12 Microwave Hacks That You Need to Know

You don’t always need an oven to bake. For a few simple baking recipes, a microwave will do the job. Up for a sudden craving? Whip up a quick mug cake in the microwave. You can also find recipes for full-sized cakes and pies as well.

If you’ve got a bunch of leftover herbs, use this microwave trick to preserve them. Place the fresh herbs between 2 microwave-safe paper towels. Cook for 1 minute. Check the herbs and keep cooking in rounds of 15 seconds until they are completely dry. The dried leaves can be ground to powder and preserved for months.

All the burners on your stove are occupied and you still need to cook some rice. Just use the microwave. You will need a microwave-safe container. Measure some raw rice and rinse it about 2 - 3 times. Measure and add room temperature water. Close the lid. The lid should have some room for steam to escape. Cook for 5 minutes on high. Reduce the power to 50% and cook for 15 minutes. Let it rest for 5 minutes before opening the lid. The secret to perfect rice is the rice-water ratio. Use 1-1/2 cups rice to 2-¼ cups water.

Take the frozen meat out of the package and transfer it to a microwave-safe container. Most microwaves have a defrost setting that will automatically adjust power settings and timing for you. However, you can do this manually too. Set the microwave power to 30% power (below 350 watts). Defrost for 8-10 minutes per 0.5kg of meat. Turn it over every few minutes.

​Turn a stale piece of bread into fresh croutons to add some crunch to your salad. Chop the bread into cubes. Again, in a microwave-safe dish, toss the bread cubes in some olive oil or butter. Add herbs and seasonings of your choice. Microwave uncovered on high power for 3 minutes. Check them and keep cooking in bursts of 15 seconds until golden brown. Let them cool down before serving.

Are you still roasting nuts the old fashioned way, sweating over a stove? The microwave has made this so much easier. Spread half a cup of your nuts on a plate. Add half a teaspoon of oil or butter to lightly coat the nuts. The fat in the oil helps with browning. Microwave on high for a minute. Stir and microwave again for a minute. Check for browning and even cooking. If they need more time, cook in bursts of 15 seconds. Keep checking and stirring between each cook to avoid burning. Allow the nuts to cool completely for a crunchy texture.

This microwave hack leaves us with no excuse to skimp on veggie intake. Cooking vegetables is so quick and easy this way. Virtually any vegetable can be steamed and they will retain their​ color, texture and nutrition too. Rinse your veggies and chop them into bite size pieces. Place them in a microwave safe container. Add 1-2 tablespoons of water and cover with a lid. Microwave on high. Cooking time will vary based on the vegetable so keep an eye on it. Root vegetables take 6-7 minutes. Cruciferous vegetables like broccoli take 4 minutes and leafy vegetables will take under 3 minutes.

Dinner is ready in minutes with this microwave tip. Scrub a large potato clean. Use a fork to create holes all around the potato and place on a plate. Microwave for about 5 minutes. Flip it over and microwave for another 5 minutes. The cooking time will vary based on the size of your potato. Take it out and cut it lengthwise. Add the toppings of your choice and serve hot.

If you haven’t tried this microwave hack yet, this is your sign. This recipe doesn't even require shucking. You can use the entire ear of corn, husk on. Microwave it on high for 4 minutes. Time will vary based on the wattage of your microwave. Leaving the husk on traps steam and infuses the corn with its natural sweetness. Carefully remove the corn with oven mitts as it will be hot. Cut off the stem, slip off the husk and serve.

Rushed mornings tempt us to skip breakfast. Cooking a healthy meal doesn't mean you have to use the stove. You can make eggs in the microwave. Crack your eggs into a microwave-safe bowl. You can avoid rubbery microwave eggs by ​cooking them in short spurts of 15-30 seconds. Stop microwaving when there is about 1 tablespoon of the egg that is still runny. It will cook in the residual heat. Avoid cooking the egg in its shell as it could explode.

You opened a bag of chips, ate a handful and forgot to seal it. Don’t throw the bag away just yet. You can easily crisp up those chips again. Place a paper towel or some parchment paper on a microwave-safe plate. Empty all the chips onto it and microwave for 30 seconds. Toss the chips around and cook for another 30 seconds. Take them out and let them cool completely. Enjoy crunchy chips again.

If you love your coffee with some foamy milk, this microwave hack will make you very happy. You don’t need a separate machine to froth your milk. Pour some milk in a glass jar until it's half full. Close it tightly with a lid and shake the jar till the milk looks frothy. Unscrew​ the lid and microwave the milk for about 30 seconds. The frothy milk will bubble up into a foam. Pour the foam into your coffee or tea. Be careful to not fill the jar more than halfway or the milk will spill over.

Here’s a microwave hack to simplify clean-up. Fill a glass bowl with 3-4 cups of hot tap water. Add some lemon slices and baking soda to the hot water. Microwave the mixture on high for 3-5 minutes, until boiling. For maximum cleaning power, let the microwave remain closed for at least 5 minutes. This traps the steam, loosening grime. Finally, wipe away the softened grime with a damp cloth. You’ll have a spotless microwave with a citrusy smell.