Healthy Recipes for Your Microwave (2024)

Microwaves can be a time-saver, but finding a healthy recipes to take advantage of it might be challenging. Don't sweat it! We've got you covered. Whether you're looking for healthy microwave meals or you just need a quick dessert fix, here are some healthy recipes for your microwave to try.

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Seared Chicken with Mango Salsa & Spaghetti Squash

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Healthy Recipes for Your Microwave (1)

A quick mango salsa gives this easy chicken dinner recipe a tropical flavor boost. A generous serving of spaghetti squash rounds out the healthy meal.

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Sour Cream-&-Herb Baked Potatoes

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Healthy Recipes for Your Microwave (2)

Yogurt, sour cream and herbs are combined to make a perky topping for these healthy baked potatoes. Add some sliced tomatoes on the side to brighten up the plate and spoon some of the sauce over them too.

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Sweet Potatoes with Warm Black Bean Salad

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Healthy Recipes for Your Microwave (3)

For a satisfying last-minute supper, it's hard to beat a sweet potato zapped in the microwave. The fragrant filling of beans and tomatoes adds protein. Be sure to eat the skin, which is full of fiber, as well.

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Chicken Curry Cup of Noodles

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Make your own cup of instant soup at home with this chicken curry zoodle (spiralized zucchini noodles) recipe. Pack several jars at once to take to work for easy lunches throughout the week.

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Quick Mixed Berry Topping

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Healthy Recipes for Your Microwave (5)

Frozen mixed berries become an almost instant fruit topping in the microwave. Serve over angel food cake or Greek-style yogurt.

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Southwestern Layered Bean Dip

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Healthy Recipes for Your Microwave (6)

Plenty of black beans, salsa and chopped fresh vegetables mean a healthy amount of dietary fiber in this Tex-Mex layered dip. We use reduced-fat sour cream along with full-fat (and full-flavored) cheese to make the dip lighter without compromising great taste. Be sure to have lots of baked tortilla chips on hand when you serve it.

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Microwave Potato Chips

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Healthy Recipes for Your Microwave (7)

You don't need a deep fryer to make crispy potato chips. We toss thinly sliced potatoes with just a touch of olive oil, pop them in the microwave and voilà! Crispy, crunchy homemade potato chips with 8 grams less fat per serving than regular chips.

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Strawberries Dipped in Chocolate

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This healthy dessert recipe is a quick and healthy way to satisfy your chocolate craving.

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Quick Applesauce

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Healthy Recipes for Your Microwave (9)

This quick homemade applesauce recipe makes a healthy snack or fruit dessert for kids. Applesauce is also a fabulous complement to potato pancakes or latkes.

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Irene's Winter Salad

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Healthy Recipes for Your Microwave (10)

Steamed broccoli and cauliflower florets tossed with a tangy lemon dressing is a great alternative to a green salad or steamed vegetable side dish.

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Lemongrass Pork & Spaghetti Squash Noodle Bowl with Peanut Sauce

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Healthy Recipes for Your Microwave (11)

In this Asian-flavored spaghetti squash recipe, thin slices of lean pork tenderloin are marinated with lemongrass, ginger, brown sugar and soy sauce. The flavorful marinade is then cooked with peanut butter and coconut milk to make a delicious sauce for this low-carb noodle bowl.

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Mashed Sweet Potatoes with Coconut Milk

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Healthy Recipes for Your Microwave (12)

This three-ingredient dish, known as piele in Hawaii, is fabulously simple. Coconut milk--an occasional indulgence because of the saturated fat--contributes rich flavor.

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The EatingWell Taco

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Healthy Recipes for Your Microwave (13)

Building the perfect taco is a very personal task--cheese under meat, cheese on top, no cheese at all? This is just our recommendation.

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Creamy Mashed Cauliflower

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Healthy Recipes for Your Microwave (14)

This creamy cauliflower mash makes a perfect low-carb stand-in for mashed potatoes. Here we take simple mashed cauliflower and mix in garlic, buttermilk and a touch of butter to create a flavorful side dish that has about one-quarter of the calories of typical mashed potatoes. If you like, vary it by adding shredded low-fat cheese or chopped fresh herbs.

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Greek Orzo Stuffed Peppers

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Healthy Recipes for Your Microwave (15)

We steam brightly colored bell peppers in the microwave to save time and then stuff them with orzo, spinach and feta. This basic recipe will work with almost any filling--try substituting different types of cheese, herbs or beans. Serve with whole-wheat pita bread and cucumber salad.

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Spaghetti Squash & Meatballs

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Healthy Recipes for Your Microwave (16)

With this spaghetti squash and meatballs recipe, you can reduce the carbohydrates and increase the vegetable servings by skipping pasta and serving the Italian-seasoned turkey meatballs and quick, homemade marinara sauce over thin strands of cooked spaghetti squash instead. Cooking the squash first in the microwave and then in a skillet to cook off the extra moisture, gives the squash a more spaghetti-like texture.

