popcorn salad recipes
Food

14 Popcorn Salad Recipes That Are Big on Both Crunch and Flavor

Molly Meh’s viral popcorn salad recipe attracted a lot of attention, and for good reason! The idea of putting popcorn — not corn, mind you — in a salad sounded downright ridiculous until, of course, we humored ourselves by trying it out. And boy, did it deliver!

The exquisite flavors and distinct textures come together beautifully to create a unique salad. And thanks to a slew of food bloggers and chefs who have given the famous recipe their own spin, we now have a range of popcorn salad recipes to experiment with. Intrigued? Let’s go explore!

#1. Crunchy Popcorn Salad Recipe

A tasty salad that comes together in just 20 minutes, it’s just what you need when you’re looking for a quick snack on a busy weeknight. Add cheese strips into a veggie mixture, toss in a dressing made with sour cream, mustard, ranch dressing mix, mayo, and vinegar, then add in popped popcorn. Toss to combine and serve!

#2. Crunchy Popcorn Salad with Snap Peas

Take your popcorn salad up a few notches by adding snap peas to the mix for the golden coleslaw and Mexican salad touch. To make, add mayonnaise, sour cream, apple cider vinegar, mustard, and sugar in a bowl, then add veggies and celery followed by seasoned popcorn and toss to combine. Garnish (optional) to serve.

#3. Popcorn Salad

A classic popcorn salad recipe, make this incredibly simple and quick salad by combining freshly popped popcorn with crumbled cooked bacon, celery, mayonnaise, shredded carrot, sliced water chestnuts, minced chives, and shredded cheddar cheese. Once everything is combined, top it off with some more bacon and cheese for added flavor!

#4. Popcorn Salad – Contentedness Cooking

This popcorn salad boasts a delectable flavor profile! Made with ingredients like celery, carrots, and popcorn as well as dill, parsley, chives, chestnuts, vegan mayo, and bacon bites, it delivers an otherworldly texture and crunch that will satisfy even the pickiest of eaters.

#5. Popcorn Salad – Emmymade

This crunchy salad is chock-full of popcorn and doused in mayonnaise. To make this salad, pop a fresh batch of popcorn on the stove or in the microwave, toss it with cheese seasoning, then add it to a bowl with mayo dressing and veggies and combine. Garnish with celery leaves and spinach to serve.

#6. Popcorn Salad – Homemade Hooplah

A true classic, this popcorn salad recipe combines freshly popped popcorn with mayonnaise, fresh veggies like celery, carrots, and chives, as well as the powerful combo of bacon and cheese topped with crispy water chestnuts. With how delicious this salad is, you’ll be coming back to this recipe again and again.

#7. Popcorn Salad

This popcorn salad — equally soft and crunchy — is proof that even the strangest combinations can come together to create a fantastic dish that will leave you wanting more. All you need to do is combine mayonnaise, bacon, cheese, Greek yogurt, red wine vinegar, celery, carrots, water chestnuts, and, of course, popcorn. Top with cheese, bacon, and chives to serve!

#8. Popcorn Salad

This wonderful retro salad is everything you’ve ever wanted in a salad. Fresh celery, sharp cheddar cheese, water chestnuts, crumbled cooked bacon, carrots, black olives, mayonnaise, chives, lettuce, and popped popcorn come together to pack a powerful flavor and texture punch. It’s a simple yet flavorsome recipe that will grace the pages of your family cookbook for years to come.

#9. Popcorn Salad

This gluten-free popcorn recipe is perfectly savory and crunchy. To make, add mayonnaise, garlic powder, onion powder, salt, and pepper in a mixing bowl, then add the veggies, bacon, cheese, and popcorn to the mayonnaise mixture and toss to combine. Garnish with extra shredded cheese and chopped bacon (if desired) and serve on lettuce leaves for a refreshingly light dish.

#10. Double Corn Salad

Jamie Oliver’s take on the retro salad combined popping corn with corn on the corn to deliver this double dose of crunch! The popcorn is coated in spicy, sour Tabasco and combined with lettuce, spring onions, and grilled corn kernels. Add a generous drizzle of the dressing made with yogurt, garlic, mustard, Worcestershire sauce, cheddar, and blue cheese, and serve with fresh coriander on top!

#11. Popcorn Salad Recipe Inspired by Molly Yeh’s Viral Salad – Hello, Yummy

To make Hello, Yummy’s version of the viral popcorn salad, mix cheddar cheese, bacon, bagged SkinnyPop popcorn, red onions, and arugula for a peppery kick along with chopped carrots for some crunch. Then, toss the salad with a mayo-based dressing before serving to enjoy a delicious blend of textures and flavors.

#12. Spinach Salad with Soy Dressing and Popcorn Croutons

Freshly popped homemade popcorn add just the perfect amount of crunch to this incredibly healthy and tasty salad. Make it with baby spinach, snow peas, radish, scallions, and cucumber topped with a zesty dressing of soy sauce, lemon zest, orange juice, shallot, ginger, mustard, and honey. Serve with a generous helping of popcorn on top!

#13. Popcorn Salad

A delicious combination of sweet and salty, this recipe includes carrots and peas, cheddar cheese, and savory chopped bacon tossed with a dressing made of tangy apple cider vinegar, mayonnaise, sweet honey, celery seeds, salt, and pepper, as well as crunchy popcorn to create the perfect dish to bring to potlucks and other special events.

#14. Popcorn Salad

Instead of stir-frying the ingredients together, this recipe simply calls for using popcorns as croutons. To make, toss popcorn with seasonings in a dish, then add in arugula and onions, and drizzle with a vinaigrette made with garlic, vinegar, mustard, and a pinch of salt and pepper. Serve right away to enjoy this crunchy delight.

AboutRibana Hategan

Ribana is a certified pastry chef and passionate home cook who curates and develops recipes that are high on nutrition. She develops and tests cost effective, nutritious meals using quality ingredients to help people better their everyday eating experiences.