Celery Free Dairy Free Smoky Ranch Queso Popcorn
Smoky, cheesy, and just a little spicy — this popcorn is the kind of snack that disappears before the movie even starts. Nutritional yeast does the heavy lifting here, delivering that savory, queso-like depth without any dairy, and it pairs beautifully with smoked paprika, cumin, and a kick of cayenne. The ranch vibe comes through in the dried dill and chives, rounding everything out into something that genuinely tastes like it shouldn't be this easy to make. Coconut oil acts as both the popping fat and the seasoning binder, so every kernel gets coated in that bold, smoky paste. There's no celery seed or celery salt hiding in this blend — just a clean lineup of spices you can feel good about. It's a completely plant-based, allergy-friendly snack that doesn't ask you to compromise on flavor, which is honestly rare in the seasoned popcorn world. Make a big batch, because one bowl is never enough.
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Learn more →Ingredients
4 servings
For the popcorn
- ⅓ cup popcorn kernels
- 2 tbsp coconut oil
For the seasoning
- 3 tbsp coconut oil
- 3 tbsp nutritional yeast
- 1 tsp smoked paprika
- 1 tsp garlic powder
- 1 tsp onion powder
- ½ tsp dried dill
- ½ tsp dried chives
- ½ tsp ground cumin
- ¼ tsp cayenne pepper
- ¾ tsp fine sea salt
- ¼ tsp ground black pepper
Instructions
- 1
Heat 2 tbsp coconut oil in a large pot over medium-high heat. Add 3 popcorn kernels, cover, and wait until all 3 kernels pop — this signals the oil is hot enough. Add the remaining kernels in a single layer, cover, and cook, shaking the pot every 15–20 seconds, until the popping slows to about 2 seconds between pops. Remove from heat immediately and transfer the popcorn to a large mixing bowl, discarding any unpopped kernels.
- 2
In a small saucepan, melt 3 tbsp coconut oil over low heat until just liquid. Remove from heat and stir in the nutritional yeast, smoked paprika, garlic powder, onion powder, dried dill, dried chives, ground cumin, cayenne pepper, fine sea salt, and ground black pepper until a uniform paste forms.
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