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    Home » Recipes » Snack

    The Best Vegan Popcorn Recipe (buttery & cheesy)

    Modified: Apr 10, 2025 • Published: Jun 9, 2022 by Dr. Erin Carter • This post may contain affiliate links • Leave a Comment

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    A bowl of vegan popcorn
    A bowl of vegan popcorn
    A bowl of vegan popcorn
    A bowl of vegan popcorn

    This is the best vegan popcorn! It's cheesy and buttery while still being dairy free. Made with vegan butter, nutritional yeast and salt, this homemade popcorn has the best flavour. It makes the perfect snack and you will love how easy it is to make on the stovetop or in a popcorn maker. 

    A bowl of popcorn with a tea towel beside it.

    Snacks like chocolate covered pecans, curry cashews and almonds, and chocolate espresso beans are some of my favourite foods to have on hand, and when I think of snacking, popcorn is one of those classics that everyone loves. That is why I am so excited for you to try the dairy free popcorn recipe I am sharing with you today!

    Table of Contents
    • Why you will love this recipe: 
    • Ingredients and substitutions: 
    • Recipe variations and add ins: 
    • How to make vegan popcorn: 
    • To make vegan popcorn in a popcorn maker: 
    • Top tips: 
    • Vegan popcorn FAQs:
    • Other vegan recipes you will love: 
    • Recipe

    Why you will love this recipe: 

    • The flavour! This homemade vegan popcorn is the perfect balance of salty, buttery, and cheesy, while still being dairy-free.
    • It's so easy to make and is ready in just a few minutes. 
    • You can make this vegan popcorn recipe on the stovetop or in a popcorn maker or air popper. 
    • This popcorn is an easy, healthy snack.
    • You can change up the seasonings to give it the flavour you prefer. 

    If you love vegan snacks you will also love my healthy vegan protein cookies.

    Ingredients and substitutions: 

    For the full ingredient list and exact measurements refer to the recipe card later in this post.

    Jump to the Recipe Card.
    The ingredients needed for making vegan popcorn separated into small bowls including popcorn kernels, coconut oil, vegan butter and nutritional yeast.
    • Popcorn kernels - You can use any brand of popcorn kernels that you like. I recommend using non-GMO popcorn kernels if you can. 
    • Vegan butter - this is used to give this popcorn a delicious buttery flavour, just with no dairy, no lactose, and no animal products. If you aren't vegan you can use real butter instead. You could also swap the butter for coconut oil.
    • Coconut oil - this is used if you are making the popcorn on the stovetop to prevent the kernels from sticking to the pot. You could swap this for another oil such as avocado oil or olive oil. If you make the popcorn in an air popper you won't need to use this.
    • Nutritional yeast - this is what gives this vegan popcorn that cheese like taste.
    • Salt - you can add as much or as little salt as you like.

    Recipe variations and add ins: 

    • You can add other seasonings such as garlic powder, dill, bbq seasoning, black pepper or onion powder to give this vegan popcorn a different flavour.
    • If you are avoiding salt, omit it from the recipe. 
    • You can omit the nutritional yeast from the recipe if you don't have it or don't want cheesy popcorn. 
    • To change up the flavour on this vegan popcorn feel free to use other types of salt such as seasoning salt, garlic salt, truffle salt, onion salt etc. 

    How to make vegan popcorn: 

    A pot on the stovetop with melted coconut oil in it.
    1. Step 1: First, add the coconut oil to a large pot on the stovetop on medium heat.
    A pot on the stovetop with melted coconut oil in it and four popcorn kernels.
    1. Step 2: Once the oil is melted, add 4-5 popcorn kernels to the pot and cover it with the lid. Once the kernels pop, remove them from the pot and add the remaining popcorn kernels. 
    A pot on the stovetop filled with popcorn.
    1. Step 3: Cover the pot with the lid and continue to cook the remaining popcorn, shaking the pot frequently to allow the kernels to pop evenly. The popcorn only takes 1-2 minutes to pop so watch it closely. 
    Popcorn in a large blue bowl.
    1. Step 4: When the popping dies down, remove the pot from the heat and transfer the popcorn to a large bowl. Add all the remaining ingredients to the bowl, and toss the popcorn well to coat it evenly. Then enjoy!

    To make vegan popcorn in a popcorn maker: 

    Add the popcorn kernels to your popcorn maker or air popper and run the popcorn maker until the kernels are popped. Then transfer the popcorn to a large bowl and add the melted vegan butter, salt and nutritional yeast. Toss everything well until the popcorn is evenly coated. Then enjoy!

    Top tips: 

    • Make sure you use a large pot if you make this vegan popcorn on the stovetop. This recipe makes a big batch of popcorn, so if you use a pot that is too small it will overflow and make a mess of your stovetop.
    • While the popcorn is cooking on the stovetop, make sure to shake the pot frequently so that the kernels don't settle on the bottom of the pot. If you don't shake it you could end up with burnt popcorn. The kernels will only take a couple minutes to fully pop so watch the pot closely. 
    A bowl of popcorn with a tea towel beside it.

