The humble microwave oven offers the easiest method of cooking available. However, microwaving your food has somewhat fallen out of favour, due to the mistaken belief that it's always unhealthy or unappetising. Luckily, there are many microwave cookbooks that prove delicious and nutritious meals can be made in just a few minutes flat!
A microwave cookbook is essential when you need quick and tasty food inspiration, and this article will show you how to choose the right one. After walking you through everything you need to consider, keep reading for our ranking of the top 10 best microwave cookbooks in the UK.
The microwave oven might be a simple contraption, but the vast amount of different foods you can cook in it means there's a wide variety of microwave cookbooks available. Picking the right one simply comes down to answering a few key questions, so read our buying guide to find out more!
Microwave cooking isn't only about convenience! It's also about making delicious food that you'll want to enjoy again and again. One way of guaranteeing that you'll adore a cookbook's recipes is by choosing one that's dedicated to your favourite type of cuisine.
The microwave oven is a versatile appliance, but there's no denying that the scope for cooking exotic meals is a little more limited than it might be with, say, a standard oven. That said, there are still plenty of exciting dishes that you can prepare in a microwave, some of which may come as a surprise.
There are books dedicated to a range of global cuisines, ranging from Indian to Japanese. Although a bit more difficult to find, there are even those full of recipes for vegetarian and vegan meals that you can cook in a microwave oven.
The convenience of microwave cooking means it can benefit people from all walks of life. One of the key aspects that set microwave cookbooks apart from one another is the number of people their recipes cater to.
If you live on your own, or primarily tend to cook for one, you'll find a microwave cookbook dedicated to solo eaters indispensable. These books are full of recipes that take advantage of the convenience of microwave ovens, allowing you to prepare tasty, individual meals, without having to reconfigure ingredient amounts.
If you're cooking for a family, you'll want a book that offers simple and nutritious meals that you can cook quickly, and which will appeal to both parents and children alike. Even better, these recipes can often be batch-cooked, saving you time in the long-run - something that every busy parent knows is totally worth it!
Perhaps because microwave cooking is not as popular as it once was, dedicated microwave cookbooks are getting harder to come by. These days, convenient microwaveable recipes are often nested within books that also contain other meal ideas.
These cookbooks are often dedicated to easy cooking or money-saving meal ideas, meaning that even the non-microwaveable recipes are usually cheap, easy and tasty. This is a good thing as you'll pick up plenty of extra tips, and may even be inspired to discover new and exciting modes of cooking!
In the midst of all the dedicated cookbooks, the combination, or 'combi' microwave, is often overlooked. If you have a combi microwave, it makes sense to find a cookbook that utilises its extra features, such as its ability to steam and grill, rather than relying solely on simplified recipes for standard microwaves.
They're definitely harder to find, but a cookbook dedicated to combination microwaves will allow you to take advantage of what it is that makes these gadgets so special. With one of these books, you'll be able to use advanced cooking methods at lightning fast speed!
Now that we've given you all the info you need to know, it's time for us to count down our top ten favourite microwave cookbooks. The eclectic range of books we've selected should be more than enough to prove that microwave cooking can be truly exciting!
