Sometimes you’re in the mood for something that’s lighter than pasta and creamier than rice. Polenta (coarsely ground cornmeal) is the Goldilocks of grains for that craving. Cooking in the microwave makes this difficult-on-the-stove dish easily achievable on a weeknight. Simmered simply in water and milk, it’s the perfect canvas for hearty bolognese, braised stew, or tomato sauce.
Medium Deep bowl
All types of white rice (short or long grain, jasmine, basmati, etc.) work with this fail-proof cooking method.
Important: This recipe requires you to change your microwave's power level (your rice will burn if you cook it at full power). If you're not sure how to change your microwave's power level, read our blog post on how to do it.
Your days of hovering over your steel cut oats on the stovetop are over. Instead, make this breakfast staple in the microwave using our foolproof method.
Simplify your morning routine by preparing your daily oats in the microwave. Enjoy them with sweet or savory add-ins, like fresh or dried fruit, nuts, or even vegetables, cheese, and a poached egg.
Don’t let the long stove cook time hold you back from enjoying this nutty, protein-packed grain. Quinoa cooks quickly in the microwave and forms the perfect base for grain bowls or saucy entrees. Make sure to use dry quinoa for this recipe — pre-soaking the quinoa will make it more likely to overflow while cooking.
Step away from the stove. In the microwave, these tiny grains quickly transform into light, tender pearls that form the perfect base for any meal. Important note: this recipe is for Moroccan couscous, not Israeli (or "pearl") couscous! The Moroccan style is made up of tiny grains, while Israeli couscous is much larger, around the size of peppercorns. If you're making Israeli couscous, cook times will be longer.
Mild in taste (though certainly not lacking in flavor), all types of white fish cook beautifully in the microwave. Whether you’re using cod, halibut, flounder, or sole, microwave fillets until flaky and fork-tender for a simple meal.
You’ll be surprised by how delicious and tender chicken in the microwave is. The Anyday lid traps moisture to keep the meat juicy and flavorful. Crisp up the skin beforehand on a hot pan or finish under the broiler for added texture.
Believe it or not, it's entirely possible to make crispy bacon in the microwave. The best part is that when using the Anyday, you can capture all of that liquid gold (aka bacon grease) once the bacon's done cooking.
Steaming sweet potatoes entirely transforms their taste and texture. Moist, fluffy, and… well, sweet with notes of caramel, they become nature’s candy in the microwave.
This is our favorite way of making sugar snap peas! They are easy to prep and even easier to cook when you steam them in the microwave. You'll know they're done when they still have a vibrant green hue and a crisp-tender crunch.
There’s no more straightforward or faster way to cook this staple than in the microwave. Steam them as a shortcut before air frying or broiling, or eat them directly with toppings, “baked” potato-style.
Packed with antioxidants, these crunchy, crisp beans steam quickly for an easy serving of veggies. Microwaving brings out the beans’ natural flavors and keeps them tender without turning mushy.
When you don't have fresh spinach on hand, frozen blocks or bags make for an excellent alternative. Microwave, season, and enjoy as a standalone side dish or add to dips, pasta dishes, soups, stews and more.
Skip setting up your steamer basket and prepare frozen edamame pods right in the microwave. Not only does edamame pack a protein punch, but it's also fun to eat and perfect for a pre-meal snack.
Add microwaved frozen corn kernels to soups, stews, chilis, chowders, and salads, for a burst of texture and subtle sweetness. Or enjoy it as a side dish on its own!
Eggplant usually takes a large amount of time or oil. Use the microwave as a great shortcut to soften eggplant quickly, leaving it tender and ready to be turned into baba ganoush or eggplant parm.
Forget the grill — microwaving corn on the cob results in crisp, sweet kernels bursting with juice and flavor. You won’t want to eat corn any other way.
Microwaving carrots requires a fraction of the time they take to roast in the oven, while still bringing out their natural sweetness. To finish, add some char by throwing them in a hot pan or broiling for a couple minutes.
Emmas notes: I used a 10 oz frozen salmon filet from Costco and added a little water and used the medium shallow dish, cooked for 3 min, flipped and cooked for 1 more minute, fully cooked but one side more cooked so maybe flip longways or cook for less time.
Medium shallow dish
I used fridge filter water
4:30 minutes to more cooked yolk
Try 3:30 next time and cook in 30 sec intervals, maybe move dish half way so cooks more even?
Can cook up to 4 eggs in medium shallow dish, just cook longer.
Medium deep
Emmas notes: I had a can of creamed corn, chopped potatoes, onions, carrots, onion powder, garlic powder, salt and cayenne pepper. And some chicken stock. Microwaved for 4 minutes, stir then 3 mins, then stir and I think 1 more minute. I then used an immersion blender to chops some up. I served with chopped bacon bits, toast, shredded cheese and sour cream. Very tasty!