    Vegan popcorn FAQs:

    Can vegans eat popcorn?

    Popcorn is made from corn kernels, which are plant based and safe for vegans to eat. However, where vegans need to be careful is with the toppings that are often added to popcorn. Many popcorn recipes are made with butter, which is not vegan. However, as long as you stick with dairy-free toppings such as vegan butter, popcorn is a great option for vegans to eat. 

    Is popcorn a healthy vegan snack?

    Popcorn is a healthy snack that is low in calories, low in sugar, high in fiber and easy to make. How healthy a popcorn recipe is will depend on the toppings that are added and the serving size, but the great thing about popcorn is that you get to choose your own toppings to make it as healthy as you like.

    Is popcorn paleo?

    No it is not.

    Is this vegan popcorn recipe gluten-free?

    Yes it is.

    Is movie theatre popcorn vegan?

    Usually not because it is made with butter which is a dairy product or animal product which vegans can't eat.

    Can I store this popcorn for later?

    Store any leftover vegan popcorn in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days. Just give it a good shake before serving as the seasonings tend to settle at the bottom of the container. 

    Other vegan recipes you will love: 

    • A bowl of vegan mascarpone with a fresh strawberry in it.
      The Best Vegan Mascarpone with Cashews (dairy-free & paleo)
    • A stack of vegan peanut butter oatmeal cookies and the top one has a bite out of it.
      Vegan Peanut Butter Oatmeal Cookies (gluten-free, dairy-free)
    • A bowl full of edible chocolate chip cookie dough bites with chocolate chips around the bowl.
      Edible No Bake Cookie Dough Bites (easy & gluten-free)
    • A stack of chocolate almond butter bars and the top one has a bite out of it.
      Chocolate Almond Butter Bars (gluten-free)

    Since you made it this far we are basically best friends so be sure to follow me on Instagram, Pinterest, TikTok and Facebook where I share even more recipes and healthy living tips! And don’t forget to leave this recipe a star review before you go!

    Recipe

    Vegan Popcorn

    This is the best vegan popcorn! It's buttery and cheesy yet is dairy free and gluten free. Ready in just a few minutes you will love how easy it is to make.
    5 from 7 votes
    Print Pin Rate
    Course: Snack
    Cuisine: American
    Diet: Diabetic, Gluten Free, Low Calorie, Low Lactose, Vegan, Vegetarian
    Prep Time: 5 minutes minutes
    Cook Time: 2 minutes minutes
    Total Time: 7 minutes minutes
    Servings: 6
    Calories: 191kcal
    Author: Dr. Erin Carter

    Equipment

    • Large pot or stockpot

    Ingredients

    • 3 tablespoon coconut oil (or other cooking oil of choice)
    • 1/2 cup popcorn kernels
    • 4-6 tablespoon vegan butter, melted
    • 3 tablespoon nutritional yeast
    • 1/2 teaspoon salt (or more to taste)

    Instructions

    • Add the coconut oil to a large pot on medium high heat.
    • Once the oil is melted, add 4-5 popcorn kernels to the pot and cover it with the lid. Once the kernels pop, remove them from the pot and add in the remaining popcorn kernels. 
    • Cover the pot with the lid and continue to cook the remaining popcorn, shaking the pot frequently to allow the kernels to pop evenly.
    • When the popping dies down, remove the pot from the heat and transfer the popcorn to a large bowl.
    • Add all the remaining ingredients, and toss the popcorn well to coat the popcorn evenly. Then enjoy!

    Notes

    1. Nutritional values are an estimate and will vary depending on the exact ingredients used and the serving size. 
    2. Feel free to add other spices to the popcorn such as seasoning salt, onion powder, truffle salt, garlic powder etc. 
    3. The popcorn kernels will only take 1-2 minutes to fully pop when you are cooking them so be sure to watch the pot closely so you don't overcook or burn the popcorn. 

    Nutrition

    Calories: 191kcal | Carbohydrates: 12g | Protein: 3g | Fat: 15g | Saturated Fat: 7g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 3g | Monounsaturated Fat: 4g | Trans Fat: 1g | Sodium: 256mg | Potassium: 114mg | Fiber: 3g | Sugar: 1g | Calcium: 1mg | Iron: 1mg
    Tried this Recipe? Pin it for Later!Mention @pureandsimpleno or tag #pureandsimpleno!

    DISCLAIMERS: The statements made on this website have not been approved by the Food and Drug Administration or Health Canada. The information is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent disease. You assume full responsibility for how you use this information. Always consult with your physician or other health professionals before making any diet or lifestyle changes. This post may contain affiliate links whereby if you purchase these products I receive a small percentage of the sale price. This allows me to keep the blog running and I thank you for allowing me to do that!

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    A photo of Dr. Erin Carter wearing a floral dress in her kitchen.

    Hi everyone!

    My name is Dr. Erin Carter and I am so thrilled you are here. I am a physician with specialties in both internal medicine and rheumatology, and I believe that food and healthy living are forms of medicine. In my spare time I share health information and delicious, healthy recipes here on Pure and Simple Nourishment.

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