popcorn what?!? While I will do my best to describe it, this is a recipe that you have to taste to believe.
If you’re looking for a truly unique salad to bring to a summer picnic, potluck, or cookout, you have to try this popcorn salad.
It will get people talking.
How does popcorn salad taste?
The base of this salad is popcorn, but the rest of the ingredients add flavor and texture. Think of this as a good summertime pasta salad recipe — with bacon, cheese, scallions, celery, water chestnuts, and a rich mayonnaise-based dressing — except it’s popcorn instead of pasta.
The popcorn doesn’t add much flavor, it adds more texture and crunch.
It’s not unlike a cornbread salad.
What’s the best way to find out what this salad tastes like? Do it yourself!
What you need to make popcorn salad
- Popcorn: I recommend buying packaged popcorn to make sure it’s crispy and crunchy (sometimes homemade popcorn gets mushy)
- bacon: Fry yourself or buy the salad bar at the supermarket
- Cheese: Shredded cheddar is a perfect choice for this salad
- water chestnuts: Add a nice crunch
- Green Onions: Add some bite and freshness
- Mayo-based sauce: mayonnaise, garlic, sugar, nutritional yeast (the secret ingredient!), apple cider vinegar, salt and pepper make this easy dressing
serving suggestions
Treat this salad like a good summer pasta salad. Surcharge:
Popcorn is delicious, versatile, and budget-friendly. It’s about time it took center stage!
But really… is popcorn salad good?
I’m glad you asked!
People have strong opinions about popcorn salad. Many are in the “ugh, that’s gross” category.
But for me, growing up in a small town in Minnesota where you would see almost anything at a church potluck, this isn’t exactly a strange dish to me. I’m pretty open minded when it comes to rural Midwest cuisine.
If you’re in the same camp, want to get your friends and family talking, or are just curious, you should try this salad. It’s crunchy and full of all sorts of delicious ingredients. While it’s not considered a pantry staple, I’d definitely recommend adding the nutritional yeast (see recipe below) as it does something magical when paired with popcorn.
This is my final plug: just do it. You may hate it but maybe you love it and then you have another new cheap recipe to add to your repertoire. Enjoy!
ingredients
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Popcorn in 5.5 ounce bag
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3 pieces of bacon, cooked and crumbled
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2 stalks of celery, finely chopped
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8-ounce can water chestnuts, drained and cut into small pieces
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1/2 cup shredded cheddar cheese
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2 spring onions, chopped
For the salad dressing
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2/3 cup mayonnaise
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1 teaspoon garlic powder
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2 teaspoons nutritional yeast (optional)
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1 teaspoon apple cider vinegar
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1 tablespoon of granulated sugar
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salt and pepper to taste
instructions
- Reserve some of the ingredients (bacon, cheese, and scallions) for topping the salad (optional).
- Whisk together the dressing ingredients and set aside.
- In a large mixing bowl, combine remaining popcorn, celery, water chestnuts, bacon, cheese and scallions. Add dressing and mix well to ensure all of the popcorn is covered.
- Top with reserved toppings. Serve immediately.