Here's Why You Should Be Adding Soy Sauce To Your Popcorn

Making the perfect bowl of popcorn at home may seem like an unachievable dream. Hard as you try, nothing seems to compare to the oversized tub of the stuff that you pay way too much for at the movie theater. Or, at least, that's what you've thought up until now.

Lovers of this delightfully crunchy treat, we're here today to tell you about an amazing way to dress up your popcorn at home that just may rival the seemingly superior movie theater variety, and you may already have the key ingredient to making it at home. Nope, it's not Flavacol that goes into this delicious version of the snack, nor is it using Alton Brown's method that calls for ghee in place of butter.

No, friends, according to Esquire, the way you should be whipping up the treat for your next movie night employs a surprising but outrageously flavorful ingredient: soy sauce. Often used to add an umami flavor to Asian cuisine, the salty brown liquid is an excellent addition to popcorn when combined with butter to "bring out the savory, cheesy, and nutty flavors" in the snack (via Tasty) that will have you popping up another bowl before you're down to the last few kernels of your first.

On top of being downright delicious, putting together a soy sauce butter compound for your popcorn is incredibly easy, meaning you'll be able to enjoy the tasty treat in a matter of minutes. Per Esquire, all you'll need is butter, soy sauce, and a saucepan to whip up this delectable mixture that will quickly become your favorite way to dress the surprisingly healthy snack.

Start by melting a few tablespoons of butter over the stove. The outlet doesn't specify whether to use salted or unsalted butter, though the latter may be best, as soy sauce is already high in sodium, giving it a salty taste on its own. Once your butter is melted, add in the soy sauce — Esquire suggests using 1 tablespoon for every 3 tablespoons of butter. Mix everything together and drizzle over a bowl of plain popped popcorn, making sure to shake up the bowl to get a bit of your concoction on every piece, and that's it!

Of course, there are a few other additions you could try to take the treat to an even higher level, like garlic powder, sesame seeds, or a grated cheese such as parmesan (via Food52). One Redditor also offered the combination of soy sauce and chili powder, describing it as "so delicious" that they don't eat their popcorn any other way. Sounds great!