When my son asked me earlier how to microwave pasta, I must admit that I found the question amusing.
It wasn’t something I had ever considered doing; after all, wasn’t the traditional method of cooking pasta the only option?
Anyhow, that served as the inspiration for this article, and I decided to make microwave pasta and report my findings.
- Place pasta in a large microwave-safe bowl. Cover with 1L (4 cups) water.
- Microwave on High for the cook time stated in the packet directions (about 11 minutes), plus 3 mins (14 minutes total), stirring halfway through, or until al dente.
- Drain and serve.
Why Use A Microwave?
After initially dismissing the idea of cooking something in a microwave when it could be done more quickly the “traditional way,” I came to understand that there are actually good reasons to cook pasta in a microwave rather than a saucepan.
I mean, you could make the same case for microwaved oatmeal.
There are several scenarios where I can imagine this to be the case, but one could be that someone doesn’t actually have access to a stove top.
There may be more explanations, but I figured one was sufficient.
How To Cook Pasta In The Microwave
Deep bowls work best for microwaving because the water will boil up in them.
Place the pasta in a microwaveable bowl. Make sure the pasta is completely covered and that there is enough depth for the water to fill the space.
Use cold (tap) water. You can also use boiling water that has first been heated in the microwave or from a kettle. Personally, I find that using cold water is much simpler and has no effect on the flavor or texture of the food.
Cover the pasta with water by dousing it completely.
Turn the microwave on for three minutes longer than the pasta package recommends. As an illustration, set the microwave to run for 11 minutes if the packet calls for 8 minutes. With one exception, if you’ve already boiled the water, you can just cook it for the amount of time indicated on the packet.
When the microwave is finished, carefully remove the food from the appliance and drain the water using a colander.
Add your favorite pasta sauce on top (you can reheat it in the microwave)!
Can You Cook Spaghetti Pasta In A Microwave?
I used fusilli pasta for this, as you can see from the pictures, but you can also use spaghetti. Just separate them so they can fit in the microwave-safe bowl.
How Long Does It Take To Cook Pasta In The Microwave?
According to the pasta packet, the duration will vary. Add three minutes to the cooking time specified on the pasta packet.
It might take a little bit longer when making more than one serving. Just make sure the pasta is thoroughly cooked before draining the water, as you would on a stove. Place it back in the microwave if more cooking time is required, checking on it every one minute.
To cook too much pasta at once would not be a good idea because it could clump together and not cook through properly.
And that’s it! Experiment complete. When your only option is a microwave, a great easy substitute for cooking pasta
How To Cook Pasta In The MicrowaveYield:
If you don’t have access to a stove, making pasta in the microwave is a convenient alternative.
If there is no water left in the microwave after it has finished, the pasta may not have fully cooked. When this happened to me the first time, it was still edible, but the next time I used pasta, I added an additional 100ml of water.
Did you make this recipe?
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