How Can I Heat Food Up Without a Microwave? The preparation of meals, lowering food waste, and financial savings in the kitchen all benefit from reheating food and leftovers. Even without a microwave, other kitchen appliances can be used to successfully reheat food and leftovers. Let’s chat about Reheating Food Without a Microwave: How to Do It!
Why Should You Remove Your Microwave?
I was shocked at how little I missed my microwave after getting rid of it, despite the fact that it can be convenient. There are numerous benefits to doing away with your microwave, as well as numerous reasons to do so. Among the principal advantages are:
- It is safer: Hot spots develop because microwaves don’t reheat food evenly. The food will taste better and be safer because of these non-microwave alternatives because they reheat food evenly.
- It’s healthier: Actually, the nutrients are removed from food when it is microwaved. This means that the much-needed vitamins and antioxidants you think your food contains are actually being destroyed by radiation. Yes, microwaves emit radiation, furthering how unhealthful they are in our homes.
- It’ll free up space: If a more wholesome home and delicious, nutritious food aren’t enough to convince you to give up your microwave, how about a more appealing kitchen? It goes without saying that microwaves are not attractive. Getting rid of them can help greatly with kitchen decluttering because they are large, bulky appliances that take up counter space.
These 9 methods for reheating food without a microwave will show you that giving up convenience is actually simpler than you might think.
13 Ways To Reheat Food Without A Microwave
Stovetop
For reheating without a microwave, using the stove is probably the most obvious option. For soups, stews, beans, pasta sauce, pasta noodles, or rice, add some water or broth to a pan or pot before covering it with a lid to reheat on the stove. To help the food warm up, use low-medium heat to produce steam without causing it to burn.
Use a fat like avocado oil, olive oil, or butter instead of water for stir-frying, roasting, frying, or baking meat, vegetables, or stir-frying. Over low to medium heat, add it to the pan and cover with a lid. The lid will trap the heat, allowing the food to cook internally and externally. One of the best alternatives to the microwave for reheating meat is this method.
Are you utilizing a brand-new pan? Don’t forget to season your cast iron pan before using it; otherwise, you risk ruining your food rather than simply reheating it.
Steam The Food
The best method for cooking food that is frozen, easily seared meat, or sticks together is steaming. This is so that cooking with steam, also referred to as wet or moist heat, is a smooth process. The technique uses moisture to warm up your food.
You need a steamer basket in order to steam your food. In the absence of one, you can improvise a stand by setting a plate on an upside-down bowl. Just watch out that the water doesn’t evaporate all the way or touches the plate.
You can also choose a sizable soup pot or a metal colander if you find this option to be too challenging or complex to follow. Simply follow the instructions on the food package when reheating frozen food.
Hot Stone Bowl
Are you trying to find another stovetop cooking method? I’m a sucker for my Korean stone bowl, so use one. Rice, meat, and vegetables are layered in a dish called bibimbap, which I enjoy cooking at home. It heats the entire dish when you cook it with the lid on over low to medium heat. It’s similar to the option above, but you can eat directly from the dish, simplifying cleanup.
A Korean hot stone bowl, also known as a dolsot, is available from Asian grocers or on Amazon.com. To help prevent sticking, spray the interior with cooking spray (I prefer a cooking spray containing coconut or avocado oil). I then add the items I want to heat, such as rice, pasta, meat, etc.
Place the lid on and heat on low to medium. As the food is being reheated, stir occasionally to avoid sticking. To create steam inside the stone bowl, you could even add a little water. When it’s done, you just need to take it off the stove, set it on a trivet, and eat it straight out of the bowl. Use potholders and stay away from this option with kids because it will be extremely hot. Additionally, you can spoon the food onto a different plate or bowl.
Depending on the dish and the amount of food, this may take between 5 and 10 minutes.
Place Your Food In Boiling Water
Your food may occasionally be sufficiently warmed by the heat of the boiling water. Due to the fact that you won’t need to constantly keep an eye on the situation, it is also a very simple technique. If you go camping or stay in a hotel, you can easily apply this method. Beans, soft-boiled eggs, tofu, hotdogs, and other appropriate food items for this method of reheating are available.
You must first boil some water; you can do this on the stove or in a kettle. Place the food you want to reheat in a heatproof container, such as a bowl or big mug. A Pyrex measuring cup or a small saucepan will also work. The water you just boiled should be poured all over this container. The minimum amount of time to wait for the food to reheat is five minutes.
Double Boiler
Another excellent alternative to using a microwave for reheating is a double boiler because it produces direct heat while a microwave only produces quick, erratic heat. It provides even, radiant heat that allows for precise temperature control.
