Tex-Mex Chili-Lime Popcorn
Chili and lime is the flavor of Mexican and Tex-Mex street snacks, the dust that goes on everything from fruit to corn nuts, and it lands just as well on popcorn. The trick to seasoning popcorn without oil or salt is the acid: a fine mist of lime juice gives the ground chile, cumin, and oregano something to hold onto, and nutritional yeast adds a savory, almost cheesy backbone that reads as more than the sum of its spices. Pure ground chile carries the flavor while a pinch of cayenne sets the heat, so you can dial the burn up or down. It is a whole-grain snack that costs pennies a bowl, with none of the oil, salt, or butter that microwave bags come loaded with.
Ingredients
- 1/2 cup Popcorn kernels
- 1 1/2 tsp pure chile powder
- 1/2 tsp Cumin seed, ground
- 1/2 tsp Dried oregano
- 1/4 tsp Cayenne
- 2 tbsp Nutritional yeast
- 1 Lime, zested, plus a little juice
Method
- Air-pop the kernels, either in an air popper or in a folded paper bag in the microwave. Whole corn pops on its own steam, so it needs no oil at all to get there.
- Stir the chile powder, cumin, oregano, cayenne, nutritional yeast, and lime zest together in a small bowl. Premixing means the seasoning lands evenly instead of clumping on a few pieces.
- Mist the hot popcorn very lightly with lime juice, from a spray bottle or flicked off wet fingers, then toss. A whisper of acid is what makes the powder cling with no oil or butter, but too much turns it soggy, so keep it to a light spritz.
- Add the spice mix and toss again, then spread the popcorn on a tray for a couple of minutes to re-crisp before serving.
Nutrition
Estimated per serving: 110 calories, 3 g protein, 4 g fiber, 5 mg sodium. Computed from USDA FoodData Central reference values for the main ingredients. This is an approximation, not a laboratory measurement. How these are computed.
Cost per serving is estimated from US national-average retail prices for cheap staple forms, using BLS dried-bean prices and USDA produce prices. Prices vary by store and season, so treat it as a guide, not a receipt. How this is computed.