Healthy Recipes for Your Microwave (2024)

FAQs

How can I eat healthy if I only have a microwave? ›

10 easy healthy microwave recipes
  1. Jambalaya. Try this spicy veggie rice mix that'll feed a family of four. ...
  2. Biryani. Try the ultimate in adaptable eating with our simple microwave biryani. ...
  3. Shakshuka. ...
  4. Butternut squash risotto. ...
  5. Kale & chilli eggs. ...
  6. Risotto primavera. ...
  7. Bacon & fish o'leekie. ...
  8. Easy veggie biryani.

Can microwave meals be healthy? ›

You can microwave lots of quick, homemade meals that are much healthier than the infamous 'microwave meal'. The good news doesn't stop there. Contrary to popular belief, the microwave preserves more nutrients than traditional cooking methods such as boiling or roasting, thanks to the shorter cooking time.

What can I make if I only have a microwave? ›

20 best ever microwave meal ideas
  1. Microwave mug cake.
  2. Microwave risotto primavera.
  3. Fastest-ever lemon pudding.
  4. Microwave kale & chilli eggs recipe.
  5. Leeky salmon in a parcel.
  6. Microwave banana pudding.
  7. Microwave butternut squash risotto.
  8. Tuna sweet potato jackets.

What protein can you cook in the microwave? ›

Like fish, you can also zap chicken in the microwave for a quick protein fix. Juicy boneless, skinless thighs are a better option than chicken breasts, which are more likely to succumb to the microwave's dehydrating powers. Place chicken in a microwave-safe baking dish.

What ready meals are healthy? ›

Low Calorie Ready Meals
  • The Gym Kitchen Chicken Tikka 400G. ...
  • The Gym Kitchen Chicken Paella 400G. ...
  • The Gym Kitchen Thai Green Chicken Curry 400G. ...
  • The Gym Kitchen Chicken & Mushroom Fettuccine 400g. ...
  • The Gym Kitchen Korean Beef Chilli 400G. ...
  • The Gym Kitchen Piri Piri Chicken 400G. ...
  • The Gym Kitchen Harissa Chicken 400G.

Are premade microwave meals healthy? ›

Some companies may advertise microwavable meals as low caloric and optimal for losing weight. However, most of them are nothing more than an advertising trap. Microwave meals can be loaded with excess sugars, salt, artificial flavours, and high-calorie ingredients that can raise your weight in just days.

What are 4 disadvantages of microwave cooking? ›

Potential drawbacks include uneven heating, risk of dryness in food, and the need for microwave-safe utensils to prevent damage or accidents.

Who does the best ready meals? ›

Ready meals 2022: Charlie Bigham's snatches top spot
Top 5 Chilled ready meals
22Rustlers
34Wasabi Home Bento
46McIntosh of Strathmore
53Feasters
5 more rows
Dec 16, 2022

How do you eat healthy when all you have is a microwave? ›

Easy foods- sandwiches, green salads, chicken salad, tuna salad, oatmeal, cereal, ramen. Scrambled eggs can be cooked in a ceramic bowl or coffee mug in the microwave. Soup and stews made in the microwave tastes a lot better the second day after the flavors have had time to all blend together.

What meats are best in microwave? ›

We've found that the meats that cook best in the microwave are the less tender beef cuts, such as chuck pot roasts, stew meat and rolled rump roasts. Microwave cooking, a moist cooking method, works better for these cuts than for tender cuts, which stew in their own juices and become tough and lose flavor.

What is a healthy alternative to a microwave? ›

Healthy alternatives include: The stovetop: Anything you reheat in a microwave you can reheat on the stove. Add a splash of water to the pan with the food. Then, cover it with a lid and set it on the stove for a few minutes to warm through.

Is it healthier to not use a microwave? ›

Microwaves are a safe, effective, and highly convenient cooking method. There is no evidence that they cause harm — and some evidence that they are even better than other cooking methods at preserving nutrients and preventing the formation of harmful compounds.

Do you lose nutrients when you microwave food? ›

However, microwave cooking is actually one of the least likely forms of cooking to damage nutrients. That's because the longer food cooks, the more nutrients tend to break down, and microwave cooking takes less time.

How can I eat healthy without a stove or oven? ›

  1. Rotisserie chicken.
  2. Ready-to-eat hard-boiled eggs.
  3. Canned fish (tuna, salmon, sardines)
  4. Canned beans.
  5. Frozen pre-cooked chicken strips (not breaded, no sauce)
  6. Pre-cooked whole grains, like brown rice or quinoa.
  7. Pre-cut fresh vegetables and fruit.
  8. Frozen vegetables and fruit (no added salt, sugar or sauce)
Jan 3, 2023

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