Even if you want to cook in the dorm kitchen or kitchenette, you can still make delicious dishes, such as spaghetti. Decide whether you want to microwave the noodles with tap water or hot water and oil. After cooking it in the microwave, serve the pasta with your favorite ready-made sauce. Remember, you can also microwave a delicious meat sauce to serve with pasta.
Ingredients
Cooking Pasta in the Microwave
- Spaghetti
- Water
Serving portions vary
For Pasta
- 300 grams of raw spaghetti
- 1 tablespoon (15 ml) vegetable oil, optional
- Enough hot water
For 4 servings
For Instant Sauce
1 bottle of pasta sauce
Serving portions vary
For Meat Sauce
- 1 onion, chopped
- 1 clove garlic, chopped
- 1 carrot, diced
- 300 grams fat-free minced beef
- 1 can (411 grams) chopped tomatoes
- 4 tablespoons (59 ml) boiling water
- 1 beef-flavored block stock or 1 teaspoon (2.5 grams) ground beef stock
- 1 teaspoon (2 grams) dried oregano
- Black pepper, for seasoning
For 4 servings
Step
Method 1 of 4: Microwave Cooking Pasta
Step 1. Break the spaghetti and put it in a bowl
Determine the amount of spaghetti you want to microwave. Then, break the noodles into two or three pieces and place them in a microwave-safe bowl.
Step 2. Pour in the water until the noodles are submerged at a depth of 5.1 cm
You can use room temperature water or tap water. Make sure the noodles are completely submerged.
The noodles will expand to 2 to 3 times their original size once they are cooked so you will need to soak them in water
Step 3. Cook the pasta in the microwave for 3 minutes longer than the instructions on the package
Put the bowl in the microwave, then read the cooking instructions on the sales package. Set the cooking time 3 minutes longer than the recommendations listed on the package.
For example, if it says on the package that you need to boil the noodles for 9 minutes, you should cook them in the microwave for 12 minutes
Step 4. Drain and use the cooked pasta
Carefully remove the hot bowl from the microwave. Install the filter in the sink. Then slowly pour the hot paste into the strainer to allow the water to drain into the sink. Then, drizzle the pasta with your favorite sauce.
You can store leftover pasta in the refrigerator in a closed container for up to 3-5 days
Method 2 of 4: Cooking Pasta in Boiling Water
Step 1. Break the dry spaghetti and put it in a bowl
Prepare 300 grams of raw spaghetti, then break it into three parts. This should make it easier for all of the spaghetti to fit into the heatproof bowl.
Step 2. Coat the spaghetti with oil and pour boiling water
Add 1 tablespoon (15 ml) of vegetable oil to raw spaghetti and stir until all parts are coated. Then, pour in enough boiling water to cover the noodles, at least 5 inches (5.1 cm) from the bottom of the bowl.
Mixing the noodles with the oil helps prevent the spaghetti from clumping when cooked in the microwave
Step 3. Microwave the spaghetti for 8 minutes
Cover the spaghetti container and wrap it in plastic. Place the noodles in the microwave and heat on full power for 8 minutes. Pause the microwave after 4 minutes to stir the noodles.
Be careful when stirring the noodles as they are very hot
Step 4. Remove the spaghetti and let it rest for 2 minutes
After the spaghetti has simmered for a few minutes, check the noodles to make sure they're soft. If it's still too firm, return it to the microwave and cook for another 2 minutes.
Step 5. Drain the spaghetti and serve with the sauce
Put a strainer in the sink and pour the cooked spaghetti into it. Hot water will flow into the sink. Then, serve the spaghetti while it's still hot with your favorite sauce.
To store leftover spaghetti, you can place it in an airtight container and store it in the refrigerator for up to 3-5 days
Method 3 of 4: Microwave Instant Sauce
Step 1. Pour a bottle of pasta sauce into a large bowl
Use a microwave-safe bowl that's big enough to catch the splattered sauce. If you want to cook small portions, pour enough sauce into the bowl.
Tips:
Choose the sauce you like, from marinara to alfredo !
Step 2. Cook the sauce in the microwave at 30 second intervals
Place the bowl of sauce in the microwave and use low power to heat it up. Stop the cooking process to stir the sauce every 30 seconds while continuing to heat.
Remember, it takes 2-3 minutes to warm up a bottle of sauce. Cooking the sauce in single portions takes only 1 minute
Step 3. Pour the hot sauce over the spaghetti
Once the pasta sauce is cooked to your liking, remove it from the microwave and pour it over the spaghetti. Serve the sauce and noodles while they are still hot.
Method 4 of 4: Microwave Cooking Meat Sauce
Step 1. Cut 1 onion, 1 clove of garlic, and 1 carrot
Peel the ingredients, then place them on a cutting board. Use a sharp knife to cut the onion into 1.3cm pieces, then chop the garlic. Cut the carrots into pea-sized cubes. Then, put all the ingredients in a large microwave-safe bowl.
If you want it fast, buy chopped onions and carrots
Step 2. Mix 300 grams of lean ground beef with chopped vegetables
Mix the meat with the prepared vegetables. This will make it cook more evenly.
Do you know?
It is very important to use lean meat so that the sauce is not greasy. If you don't want to use lean ground beef, substitute it with minced chicken or turkey.
Step 3. Cover the bowl and cook the mixture in the microwave for 3 minutes
Spread a sheet of plastic wrap over a bowl of meat and vegetables. Then, cut the plastic 5.1 cm long to allow the steam to escape. Cook the meat and vegetable mixture for 3 minutes on a high setting.
- If you don't want to use plastic wrap and the bowl you are using has its own lid, don't put the lid on too tightly to allow steam to escape.
- Be careful when taking the bowl as it is very hot.
Step 4. Cook the meat in the microwave for 3 minutes
Keep the mixture protected and cook until the meat is no longer pink. To make sure the meat is cooked through, stick a meat thermometer into the center of the meat and vegetable mixture. The temperature inside should reach 71 °C.
- If the meat is still slightly reddish or has not reached 71 °C, put the lid back on and cook in the microwave for 1 minute, then double check.
- Remove any visible fat liquid in the bowl once the meat is cooked.
Step 5. Add tomatoes, water, stock and oregano
Take a can (411 grams) of chopped tomatoes and place them in a bowl with vegetables and meat. Add 4 tablespoons (59 ml) of boiling water, 1 teaspoon (2 grams) of dried oregano, and 1 block of beef stock or 1 teaspoon (2.5 grams) ground beef stock.
Step 6. Microwave the meat sauce for 7 minutes
Expand the plastic wrap or put the lid back on the container, then heat the sauce to maximum temperature. The sauce will start to foam and give off a nice aroma.
Taste the sauce and add ground pepper to taste. The sauce is safe to taste because the meat inside is already cooked
Step 7. Microwave the sauce for 10 minutes before serving
Remove the lid from the bowl and stir the sauce until it is evenly distributed. Then, put the lid back on and heat the sauce for 10 minutes. Stir the sauce after 5 minutes so that it cooks evenly. Gently remove the sauce from the microwave, then pour it over the cooked spaghetti.
