21 Recipes You Can Make in Your Microwave

Microwaves are for so much more than reheating last night’s supper (or this morning’s cup of coffee that you forgot about because you got sucked into the Twitterverse). It’s genius for softening butter and melting chocolate, making individual-size cakes, steaming veggies, and honestly, getting breakfast, lunch, or dinner on the table. We’s go so far as to call the microwave a life-saver.

To prove our point, we’ve rounded up 21 recipes, from weekday omelets to five-minute sides dishes, snacks, and mug cakes, that you can (and should!) make in your microwave.

This riff on shakshuka mixes in chickpeas to make it extra hearty and takes just five minutes.

Two minutes in the microwave is all that stands between you fluffy eggs with fresh spinach and salty pieces of feta.

Just like the stovetop version, this omelet has light and fluffy eggs with diced onions, bell peppers, pieces of ham, and a sprinkle of shredded cheese on top.

Master this skill to make any lunch so much better. Believe us, leftover pasta, quinoa, lentils, or other grains are made infinitely better with a poached egg on top.

When you reach that point when you’re bordering on hangry, head to the microwave and whip up a batch of quick scrambled eggs. It’s an easy way to calm those hunger pangs.

Polenta is a versatile hero: It can go savory or sweet and served for breakfast or dinner.

If you’ve had inconsistent or less-than-stellar results baking a potato in the oven before, follow this step-by-step guide.

Boxed mac and cheese is no longer the easiest way to get your cheesy noodle fix. Instead try making this ultra-creamy one-bowl microwave recipe.

There are a lot of ways to cook asparagus, but there’s none easier or faster than your microwave. It makes perfectly-tender asparagus spears in minutes.

If you’re short on time and need a veggie for dinner, you can easily steam broccoli in the microwave. It’s also one of our favorite tricks to make leftovers more nutritious — just add broccoli.

Spaghetti squash is one of our favorite versatile veggies, but it can take a long time to cook. The microwave comes to the rescue to help you get dinner on the table faster.

Yes, it might sound crazy, but this is one of our best tricks. Especially if you love corn on the cob, but hate the hassle of making it when you only want an ear or two to serve with dinner. We feel confident calling this technique a game-changer.

When you crave the creaminess of mashed potatoes blended with sour cream and butter, but still want something a little lighter and a lot faster, reach for a bag of frozen cauliflower.

This is another of our favorite uses for the microwave. Just be sure that you follow these steps to avoid soggy strips.

This isn’t a recipe per se, but if you’re making a dish that calls for toasted nuts, you can save time by toasting walnuts, pecans, or almonds in the microwave instead.

Even if you’re not a big fan of salty snacks, sometimes a handful of potato chips just hits the spot. Make this indulgent snack food healthier by making a batch of them in the microwave.

We’re not talking about the bags of popcorn you buy that come wrapped in plastic and drenched in “butter flavor.” You can just as easily make microwave popcorn with a brown paper lunch bag. It’s our favorite afternoon snack.

You might be expecting caramel corn to be one of those tricky recipes to pull off, but it’s easier than it looks — especially when you make everything in the microwave. The hardest part is waiting for the caramel coating to harden.

The mug cake is one of our favorite revelations of the past few years. It takes seconds to whip up, and makes a perfectly portioned single-serve cake. This Nutella version is a chocolatey, indulgent treat.

If you’ve run out of ways to use that last little bit of leftover white rice, have no fear — you can mix up a mug of warm, cinnamon-laced rice pudding in less than five minutes.

Cakes aren’t the only thing you can make in a mug; this pumpkin pie is the perfect single-serving dessert. Now you can enjoy a rich serving of pumpkin pie year-round, and not just over the holidays.