How to Microwave Pasta

Co-authored by Abyssinia Campbell and Jessica Gibson

Last Updated: December 4, 2023 Fact Checked

If you're cooking out of a dorm or small kitchen, you can still make delicious meals, like spaghetti. Decide if you'd like to microwave the noodles using tap water or boiling water and oil. Once you've microwaved the noodles, serve them with your favorite jarred pasta sauce. Keep in mind that you can also microwave a hearty meat sauce that's great with spaghetti.

Ingredients

Microwaving Pasta

Spaghetti
Water

Serving size varies

Pasta

10.5 ounces (300 g) of uncooked spaghetti noodles
1 tablespoon (15 ml) of vegetable oil, optional
Boiling water as needed

Makes 4 servings

Premade Sauce

1 jar of pasta sauce

Serving size varies

Meat Sauce

1 onion, chopped
1 garlic clove, chopped
1 carrot, diced
²⁄₃ pound (300 g) of lean ground beef
1 14-ounce (411 g) can of chopped tomatoes
4 tablespoons (59 ml) of boiling water
1 beef stock cube or 1 teaspoon (2.5 g) of powdered bouillon
1 teaspoon (2 g) of dried oregano
Black pepper, to taste

Makes 4 servings

Method 1

Method 1 of 4:

Microwaving Pasta

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1
Break up the spaghetti noodles and place them in a bowl. Measure out as much spaghetti as you'd like to cook in the microwave. Then break the noodles into halves or thirds and put them in a microwave-safe bowl.^{[1]
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- Keep in mind that most pasta noodles double in size after they cook.
2
Pour enough water to cover the noodles by 2 inches (5.1 cm). You can use room temperature water or just run water from the tap into the bowl. It's important that the noodles are completely submerged.^{[2]
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- The noodles will double or triple in size as they cook which is why they need to be covered with the water.
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3
Microwave the pasta for 3 minutes longer than the package instructs. Put the bowl in the microwave and read the pasta cooking instructions. Set the timer for 3 minutes longer than the manufacturer's recommendations.^{[3]
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- For example, if the package says to boil the noodles for 9 minutes, you'll need to microwave them for 12 minutes.
4
Drain and use the cooked pasta. Carefully remove the hot bowl from the microwave. Set a colander in the sink and slowly pour the hot pasta into it so the water drains into the sink. Then top the cooked pasta with your favorite sauce.^{[4]
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- Refrigerate leftover cooked pasta in an airtight container for up to 3 to 5 days.

Method 2

Method 2 of 4:

Cooking the Pasta Using Boiling Water

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Get out 10.5 ounces (300 g) of uncooked spaghetti noodles and break them into thirds. They should easily fit into a microwave-safe bowl without sticking out.^{[5]
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2
Coat the pasta with oil and pour in boiling water. Add 1 tablespoon (15 ml) of vegetable oil to the dry noodles and stir until they're all coated. Then pour in enough boiling water to cover the noodles by at least 2 inches (5.1 cm).
- Mixing the noodles with oil will prevent them from clumping together as they cook in the microwave.
3
Microwave the spaghetti for 8 minutes. Put a lid on the dish or cover it with plastic wrap. Set the dish in the microwave and heat the pasta on full power for 8 minutes. Stop and stir the noodles once they're halfway cooked.^{[6]
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- Use caution when you stir the spaghetti since the dish will be hot.
Once the spaghetti has rested for a few minutes, test a few noodles to see if they're as soft as you like. If they're too firm for you, return the noodles to the microwave and cook them for 2 more minutes.^{[7]
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5
Drain and serve the spaghetti with sauce. Set a colander in the sink and slowly pour the cooked spaghetti into it. The hot water should drain into the sink. Then serve the hot spaghetti with your choice of sauce.
- To store leftover spaghetti noodles, put them in an airtight container and refrigerate them for up to 3 to 5 days.

Method 3

Method 3 of 4:

Microwaving Premade Sauce

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1
Pour a jar of pasta sauce into a large bowl. Choose a microwave-safe bowl that's large enough to contain any splatters from the sauce. If you want to microwave a smaller portion, just pour as much as you need into the bowl.
- You can choose any kind of sauce you like, from marinara to alfredo!
2
Microwave the sauce in 30-second increments. Put the bowl of pasta sauce in the microwave and use LOW power to heat the sauce.^{[8]
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Trustworthy Source

Food Safety and Inspection Service of the USDA
Food safety information provided by the U.S. Department of Agriculture.

