Can You Reheat Popcorn?
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Whether you’ve accidentally made too much popcorn, have a long movie marathon ahead of you, or enjoy making the most out of every snack, it’s completely normal to wonder if popcorn can be reheated. So, can you reheat popcorn? Let’s find out.
Popcorn can be reheated in the oven or the microwave in a matter of minutes or seconds. Most of the time, when popcorn is reheated, it doesn’t taste as fresh as just-popped popcorn, so you may need to re-season it before serving or consider an alternative method of reviving cold popcorn.
Popcorn is a delicious and nutritious whole grain food that can be enjoyed (more than once for those who read this article!) sweet or savory, while watching a movie, as part of a treat, or on its own as a healthy snack. Let’s find out more about the different ways you can reheat popcorn and what to keep in mind when doing so.
Can Popcorn Be Reheated?
Movie lovers, it’s time to rejoice because you can indeed reheat popcorn. When fresh, popcorn is fluffy and airy yet crisp and crunchy. But as everyone knows, when popcorn cools down, it picks up a stale taste and loses its fluffy texture. Who wants that?
You can reheat popcorn in one of two ways, both of which will be discussed in detail in today’s article, so just pick the reheating method you prefer:
- Reheat popcorn in the oven
- Reheat popcorn in the microwave
How Do You Reheat Popcorn In the Oven?
Reheating popcorn with the help of an oven is not only the easiest way to revive popped corn, but it’s also the most effective. This is because by placing the popcorn in the oven, you’re not just making it warmer, but you are also helping it regain its crisp texture.
To reheat popcorn in an oven, you’ll need:
- An oven
- Pre-popped popcorn
- A sheet of baking paper OR an oven-safe baking dish
- Preferred popcorn seasoning
Heat your oven to 250°F (120°C), set it to ‘bake,’ and wait five minutes before placing the popcorn inside. Once the oven has heated up, follow the specific instructions below, wait five to 10 minutes, season, serve, and enjoy.
If you’re using baking paper, line the oven tray with a sheet of baking paper and cover it with a single layer of evenly spread popcorn, and put the tray in the oven for a full five minutes.
If you’re using a baking dish, fill the dish up with popcorn, place it in the oven and bake it for five to 10 minutes.
No matter which of the oven above methods you use, you must keep a close eye on the popcorn when it’s in the oven and check on it regularly. Once you’ve finished reheating it, pour the popcorn into a bowl and season it as you normally would before digging in once again.
How Do You Reheat Popcorn In the Microwave?
Using a microwave to reheat popcorn is quick, easy, and oh-so-simple. Unlike using the oven, using a microwave to reheat your popcorn will not impact the texture of the popcorn, but it is a significantly quicker reheating method.
To reheat popcorn in a microwave, you’ll need:
- A microwave
- Pre-popped popcorn
- A microwave-safe dish
- Plastic wrap, paper towel, or microwave cover
- Preferred popcorn seasoning
Reheating popcorn in the microwave is a fantastic option for those who are short on time. While the oven method takes just a few minutes, the microwave method will see to it that you’re munching on reheated popcorn in a matter of mere seconds!
Place your popcorn in a microwave-safe dish and cover the dish using plastic wrap, a microwave cover, or a paper towel. Set the dish in the microwave for 20 to 30 seconds and remove it when it pings. Season it to your liking, transfer it to a bowl, and enjoy.
Factors To Keep in Mind When Reheating Popcorn
Just like making (or buying!) popcorn is pretty darn simple, reheating it is too. As quick, easy, and simple as reheating popcorn is, there are a few factors to keep in mind before doing so.
Understanding Unpopped Kernels When Reheating Popcorn
As any popcorn-lover knows, not all kernels pop when you want them to. But that doesn’t mean they won’t pop when they want them to! To avoid any nasty surprises when reheating popcorn, remove all unpopped kernels from the rest of the popcorn.
In the microwave, unpopped kernels will pop faster than the already-popped popcorn will reheat. Unpopped kernels will not pop in the oven, but rather, they will burn completely. This could impact the taste of the reheated popcorn puffs around it.
Use All of Your Senses While Reheating Popcorn
Because the popcorn you’re working with has already been cooked and exposed to heat, the risk of the popcorn burning is pretty high. Whether you use the oven or the microwave, when reheating the popcorn, be sure to keep a close eye, ear, and nose on how the reheating process is going.
If you smell burning, immediately stop the reheating process. The same applies if you see any blackening or hear any unexpected pops.
Reheating Popcorn Isn’t Your Only Option: Consider Alternatives
When you reheat popcorn, you’ll also have to re-season it to get rid of the stale taste we all know and hate. But you can revive popcorn in ways other than reheating it if you don’t have access to an oven or microwave.
Instead of reheating popcorn, you can also consider:
- Creating caramel popcorn
- Creating popcorn ice cream
- Creating popcorn pakora
- Using the popcorn as an ingredient in trail mix or granola
- Using the popcorn to make popcorn chicken
How Will You Reheat Your Popcorn?
Popcorn is a snack like no other than deserves to be enjoyed more than once. Whether you chuck it in the oven or pop it in the microwave, reheating popcorn is a quick, easy, and effective way to turn popcorn into a long-lasting snack.
Now that you know exactly how to reheat popcorn, you can truly make the most of every kernel. Go on, get popping, heating, and munching!
