Learn how to microwave vegetables! Microwaving vegetables is not only okay, it’s an easy way to get more nutrients in your diet. Learn the best vegetables to microwave, how to make vegetables in microwave taste better, get nutrition info, and more. You’ll love this kitchen hack for steaming veg in a microwave that doesn’t require buying microwave vegetables in a bag!
Do you know how to cook vegetables in the microwave without a bag or microwave veggie steamer? If not, today’s post will teach you a new delicious way to cook different sorts of vegetables year-round. You’ll learn how to cook veggies in microwave using only a microwave safe dish and plastic wrap.
This microwave vegetable recipe will allow you to create endless varied and healthy side dishes. Cooking veg in microwave is truly a game changer if you want to save time in the kitchen. So, grab your favorite fresh veggie, and let’s do this thing!
Jump to:
- ➕ How to Cook Vegetables in Microwave
- 🥦 Best Vegetables to Microwave
- 🤔 Are microwaved vegetables less nutritious?
- 💀 Can you get cancer from microwave vegetables?
- 🥕 How to make microwave vegetables taste good?
- 📋 Microwave Vegetables Nutrition
- 💭 Expert Tips from a Dietitian
- FAQs
- 👩🏻🍳 Other Foods to Microwave
- The Disclaimer…
- 📖 Recipe
➕ How to Cook Vegetables in Microwave
Here are the step-by-step directions for how to steam veggies in microwave:
- Rinse vegetables with cool water and scrub off any dirt. Chop veggies into bite sized pieces.
- Put vegetables in a microwave-safe bowl with ¼ cup water. Cover the bowl with microwave-safe plastic wrap, leaving one corner of the wrap lifted for ventilation. The plastic wrap should not touch the food.
- Microwave vegetables for 3-5 minutes, depending on the type of vegetables and strength of your microwave oven. I found that broccoli and carrots took 3 minutes, while potatoes took 5 minutes.
- After microwaving, drain the vegetables (watch out for hot steam), season, and serve.
How Long to Microwave Vegetables Chart
Here is a chart of cooking times for microwave vegetables. These cook times are for a 1000W microwave oven, and may vary depending on the microwave you use:
| Type of Vegetable* | Microwave Time (minutes) |
|---|---|
| Steam Broccoli in Microwave (9-10 oz) | 3 |
| Microwave Carrots (2 medium carrots) | 3-4 |
| Potatoes (12 oz) | 5 |
| Microwave Green Beans (9-10 oz) | 3-4 |
| Microwave Asparagus (9-10 oz) | 3 |
| Brussels Sprouts (12 oz) | 5 |
| Microwave Sweet Corn (1 cup) | 2 |
| Spinach Leaves | 1-2 |
| Microwave Bok Choy | 2-3 |
| Cauliflower (9-10 oz) | 3 |
| Turnip (12 oz) | 5 |
| Microwave Parsnips (2) | 3-4 |
| Peas (1 cup) | 2 |
In short, denser vegetables have a slightly longer cook time to get fork tender compared to delicate vegetables. If you’d like to microwave a medley of vegetables at once, aim for chunks of vegetables that are similar in size and density.
What happens when you microwave vegetables?
Vegetables put in the microwave get steamed. You cannot get microwave vegetables crispy, like you can when they’re roasted or grilled.
🥦 Best Vegetables to Microwave
What vegetables can you microwave? What vegetables taste good microwaved? Here is a list of some of the best microwaved vegetables (IMHO):
- Broccoli
- Cauliflower
- Corn
- Potatoes
- Sweet Potatoes
- Butternut Squash
- Peas
- Asparagus
- Green Beans
- Carrots
- Beets
- Spinach
- Zucchini
How to Microwave Broccoli
Cut 9-10 ounces of broccoli into bite-sized florets (255-283g) and remove tough stalks. Place in a microwave-safe container with ¼ cup water, and partially cover with microwave-safe plastic wrap. Microwave on high for 3 minutes. Drain and serve.
How to Microwave Carrots
Cut 2 medium carrots into ½-inch thick half-moon slices (1.27cm). Place in a microwave-safe bowl with ¼ cup water, and partially cover with microwave-safe plastic wrap. Microwave on high for 3 minutes. Drain and serve.
How to Microwave Potatoes
Cut 12 ounces of thin-skinned potatoes into 1-inch cubes (2.54cm). Place in a microwave-safe bowl with ¼ cup water, and partially cover with microwave-safe plastic wrap. Microwave chunks of potatoes on high for 5 minutes. Drain cooking water and serve.
🤔 Are microwaved vegetables less nutritious?
