Dirty Martini Popcorn Might Be Your New Favorite Snack, Whether Or Not You Like The Cocktail

Let's face it: Watching a favorite movie or television series is always made better with a big bowl of flavorful popcorn. Aside from using ample amounts of butter and seasoning blends that transform popcorn, such as powdered cheddar cheese and ranch made with dried garlic, dill, and parsley, you may want to level up this classic snack with a whole new recipe. For an unconventional, cocktail-inspired twist, use butter, blue cheese, dried seasonings, a touch of vermouth, and chopped olives to make dirty martini popcorn.

If you're not a fan of dirty martinis, or martinis in general, you can still enjoy this one-of-a-kind snack thanks to the lack of hard alcohol. The salty combination of blue cheese, butter, and olives has a flavor that works well with neutral-tasting popcorn. Instead of blasting your taste buds with the flavor of vodka or gin, you're left with a tasty snack that's easy to eat.

To make dirty martini popcorn, cover homemade or bagged popcorn in melted butter infused with blue cheese, vermouth, and seasonings. Then, top your popcorn with a handful of chopped green olives and stir to combine. Since you're using both melted butter and cheese, prevent your popcorn from becoming soggy by reducing the amount of liquid from the olives. Drain and then pat olives dry with paper towels before adding them to the mix. While this unique snack is sure to pack a flavorful punch, there are a few ways to better ensure a deliciously crunchy end result.

If you're worried about the texture of crunchy popcorn kernels covered in melted butter, blue cheese, vermouth, and green olives, consider removing or reducing the amount of each added ingredient. For example, start with a smaller amount of butter and blue cheese. Alternatively, if you don't care for the botanical flavor of vermouth, skip this ingredient altogether.

You can also try a few substitute ingredients for a different flavor or resulting texture. For starters, if you're going the homemade route, make your popcorn taste like heaven with one simple swap and use bacon fat instead of vegetable oil to pop it. This simple substitute can give your popcorn more flavor from the start and may reduce the amount of butter and blue cheese you need to make this tasty recipe.

Additionally, if you're up for experimenting, instead of using jarred green olives, use a combination of dried herbs and spices to mimic their briny flavor. To achieve the flavor of green olives without any of the moisture, try and get your hands on an olive herb plant. For a bright green olive taste, combine fresh olive herb with robust spices like oregano, garlic, onion, and lemon zest. 

All in all, once you've mastered your desired version of this recipe, you may be ready to make a sweet-tasting alternative. For a sweet treat, top your next bowl of popcorn with a Texas Roadhouse favorite by whipping up your own distinct combination of butter, honey, and cinnamon.