36+ uses for a microwave

I couldn’t believe it when someone in a Facebook group I’m in stated they never use their microwave. I mean, I know there are people who don’t have them. But to have one and not use it, I was a bit mindblown. There are so many uses for a microwave. I would struggle to not have one.

We do have an aga, so defrosting things without a microwave is faster than just leaving things at room temperature. But I use our microwave for a lot of short cut cooking and heating.  

I do now use my air fryer for reheating some foods that can go a bit dry when reheating in a microwave (chicken or sausages), but the microwave is still my staple go to.

If you’re one of those people who’s not convinced by a microwave, or needs to get more value out of yours, then this post may be for you.

Here’s a list of what you can use a microwave for

Uses for a microwave oven

Cooking

Porridge – some would say it always has to be done on the hob, but I don’t agree.  1 part porridge, 1 part milk, 1 part water, optional bit of sugar (or I use agave) at the end to taste. Cook for 1-2 minutes depending on how thick you like it/microwave power, keeping a watch to stir and check it’s not overflowing. Fast and delicious.

Blancmange – yes, that 70s dessert (similar to chocolate pudding for the Americans reading). Watch out for the milk overflowing, but otherwise so much easier than standing stirring a pan on the hob, and easier to clean the jug. It’s great for using up a glut of milk – we go all out with a bit of double cream poured over too.

Cheese sauce – see points above about keeping an eye (or have a huge jug!).

Steaming vegetables. We always do peas and green beans in the microwave – a tiny amount of water, and it’s like they’re steamed. But all sorts of veg can be cooked in there.

Start off jacket potatoes – you can obviously cook jacket potatoes from scratch in a microwave and they taste fine, but you won’t get the amazing crispy jackets. So start them off with 5-8 minutes depending on the size in the microwave, then move to the oven or air fryer to crisps the skin.

Popcorn – not just for microwave popcorn.

Sponge pudding – similar to steamed pudding but without having to steam it for hours on the hob. A fast last minute store cupboard pudding ready in around 5 minutes (with 5 minutes of prep)

Melt butter for cakes – sod waiting for room temperature butter, just soften it in the microwave on a low/medium heat to speed things up. I’ve never had a cake go wrong yet because I’ve melted the butter fully. 

Soften peanut butter and chocolate spread – our larder is really cold in winter, so help make spreads spreadable by a low heat in the microwave. 

Warm milk in the morning for cereal

Making hot chocolate – proper hot chocolate with milk, not water.

Reheating leftovers 

Nachos – melted cheese while the crisps stay crispy.

Rice pudding – just heat all ingredient together, until rice absorbs the milk. You can always transfer to an ovenproof dish and finish under the grill if you want a crispy skin.

Defrost frozen food.  Starting to defrost mince helps speed things and less time defrosting items in a pan/cooking on the hob..

Cooking salmon fillets in butter, only takes about 4 mins.

Cook rice. I’ve got a microwavable rice cooker – basically dish and lid. Also those packets of rice are an expensive purchase but quick and now about equal to the energy required to properly cook rice on the hob.

Heating up canned food – decant into microwavable dishes, then cook soup, custard, baked beans etc. Less and easier washing up than pans (and less chance of it being burnt)

Scrambled eggs – yes lots of people would never do them this way, but it’s fast, less labour intensive and still taste good.

Poached eggs – I use Gu glass ramekins. They do take a little testing to work out the timings for your own microwave, but a little water, add the egg, cover with cling film, then microwave for 20-30 seconds. Too long and they’ll ‘explode’, so check at the 20 sec stage. Then drain and add to your dish.

Bacon – one of my recent discoveries. This makes great crispy streaky bacon for salads, or adding to sandwiches. Cook between kitchen paper for around a minute until it’s as you like it, checking regularly. You might need to change the paper to reduce the amount of fat. 

Omelette – cook in a plastic shallow container (you can buy omelette trays).

Mug cakes – made in around a minute, perfect for a single serving.

Making cappuccinos. Heat the milk in the microwave, then froth with a cafetiere, before pouring on top of espresso.

De-stale a cinnamon roll, bread roll in 10 seconds – sprinkle over a little water will help it too 

Tortillas – warm them through on a plate covered with cling film for 20-30 seconds

Warm up cold tea or coffee – I know people who do this multiple times a day at work

Get more juice from citrus fruits – heat for 20 seconds,and you’ll get more out.

Melt chocolate – no need for a bain marie, but always microwave in short burst, and under heat so you’ll be able to stir the last bit into the warmed chocolate rather than overheating it.

Roasted garlic – if you’re making your own garlic puree or roasted garlic, sason your garlic bulb, cover it with plastic wrap in a dish, microwave it for around 7-8 minutes.

Decrystallise honey – remove the jar lid, pop in the microwave for a minute or so until soft and runny again.

Dry your fresh herbs – between kitchen paper, then remove from stalks, and crush then store.

Non food microwave uses

Heating plates – medium heat

Heating lavender or rice heat packs

You can disinfect plastic chopping boards and sponges by soaking them in some lemon juice and heating them in a microwave for a minute.

Make lip balm.

Other microwave oven usage tips

I’m still training my son to do this, but my tip for using the microwave for any foods that are ‘liquidy’ or kind of glue leftovers to the sides of the cooking jug, always leave to soak in hot water and washing up liquid before you put in the dishwasher, because they can be hard to get everything off.

Obviously don’t put metal in them.

Watch out for heating anything plastic. You don’t want to be heating single use plastic in them – e.g shop packaging, because they can’t withstand the heat, and end up shrinking away.

Are you a microwave oven user? If so, what’s your most common usage?