For those following a ketogenic diet, the desire for familiar snacks can be a challenge. Popcorn, a classic movie-night treat, is unfortunately high in carbohydrates, making it unsuitable for keto. However, with a little creativity, it's possible to enjoy a "keto popcorn" experience that satisfies your cravings without derailing your diet. This article explores several keto-friendly alternatives that mimic the texture and flavor of popcorn, using ingredients like cheese and pork belly.
Cheese Pops: The Ultimate Keto Popcorn Substitute
When following a Keto diet, popcorn is not an option! Real popcorn is not keto. It is low in calories and delicious with a mixture of salty, crunchy and buttery characteristics that are quite irresistible. One cup of air-popped popcorn contains just under 6 net carbs, however, a typical serving of popcorn is more than 4-5 times that size - 30 grams of net carbs.
Cheese pops, often called "puffed cheese," are a savory and crunchy snack made entirely from cheese. This makes them an ideal substitute for popcorn on a ketogenic diet. The simple recipe requires only one key ingredient: cheese. The best texture is achieved by drying out the cheese first, which helps them crisp and puff up like legit cheese puffs.
Ingredients and Preparation
Any cheese from a block can be used, so pick whichever you prefer. Sharp cheddar and parmesan will satisfy you quicker than mild, pre-sliced cheddar. The latter, however, tastes more like "real" popcorn. Readers have told me that Gouda, Edam and provolone also work well. You cannot use Mozzarella for the recipe, it is too soft.
- Cheese: Choose a block of your favorite cheese. Cheddar, Parmesan, Gouda, Edam, and provolone are all good options.
- Preparation: Slice the cheese into 1/4 to 1/2 inch cubes or crumble it with your hands. Don't make the pieces any larger or they won't dry out.
- Drying: Place the cheese pieces on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Cover with a kitchen towel or muslin to prevent dust accumulation and let it sit in a warm, dry place for up to 3 days. You want the cheese to be completely hard and dry and not rubbery. The longer the cheese dries out, the better the consistency. You can use a dehydrator to speed up the drying process. Keep it at a low temperature.
- Baking: Preheat the oven to 200 Celsius / 400 Fahrenheit. Scatter the dried cheese on a baking tray lined with parchment paper and bake for 4-5 minutes until the cheese pops. Keep an eye on the oven. Even a few minutes of overcooking can cause the puffs to deflate.
- Cooling and Serving: Remove from the oven and let cool completely. Use a paper towel to soak up any excess oil. There is no real need to add additional flavor as this recipe tastes delicious as it is.
Tips for Perfect Cheese Pops
- Patience: Cheese will only puff up if it is dry and hard. If it is not, it will just melt. The longer you leave it out to dry the better. I recommend 72 hours.
- Size matters: The cubes must be between ¼ and ½ inch - no larger. Size is important.
- Don't skip drying: If the cheese is not TOTALLY dried out or if the pieces are too large, it will melt rather than pop.
- Cool completely: Wait until the cheese puffs have cooled fully.
Customizing Your Cheese Pops
Easy to customize with your favorite flavorings. While cheese pops are delicious on their own, you can easily customize them with various flavorings:
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- Kettle corn
- Salted caramel
- Cheddar cheese
- Butter
- Ranch
- Parmesan garlic
Storage
To freeze: Store the popcorn in a freezer bag and freeze for up to 3 months. Alternatively, freeze for up to 3 months.
Does Puffed Cheese Taste Like Popcorn?
Like with all keto substitutes, puffed cheese does not taste EXACTLY like real popcorn. But it has a similar texture and flavor. It is a little salty, which means you're satisfied quickly.
Keto Caramel Popcorn: A Sweet and Savory Indulgence
This low carb & refined sugar free (!!) caramel popcorn is everything you would expect… and more! Lightly coated with a variation of my keto caramel, it results in a crisp, sweet and salty delight.
I’ve a feeling many of you will be surprised (I know I was!) that one cup of popcorn only has 5g net carbs. Plus, if you’re into curving your glucose spikes via smart food combos (the best way to ‘do keto’ imho as you’re much less restricted), you’ll already know that dressing your carbs (i.e. the popcorn here) with a good amount of fat (you guessed it, the caramel!) will flatten your GI spike substantially.
Oh! I mean, its fairly unbelievable that you can make a keto version if you consider that caramel is essentially a burnt sugar sauce (!!). And guess what? But because neither sugar alcohols nor allulose burn the same way as sugar, I took the dulce the leche route to bring you this sugar free caramel.
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Now, while dulce de leche requires roughly a 2 hours simmer to reduce and brown the sugar, neither sugar alcohols nor allulose are reducing sugars so that wouldn’t quite do it either. Keep in mind that blackstrap molasses is considered a low glycemic sugar. One teaspoon (7g) adds 5g net carbs, so just 0.4g net carbs a serving (i.e. half the sugar of a strawberry!).
