7 Super Easy Meals you can Cook in your Microwave
If your kitchen has been ripped out and you’re in the process of having your new one installed, the last thing you want to do is spend ages chopping and cooking in a small make-shift kitchen in the corner of the living room.
Below are easy meal ideas that you can prepare and cook in your microwave in minutes (just in case you get bored of beans on toast and tinned soup!)
1. Leeky Salmon Parcels – Serves 2
- 2 x 140g salmon fillets
- 1 medium leek
- 50g frozen petits pois
- 4 heaped tbsp crème fraîche, plus 2 tbsp to serve
- 1 tbsp chopped fresh tarragon
- Season the salmon fillets.
- Slice the leeks really thinly.
- Cut two 40cm square sheets of greaseproof paper and put a fillet in the middle of each sheet.
- Top each fillet with the leeks and peas, and 2 tbsp of crème fraîche.
- Sprinkle with tarragon and salt and pepper.
- Pull the paper over the fillets and scrunch together the top to make a parcel
- Stand them on a microwave-proof plate or tray and microwave on full power for 5 minutes.
- Put the contents of the parcels on two plates and top each serving with a spoonful of crème fraîche.
- Serve with salad or jacket potato.
2. Sweet Potato Jackets with Tuna – Serves 4
- 4 small sweet potatoes (about 200g each)
- 185g can tuna in spring water, drained
- ½ red onion, finely sliced
- 1 small red chilli, deseeded and chopped
- juice 1 lime
- 6 tbsp Greek yogurt
- handful coriander leaves
- Scrub the sweet potatoes and prick all over with a fork.
- Place on a microwaveable plate and cook on high for 18-20 mins.
- Split in half and place each one, cut-side up, on a serving plate.
- Flake the drained tuna with a fork and divide between the sweet potatoes.
- Top with the red onion and chilli, then squeeze over the lime juice.
- Top with a dollop of yogurt and scatter over the coriander.
3. Butternut Squash Risotto – Serves 4
- 250g risotto rice
- 700ml hot vegetable stock
- 1 medium butternut squash
- big handful grated Parmesan, plus extra for topping
- handful sage leaves, roughly chopped
- Tip the rice into a large bowl and add 500ml of the hot vegetable stock.
- Cover with cling film and microwave on high for 5 mins.
- Meanwhile, peel and cut the squash into medium chunks.
- Stir the rice, then add the squash and the rest of the stock.
- Re-cover with cling film, then microwave for another 15 mins, stirring halfway, until almost all the stock is absorbed and the rice and squash are tender.
- Leave the risotto to sit for 2 mins, then stir in the parmesan and sage.
- Serve topped with more grated cheese.
4. Thai Noodles – Serves 4
- 500ml hot chicken stock or vegetable stock
- 400ml can coconut milk
- 1 tbsp green or red Thai curry paste
- 1 tsp ground turmeric
- 3 skinless boneless chicken breast fillets, sliced
- 1 x 250g pack medium rice noodles
- 300g bag stir-fry mix, pick one with beansprouts
- Firstly, get the kettle on and make the stock.
- Tip the stock, coconut milk, Thai curry paste, turmeric and chicken into a big microwaveable bowl.
- Cover with cling film, pierce it a few times and microwave on high for 5 mins.
- Remove the cling film, give it a stir and cook for a further 5 mins until the chicken is cooked.
- Meanwhile, tip the noodles into another large bowl. Pour boiling water over and leave to soak for 4 mins, then drain.
- Add the stir-fry mix and noodles to the chicken, ladle into deep bowls and serve with spoons and forks.
5. Vegetable Biryani – Serves 4
- 250g basmati rice
- 400g special mixed frozen vegetables
- Handful of raisins
- 1 vegetable stock cube
- 2 tbsp korma curry paste
- Handful of roasted salted cashew nuts
- Boil the kettle.
- Put the rice, veg and raisins into a large microwavable bowl.
- Pour 600ml boiling water over the rice mixture and crumble in the stock cube, then stir in the curry paste.
- Cover the bowl with cling film, leaving a small gap at the side to let out the steam.
- Cook on full power for 12 minutes
- Remove from the microwave and stand, still covered, for 5 minutes to complete the cooking.
- Fluff up the rice, scatter with cashews and serve.
6. Stuffed Peppers – Serves 4
- 4 red peppers
- 2 x 250g pouches cooked tomato rice (Tilda Rizazz Mediterranean Tomato)
- 2 tbsp pesto
- handful pitted black olives, chopped
- 200g goat’s cheese, sliced
- Use a small knife to cut the top out of the peppers, then scoop out the seeds.
- Sit the peppers on a plate, cut-side up, and cook in the microwave on high for 5-6 mins until they’ve wilted and softened.
- Whilst the peppers are cooking, mix the rice together with the pesto and olives and two-thirds of the cheese.
- Scoop the rice into the peppers, top with the remaining goat’s cheese and continue to cook for 8-10 mins.
- Serve with a green salad.
7. Quick Lemon Pud – Serves 4
- 100g caster sugar
- 100g softened butter
- 100g self-raising flour
- 2 eggs
- zest of 1 lemon
- 1 tsp vanilla essence
- 4 tbsp lemon curd
- crème fraîche or ice cream, to serve
- Mix the sugar, butter, flour, eggs, lemon zest and vanilla together until creamy, then spoon into a medium microwave-proof baking dish.
- Microwave on high for 3 mins, turning halfway through cooking, until risen and set all the way through.
- Leave to stand for 1 min.
- Meanwhile, heat the lemon curd for 30 secs in the microwave and stir until smooth.
- Pour all over the top of the pudding and serve with a dollop of crème fraîche or scoop of ice cream.
Don’t forget about the humble jacket potato and scrambled eggs that can be cooked in a microwave in minutes. They’re healthy, simple and quick – what more would you want from a meal?!
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