Go to source} Stop and stir the sauce every 30 seconds as it heats.
- Keep in mind that it will take 2 to 3 minutes to heat a full jar of pasta sauce while a single portion might only take 1 minute.
Once the pasta sauce is as hot as you'd like, remove it from the microwave and spoon it over cooked spaghetti noodles. Serve the sauce and noodles while they're hot.

Method 4

Method 4 of 4:

Cooking Meat Sauce in the Microwave

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1
Chop 1 onion, 1 garlic clove, and 1 carrot. Peel the produce and set them on a cutting board. Then use a sharp knife to chop the onion into ¹⁄₂ inch (1.3 cm) pieces and mince the garlic clove. Dice the carrot into pea-sized pieces and transfer everything to a large microwave-safe bowl.^{[9]
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- If you're short on time, buy a package of ready-cut onions and carrots to use.
2
Mix ²⁄₃ pound (300 g) of lean ground beef with the veggies in the bowl. Mix the meat into the chopped vegetables as you break it into smaller pieces. This will help the beef cook evenly.^{[10]
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- It's important to use lean meat to prevent the sauce from becoming greasy. If you don't want to use lean beef, substitute ground chicken or ground turkey.
3
Cover the bowl and microwave the mixture for 3 minutes. Lay a piece of plastic wrap over the bowl with the meat and vegetables. Then cut a 2 in (5.1 cm) slit in the plastic wrap so steam can escape. Microwave the meat and vegetables for 3 minutes using high power.^{[11]
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- If you don't want to use plastic wrap and the bowl has a lid, set the lid on the bowl so it's slightly askew and steam can escape.
- Use caution when handling the dish since it will become very hot.
4
Microwave the meat mixture for 3 more minutes. Keep the mixture covered and microwave it until the meat is no longer pink. To ensure it's finished cooking, insert a meat thermometer into the center of the dish. The meat should reach 160 °F (71 °C).^{[12]
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- If the meat is still slightly pink or hasn't reached 160 °F (71 °C), cover and microwave it for 1 more minute before checking it again.
- Drain off any visible grease from the bowl once the meat has finished cooking.
Open a 14-ounce (411 g) can of chopped tomatoes and add it to the bowl with the meat and vegetables. Stir in 4 tablespoons (59 ml) of boiling water, 1 teaspoon (2 g) of dried oregano, and 1 beef stock cube or 1 teaspoon (2.5 g) of powdered bouillon.^{[13]
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6
Microwave the meat sauce for 7 minutes. Lay the plastic wrap or lid back on the bowl and heat the sauce on full power. The sauce should begin to bubble and become fragrant.^{[14]
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- Taste the sauce and stir in ground pepper according to your taste. It's safe to taste the sauce since the meat is already cooked.
7
Microwave the sauce for 10 more minutes before serving. Remove the lid and stir the sauce well. Then set the lid or wrap back on the bowl and heat the sauce for 10 more minutes. Stir it at the halfway point so the sauce cooks evenly. Carefully remove the sauce from the microwave and spoon it over the cooked spaghetti.^{[15]
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- Cover and refrigerate leftover meat sauce for up to 3 or 4 days.

Community Q&A

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Question

Can you do a microwave lasagna next please?

Community Answer

It's been done! Check out How to Make Microwaved Lasagna.

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Things You'll Need

Microwaving Pasta

Microwave-safe bowl
Colander

Cooking the Pasta Using Boiling Water

Microwave-safe bowl
Lid or plastic wrap
Spoon
Colander

Microwaving Premade Sauce

Large microwave-safe bowl
Spoon

Cooking Meat Sauce in the Microwave

Measuring cups and spoons
Large microwave-safe bowl
Knife and cutting board
Fork
Plastic wrap or a paper towel

Tips

To help pasta heat evenly in the microwave, don't put it on a plate in a circular mound. Instead, make a hole in the middle, so it's in the shape of a donut or ring. This helps it heat faster, and more evenly.^{[16]
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For gluten-free spaghetti, skip the pasta noodles and cook spaghetti squash in the microwave instead.

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