• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
  • Skip to footer
  • Home
  • Recipes
    • Appetizers
    • Breakfast
    • Desserts
    • Drinks
    • Entrees
    • Lunch
    • Side Dishes
    • Snacks
    • Dog-Friendly
  • Life
    • Travels
    • Gift Guides
  • About
    • About Sues
    • Work With Me
    • Privacy Policy
  • Contact
    • Newsletter

We are not Martha logo

menu icon
go to homepage
  • Home
  • Recipes
  • Life
  • About
  • Contact
    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest
    • Twitter
  • subscribe
    search icon
    Homepage link
    • Home
    • Recipes
    • Life
    • About
    • Contact
    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest
    • Twitter
  • ×

    Home » Snacks » Baked Kale Parmesan Popcorn

    Oct 21, 2014 · Modified: Oct 21, 2014 by Sues · This post may contain affiliate links, uses cookies, and generates income via ads · View privacy policy + disclosure statement linked in footer · 22 Comments

    Baked Kale Parmesan Popcorn

    Baked Kale Parmesan Popcorn

    Sometimes I get fooled and I don’t even hate it. Take House Hunters, for example. I know it’s fake. Like the fakest fakedy fake ever. I’ve heard countless stories and read a ridiculous amount of blog posts that contain first person accounts of how fake it is. As in, these people have all already pretty much purchased houses by the time they can sign on for the show. And sometimes they actually tour the houses of friends because the show’s producers can’t find enough for sale houses that would fit the criteria. It’s so, so fake. And yet, I still watch. A lot. And I totally ignore the fact that it’s fake and invest a lot of energy trying to guess what house they’re going to “choose.”

    Meh, you’re so obviously fake, House Hunters, and I don’t even care. That’s kinda how I feel about kale chips. I KNOW they’re not real chips. Duh, they’re green and healthy. But they’re so good at trying to fool me that I can completely ignore the fact that they’re actually healthy greens and not starchy fried vegetables. I love them and will proclaim to the kale-hating world that you must try kale chips with an open mind. You simply must!

    And if you’re still annoyed that they’re trying to fool you, try mixing them together with popcorn and some parmesan. For what really is the ultimate snack.

    Baked Kale Parmesan Popcorn:
    Print this recipe!

    • 5-6 C kale leaves, cleaned, ribs removed, and torn
    • 1 T chili powder
    • ¼ t garlic powder
    • ½ t salt
    • ¾ C parmesan cheese
    • 2 T extra virgin olive oil, plus 1 T
    • ⅓ C popcorn kernels
    • 1 T finely chopped parsley

    pre-heat oven to 350 degrees 

    Baked Kale Parmesan Popcorn Ingredients

    Baking the kale comes first. Place kale leaves in a large bowl and toss together with chili powder, garlic powder, salt, half the parmesan, and 2 T olive oil.

    Parmesan Baked Kale

    Once kale is coated, spread leaves in a single layer on a baking sheet and bake at 350 degrees for about 16-20 minutes, until nice and crispy.

    Parmesan Baked Kale 2

    While the kale is baking, pop the popcorn. I recommend popping ⅓ cup of popcorn. To do so, heat the olive oil and 3 popcorn kernels in a large saucepan over medium heat. When the kernels begin to pop, pour the rest of the kernels into the pot. Cover the pot and continue to cook for about 6-7 minutes, occasionally shaking the pan to keep the kernels moving. When the popping slows, move pot from heat and let stand for another minute.

    Popcorn Popped

    Mix baked kale and popcorn in a bowl and sprinkle remaining parmesan cheese and parsley over the top.

    Baked Kale Parmesan Popcorn 8

    And just try to stop from digging in ASAP and eating the entire bowl. This is a my dream come true snack. I am absolutely not fooling you here. You know I wouldn’t do that to you.

