Rosemary Asiago Cheese Popcorn is a savory homemade popcorn recipe made on the stovetop with nutty Asiago cheese, fresh rosemary, olive oil, and plenty of salt. This easy stovetop popcorn is perfect for movie nights, game day snacks, or when plain buttered popcorn just feels boring.
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This is the savory popcorn recipe I make when I want something salty and a little different from regular buttered popcorn. The warm popcorn grabs onto the melted Asiago cheese while the rosemary adds an herby flavor that makes the whole bowl disappear fast around my house. We love it.
If you have some unexpected guests, this is a perfect snack to make; everyone can dig into some warm popcorn. Having company for the big game, this popcorn is the solution for that, too. When you need a snack, make a small batch of popcorn and enjoy a bowl just for yourself.
I happen to have several varieties of popcorn, and today I am using a Black Jewell popcorn. This is one of my favorites for flavor; it pops into small kernels with thin hulls, and, truthfully, I love the color.
People start grabbing handfuls of this popcorn straight from the bowl, and before long, I’m back in the kitchen popping more.
What To Expect From This Popcorn
- Type of recipe: Savory stovetop popcorn snack
- Cooking method: Stovetop, popped in a saucepan
- Skill level: Easy, stovetop cooking and tossing
- Flavors & textures: Crispy popcorn with nutty Asiago cheese, savory rosemary, and a salty finish
- Best for: Movie nights, game day snacks, party bowls, or afternoon snacking
Ingredients You’ll Need
Popcorn Kernels
Use good-quality popcorn kernels for the best flavor and texture. I like using Black Jewell popcorn because the kernels pop small with thinner hulls, which makes the popcorn easier to eat and great for holding onto the cheese and seasonings.
Olive Oil
Olive oil helps the popcorn pop evenly while adding a light, savory flavor. Use regular olive oil instead of extra-virgin, since it handles the heat better on the stovetop.
Asiago Cheese
Aged Asiago cheese adds a salty, nutty flavor that melts into the warm popcorn. Finely grated Asiago turns this into cheesy popcorn with lots of nutty flavor in every bite. Parmesan cheese can also be used if that’s what you have on hand. If you end up with extra Asiago, use it to make a batch of these savory Ham and Asiago Cheese Scones.
Fresh Rosemary
Fresh rosemary gives this popcorn a savory flavor that works really well with the cheese. Chop the rosemary very finely so you don’t end up with big woody pieces mixed into the popcorn.
Salt
Popcorn needs a good amount of salt to bring out all the flavors. Fine salt sticks to popcorn better than coarse salt, so season while the popcorn is still warm and toss well before serving.
How To Make Rosemary Popcorn
Making stovetop popcorn at home only takes a few minutes and gives you fresher flavor than microwave popcorn.
- Use a 3-quart saucepan with a handle and a lid.
- Set the pan on the stove at medium-high and add two tablespoons of oil.
- Let the oil get hot, then drop in a few kernels of corn, and when they start popping, add the rest of the corn.
- Put the lid on the pan and wait for the corn to start popping, then reduce the heat slightly and let the popcorn pop. If you can keep the lid slightly ajar, it lets steam out.
- Shake the pan gently over the burner until you no longer hear the corn popping.
- Pour the popcorn into a big bowl and add the grated asiago, chopped rosemary, and salt.
Use the biggest bowl you have so the cheese, rosemary, and salt can coat the popcorn evenly. Popcorn needs more salt than most people think, so season it while it’s still hot and taste as you go.
Tips For Crispy Stovetop Popcorn
Getting crisp stovetop popcorn is mostly about controlling steam and adding the toppings while everything is still hot. These simple tips help keep the popcorn crunchy and evenly coated with the cheese and seasonings.
- Keep the lid slightly open for steam
- Preheat the oil properly
- Use finely grated cheese
- Toss in a large bowl
- The seasonings stick best when the popcorn is still hot, so add the cheese, rosemary, and salt right away.
Easy Flavored Popcorn Variations
This flavored popcorn recipe is easy to change up with different cheeses, spices, and buttery toppings. A little heat, extra cheese, or even browned butter can completely change the flavor of the popcorn without making extra work.
