Add 2 Ingredients To Popcorn Butter To Satisfy All Your Salty Cravings

Unless you've got a commercial popcorn popper (yes, you can buy one for your home), or your cupboard is stocked with the special salt that makes movie theater popcorn so delicious, it can be hard to replicate the classic, mouthwatering movie snack. So we suggest shaking things up a little when you're making popcorn at home. While we absolutely won't judge you for going the easy route, we think that making popcorn from scratch is just as easy as purchasing it from the store — and it will probably provide you with healthier and more delicious results. If the basic salt and butter combo just doesn't hit the flavor notes hard enough for you, we have an unusual-sounding suggestion: Try adding garlic and anchovies to your popcorn's buttery base. This bagna cauda-style seasoning brings an exciting flavor to the humble popcorn kernel you just can't get at the movie theater.

The Italian bagna cauda translates to "hot bath." It's a melted anchovy and garlic dip that is typically used to dip vegetables or meat in. Traditionally served in winter, it brings an oily, garlicky bite to elevate any corresponding flavor. Made with just oil, butter, garlic, and anchovies, the flavors combine to make a slightly pungent, ultra-umami dip that is served warm sort of like a fondue. Add its unique essence to the crispy-crunchy popcorn-making process, and you've got a sophisticated seasoning to serve on any occasion.

You may have tossed homemade popcorn with flavored oil, like a garlic-infused oil, for an elevated taste, but you probably haven't considered adding anchovies. Anchovies are a great way to bring in umami flavor, and are the salty hit all your dishes have been missing; in fact, if you add anchovies, you likely won't need any extra salt because their flavor is so bold and intense.

The best way to add bagna cauda seasoning to your popcorn is by infusing the ingredients into the butter you'll pour over the top. For a large bowlful of popcorn, mince 4 cloves of garlic, and chop up a few anchovy filets: Depending on how intense you want the flavor, you could use as few as 3 or as many as 6. Stir everything together for a few minutes on a medium heat, or until the anchovies have melted. To honor the original bagna cauda recipe, you can add 3 tablespoons of extra-virgin olive oil to the butter mix to help enhance the flavor of both star ingredients. Then pour the mixture over the popcorn, making sure it fully coats the whole batch.

If garlic and anchovy isn't enough for you, kick the recipe up a notch with crushed red pepper, paprika, or chili powder for some spice. If you think your popcorn needs a little pop of color instead, try adding some dried dill. Dill is almost like green confetti, and brings a whole lot of flavor wherever it's added. When mixed with garlic and anchovies, it may even be slightly reminiscent of dill pickles.