An easy and deliciously savoury soy sauce butter popcorn recipe that is loaded with umami- you won't be able to stop snacking!
If you've not tried butter and soy sauce mixed together, you're missing out! This umami packed sauce tastes amazing with so many ingredients, such as pasta, pork and these butter soy mushrooms that are on the table in under 30 minutes.
Since you're on this page, I'm guessing you're looking for a popcorn recipe. Besides this soy sauce and butter popcorn, I also have an easy 3-ingredient spicy popcorn recipe and this scrumptious salted egg popcorn. For those new to homemade popcorn, here's a 101 introduction to popping corn on the stove.
Variations
- Spicy: Add chilli powder or chilli oil to the soy sauce and butter popcorn.
- Garlic: Generously sprinkle with garlic powder.
- Something a little more sophisticated: add a splash of soju, mirin or shaoxing wine when heating the butter and soy sauce (Don't add this if you're melting the butter in the microwave, as the alcohol won't be cooked off, and the flavour won't be the same.)
- Butterscotch flavours: brown the butter and use dark soy sauce or sweet soy sauce in place of light soy sauce.
Tips
- Melted butter soy sauce are quite liquid, which is why I have ghee in my recipe too, to make a compound butter.
- If you don't use ghee, you can use coconut oil instead for this butter soy sauce popcorn.
- Use unsalted butter- if your butter is salted, it may become too salty when you add the soy sauce.
- If you don't want to stand at the stove, you can melt your butter in the microwave then stir in the light soy sauce.
FAQ
When the dried corn kernel is heated, the water inside turns to steam. The pressure builds till it becomes too much and then pops into an airy and fluffy piece of popcorn! That's why some recipes tell you to soak old kernels before popping them- however, that can be counterproductive. I've used out-of-date corn kernels that popped even without soaking. In fact, the aded water made fewer of the corn kernels pop!
Other Asian snack recipes
Soy sauce butter popcorn
Equipment
- Deep pot with lid Only if popping popcorn on the stove
- Skillet/ pan Substitute: microwave
Ingredients
- ⅓ Cup pop corn kernels
- 2 Tablespoons butter You can brown the butter if you want a more caramel flavour
- 2 Tablespoons ghee Substitute: coconut oil
- 1-2 Tablespoons light soy sauce Start with 1 tablespoon, then taste as different soy brands have different levels of saltiness. If the sauce isn't there yet, add another tablespoon.
- Garlic powder, chilli flakes, onion powder etc Optional (if you want some variety)
Instructions
- Pop your corn whichever way you like. (I have a beginner's guide to making stovetop popcorn here.)
- Heat a pan and melt the butter and ghee (or coconut oil). Lower the fire if necessary to make sure the butter doesn't boil.
- Once the butter is completely melted, add the soy sauce and mix well, letting it simmer for a bit then switching off the fire.
- If making 1 of the variations of this soy sauce and butter popcorn, now is the time to add the chilli, garlic powder etc
- Turn off the fire and allow the butter soy sauce mixture to cool slightly.
- Once cooler, pour it over the popcorn and make sure the kernels are well tossed.
Jen says
Love how the creaminess of the butter goes with the savoury soy. Will try the sauce with pasta over the weekend
Zen says
Thanks Jen, soy and butter goes together so well don't they?