When cooking grains like oatmeal, rice, or pasta, this technique works best. It also functions admirably for reheating vegetables, stewed meat, mashed potatoes, and other foods that might become dry during the process, where options one and two above won’t perform as admirably.
Add a metal trivet and about ½ to 1 cup of water to a large pot with high sides. If you want to reheat food, make sure it is in a heat-safe container, like a Mason jar or glass food storage container. After setting the container on the trivet, cover the pot with a lid. Use a medium heat source to generate steam, which will heat the food.
Depending on the dish and the amount of food, this method may take 5 to 10 minutes.
Double Boiler In An Instant Pot
Using an electric pressure cooker or the Instant Pot is another way to steam food for reheating. This option is one of my favorites because it allows you to leave the kitchen and complete other tasks while the food is reheating. All you need is one of the most common trivet accessories for instant pots.
The inner pot should be filled with 1 cup of water before a metal trivet is set on the base. Put the food you want to reheat in a heat-safe container, such as a stainless steel or glass food storage bowl. Set the container on the trivet. Lock the steam vent after covering the Instant Pot with a lid. To reheat the majority of the food, set the Instant Pot to high pressure for 5 minutes. You might want to cook vegetables for two to three minutes.
Do a quick release to let the steam out once it’s finished. After that, take off the lid to check that the food has been properly reheated. Add that to your total because it will take approximately 10 minutes for the pressure to build before the food begins to cook.
Are you new to the instant pot? Check out my instant pot hints and tips because using this practical device in the kitchen can save you SO much time.
Air Fryer
Pizza, fried foods, steak, BBQ ribs, chicken nuggets, chicken wings, baked potatoes, crustless quiche, and other foods that can be heated in a toaster oven or an oven on broil are all excellent candidates for reheating in an air fryer. The air fryer aids in maintaining the food’s crisp exterior while ensuring that the interior is thoroughly cooked.
Your air fryer should first be preheated for about 5 minutes at 400 degrees. Cooking spray (I prefer avocado or coconut oil) should be sprayed on the air fryer basket. Food should be placed in the air fryer basket, which should then be placed inside the air fryer. Food should be reheated for 3–4 minutes at 350 degrees. To check if the food is done, test it, and if necessary, add another 1-2 minutes.
For messy foods like pizza, BBQ ribs, or other items, lay parchment paper on the bottom of the basket before adding the food.
Bake In The Toaster Oven
A toaster oven is one of the simplest alternatives to a microwave for reheating food. This works well for dishes like quiche or anything with a crust, pizza, casseroles, burgers (just separate the bun and the patties), fried foods, grilled meat, etc. If you’re in a hurry or have young children who are hungry, it cooks more quickly than an oven.
A tray that fits a toaster oven should be used to hold the food. Lower the heat to 300–350 degrees and bake for 3–5 minutes. More time is required for casseroles. Check to see if the food is ready at that moment and make any necessary adjustments. Set the broiler for an additional minute or two to get extra crispy deliciousness.
Broil In The Oven
Similar to the toaster oven, this is most effective for foods like pizza, French fries, grilled meat, and casseroles. Use different techniques for foods like pasta or rice because they will dry out in the oven without liquid.
Broil or set the oven to a high heat of 400–425 degrees. Put the food on a baking sheet, and when the oven is ready, put it on the top oven rack. Check to see if it’s done after 3 to 5 minutes of heating. The food may need to be turned over to crisp on both sides.
For casseroles, cover the dish and bake it at a lower temperature, such as 375–400 degrees. By covering the dish, you can help the heat cook it from the inside out. Depending on the size of the casserole dish and the amount of food, the reheating time may be longer, closer to 15-20 minutes.
Pan-fry The Food
For fried or fatty foods, that is, food items with a high oil consistency, pan frying is the best method for reheating them. This can include pizza, nuggets, fries, and various kinds of pies. When you pan fry these foods, their original crust will remain.
The food you want to reheat should be added to a nonstick pan. Cook them over low to medium heat. Add half a teaspoon of oil or butter if the item has a bit too little oil to prevent the food from sticking to the pan.
Use A Warmer Temperature Environment
Because I have sensitive teeth, I used to microwave chilled watermelon slices straight from the refrigerator. I’ve been ‘warming up’ fruits and vegetables by removing them from the fridge and setting them on the kitchen counter ever since I was without a microwave. In order to get my food to room temperature, I use the “free” ambient air.
I put meat and other frozen foods that raise questions about food safety in the refrigerator to defrost them. Yes, compared to a microwave, which can quickly defrost food in a matter of minutes, it takes more preparation. However, it works just fine if you set a calendar reminder or do it the night before.