    Baked Kale Parmesan Popcorn 15

    I recommend serving this popcorn snack with a large glass of red wine. Because popcorn and wine… OK, and kale. They require no words. That’s exactly what I did when my mom came over for a Sunday afternoon of chitchat and I was making this popcorn.

    Baked Kale Parmesan Popcorn 9

    I really want to force feed this to people who claim they don’t like kale as part of some sort of experiment. Would that be bad? I think there are probably worse fates then being force fed popcorn, even if it does involve kale. But honestly, there’s also a lot of parmesan involved here, too and the spices are just right.

    Baked Kale Parmesan Popcorn 14

    I kind of think I could eat this for a snack every single day of my life and never get tired of it. I won’t know unless I try, though...

    Baked Kale Parmesan Popcorn 7

    And to be honest, this popcorn doesn’t store too well without getting a bit soggy and stale. You’ll probably end up eating most of it in one sitting anyway.

    Baked Kale Parmesan Popcorn 11

    Don’t be mad at the kale for fooling you. It’s a good kind of fooling.

    And if you want to talk about House Hunters being a fake, let’s not even get into Property Brothers. Talk about dreams being destroyed.

    Baked Kale Parmesan Popcorn 12

    Just please don’t tell me my beloved Bachelor is fake. OK??? Thank you.

    Does kale ever fool you into thinking it’s a totally indulgent snack?

    [Sues]

    Tweet
    Share
    Pin6
    Yum
    Share
    6 Shares
    « Apple Pomegranate Caramel Yogurt Parfaits
    Strawberry Milk Cookies with White Chocolate Chips »

    Reader Interactions

    Comments

    1. Lynn @ The Actor’s Diet says

      October 22, 2014 at 1:13 am

      I could get the House Hunters dish for you next time I see my family friend - she’s the voice of the show!

    2. Culinary Flavors says

      October 22, 2014 at 4:36 am

      Such a unique idea to combine popcorn and vegetables. Perfect meal for a picky child!

    3. Barbara says

      October 22, 2014 at 8:16 am

      I get sucked into House Hunters too!
      But not sure I'm going to get sucked into kale. 🙂

    4. Gayle @ Pumpkin 'N Spice says

      October 22, 2014 at 8:18 am

      I'm loving the flavor of this popcorn! What a creative idea to add in kale and parmesan. Sounds like the perfect snack to me!

    5. Katrina @ Warm Vanilla Sugar says

      October 22, 2014 at 9:59 am

      I am all over this! Loving the little bit of green to go along with that salty craving I've been having. Yum!

    6. Pam says

      October 22, 2014 at 10:29 am

      Great idea and a perfect way to get more kale in my diet.

    7. Nicole says

      October 22, 2014 at 12:01 pm

      I love this idea so much! I really can't wait to try! All of those HGTV shows now on Netflix are my DOOM. We've started with Property Brothers, but the fake surprise to the dream home price and excessive amount of voiceovers makes me laugh.

    8. Bianca @ Confessions of a Chocoholic says

      October 22, 2014 at 1:04 pm

      I have a secret love for kale chips too and an unsecret love for anything with parmesan. This sounds like such a delicious snack!

    9. Sharon says

      October 22, 2014 at 7:55 pm

      This is the yummiest ever!!

    10. Ashley | Spoonful of Flavor says

      October 22, 2014 at 8:22 pm

      Haha, I've never thought of kale chips as a fake because I love them even more than regular chips. I love the combination of kale and popcorn. I would love a big bowl of this right now!

    11. Meghan says

      October 22, 2014 at 9:00 pm

      Sounds like a great snack!

    12. House in Tillford says

      October 22, 2014 at 10:50 pm

      Perfect guilt free snack!

    13. Monica says

      October 23, 2014 at 6:42 am

      What?! House Hunters is fake? ; ) I watch it too and just never gave it much thought..but shouldn't be surprised. Love how you linked it to kale chips. The idea of combining it with popcorn is such a good one!

