Popcorn is one of the best snacks around! It's tasty, portable and simple to make. It's no secret that popcorn is a treat that's loved by many, but what is it about popcorn that makes it nearly irresistible? We believe that popcorn's fame is mainly due to its versatility. Popcorn can be customized to include sweet, savory and even spicy ingredients, making it the perfect snack no matter your cravings. If you're itching to branch out and try a new popcorn recipe, then you're in the right spot. At Bob's Red Mill, we've tried several different types of popcorn, from Curry Coconut Popcorn to Nacho Popcorn. And while we have our favorites, one style of popcorn stands out amongst the rest. Truffle popcorn is not only delicious, but contrary to what you may think, it's easy to make too. If you're a fan of truffle's slightly salty flavoring, then you'll love it paired with freshly popped homemade popcorn. Continue reading to learn more about truffles and how you can work them into your next popcorn recipe.

What Is Truffle?

Wondering what truffle is? Not to be confused by the sweet bite-sized pieces of chocolate that go by the same name, most savory menu items that include truffles refer to a rare and delicious form of mushroom. A fungi grown in the soils near the roots of trees like oat and hazelnut, truffles are primarily produced in concentrated areas of the world, including China, North Africa, New Zealand, France, Italy, the Pacific Northwest and the Middle East.

Are Truffles Mushrooms?

Now, are truffles fungi or mushrooms? Truffles are both. The spore-bearing body of the truffle is considered a type of mushroom. However, a few qualities set truffles apart from other varieties of mushroom. The most significant difference between truffles and mushrooms is that truffles grow underground, while mushrooms typically grow above ground. Additionally, edible truffles don't taste much like traditional mushrooms. While they both may share an earthy flavor, they are easily distinguished upon taste.

How Are Truffles Located?

Black truffle with knife over rustic wooden cutting board

Now, if truffles grow underground, you're probably wondering how they're located. Searching for truffles as a human can be pretty time-consuming. In addition, truffles are not easy to detect, even if you know where to look for them. Luckily, pigs have a natural instinct to forage for food underground, and their keen sense of smell allows them to detect a truffle that's buried up to 3 feet beneath soil. Knowing this, pigs and sometimes dogs have been trained to seek out truffles in areas where they have been grown. However, that's not to say that all truffles make it into human hands. Pigs enjoy eating truffles, and because of this, many truffle treasure hunters have switched to utilizing dogs instead.

What Do Truffles Taste Like?

There are several varieties of truffles, and while most embody a sort of earthiness, they vary in taste. Black truffles have a pungent aroma, and when cooked, the flavor is described as woody, earthy, nutty, mushroom-like and a bit chocolatey. On the other hand, white truffles are more subtle and produce a more musky aroma and light garlicky flavor. Commonly served on pasta, salads and certain meats, truffles are essential in several cuisines. What's more, people love the flavor of truffles so much that they've made other products such as truffle oil, truffle butter, truffle salt and even truffle-infused cheese.

Truffle Popcorn Recipe

When making popcorn, seasonings and spices are often used to create a satisfying flavor without weighing the snack down. While we don't recommend adding whole truffles to your next popcorn recipe, we do suggest adding a bit of truffle oil and truffle salt. These two ingredients alone will add a unique flavor to your popcorn while satisfying all of your truffle cravings. Eager to make a batch of your own? Try out the recipe below. Ingredients

cup Bob's Red Mill White Popcorn
2 Tbsp Canola Oil
2 Tbsp Butter
2 tsp Truffle Oil
tsp Truffle Salt

Instructions

Add two tablespoons of canola oil and one teaspoon of truffle oil to a large 6-7 quart pot.
Add three popcorn kernels to the pot and set the heat to high.
Once the three kernels have popped, add the rest of the popcorn and cover the pot with a lid.
Shake the pan regularly, ensuring that all kernels receive heat. At this time, the popcorn will begin popping.
When popping slows down to 1-2 seconds between pops, remove the pot from heat and shake the kernels for a few more seconds.
Pour the popcorn into a large bowl.
Wipe the pot to remove crumbs.
Add one teaspoon of truffle oil and butter to the pan.
Without returning the pan to heat, allow the butter to melt.
Pour melted butter over popcorn, tossing to distribute the butter, and sprinkle with truffle salt.
Serve and enjoy!

