How to cook vegetables in the microwave: simple cooking methods, tips and secrets

2024 Author: Isabella Gilson | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-12-17 03:14

In the article below, we will learn how to cook vegetables in the microwave. Many housewives are not even aware that you can use a microwave oven to prepare salads and other dishes that use boiled vegetables. If you still use an electric or gas stove, but you understand that it takes too long to cook, then this article will be very useful for you.

Taste

Even those who have heard that you can cook vegetables in the microwave (in a bag or in a special dish) sometimes doubt. As a rule, it's all a matter of taste. Some believe that the taste characteristics of certain vegetables can change if they are "thrown" in the microwave.

Let's turn to the reviews of experienced chefs and those housewives who have been practicing this method of cooking for a long time. All reviews highlight a few positive points. First, of course, the taste. This is the first thing to worry about. In terms of taste properties, vegetables that have been cooked in a microwave oven are much tastier. They are somewhat reminiscent of products cooked in the oven. Juicy, without loss of taste and color. This is especially important when it comes to beets and carrots.

Convenience

People who know how to cook vegetables in the microwave are not burdened with the need to constantly monitor food preparation. No need to remove the foam, close or open the lid, adjust the oven temperature or constantly monitor the level of the gas burner. Cooking in the microwave eliminates all these nuances. Products just need to be properly prepared. The kitchen assistant will be responsible for everything else.

Microwaveware

How to cook vegetables for vinaigrette in the microwave? Which dishes to choose for this?

As a rule, a hostess who has such an oven in her kitchen is the owner of special dishes. There are several options that can be used to cook vegetables.

• Glassware with a loose lid. It can be any thick-walled container made of high-quality glass that can be safely placed in the microwave.
• Specialized packaging with a valve for steam.
• A plastic container that has a lid with a valve to release steam.

Potatoes

So let's get starteddirectly to cooking. We will tell you how to quickly cook vegetables in the microwave using a glass deep plate with a lid. Let's do this using the example of a potato.

Be sure to wash your vegetables before you start cooking. Using a toothpick, poke a few holes in the potato skins. Don't be lazy and skip this step. Otherwise, the potatoes may burst and scatter all over the plate. For cooking, it is better to choose small tubers so that they fit comfortably in the container.

Water is a matter of debate. Some housewives pour a few tablespoons of water into the bottom of the container, while others cook vegetables in the microwave without adding liquid. Which method will be convenient for you - decide for yourself.

Now about cooking time. Even the most experienced housewife will not be able to say exactly how to cook vegetables in the microwave, indicating the time and power. After all, the microwaves that are in the kitchen are different for everyone. Here are some "standard" examples that you can adapt to your kitchen unit:

• Power 1000W. Such potatoes are boiled for 8 to 10 minutes.
• Power 750W. Potatoes take 12 to 16 minutes to cook.

Carrots

Continuing to talk about how to cook vegetables in the microwave for salad, let's talk about carrots. Before cooking, it must be washed with a sponge under running water. Using a toothpick, make holes in the skin of the carrot. To prepare this vegetablelet's try the second option - dishes with a lid that has a valve for steam to escape. We send small carrots into a container, close the lid and open a special hole so that the steam comes out. This is done so that the carrots do not lose the elasticity of the peel, do not burst. You can not add water to the bottom of such a container. The cooking time for carrots is exactly the same as for potatoes. It all depends on the power of the oven.

Advice! Don't rush to start cooking. It is recommended to give the vegetables a little time to "proof". They must, as they say, reach. If you cooked with the addition of water, then remove the vegetables on a towel, cover them with it, leave for 5-7 minutes. If water was not used for cooking, then vegetables can reach in the dishes in which they were cooked.

Beets

This product, as a rule, makes housewives look for options and answers to the question of how to cook vegetables in the microwave quickly. We all know that beets always have to wait longer than others. This product takes a long time to cook, gives foam during cooking, requires attention and constant monitoring. If you use a microwave oven, then the process is much faster and with little or no participation of the hostess.

Beets are washed, as is the case with other vegetables. To prepare it, we will use a baking bag. If one is not at hand, then ordinary cellophane will do. After piercing the vegetables with a toothpick, put them in a bag, add a little water, tie tightly. Place on a microwave turntable.

• At 800W, the beets will cook for 8 to 12 minutes.
• If this indicator in your microwave oven is 900 W, then the cooking time is reduced by two to three minutes.
• Consequently, with less power (750 W and below) - add a couple of minutes. If the microwave produces 900W, the cooking time will be shorter.

Advice! Knowing the power and functionality of your kitchen assistant, you can always calculate the average cooking time. This should be done in order to save even more precious minutes.

Knowing the time and power, you can cook all the vegetables for salads and vinaigrettes at the same time. This is very convenient if preparations are underway for the holiday, many parallel dishes are being prepared and the attention of the hostess cannot always be drawn to the pot with boiled vegetables.

We just throw the washed products into a bag or into a glass container with a lid, turn on the desired mode on the microwave and wait. You can do other things, and the vegetables will cook without your close attention.