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How to cook eggs in the microwave – any style

Scrambled, poached or fried – here’s the easy way to crack eggs in the microwave!

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No weekend breakfast would be complete without a good-looking egg – whether poached, boiled, scrambled or fried. But getting eggs just right can be tough – and scraping old egg off a saucepan can be a lot of elbow grease. So maybe it’s time to give the microwave a try.

Cooking eggs in the microwave is a convenient and time-saving method that can give you consistently scrumptious results. So, here are 5 great microwave eggs recipes, which will save you time and mess.

Microwave scrambled eggs

Scrambled eggs are a classic breakfast favourite, and with the microwave, you can whip them up in no time at all. All you need is a microwave-safe bowl – which are a lot easier to clean than a frying pan. Just follow these steps:

  1. Crack two or three eggs into a bowl. Beat the eggs with a fork and add a splash of milk or cream for extra fluffiness. Season with a pinch of salt and pepper to taste.

  2. Pop the bowl into the microwave and cook on medium power for 30 seconds. Take the bowl out, give the eggs a quick stir, and put them back in the microwave for another 30 seconds.

  3. Repeat the process, stirring every 30 seconds, until the eggs are just set. Be careful not to overcook them – as slightly runny eggs will continue to cook even after being removed from the microwave.

Tip:

The microwave will cook your eggs from the outside of the bowl first, so be sure to stir your eggs frequently to make sure they’re cooked throughout.

Microwave poached eggs

A perfectly runny poached egg is the centrepiece of any brunch but trying to get them perfect in a pan leaves lots of wannabe chefs in a cold sweat. But once you master your microwave, it’s a breeze.

  1. Fill a microwave-safe bowl with half a cup of water and add a splash of vinegar.

  2. Crack a fresh egg into the water, making sure the yolk remains intact.

  3. Cover the bowl with a microwave-safe plate to create a steamy environment for the egg, then microwave on medium power for 1-2 minutes, depending on how runny you like your yolk.

  4. Using a slotted spoon, carefully lift the poached egg from the water, allowing any excess water to drain off.

  5. Place it on a plate lined with a paper towel to soak up any remaining water.

Tip: Keep a close eye on your egg. If you’re after a runny yolk, you just need the white to have formed over it and gone an opaque colour. If it doesn’t seem to be cooking carefully on the top side, you can gently flip it over. You won’t want to leave it too long, because the egg will continue to cook slightly as you’re buttering your toast.

Microwave boiled eggs

Boiled eggs are always useful and are a fantastic addition to salads or sandwiches. And because you don’t need to worry do much about a runny yolk (unless you’re planning to dunk soldiers into them) there’s a lot more room for error here.

  1. Put one or two eggs in a microwave-safe bowl and add enough water to cover them completely. Sprinkle a pinch of salt into the water.

  2. Cover the bowl with a microwave-safe plate, leaving a small gap for steam to escape.

  3. Microwave the eggs on medium power for 4 to 5 minutes for soft-boiled eggs or 6 to 7 minutes for hard-boiled eggs.

  4. Once cooked, carefully remove the bowl from the microwave, and using a spoon, transfer the eggs to a bowl of ice-cold water to stop the cooking process.

Tip:

The timings above work for 1 or 2 eggs, but if you’re doing a larger number you’ll want to give them more time.

Microwave fried eggs

Fried eggs are another fave you can have at any time of day – with on a breakfast plate or as the ultimate hamburger topper. But with spitting oil and greasy pans to have to deal with, fried eggs can be the messiest eggs of all. Not with a microwave!

  1. Grease a microwave-safe plate with a thin layer of cooking oil or butter.

  2. Crack an egg onto the plate and pierce the yolk gently with a toothpick to prevent it from splattering.

  3. For sunny-side-up eggs, microwave the egg on medium power for about 45 seconds to 1 minute. If you prefer over-easy eggs, cook for an additional 20 to 30 seconds.

Sprinkle salt and pepper over the fried egg and serve.

Tip:

Be really gentle with that toothpick. As it cooks, the yolk will heat up quickly, so the point of piercing the yolk is to give the heat somewhere to go and to stop the yolk from exploding.

Cooking eggs in the microwave opens up a world of possibilities for quick and tasty meals. And they’re time-saving and hassle-free too. Just be aware that not all microwaves are exactly the same, so you’ll need to test your settings until your eggs come out just the way you like them. Experiment with different ingredients and toppings to create your Masterchef-worthy microwave egg recipes.

If you want to get into some more advanced microwave cookery – check out our combination microwaves. They can do everything from boil to roast to grill. You’ll find plenty more tech to help turn you into a kitchen whiz with our Small appliances buying guide.

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