I adore popcorn but I can also appreciate that some people cannot or do not want to eat popcorn. If you are looking for alternatives to popcorn, then I have some ideas worth trying.
The following are great alternatives to popcorn:
- Amaranth
- Buckwheat
- Quinoa
- Sorghum
- Wild Rice
These popcorn alternatives will give you the joy of eating popcorn while watching a movie, but they are corn-free. Each has its own distinct look, taste, and texture. As a matter of fact, one stands out as my favorite and probably will be yours too.
All of these options are ancient grains, which means they have been around for an exceptionally long time and have avoided any genetic tweaking. They are also all gluten-free and make a convenient snack.
1. Amaranth
- Popped Look
- Small, white
- Popped Taste
- Crunchy, toasty, nutty
- How to Pop
- Add 1 tablespoon amaranth to a medium-high heated skillet and cover with a lid. Leave the lid on with a slight crack. Shake the pan back and forth to keep the amaranth from burning.
- Comments
- It pops a lot faster than popcorn.
- Leftovers
- You can add to granola bar recipes or trail mix. Use it as cereal by adding your favorite nut milk and sliced fruit.
2. Buckwheat
- Popped Look
- Small, white/brown
- Popped Taste
- Crunchy and mild caramel flavor
- How to Cook
- Add 1 tablespoon of buckwheat to a medium-high heated skillet. Shake the pan back and forth to keep the buckwheat from burning.
- Comments
- Can easily burn
- Leftovers
- Add to overnight oats or mix with nut butter and eat with apple slices/bananas.
3. Quinoa
- Popped Look
- Small, tan
- Popped Taste
- Crunchy and nutty
- How to Cook
- Add 1 tablespoon of vegetable oil to a nonstick skillet and heat. Add 1 tablespoon of quinoa to the hot oil and cook uncovered over medium-high heat. Shake the pan to avoid burning. When the quinoa pops, you need to remove them immediately or it will burn.
- Comments
- Makes a popping sound but does not change in appearance
- Leftovers
- Add to overnight oats or mix with nut butter and eat with apple slices/bananas. Use as topping for desserts, soups, or salads.
4. Sorghum
- Popped Look
- Small, white/tan
- Popped Taste
- Crunchy, nutty, toasty
- How to Cook
- Add 2 tablespoons of sorghum to a dry, non-stick skillet and cook uncovered over medium-high heat. Shake the pan to avoid burning. When the sorghum pops, you need to remove them immediately or it will burn.
- Comments
- My favorite – does not have hulls
- Leftovers
- Use as a topping for salads, cereals, or ice cream.
5. Wild Rice
- Popped Look
- Small, white
- Popped Taste
- Crunchy and nutty
- How to Cook
- Add 1 tablespoon of vegetable oil to a shallow nonstick skillet and heat to medium-high heat. Add 2 tablespoons of wild rice and blend with the oil, then cover and cook. Shake the pan to avoid burning.
- Comments
- Not a rice
- Leftovers
- Use as a garnish for salads instead of croutons or nuts. Try as a topping for soup or roasted vegetables.
What Kind of Salt Should I Use for Popcorn Alternatives?
When I cook popcorn or popcorn alternatives at home, I like to add salt without any other topping. When you talk to people about salting their popcorn, they will tell you they use regular table salt.
Most people do not know that there is a better alternative to table salt to use on popcorn. I know I did not find this out until I had already cooked popcorn hundreds of times.
The trick is that you want the salt to be small, and yes, I mean smaller than the regular table salt. The purpose is that the salt can get into the nooks and crannies of the popcorn and hitch a ride instead of falling to the bottom of the bowl.
We learned that the popcorn alternatives are even smaller than popped popcorn so we need a salt that will do its job and get into those nooks and crannies. You want a salt that is finely ground and looks like grains of sand you walk on at the beach.
My favorite is Celtic Sea Salt – Fine Ground. The container is a shaker so no need to transfer it to another container.
There is also salt available at the store that is labeled popcorn salt and is much more affordable. Salt is a personal preference for each person as I know there are many that cannot add salt to their food for one reason or another.
Packaged Alternatives to Popcorn
If you are over the experience of popping popcorn or just do not have the time or desire to wash more dishes after a long day, then I have the solution for you. You can purchase many of these ancient grains from your local health food store, already popped. You can also order these online from Amazon and with Amazon Prime, be enjoying these delicious desserts in 2 days.
- You can purchase popped amaranth from Amazon
- You can purchase popped/puffed buckwheat from Amazon
- You can purchase popped/puffed quinoa from Amazon
- You can purchase popped/puffed Sorghum from Amazon. There are so many flavors and companies to choose from as this is a more mainstream popcorn alternative. I like the avocado and sea salt flavor.
- I have not been able to locate any packaged popped wild rice.
There are plenty of healthy alternatives to popcorn and I would recommend you try them all until you find the one that you like the best. Some you can cook with oil and some you cook in the skillet with no oil, but they all have one thing in common: shake the pan to keep from burning your goodies.
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