In general, microwave vegetables nutrient loss is less than with other forms of cooking, such as boiling on the stovetop. Vegetable nutrient losses tend to occur due to long-term storage, high temperatures, and soaking or boiling in water (source). Steaming fresh vegetables in a small amount of water in the microwave may help preserve more nutrients compared to some other cooking methods.
💀 Can you get cancer from microwave vegetables?
No, microwaving vegetables doesn’t cause cancer (source). If anything, cooking veggies in the microwave makes it easier to eat a healthy diet that reduces the risk of certain cancers. This is because vegetables contain potentially beneficial phytochemicals and fiber that are linked to lower cancer risk.
🥕 How to make microwave vegetables taste good?
How do you add flavor to microwave vegetables? Make your microwave vegetable recipes taste better by adding any of the following after cooking:
- Lemon Juice
- Hot sauce
- Fresh herb sprigs (herbs like parsley and cilantro)
- Garlic
- Green onion or chives
- Everything bagel seasoning
- Italian seasoning or other herb blends
- Crumbled bacon
- Shredded cheese
- Grated Parm
- Salt and pepper
📋 Microwave Vegetables Nutrition
Microwave vegetables are a natural fit for vegetarian, vegan, plant-based, low fat, gluten free and dairy free diets. Non-starchy vegetables align with low carb and keto diets as well. In general, vegetables are rich in vitamin C, fiber, and potassium, and some veggies provide vitamin A too.
💭 Expert Tips from a Dietitian
This is a level 1 recipe (may help support fat loss). Are microwave vegetables healthy? I often get asked if microwave vegetables are good or bad. For most people, microwave veggies are a healthy addition to the diet with high nutritional value.
Most Americans are not meeting the Dietary Guidelines recommendations for vegetables in the diet. Easy kitchen hacks that help increase veggie intake, like cooking veg in the microwave, are a good thing in my book. Heart healthy steamed fresh veggies are a great alternative to deep fried veggies or microwave veggies drowning in high-sodium sauces.
Experiment with microwaving veggies of all different types to find the ones you and your family like best. They’ll add beautiful color and flavor to your plate in the shortest amount of time. In addition, they’ll help you get some vitamins and minerals that are more difficult to come by in the other food groups.
FAQs
You can purchase Birds Eye microwave vegetables in a bag that is vented and microwave-safe. The bag of frozen vegetables will usually have the microwave time and directions for the product; it’s often 4-5 minutes. Find microwave frozen vegetables at stores like Tesco, Aldi, and Walmart.
Yes and no. You can microwave frozen vegetables without water added and have good results. However, a little water added to fresh veggies before microwaving helps them to steam properly and keeps them from drying out.
According to the FDA, you can safely microwave small amounts of solid foods for baby in a microwave-safe dish. However, you should stir and taste-test the food before serving to baby, since microwaves don’t heat foods evenly. Baby’s milk, formula, baby foods in the jar, eggs, meats, and meat sticks should not be microwaved for babies.
There is no need to microwave veggies before roasting, since roasting makes veggies tender inside. Note that the microwave will not produce crispy vegetables that are like roasted vegetables. Unfortunately, adding oil before microwaving will not roast the veggies.
👩🏻🍳 Other Foods to Microwave
Looking for more microwave recipes? Try these next:
You may also enjoy microwave meals in air fryer.
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The Disclaimer…
All recipes on this website may or may not be appropriate for you, depending on your medical needs and personal preferences. Consult with a registered dietitian or your physician if you need help determining the dietary pattern that may be best for you.
The nutrition information is an estimate provided as a courtesy. It will differ depending on the specific brands and ingredients that you use. Calorie information on food labels may be wildly inaccurate, so please don't sweat the numbers too much.
For more information on how the three recipe levels may help with a weight management goal, refer to my overnight oats no sugar post. Let's get cooking!
📖 Recipe
Microwaving Vegetables (How to Microwave Vegetables)
Ingredients
- 9-10 ounces fresh broccoli, chopped (255-283g) OR
- 2 medium carrots ½-inch thick slices (1.27cm) OR
- 12 ounces thin-skinned potatoes 1-inch cubes (2.54 cm) OR
- your favorite veggies AND
- ¼ cup water
Instructions
- Rinse vegetables and scrub off any dirt. Chop veggies into bite sized pieces.
- Put vegetables in a microwave-safe bowl with ¼ cup water. Cover the bowl with microwave-safe plastic wrap, leaving one corner of the wrap lifted for ventilation. The plastic wrap should not touch the food.
- Microwave vegetables for 3-5 minutes, depending on the type of vegetables and strength of your microwave oven. I found that broccoli and carrots took 3 minutes, while potatoes took 5 minutes.
- After microwaving, drain the vegetables (watch out for hot steam), season as desired, and serve.
Video
Notes
Nutrition
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