Looking for a homemade meal in a hurry? The microwave is the unsung hero of fast cooking, and it can do so much more than ready-meals.
Microwave cooking isn’t here to go up against your stove or Instant Pot: it exists in a category of its own. Microwave mac and cheese might never beat a stovetop version, and it’ll never create silky, buttery slow-cooked scrambled eggs, but the best microwave recipes don’t need to. Microwaved egg patties have a firm texture that’s perfect for a breakfast sandwich in a toasted bagel. And a single-serving mac and cheese that’s ready in minutes is sometimes exactly what you need.
Microwave Breakfast Recipes
Microwave Scrambled Eggs
These microwaved eggs can be served straight from the mug with a little butter and plenty of freshly cracked black pepper. The result is also the perfect filling for a toasted breakfast bagel with avocado and melted cheese, as the firm patty-like texture holds its own against the bread.
90-Second Microwave Keto Bread
This 90-second keto bread is here to rescue you from sandwich cravings. The texture after microwaving is light and airy, and we recommend toasting it or frying it in butter for flavor.
Microwave Egg Caprese Breakfast Cups
If you love Caprese salad, you have to try this easy ramekin recipe from Foodie Crush.
Baked Oatmeal Mug Cake
A single-serving oat cake to warm you up on chilly mornings! Slice your berries before mixing them through for evenly distributed bursts of flavor.
The Best Quick Meal Recipes
Microwave Mug Mac and Cheese
This one-mug, easy clean-up microwave mac and cheese is the recipe you need when a cheesy mac craving hits. This is one of the best microwave recipes for a quick and easy meal, because the starchy pasta water helps a sauce come together with no fuss. Depending on how powerful your microwave is, this recipe takes just 4-10 minutes from start to finish.
Microwave Mug Pizza
A cheesy pizza snack that’s ready in minutes! Using a wide mug will give the best results, and you can expect a soft, doughy base topped with bubbling cheese and sizzling pepperoni.
Microwave Meatloaf
This microwave meatloaf from The Spruce Eats is quick and easy to make at home.
Microwave Dessert Recipes
Microwave Chocolate Mug Cake
A single-serving chocolate mug cake that you could be eating minutes from now. This egg-free cake has a gooey-moist texture, which you can firm up with an extra 30 seconds in the microwave if you like less lava in your lava-cake! One of the best microwave recipes for satisfying a cake craving. This mug cake is best served immediately with tablespoon-sized scoop of vanilla ice cream.
Microwave Mug Brownie
Gooey chocolate brownie for one, coming up. The key to getting the perfect texture is not to over-cook it, as that will lead to a tough brownie. The top should look just set when it’s cooked!
Easy Microwave Fudge
This microwave fudge has to be tried to be believed. This easy recipe is a huge time-saver and can be adapted in endless ways — we’ve used pecans and caramel drizzle.
Easy Microwave Snacks
1-Minute Microwave Rice Krispie Treats
A one-minute treat that kids will love! This fun and simple recipe is always a hit, and uses just three ingredients. Microwave Rice Krispie Treats have a fluffy, sticky texture straight from the mug, or can be compressed in a lunch box and left to set.
Homemade Microwave Pudding
This super simple microwave pudding recipe by Harbour Breeze Home can easily be customized to whatever flavor you’re in the mood for — vanilla, chocolate, or butterscotch.
Lemon Curd
This thick lemon curd is a delicious addition to your pantry — tart yet buttery, sweet yet tangy. Use it as a topping for yogurt, a drizzle for shortbread biscuits, or served with homemade scones.
Microwave Peanut Brittle
This easy microwave peanut brittle such a delicious treat for the holidays! Make sure you have your baking pan greased and lined in advance as once it comes out of the microwave you’ll have to move quickly. This sweet and salty snack makes an excellent gift.
Microwaving Vegetables
Microwave Sweet Potato Mash
Sweet potato cooks so quickly in the microwave that this side dish is ready in minutes. Sweet potatoes are an absolute powerhouse of nutrition, being a rich source of fibre as well as iron, calcium, selenium, B vitamins and vitamin C.
Microwave Asparagus
For a healthy side dish with little clean-up, try this quick and delicious microwave asparagus. Wrapping the asparagus in damp paper towels allows it to steam quickly and easily, whilst retaining its color.
Microwave Broccoli
A quick and easy way to add some umami-boosted broccoli to your weeknight dinner, this broccoli has a salty-tangy flavor and retains its crunch and color.
Microwave Acorn Squash
This sweet acorn squash makes a delicious side dish, and is ready in minutes in the microwave.