Tips For Creating Healthier Popcorn Recipes

Now, we've talked about how delicious popcorn recipes like the truffle popcorn above taste, but we haven't exactly touched on the health benefits. While popcorn may get a bad rap for being a buttery movie theater treat, it's not that bad for you when made with healthy ingredients. To help you create an entirely guilt-free popcorn recipe, we've rounded up a few of our favorite tips and tricks for making lighter-style popcorn.

Choose a Healthy Oil

When making popcorn on the stovetop, opt for oil with health benefits. Oils like olive oil, avocado oil and coconut oil are often praised for the healthy fats they contain and make for a great option when cooking popcorn. Opt for the stovetop method when cooking popcorn to ensure that some of these healthy fats make it into your bowl of popcorn.

Manage Portion Sizes

When making a popcorn recipe as tasty as the truffle popcorn above, it's easy to go overboard and consume more than one serving in a sitting. While the actual serving size will depend on the recipe you're making, be cautious about how much you portion out and the additional toppings you add. Though it might not look like much, the calorie count can go up quickly once you start adding toppings.

Use Butter Sparingly

Did you know that the secret to a movie theater's buttered popcorn flavor isn't butter at all? Instead of butter, most movie theaters pop their popcorn in oil with a butter flavoring. And while you may be tempted to try and recreate that flavor at home with actual butter, we don't suggest doing so. Aside from the hidden calories, adding too much butter to homemade popcorn can weigh it down, resulting in a soggy mess. When making a recipe that calls for butter, stick to the amount recommended and nothing more. For a light popcorn recipe that's butter-free, make this Herb and Ollie Popcorn.

Avoid Sweeteners and Chemicals When Possible

Most savory popcorn recipes can be made without any sweeteners and make for an excellent, low-sugar snacking option between meals. That being said, when making sweet popcorn treats, we understand that avoiding sugars is easier said than done. So, if you're following a sweet recipe that calls for artificial sugars, seek out natural sweeteners that can be used as a replacement. For example, natural maple syrup and coconut sugar are natural sweeteners that taste delicious when added to a dessert popcorn recipe and can often be substituted for other sweeteners at a 1-to-1 ratio. Additionally, when making popcorn recipes like the truffle popcorn recipe above, make sure you're purchasing truffle oil and salt, that is made from truffles and the best oil for popcorn that are not from artificial flavorings. For a naturally sweet popcorn recipe, make this Vanilla Protein Popcorn.

Create a List of Light Popcorn Toppings

Popcorn doesn't have to be flavored with heavy ingredients and syrups. In fact, some of our favorite popcorn recipes are flavored with just a bit of herb and spices. The next time you're looking to spice up your popcorn recipe, reach for some natural truffle salt, chili powder, or chives. Just a sprinkle or two of each is sure to add a kick of flavor to your popcorn without bombarding it with calories. For a popcorn recipe that is just as light as delicious, make this Chia Chili Lime Popcorn.

Add Protein

Though popcorn is a popular snack, it's not always regarded as the most filling. To help keep your cravings under control and feel fuller for longer, add a protein powder like Bob's Red Mill Almond Protein Powder to the ingredients list. Not only will it provide you with an additional source of protein, but it can also help turn your favorite popcorn recipe into a nutritious snack. For a protein-packed popcorn recipe, make this Chocolate Peanut Butter Protein Popcorn. Now that you know how to create truffle popcorn from scratch, it's time to head to the kitchen and make a batch of your own. Use the tips and tricks above to ensure that your next bowl of popcorn is the healthiest yet. From everyone at Bob's Red Mill, happy snacking!

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Truffle Popcorn Recipe

Truffle Popcorn Recipe

Truffle Popcorn Recipe

What Is Truffle?

Are Truffles Mushrooms?

How Are Truffles Located?

What Do Truffles Taste Like?

Truffle Popcorn Recipe

Tips For Creating Healthier Popcorn Recipes

Choose a Healthy Oil

Manage Portion Sizes

Use Butter Sparingly

Avoid Sweeteners and Chemicals When Possible

Create a List of Light Popcorn Toppings

Add Protein

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