Baking soda! So you’ll be adding a small amount into the caramel at the very end of cooking: it will bubble up rapidly (this is why pretty please use a larger dutch oven here), and immediately pour it over your prepared popcorn.
Ingredients
You’ve got a couple options here, and know that the recipe was thoroughly tested with allulose (my favorite sweetener by a mile really), xylitol (try and use non-corn to avoid tummy problems), and erythritol.
- Allulose and xylitol work equally well. The resulting keto caramel is luscious and sticky, with no thickener required.
- Now, erythritol is a bit tricker guys as it tends to crystalize once cool (you can always reheat it?). So if you’re not into the blackstrap molasses, try using of the brown erythritol sweeteners (say Lakanto Golden or Swerve Brown).
How much sweetener? Now this is the question. Traditional caramel uses about 1 cup of sugar, but in my opinion 1/3 cup of sweetener for keto palates is more than enough. As allulose is 30% less sweet than sugar (and xylitol), I did 1/2 cup (but you can probably do with just 1/3 cup for a lightly sweetened caramel). With xylitol I tried with 1/4 and 1/3 cup and they both worked great (just depends how sweet you like it, and what you're using it for).
For the low carb caramel popcorn
Get your popcorn ready! You can either buy a bag of (salted!) buttered popcorn or pop your own. One batch of caramel is enough for 4 to 5 cups, depending on how coated you like it. Transfer to a lined baking tray and set aside.
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For the keto caramel
See video for how to whip up my keto caramel. The one difference will be that you'll be adding a touch of baking soda at the very end (for easier coating and a candy-like texture).
Add butter to a large dutch oven over medium/low heat and simmer, stirring every so often, until fully browned (about 5 minutes). (My top tip: I like to use salted butter for a salted caramel version!) Add in the sweetener, heavy cream and salt (leave out if using salted butter), stirring until fully combined. Add in the molasses (optional), and stir briefly until just combined. Simmer over very low heat for 15 minutes (don't stir at all!), taste for seasoning.
Note: if your caramel splits (too high temperature is usually the culprit!), you might still be able to save it. Remove it from the heat, allow the mixture to cool down for about 5 minutes, bring it back on the stovetop over low heat, and gently whisk in a tablespoon of water until it comes back together (should happen almost instantly).
To assemble
Mix in the baking soda into the caramel at the very end: it will bubble up rapidly (this is why we're using a larger dutch oven here), and immediately pour it over your prepared popcorn. Rapidly mix it for even coating with a spatula, sprinkle some flaky sea salt (optional, but highly suggested) and set aside to cool completely.
- I looove salted caramel, and using salted butter adds an incredible depth that you simply don't get by just adding salt.
- Please see section on sweeteners for full deets!
Pork Belly "Popcorn": A Savory and Unique Option
This recipe offers a savory alternative using pork belly, providing a crunchy and flavorful snack that aligns with the keto diet's high-fat, low-carb principles.
Ingredients
- ½ cup (105 g) coconut oil
- 1¼ lbs (570 g) pork belly, cut into 1 by ½ inch (2.5 by 1.25 cm) pieces
- 1 teaspoon grey sea salt
- ¾ teaspoon five spice
- ⅓ cup (80 ml) chicken, beef, or pork stock
- ¼ cup (60 ml) avocado oil
- 2 teaspoons sriracha
- 1 tablespoon coconut aminos
- 1 teaspoon erythritol
- ½ teaspoon garlic powder
- ½ teaspoon finely diced fresh ginger
Instructions
- Prepare the Pork Belly: When looking for pork belly, it’s best to choose a cut that doesn’t include the skin. You can ask your butcher for what’s what. If you end up getting a cut with the skin, you can cut it off like you would chicken skin. It’s a bit harder to separate but worth it. I don’t enjoy keto popcorn with the skin on, I feel like it downgrades the flavor and makes it challenging to eat.
- Cook the Pork Belly: Place coconut oil in a large pan set to medium-high. Toss the pork belly pieces in salt and five spice. Once the coconut oil melts completely, add the pork belly pieces. Cover with a splashguard and cook for 20 minutes, rotating halfway through. Once complete, strain and reserve the fat for another day.
- Prepare the Sauce: Meanwhile, combine all of the sticky sauce ingredients (chicken stock, avocado oil, sriracha, coconut aminos, erythritol, garlic powder, and ginger) in a small saucepan. Set on medium-low. Once boiling, keep going for 10 minutes. Whisking every 2 minutes.
- Serve: Transfer the sauce to a small serving bowl and serve alongside the keto popcorn.