15 Microwave Uses That Will Change Your Cooking Game

Source: miguelangelortega / Getty

I don’t know about you but I’m getting very tired of all the cooking I have to do during this quarantine. I feel like half of my day is spent chopping vegetables and cleaning cutting boards and flipping things in pans and checking things in the oven and stirring things in pots. I didn’t realize what a huge difference staying at home would make in how much I cook. But the reality is that, when the economy was open and my life was normal, I would treat myself to a handful of easy, ready-to-eat, to-go items throughout the week. Maybe I’d get sushi from the grocery store one night, a turkey sub from my local sandwich spot one afternoon, delivery one evening, and dine at a restaurant another. But now, you don’t just swing by the grocery store for one thing like cheap sushi. It’s not worth the risk of getting sick. And you don’t run out and grab a little something from a local sandwich counter or taco truck whenever you feel like it. We’re all trying to be careful. At this point, in my home, we are treating ourselves to take out or delivery two or three times a month maximum, and the rest of our food we cook ourselves. I really notice the difference in how much time it takes out of my day. It’s not like I have a whole lot else to do with the stay at home order still in effect where I live but, still, maybe I’d rather read a book or take a bath or see what people are yelling about online. I’m looking for ways to cut back how much time I spend cooking, and using these microwave tricks can seriously help. That little appliance can do more than you think.

Source: Areelak Sooklon / EyeEm / Getty

Latte foam

Since your favorite fancy coffee shop that makes art in your lattes and cappuccinos for you may be closed right now, you might be craving these comforting beverages but unsure how to make your own foam without a machine for it. It’s actually quite simple. Just put milk in jar, close it, shake it until it’s foamy, and then microwave the sealed jar for 30 seconds. It will stabilize the hot foam.

Source: Shyam Dinesh / EyeEm / Getty

Corn on the cob

If you don’t have a grill but you’re craving corn on the cob, you’re usually facing the messy task of boiling it in a giant pot of water and trying to pry the husk off without burning yourself. Forget that mess. Instead, just put an entire cob in the microwave – husk and all – and microwave it for four minutes. It’ll be cooked, and the husk will slide right off.

Source: Jeff Mccollough / EyeEm / Getty

Bake one cookie

Sometimes you just want one fresh-baked cookie. But, that would entail making an entire tray, and then you accidentally eat too many, or you have a bunch of leftovers you eat less-than-fresh, and that wasn’t the plan. Let the microwave come to the rescue of your sweet tooth. You can make just one freshly “baked” cookie in the microwave using this easy recipe.

Source: Justin Ong / Getty

Steam veggies

If you don’t feel like popping a strainer on top of a pot of boiling hot water, waiting for that to cook (which can take a while), and being left with all the dishes to clean, just steam your veggies in the microwave. Cut up your veggies, and add them to a microwave-safe dish. Add just enough water to create about a half-inch tall pool at the bottom. Cover the dish with another microwave-safe plate. Microwave for three to four minutes. Check on your veggies at that time, and if they need a bit more softening, add another minute or two. It’s a simple way to get more veggies in your diet.

Source: Westend61 / Getty

Make dough rise

Avid bakers out there know that some bread recipes call for a first, second, and even third dough rise. And that can take several hours. You have to plan your entire day around checking on that. But you can cut the rise time in half – regardless of how many rises your recipe requires – by using these easy microwave tricks that help the dough rise quicker.

Source: Westend61 / Getty

Roast your nuts

If you’re craving roasted nuts but don’t feel like waiting for the oven to heat, or using that much power just for a little snack, you can always turn to your handy microwave to make this hot treat. Just spread out your nuts evenly on a plate and microwave them in one-minute increments, rearranging and rechecking every minute. It shouldn’t take more than five minutes. Then season to your liking. This is a healthy, high-protein snack.

Source: Aleksandr Zubkov / Getty

Soften stale bread

If you live alone or with someone who is cutting carbs, then it may just be you and that big fresh loaf of bread you bought, but you never get through it before it goes bad. Some people freeze their bread, but that’s not everyone’s thing. You can refresh stale bread by wrapping it in a damp paper towel and microwaving it for just 10 seconds. It’ll become moist and fluffy again.

Source: photo_chaz / Getty

Natural popcorn

Of course you know that you can make the bagged stuff in the microwave, but what if you want to make it fresh, from kernels, all on your own? The bagged stuff can have too much butter and salt, after all. Just put your kernels (about 1/4^th a cup) in a microwave-safe bowl, cover that with a microwave-safe dish, and cook for two minutes and 45 seconds.

Source: Евгения Матвеец / Getty

Poached egg

Poached eggs seem like a delicacy that we leave up to the gourmet chefs at our favorite brunch spots to put on our delicious eggs benedict and things like that. But you can make a perfect poached egg at home, in your microwave, in just a few minutes. Simply fill a mug with half a cup of cold water, break an egg right into that, cover it with a microwave-safe dish, and cook for 30 seconds. Just make sure the egg white is fully cooked at that point and if it isn’t, continue to heat in 10-second increments until it is.

Source: manoa / Getty

Potato chips

If you have a weak spot for potato chips but know you need to cut back on the bagged variety with all the preservatives, your next option is oven-baked chips. But those take forever. And your next option is microwaved chips! Just cut your potatoes thinly, drizzle them with olive oil and seasoning, spread them out evenly on a plate, and cook for two to three minutes on one side. Flip them over, and cook for two to three minutes on the other side. Then you have a healthy snack.

Source: Meylina Naibaho / EyeEm / Getty

Peel garlic

Peeling garlic is always such a hassle. It’s this teeny, tiny task that you just have to do before you can get your recipe started because a little bit of garlic adds so much flavor. But it leaves you with tons of garlic shoved up under your fingernails. Just put your cloves on a paper towel in the microwave for 10 to 12 seconds. The peel will pop right off.

Source: Thomas Young / Getty

Peel tomatoes

If your recipe calls for peeled tomatoes – maybe you’re making a tomato pie or roasted chicken with whole peeled tomatoes around it – and you don’t have canned stewed tomatoes, you could be thinking, “Well how the heck do you peel a tomato without destroying it?” Use your microwave! Simply score the tomatoes, creating a few tiny x’s with a knife, and microwave for 25 seconds. The peel should come right off.

Source: Zaineb Louchahi / EyeEm / Getty

Peel peaches

You can use the same method you use to peel your tomatoes, to peel your peaches. Naturally, you’ll only want to do this for recipes that call for cooked peaches, like peach pie or peach cobbler, as the microwave will slightly warm the fruit. But use the tomato instructions and you’ll have peel that comes right off your peach.

The fastest risotto ever

Risotto is typically one of those dishes you make when you really want to impress someone because it takes a decent amount of time and attention to detail. Or, you could just skip all that, make it in your microwave using this easy recipe, and still get the credit for making such a fancy dish.

Source: istetiana / Getty

Caramelize onions

Caramelized onions are good on so many things. Put them on toast with goat cheese for an upscale appetizer. Top off your burger or hot dog with them. Add them to a quiche. They just bring a lot of flavor, but they also require a lot of attention when made the traditional way. This shortcut lets you make this tasty topping in the microwave.