£10.99
Cuisine | Various |
---|---|
Ideal For | Solo diners and families |
Microwave Only | No |
Microwave Type | Standard or combi |
Number of Recipes | Over 100 |
Format | Paperback, Kindle |
£6.65
Cuisine | Everyday recipes |
---|---|
Ideal For | Families |
Microwave Only | Yes |
Microwave Type | Combi only |
Number of Recipes | - |
Format | Paperback, Kindle |
£10.60
Cuisine | Healthy, low ingredient recipes |
---|---|
Ideal For | Solo diners |
Microwave Only | No |
Microwave Type | Standard or combi |
Number of Recipes | Over 100 |
Format | Paperback, Kindle, Audiobook |
£5.66
Cuisine | Various |
---|---|
Ideal For | Solo diners |
Microwave Only | Yes |
Microwave Type | Standard or combi |
Number of Recipes | - |
Format | Paperback, Kindle |
£8.67
Cuisine | Japanese |
---|---|
Ideal For | Solo diners and families |
Microwave Only | Yes |
Microwave Type | Standard or combi |
Number of Recipes | Over 80 |
Format | Paperback |
£9.95
Cuisine | Desserts |
---|---|
Ideal For | Solo diners or families |
Microwave Only | Yes |
Microwave Type | Standard or combi |
Number of Recipes | - |
Format | Paperback, Kindle |
£13.72
Cuisine | Mug recipes |
---|---|
Ideal For | Solo diners |
Microwave Only | Yes |
Microwave Type | Standard or combi |
Number of Recipes | 250 |
Format | Paperback |
£10.06
Cuisine | Desserts |
---|---|
Ideal For | Solo diners and families |
Microwave Only | Yes |
Microwave Type | Standard or combi |
Number of Recipes | 100 |
Format | Paperback, Kindle |
£7.72
Cuisine | Mug recipes |
---|---|
Ideal For | Solo diners |
Microwave Only | Yes |
Microwave Type | Standard or combi |
Number of Recipes | 80 |
Format | Hardcover, paperback, Kindle |
£11.99
Cuisine | Various |
---|---|
Ideal For | Families |
Microwave Only | Yes |
Microwave Type | Standard or combi |
Number of Recipes | 365 |
Format | Paperback, Kindle |
Image | 1 ![]() Sofia Rivera | 2 ![]() Denise Smart | 3 ![]() Rockridge Press | 4 ![]() Camilla V. Saulsbury | 5 ![]() Allie Allen | 6 ![]() Machiko Chiba | 7 ![]() Annette Yates | 8 ![]() Pamela Ellgen | 9 ![]() Carolyn Humphries | 10 ![]() Jack Monroe |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Name | 365 Recipes Microwave Cookbook | Meal in a Mug | The Absolute Best Mug Cakes Cookbook | 250 Best Meals in a Mug | Microwave Dessert Cookbook for Busy People | The Cook-Zen Cookbook | Microwave Recipes for One | The 5 Ingredient College Cookbook | Everyday Family Recipes for Your Combination Microwave | Cooking on a Bootstrap |
Features | The Ultimate Collection of Simple Family Recipes | The Ultimate Mug Meal Bible | The Definitive Guide to Cup Cakes | An Indispensable Compendium of Speedy Meals | Your Go-to for Quick and Easy Sweet Treats | Japanese Cooking Without the Fuss | An Indispensable Guide to Solo Microwave Cuisine | Healthy Food Made Quickly | Create Tasty Family Meals With Your Combi Microwave | Top Tips for Easy, Healthy Meals on a Shoestring |
Price | £11.99 | £7.72 | £10.06 | £13.72 | £9.95 | £8.67 | £5.66 | £10.60 | £6.65 | £10.99 |
Cuisine | Various | Mug recipes | Desserts | Mug recipes | Desserts | Japanese | Various | Healthy, low ingredient recipes | Everyday recipes | Various |
Ideal For | Families | Solo diners | Solo diners and families | Solo diners | Solo diners or families | Solo diners and families | Solo diners | Solo diners | Families | Solo diners and families |
Microwave Only | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | No | Yes | No |
Microwave Type | Standard or combi | Standard or combi | Standard or combi | Standard or combi | Standard or combi | Standard or combi | Standard or combi | Standard or combi | Combi only | Standard or combi |
Number of Recipes | 365 | 80 | 100 | 250 | - | Over 80 | - | Over 100 | - | Over 100 |
Format | Paperback, Kindle | Hardcover, paperback, Kindle | Paperback, Kindle | Paperback | Paperback, Kindle | Paperback | Paperback, Kindle | Paperback, Kindle, Audiobook | Paperback, Kindle | Paperback, Kindle |
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The evening meal is one of the most important parts of the day, but that doesn't mean we don't sometimes wish it was a little bit quicker and easier to prepare. Luckily, there are a plethora of books to help home cooks save time, effort and money. Check out our recommendations below, for more simple and nutritious meal ideas!
Now that we've reached the end of our article, we hope that you've found a microwave cookbook that you can call upon in the hardest of times. If we've made mealtimes even a little bit easier for you, we've done our job. Happy cooking!
Author: Emily Victoria Porsch
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