    14. Catalina @ Shades of Pink says

      October 23, 2014 at 10:02 am

      this is cool, great flavors and textures in one bowl!

    15. sarah k @ the pajama chef says

      October 23, 2014 at 1:20 pm

      oh yum! how awesome. i hate how fake house hunters is too...so i switched to the international version and now satisfy my wanderlust that way. well, kinda... 🙂

    16. Alyssa @ My Sequined Life says

      October 23, 2014 at 11:44 pm

      I've never thought of combining kale chips and popcorn, but oh my gosh this looks so good! It would definitely be gone in one serving!

    17. Amy @Very Culinary says

      October 24, 2014 at 12:12 am

      Haha! Was it a Seinfeld episode where Elaine looks that woman up and down and says, "Fake. Fake. Fake. Fake." This reminded me of that. I've never watched House Hunters, but I think all reality TV is fake. Some are just too fun not to watch, though.

      I'm a popcorn junkie. And always in a pot with oil. None of this brown bagged microwave silliness. So ya, I sort of love this. And by sort of, I mean totally.

    18. Joanne says

      October 24, 2014 at 7:36 am

      HA! That's how I feel about all reality television. I know I should hate it but I love it. So much.

      I'm not sure how I feel about kale chips on their own, but as a popcorn mix-in, I am SO into them.

    19. Carol at Wild Goose Tea says

      October 25, 2014 at 3:42 pm

      I don't watch TV particularly. I don't even have cable. But I have watched House Hunters a time or two when I was in a motel. Fake huh? Oh dear I am SO upset to hear that----Not. Its fun to watch sometimes anyway. As it happens I love kale chips. I am not what you would call a health food eater. They just taste good to me. So this popcorn version you have put together sounds tasty to me.

    20. [email protected] says

      October 25, 2014 at 6:34 pm

      Can snack be any better, tastier or healthier?!! Loving this!

    21. Cara's Healthy Cravings says

      October 27, 2014 at 7:24 pm

      I am certain I would love the salty/crunchiness of this popcorn...sooo goood!

    22. Lexi says

      November 14, 2014 at 9:19 pm

      I was so sad when I learned the truth behind House Hunters. So sad.

      I did, however, just discover that I like kale! Must try this recipe!

    Leave a Reply Cancel reply

    Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

    Recipe Rating




    Primary Sidebar

    Meet Sues

    Hi and thanks for visiting! I started We are not Martha to show you how to make recipes that impress without stress, including easy weeknight dinners, delightful desserts, + lots of cocktails.

    Learn More...

    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest
    • Twitter
  • Popular Now

    • Basil Chicken in Coconut Curry Sauce
    • Momofuku Milk Bar's Cornflake Chocolate Chip Marshmallow Cookies
    • Blueberry Vodka Lemonade
    • Chicken Dog Treats

    Footer

    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest
    • RSS
    • Twitter

    Footer

    ^ back to top

    About

    • About Sues
    • Privacy Policy
    • Disclosures
    • Web Stories

    Newsletter

    • Sign Up! for emails and updates

    Contact

    • Contact
    • Work with Me

    BE SURE TO CHECK OUT MY AMAZON SHOP TO DISCOVER SOME OF MY FAVORITE COOKING AND BAKING ITEMS THAT I USE IN MY OWN KITCHEN. WE ARE NOT MARTHA IS A PARTICIPANT IN THE AMAZON SERVICES LLC ASSOCIATES PROGRAM, AN AFFILIATE ADVERTISING PROGRAM DESIGNED TO PROVIDE A MEANS FOR SITES TO EARN ADVERTISING FEES BY ADVERTISING AND LINKING TO AMAZON.COM. ORDERING ANY PRODUCTS MENTIONED HERE ARE AT NO EXTRA COST TO YOU. THANK YOU FOR YOUR SUPPORT!

    Copyright © 2022 WE ARE NOT MARTHA