Microwave cooking has never been more of a time-saver than it will be once you check out this list of microwave hacks. Save time and some serious hassle with these genius techniques from microwave rice to dried herbs and more.
Thanks to the trusty microwave ovens, cooking has become easier and faster. But if you only use this kitchen appliance to reheat leftovers, you are seriously missing out on all that it can do.
Your microwave can do SO much more than simply warm-up or cooking food. You can ALSO perform some pretty cool microwave tricks that will cut down your time in the kitchen and make your job easier in more ways than one.
Related Post: 20 Things You Didn’t Know You Could Cook In the Microwave
Microwave Cooking: 17 Time-Saving Microwave Hacks
We have gathered up 17 genius time-saving and microwave-safe dish that will absolutely blow your mind. Check them out!
Mug Cakes | One Crazy House
Mug cakes are all the rage right now because they are single-serving “cakes” that you can “bake” in your microwave. Usually ready in about 1 minute, they are perfect for families who may not want to keep a lot of desserts sitting around – or who can’t agree on just one flavor for dessert. 😉
Corn on the Cob | Made in a Pinch
Corn on the cob is a summer staple side dish, but it can also take a long time to prepare. If you shuck it and boil it, you’re looking at 30+ minutes (not gonna work on busy nights).
Instead, microwave your corn on the cob in a microwave-safe bowl. It only takes a few minutes and even makes shucking your corn faster and easier. Perfect weeknight side dish!
Poached Eggs | Bon Appétit
Do you love those warm, runny yolks surrounded by silky, firm whites? Look up how to make poached eggs, and you’ll find multiple methods, but this one is an old restaurant hack that makes perfect poached eggs every time without making a big mess. Bonus: not only does it turn out perfectly, but it hardly takes any time at all.
Get More Juice From Your Citrus | The Spruce Eats
If you’re going to the trouble of juicing fresh citrus fruit, get the most juice you can from each fruit. Microwaving the fruit for a short period helps to make it easier to squeeze and release its juice. This same hack can be used for limes, grapefruit, and oranges too.
Soften Butter | My Baking Addiction
Recipes often call for softened or room temperature butter. I’ll be the first to admit that more often than not I don’t look down far enough in the recipe ahead of time to see when I need to have softened butter ready.
Instead of delaying making your recipe – or worse, straight-up melting your butter, stick it in your microwave. In 20-25 seconds (using this method), you’ll have a perfectly softened stick of butter instead of a pool of it.
Make a Baked Potato | The Kitchn
If you bake a potato in the oven, you’re looking at over an hour of bake time plus the time it takes to preheat the oven. On busy nights, you don’t have time to wait almost an hour and a half.
Enjoy a baked potato a fraction of the time (about 5 minutes) by microwaving it! And cooking for a second at the same time only takes slightly longer. It’s as easy as washing, poking, and microwaving it.
Microwave Rice | Steamy Kitchen
On the stove, in a rice cooker…or in the microwave. There are several ways to cook rice, but this microwave rice recipe will give you perfect rice every time.
Think microwave rice won’t taste or smell the same as rice cooked in your expensive rice cooker? Think again. Evenly cooked, perfectly fluffy rice every time.
Steam Veggies | Spoon University
If you hate soggy vegetables, stop cooking them on the stovetop and start steaming them in the microwave. Virtually foolproof, and definitely quick and easy – you can enjoy your steamed veggies such as broccoli, green beans and asparagus in no time.
Roasted Garlic | Just Microwave It
Roasted garlic cloves are most commonly cooked in an oven, but you can also make it in the microwave. It won’t turn brown in the microwave or be quite as aromatic. However, it will peel extremely easily and is a huge time saver.
Cook Dried Beans | Slow Food Fast
The microwave is a powerful time-saver as we have seen in the examples above. Here’s another instance where the microwave will save you time and hassle: hydrating and cooking dried beans.
This method for cooking beans in the microwave will yield plump beans with unbroken skin.
Dry Herbs | The View From Great Island
Do you grow your own herbs like rosemary and basil? Take those fresh herbs at the end of the growing season and dry them in the microwave. The microwave will preserve their flavor and color
Potato Chips | Bigger Bolder Baking
Potato chips are a classic snack – that salty, flavored goodness is addictively delicious. But most potato chips are fried, adding unnecessary fat and calories.
Try microwaving your own potato chips! Now instead of enjoying potato chips as a guilty pleasure, you can chow down on those crispy, crunchy morsels and feel good about it.
Froth Milk | The Kitchn
Don’t have a frother? No problem. Use your microwave and just a little bit of arm power to froth your own milk. Make your own lattes at home and add frothed milk with a dollop of foam on top.
Microwave Risotto | Alberta Milk
Risotto is notoriously finicky to prepare on the stove. Now you can enjoy delicious, flavorful, creamy risotto without the hassle or time it takes to cook on the stovetop.
Microwave Pasta | Tablespoon
Microwave pasta couldn’t be any easier to make. It’s also a time-saver, especially if you’re only making dinner for one…or two. Simply add water to your bowl of pasta, microwave, then add your favorite sauce.
Microwave Quesadilla | Ginny’s Circle
Dinner (or an after school snack) in 1 minute. Simply add cheese between two tortillas and microwave for less than 60 seconds. It’s delicious and perfect for a meal in a flash.
Mulled Cider | Food.com
Don’t have time to let your mulled cider cook in your slow cooker? Make it in the microwave in a fraction of the time. It’s still just as delicious and easy to make in smaller quantities if you are only serving a couple of people rather than a house full of guests.
From frothed milk to dried herbs to cooking rice in the microwave, this list of microwave cooking hacks will absolutely change your life! What other microwave hacks do you use?
More From One Crazy House:
- 20 Instant Pot Tips & Tricks To Get the Most Out of It
- 29 Convenient Make-Ahead Freezer Meal Recipes
Which microwave hack will you try first?