- black pepper
- red pepper flakes
- garlic powder
- Parmesan instead of Asiago
- truffle salt
- browned butter
More Snack Recipes To Try
If you are in the mood for more sweet-and-salty snacks, here are a few more favorites from my kitchen.
- Cinnamon Apple Caramel Corn has a light caramel coating with cinnamon and dried apples for a crunchy, sweet popcorn treat.
- No-Bake Kettle Corn Bars are loaded with chocolate and crushed kettle corn for a sweet-and-salty snack.
- Christmas Crunch Popcorn is packed with pretzels, candy, and popcorn for an easy holiday party snack.
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Recipe
Rosemary and Asiago Cheese Popcorn
Ingredients
- 2-3 tablespoons olive oil
- 1/2 cups black popcorn use 1/3 cup yellow popcorn
- 1/3 cups Asiago cheese grated
- 2 tablespoons rosemary finely chopped
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- salt to taste
Instructions
- Place a 3-quart sausepan with a lid over medium-high heat. Add the olive oil and heat until shimmering.2-3 tablespoons olive oil
- Add 2 or 3 popcorn kernels to the pan. When the kernels pop, add the remaining popcorn kernels in an even layer.1/2 cups black popcorn
- Cover the pan with the lid and gently shake the saucepan over the burner while the popcorn pops. Reduce the heat slightly and keep the lid slightly ajar if possible so steam can escape, which helps keep the popcorn crisp instead of chewy.
- When the popping slows to several seconds between pops, remove the pan from the heat and immediately pour the popcorn into a large bowl.
- Drizzle the warm popcorn with additional olive oil, then sprinkle with the rosemary, Asiago cheese, and salt to taste. Toss well so the cheese and seasonings coat the popcorn evenly, then serve right away.2-3 tablespoons olive oil, 1/3 cups Asiago cheese, 2 tablespoons rosemary, 2 tablespoons olive oil, salt to taste
Notes
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Nutrition
First published: Jan. 12, 2019. Last updated: May 25, 2026, for better readability.
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Hello there, I’m Jere’
From learning to cook on a farm in Indiana to culinary school in California, my passion for food is never-ending. Turning on my oven to bake something for friends and family is my happy place, and I am glad to be here at One Hot Oven sharing sweet and savory family-friendly recipes for your cooking and baking inspiration.
This popcorn was sooo delicious! Definitely upgraded our movie night. I’m going to bookmark this to make again!
Sounds like a delicious popcorn flavor. I am going to try this at home.
Oh my god, stopp, this was amazing! I usually make popcorn a couple times a week as an after-dinner snack, and this recipe elevated it so much!
We are the same and once we made this recipe we rarely go back to the plain popcorn.
What a great way to amp up popcorn! My kids devoured it and I loved the combo of herbs and cheese.
This popcorn is fabulous! Will definitely be making for our next movie night!
We’ve come to love popcorn as a fun snack as we’re watching a movie, but usually, just grab bags of kettle corn to pop. Rosemary and Asiago sound like it would be super yummy, though. We’ll definitely be trying this next time we make popcorn.
I love this popcorn. The flavor combo of rosemary with asiago cheese is delicious!
I am hooked on this popcorn, I love the flavor of the rosemary. I added extras cheese, just because I am a cheesehead!!!!
What a fab idea! I love Asiago and am a big popcorn fan, so the two together sounds perfect! Def want to try this on a movie night!
I love savoury popcorn and this sounds like a delicious combination.
Love this flavour combination for popcorn! So delicious and it must smell amazing too. I need to make this soon!
Once you chop the rosemary your kitchen will smell delightful.
Oh wow, this is decadent! Literally bought a popcorn maker last week, so I’m keen to test out these flavours. Thanks for the recipe!
I am a lover of Popcorn and can eat an entire Tub watching a movie. I enjoy any flavor to it and this flavor looks interesting. Sure to go for it.
I have eaten many a tub of popcorn during movies, it’s the thing to do. Hope you try the popcorn.