Peanut Oil Popcorn

Peanuts are a popular snack food enjoyed by many. Also known as groundnuts, they belong to the legume family and are an edible seed contained in a pod. Aside from being a good snack, peanuts are also a source of vegetable fat.

Peanut oil is a common ingredient in Southeast Asian, South Asian and Chinese cooking due to the unique flavor that it carries. It is a popular oil for frying thanks to the high smoke point it has which allows for a crisp outside, moist inside and less oil absorption by the food. These qualities can make it ideal for making peanut oil popcorn.

Our Recommendation Peanut Oil Popcorn

Hollywood Peanut Oil gets two thumbs up for its delicate flavor and heat stability. Not only is it great for peanut oil popcorn cooking, but it is also excellent for stir-fried dishes. Being refined, it does not have any smell or color. Unlike other peanut oils, it will not affect the flavor of food or leave a distinct smell.


In the area of unrefined peanut oil, Crisco Pure Peanut Oil offers a great deal. It is made purely from peanuts and contains 0 grams of trans fat in each serving. It goes on lightly and will not leave your popped kernels with a greasy coating.



For that gourmet taste PB2 All Natural Unfiltered Extra Virgin Roasted Peanut Oil does the job perfectly. The roasted peanuts add extra flavor and body to the oil. It will work well if you want that nutty taste in your popcorn. It also contains no additives, trans fats or cholesterol.

More On Peanut Oil Popcorn

How Peanut Oil is Made

Peanut oil comes in different varieties including unrefined, refined and roasted. Unrefined oils do not undergo any processing and is 100% pure. Refined oil may undergo processing to remove any scent, improve color, taste and the like. Roasted peanut oils involve toasting the legume before oil is removed resulting in more flavor.

All of these types of groundnut oil are derived through an extraction process. The three most common processes for drawing out this vegetable fat involve the use of a hydraulic press, expeller and or solvents. Shelled nuts are used in all three of these methods.

Both mechanical processes depend on pressure from the machines to help extract the oil. With the hydraulic press, a hot solvent is used after to help bring out almost all of the oils. On the other hand an expeller will use friction alongside pressure, which will expose the peanuts to heat helping to draw out about half the amount of oil. The remaining oil can be extracted through solvents. Pure solvent peanut oil extraction involves the use of hexane and or ethanol as well as deacidification with sodium hydroxide.

Peanut Oil Nutritional Value

Not only is groundnut oil flavorful, but it is also a good source of energy. A 3.5 oz serving or 100 grams of this will have 3,699kJ. It contains a good amount of calories because of its fat content. 100 grams of oil will contain 17 grams of saturated fat, 46 grams of monounsaturated fats and 32 grams of polyunsaturated fats. Despite this, it is considered healthy oil due to the high amounts of monounsaturated fats which are good for the heart. It also contains resveratrol and Vitamin E which are both powerful antioxidants.

Advantages of Use

• Flavor - as mentioned earlier, peanut oil has a deliciously distinct flavor to it. With peanut oil popcorn cooking no unpleasant taste is left. Instead, you can look forward to a nutty flavor with a mild sweetness to it.
• Smoke Point - since peanut oil smokes at 437 degrees F or 225 degrees C. It will not easily burn the kernels. It can be heated to the appropriate amount without the oil or the popcorn becoming damaged.
• Nutritional Value - for those who do not mind the extra calories, this oil can provide a lot of extra nutrients to popcorn. It is packed with a lot of great vitamins and antioxidants that are good for the body.

Disadvantages of Use

• Peanut Allergies - many people are allergic to peanuts. Unrefined peanut oil contains the same allergens which can cause a number of side effects to those allergic to peanut oil.
• Cost - unlike other commercial edible oils, peanut oil can be pricier. Those looking to use it on a regular basis or in large amounts for popping may not find the price to be budget friendly.
• Fat Content - although healthy, there is no denying that peanut oil still contains a good amount of fat in it. There are other oils in the market which can be used for popping which do not contain as much fat.