Easy Mac, Ramen, and leftover pizza might be stereotypical staples of the college diet, but sometimes you might want something a little different. But if you’re living in the dorms, you probably don’t have a fully-fledged kitchen at your disposal. Or even if you’re in an apartment, maybe you just don’t have the time. What if all you really needed was your trusty microwave? Take a look below at some microwave recipes that feature tasty meals, snacks, and treats!
Blueberry Mug Muffin
Let your Mr. Coffee take a break and use your mug to make a muffin instead. With just a 90 second bake-time, this is a perfect breakfast for the student who has an early morning class.
Flickr user Isabelle Hurbain-Palatin
Ingredients:
- 1/4 cup flour
- 1 Tbs sugar
- 1/8 tsp baking powder
- 3 Tbs milk
- 1 Tbs melted butter or coconut oil
- 1/4 cup blueberries
Instructions:
- Combine all of the dry ingredients in a microwave-safe mug
- Stir in the milk and butter/oil
- Add the blueberries
- Microwave on high for 90 seconds
And viola! Your very own single-serve mug muffin. Try swapping out the blueberries for other sweet treats like chocolate chips or cranberries for a variation.
Scrambled Eggs
Eggs are pretty versatile. You can hardboil them, devil them, toss them in a salad, use them to bake a delicious cake, but let’s talk about good ol’ fashioned scrambled eggs. If you don’t have a stove, a microwave will have to do.
Flickr user Hamburger Helper
Ingredients:
- 2 eggs
- A dash of milk
- Pinch of salt
Instructions:
- Crack eggs into a microwave-safe bowl and scramble with a fork
- Add milk and salt–a little goes a long ways
- Cook for one minute, then stir eggs with fork
- Continue to cook in 30-second increments until the eggs are cooked to your liking (this might take some experimentation)
If you want to add a bit of flavor, try adding your favorite ingredients like cheese, ham, jalapenos, or even Sriracha.
Pizza Quesadilla
Half pizza, half quesadilla, all genius. This super easy recipe is perfect for a quick meal or to impress your study-buddies while memorizing material for a test.
Ingredients:
Flickr user Marissa Garza
- 2 tortillas
- Shredded cheese
- Pepperoni
- Pizza sauce
Instructions:
- Put a layer of cheese on top of one tortilla
- Place pepperonis
- Add another layer of cheese
- Put the second tortilla on top
- Cook on high for 1 to 1:30
- Cut into wedges
- Serve with pizza sauce for dipping!
The adventurous microwave chef might add and additional layer of cheese on top of it all or even throw various other ingredients into the mix.
Baked Potato
Ah, another versatile classic. Twice-baked, mashed, soup-ified, or baked, it’s hard to go wrong with a potato.
Flickr user I Believe I Can Fry
Ingredients:
- 1 large potato
- 1 Tbs butter/margarine
- Salt and pepper to taste
- Preferred additions
Instructions:
- Scrub potato clean and prick holes in it several times with a fork
- Cook on high for 5 minutes, then flip potato over and cook for 5 more
- Cut in half lengthwise and mash with fork
- Add butter and salt/pepper
And enjoy! Of course, if that’s a bit plain for your tastes, add some of your favorite additions like sour cream, cheese, broccoli, bacon, green onions, or some sort of combination for a loaded baked potato.
Steamed Vegetables
Let’s talk healthy. You’re going to need some veggies every once in a while, and they’re saying that microwaving veggies may actually help them retain nutrients due to the shorter cook time.
Ingredients:
Flickr user Whatknot
- Carrots,
- Broccoli,
- Asparagus,
- Green beans,
- Peas,
- Or bell peppers
- Water
Instructions:
- Wash/dry your vegetable of choice and cut into equal sizes
- Place them in a microwave safe glass bowl or dish with sides
- Add just enough water that the veggies are 1/8th covered
- Cover bowl with microwave safe plastic wrap or lid
- Cook for 2 minutes, rotate veggies
- Cook for 4 more minutes
- Continue rotating veggies and cooking in 1 minute increments until fully done
Of course, the ingredients we have listed are just some microwave-friendly suggestions. Go out and pick your favorites, mix and match, try new veggies, and discover which ones work best for you.
Chicken Fajitas
Who needs to go out to a Mexican restaurant when you can make these in your very own microwave? Spice up your dinner plans with our second to last mouth-watering microwave recipes.
Flickr user Annie
Ingredients:
- Red peppers
- Green peppers
- Onion
- Taco seasoning
- 2-4 chicken breasts
- Tortillas
- Shredded cheese
Instructions:
- Cut peppers and onions into slices and put them in a microwave safe dish (with a lid)
- Add a sprinkling (about 2 Tbs) of taco seasoning over the veggies
- Cut chicken into strips, lay on top of the bed of veggies
- Sprinkle the rest of the seasoning onto the chicken
- Cover and put in the microwave for 10 minutes
- Serve in warm tortillas and add some cheese
Easy, delicious, and relatively quick. What’s not to love? Toss in your other favorite fajita flavors and enjoy again and again.
Chocolate Chip Mug Cookie
And for the last of our microwave recipes, we return to the mug to top off this list with a yummy dessert. After all, college is hard work and you deserve a treat from time to time!
Flickr user Jill
Ingredients:
- 1 Tbs unsalted butter
- 1 Tbs sugar
- 1 Tbs brown sugar
- 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
- Pinch of salt
- 1 egg yolk
- 3 Tbs flour
- 1-2 Tbs chocolate chips
Instructions:
- Melt the butter in the mug
- Add the sugars, salt, and vanilla–mix
- Mix in egg yolk
- Add flour
- Fold in chocolate chips
- Microwave 40-50 seconds
- Serve warm
And there you have it, a delicious cookie in a mug. If you really want to pamper yourself, serve it with a little bit of ice cream.
There are hundreds of meals out there for the intrepid microwave chef. Find your favorite recipes or make up a few of your own. Take a break from the dining halls, late night deliveries, and leftovers with a little bit of microwave magic.
