10 Foods You Can Make In The Microwave (Really)

The microwave has gotten a bad rap in the recent past. When people think of "microwavable foods," their minds tend to conjure up images of soggy leftovers and erupted SpaghettiO sauce. Um, no thanks. I'm here to reverse that thinking — these recipes you can make in your microwave will make you forget about the rubbery meat, limp vegetables, and burnt popcorn of the past.

If you're only using your microwave to thaw out your chicken breasts or reheat leftovers, you are seriously missing out on the awesome potential of this little machine. Trust me, I had sworn off microwaves since freshman year of college — mostly because I couldn't eat one more bowl of ramen noodles — but I have officially changed my stance on the m-wave.

Believe it or not, your microwave is capable of crisping up potato chips, and delivering up a creamy polenta that would take twice as long to make on your stove. What's not to love about that?

So, whether you are trying to be a chef in your college dorm, don't have an oven, or are just too lazy to bother with cooking, here are 10 foods you had no idea you could make in your microwave.

1. Corn on the cob

No need to wait for water to boil or the grill to heat up — try making your corn on the cob in the microwave. The Kitchn tells us to leave the husks on, and then throw the corn in the microwave for about three minutes on high. Seriously — that's it!

2. Nachos

These southwestern nachos from I Am a Food Blog are perfect for feeding a crowd — no one will ever guess you microwaved these to perfection.

3. Poached eggs

Yes, really. Get this microwavable poached egg recipe from The Kitchn. It's amazing what you can do for brunch in just 60 seconds.

4. Lemon bars

Mom on Timeout's microwaveable lemon bars are legit, and they require zero baking. That is all.

5. Berry cobbler

This microwave berry cobbler from Domestic Fits looks and tastes like it took hours to make in an oven, when really it will only cost you five minutes of your time.

6. Polenta

Polenta in five minutes? It's now a (delicious) thing, thanks to this recipe from the Kitchn.

7. Breakfast sandwiches

These breakfast sandwiches from Foodie Crush pack the convenience of the drive-through, but taste about a million times better.

8. Potato chips

FACT: These microwaved potato chips by The Kitchn aren't fried, so you can eat as many of them as you want.

9. Mug cake

With this strawberry and vanilla buttercream cake recipe from Averie Cooks, you can have your (microwaved) cake, and eat it too.

10. Caramels

If you pronounce this microwave caramel from Averie Cooks "car-mel" or "car-a-mel," you're wrong. It's pronounced "deelish."

Looking for some more fun food ideas? Visit Bustle on YouTube!

Images: Averie Cooks; The Kitchn; Foodie Crush; Domestic Fits; Mom on Time Out; I Am a Food Blog