today!

Ok, now that we know a little bit about how popcorn works, let me go over the basic steps of making popcorn in the Instant Pot:

1. Heat oil, and a lot of it, using the saute function on the Instant Pot. I suggest refined coconut oil, but you can use almost any oil you'd like. Or, even a mixture of oil and butter.
2. Once the oil starts to get hot, add a few kernels to it and cover the pot with the tight-fitting tempered glass lid. Wait for the kernels to start popping. This is done so you know when the oil is hot enough to pop popcorn. If you add all the kernels while the oil is heating up, it can cook the kernels too much on the outside before enough steam has been created inside, resulting in burnt tasting popcorn.
3. Once those tester kernels pop, add the remaining kernels to the pot and cover the lid. You can shake the Instant Pot a bit to make sure the kernels are heated evenly, though this isn't as crucial as it is when you make popcorn on a gas stove.
4. Let the kernels all pop! When the popping starts to slow down, to one every 3 seconds or so, shut off the Instant Pot. The Instant Pot will continue to cook the popcorn for a few minutes after it is shut off.
5. Season the popcorn as desired.

Seasoning Your Homemade Popcorn

We all love some good buttery and salted popcorn. But really, the possibilities are endless when it comes to seasoning fresh popcorn. Here are some suggestions:

• powdered cheese (Trader Joe's has a cheese spice that is really good!
• grated cheese (like parmesan or pecorino)
• spices (garlic powder, chili powder, cayenne, chipotle, cumin, curry powder, etc)
• nutritional yeast (for a dairy-free cheesy taste)
• maple syrup or honey (sweet and salty is the best!)
• citrus zest
• homemade caramel or butterscotch (you know Everyday Pie has a recipe!)

Watch it: How to Make Instant Pot Popcorn

Making the recipe? Be sure to leave a comment with a star review on your experience! Have a question? Leave a comment below and I’ll get back to you as quickly as I can!

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