Trader Joe's New Piquant Popcorn Features An Umami Blast Of Flavor

If you've been craving a savory snack to offset all those sweet Valentine's Day goodies (like yummy chocolate-covered strawberries and cheesecake bars), you'll want to get your hands on Trader Joe's newest snack. The alliterratively dubbed, Piquant Popcorn, is full of umami goodness yet in true popcorn fashion, packs a major flavor punch while remaining light and airy. The snack features garlic powder, onion powder, sea salt, and nutritional yeast, aka our favorite vegan cheesy powder. But in addition to being an excellent parmesan replacement, nutritional yeast also features a deep nutty flavor — and when all this is mixed into Trader Joe's buttery popcorn, you get a decidedly crave-worthy snack that will set you back just $2.99.

Of course, Piquant Popcorn makes an ideal companion to Netflix and chill nights, so if you're staying in for Valentine's Day, you may want to pick up a bag. But that's not all it's good for — because the snack won't send you into a food coma, it can be a great way to break up meetings in the middle of a work day. And if you are making a sweet spread for dessert, a savory snack is the perfect inclusion to balance out all that sugar.

Trader Joe's is no stranger to fun popped corn flavors — nor even umami-packed ones, for that matter. In the fall of 2023, the grocer stocked its shelves with a limited-time Thanksgiving popcorn inspired by the classic holiday dish, stuffing. The savory treat featured herbs (thyme, sage, and parsley) mixed with seasonings (celery seed and black pepper). The chain also offers seasonal bags like its White Truffle Popcorn with French sea salt and Italian white truffles, and Organic Popcorn with Olive Oil, which sticks to simple ingredients like sea salt and EVOO. Of course, you can also elevate a regular old bag of the snack by sprinkling on several Trader Joe's seasonings, like the Everything but the Elote Seasoning Blend.

If you want to jazz up your umami-packed piquant bag even more, try tacking on a few extra ingredients for a greater depth of flavor. Dried capers can lend a wonderful tang that can balance out some of the popcorn's saltiness while blending butter and Marmite on top can amp up the umami sensation even more. 

If you're going for the ultimate sweet-savory juxtaposition, sprinkle M&M's, mini marshmallows, and chocolate-covered raisins into the mix; and if you want a little spice, drizzle hot honey on too. Whether it's Valentine's Day or just a casual Tuesday, you'll easily end up with a crave-worthy snack.