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What’s not to love about my Italian Popcorn? It’s drizzled with garlic‑infused melted butter and sprinkled with dried basil. But wait, it gets better! It’s then topped with grated Parmesan and crispy prosciutto for the perfect salty finish. You tell me after you try it!

Popcorn with toppings in serving bowl


The smell of popping corn is one of those scents that gets you excited for what’s to come—especially because you can add any ingredients you like.

Table of contents

Ingredients

  • Popcorn kernels
  • Olive oil
  • Butter
  • Garlic
  • Parmesan cheese
  • Prosciutto


Do they eat popcorn in Italy?


Popcorn isn’t really a popular snack in Italy—it’s more of an American favorite. But there’s no reason you can’t borrow Italy’s delicious flavors and give your popcorn an Italian twist. Don’t you love a good food theme? Check out my Mexican Popcorn with a tasty south-of-the-border flavor mix, a deliciously sweet Apple Cider Caramel Popcorn, and a fun Halloween Popcorn—all pictured below.

A rectangle bowl of Mexican popcorn with lime wedges
A silver bucket of of apple cider caramel popcorn
A spooky mummy hand holding Halloween popcorn

Garlic infused melted butter


Every great popcorn needs a generous drizzle of butter, but I took it a step further by adding Italian garlic flavor. Whole garlic cloves are slowly cooked in melted butter to infuse it with a subtle garlic taste, then removed. This way, you get the delicious garlic flavor without biting into any garlic bits.

No salt popcorn


There’s no need for salt in this recipe because a generous sprinkle of grated Parmesan adds plenty of flavor and salt. Plus, the crispy prosciutto crumbles provide a lovely, salty bite.

4 slices of crispy prosciutto

Crispy prosciutto


In addition to being very Italian, crispy prosciutto adds a salty, savory crunch—kind of like fancy bacon bits—without overwhelming the popcorn (pictured above). It pairs beautifully with Italian-inspired seasonings. Furthermore, I love crispy prosciutto so much, I made a whole post about How to Make Crispy Prosciutto.

What IS crispy prosciutto?


It’s thinly sliced Italian dry-cured ham that’s been cooked until golden and crunchy—kind of like fancy bacon! When heated (usually in the oven), prosciutto loses its soft, chewy texture and turns delightfully crisp. It’s salty, savory, slightly nutty, and you do not want to skip this tasty topping.

Can I use microwave popcorn?


Yes, you absolutely can! Using microwave popcorn as a base is super convenient, and you can definitely add the Italian toppings. Just pop the bag as usual, then open it and toss the popcorn.

A closeup of popcorn topped with Parmesan cheese and crispy prosciutto

Tips for making popcorn from scratch

  • Use the right ratio of corn to oil: 1 cup kernels to 6 tablespoons oil.
  • Use extra-virgin olive oil—it has a higher smoke point and keeps with the Italian flavor theme.
  • Stir the kernels in the oil so they get coated and heat evenly, ensuring they all pop.
  • Use a heavy-bottomed pan for even heat distribution, and make sure it has a lid.
  • Make sure the pan has a large enough surface area to spread the kernels in an even, single layer. Overcrowding traps steam, so work in smaller batches if needed. This allows better air circulation and more even popping without moisture buildup.
  • Keep the lid slightly tilted so steam can escape; otherwise, trapped moisture can make the popcorn soggy or chewy.
  • Shake the pan while popping so all kernels heat evenly.
  • Use the sound of the popping to know when to remove from heat—when popping slows down significantly, it’s time.
  • Drizzle butter over slightly cooled popcorn, as adding it too soon can make it soggy.
  • Add your toppings in the serving bowl so none get lost.

Best pan for popping popcorn


A heavy, flat bottomed deep pan with a lid or Dutch oven. 

Best butter for popcorn


Clarified butter is best. You can easily make your own by melting butter over medium-low heat and skimming off the white foam (which is the milk solids) from the top, leaving you with rich, golden clarified butter. Unlike regular butter, clarified butter won’t make your popcorn soggy because the milk solids have been removed.

Bonus tip


To revive slightly chewy popped corn, toss it in a 250°F (120°C) oven for about 5–10 minutes to dry it out and crisp it back up before adding any toppings.

An overhead view of Italian popcorn in a bowl

Italian popcorn flavor variations


Use a premade Italian seasoning mix, or make your own by adding dried oregano, parsley, and rosemary to dried basil.

Yield: 4

Italian Popcorn

An Italian style decorative bowl filled with popcorn

Freshly popped popcorn topped with garlic infused melted butter with dried basil, Parmesan cheese and crispy prosciutto.

Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 15 minutes
Total Time 25 minutes

Ingredients

  • 1 cup (205 grams) corn kernels
  • 6 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
  • 8 tablespoons unsalted butter
  • 3 garlic cloves, peeled
  • 2 teaspoons dried basil
  • 1 cup (100 grams) Parmesan cheese, grated
  • 4 Prosciutto slices

Instructions

  1. Preheat oven to 400°F/200°C and place oven rack in center. Line a large baking sheet/tray with parchment paper.
  2. Line the slices on the baking pan evenly apart. Bake for 5 minutes. Allow to cool on the pan, they crisp more as they cool.
  3. Add the oil to a large heavy saucepan with lid or Dutch oven over medium heat. Add the kernels and stir to coat them all in the oil and make sure they are in an even layer. If the bottom of your pan is smaller and you can’t get them in a single layer, work in batches. 
  4. Place the lid on the pan leaving a small gap to allow steam to escape. Once they start popping, listen for the popping to speed up. Shake the pan slightly halfway through to ensure even popping. When you start to hear the popping slow down, turn off the heat. When the popping has completed stopped, remove lid so no moisture gets on the popcorn as this can make it soggy or chewy. Pour into your serving bowl.
  5. To a small pan add the butter and melt over medium-low heat. Once melted add the garlic cloves and allow the garlic to cook in the butter with the garlic for 5 minutes, to infuse the butter with flavor. Do not brown the garlic. Skim some of the white foam off the top. This is the milk solids so you’ll be left with clarified butter. Once the butter is fragrant and you can smell the garlic, remove the cloves. Save them for use in another recipe.
  6. Turn off the heat and stir in the dried basil.
  7. Drizzle the popcorn with half the butter, then toss to coat. Repeat with the rest of the butter. Top with the grated Parmesan cheese and crumble the prosciutto over the top.

Notes

Step-by-step video

Nutrition Information

Yield

4

Serving Size

1
Amount Per Serving Calories 483Total Fat 53gSaturated Fat 22gTrans Fat 0gUnsaturated Fat 28gCholesterol 102mgSodium 737mgCarbohydrates 12gFiber 1gSugar 2gProtein 17g

This nutrition calculation is provided by Nutronix that is only a guideline and not intended for any particular diet.

© Janette
Cuisine: American / Category: Snacks