Food can be quickly thawed by being immersed in cold water if you’re in a rush and unable to make adjustments to your meal plan.
Portable Food Warmer
Need to reheat food while attending class, working, or traveling? A crockpot or portable food warmer are good options. Because they can reheat fresh or frozen food evenly and without burning or unpleasant odors, portable food warmers are a great alternative to using a microwave.
Depending on how you want to reheat food while traveling, there are different styles. A lot of them need an electrical outlet or a car charger to reheat food. A heating element that can reheat foods in heat-safe containers is housed inside the travel warmer. For added convenience, some designs include the container as well.
Some of my preferred travel food warmers are:
- Crock Pot – Holds up to 20 ounces of your favorite foods in a removable food container that is dishwasher safe. Discover more & buy here.
- Aotto Portable Food Oven – For frozen foods, prepared meals, and leftovers, this personal portable oven is ideal. It has a carrying handle and is designed as a heated lunch box, making it ideal for use at work, on the road, in hotels, and other settings. Click here to read more and to buy.
- Travelisimo Electric Lunch Box – For dual use, this electric lunchbox comes with two different plugs. Use the 12v/24v adapter to operate a portable microwave, which is perfect for reheating food on-the-go while traveling by car or truck, and the 110v outlet to heat lunchbox meals at work. Click here to read more and to buy.
Now that there are so many alternatives to using a microwave to reheat food, you hopefully see that there is no longer a need for this large appliance to take up valuable counter space. I haven’t looked back since my experience with getting rid because for me, and I’m sure they will for you as well, the benefits far outweigh the drawbacks.
Combine Multiple Techniques
The strategies I described above complement one another well. It may be advantageous to combine the techniques for the quickest reheating.
For instance, I frequently eat my lunch outside in the morning to let it come to room temperature. My lunch is then reheated just before I eat it by boiling or pan frying it. The process of reheating is significantly sped up when the food is already at room temperature.
Using hot food to reheat cold food is another, more unexpected example of combining techniques. For instance, I boil the curry if I’m eating it with rice because doing so makes it simple to reheat. I choose not to heat the rice. Instead, I combine the rice with the scalding hot curry. By doing so, you can still get a warm meal while also warming the rice and cooling the curry and doing less work.
How To Make The Switch From Using A Microwave?
You might be saying to yourself, “This is great for you, but I couldn’t live without my microwave!””?
My best recommendation for making the switch away from the microwave is as follows:
Take a hard line and unplug your microwave. Act as if it doesn’t exist.
You will be compelled to get inventive and reheat food using any other appliance in your home if you use this technique. Who knows, it might turn out to be much simpler than you anticipate!
Yes, you will unintentionally try to cook things in there for a few days out of habit, but this will pass quickly (this is funnier when it’s broken or off).
Benefits Of Not Having A Microwave
For me, the benefits of not having a microwave far outweigh the drawbacks. According to me, the advantages of not having a microwave are as follows:
- Leaves more counter space available – The microwave would have been placed on the counter, taking up valuable space, but if you have one above your oven, that is a space-saving and wonderful option.
- No microwave ‘hot spots’ in your food – Famously cold and hot spots exist in microwaves. Other reheating techniques are not as dramatic.
- Learn other ways of cooking – I quickly figured out how to reheat food in my oven after my microwave broke through some trial and error, but now I’m an expert. On the stovetop and in my air fryer, I’ve improved at reheating food. After a while, it just becomes second nature to learn which methods work best for you when reheating various foods.
- Leftovers are better quality – Some leftovers really lose their flavor in the microwave. Chicken tastes like rubber when it’s microwaved, according to some people. Though I’m not certain I entirely concur, I can see the point. Some foods simply taste better right out of the oven or hot off the stove.
- Microwave meals are not an option – This might be a drawback to some, but it has helped me avoid any kind of ready-to-eat microwave meals. The way you shop for and prepare food may change as a result!
- Saves money (if you don’t buy one) – I would have had to buy a microwave to put in my house. That is therefore money that was not spent. You can completely forego buying or replacing something to save money up front.
Cons Of Not Having A Microwave
Using my own experience as a guide, here are some drawbacks of not having a microwave.
- Can’t reheat coffee or melt chocolate very easily.
- Have to slightly plan ahead for meals.
- Other reheating methods take longer (but most are just as easy).
How Can Microwaving Food Again Be Bad?
The fact that using a microwave to reheat food can occasionally be harmful to you is another reason to choose a different method of doing so. Some of these negative consequences are listed below.
Lost Nutrients
Studies have shown that microwave ovens cause 97% of the flavonoids in vegetables like broccoli, leeks, etc. to be lost. The benefits of flavonoids include anti-inflammatory, anti-cancer, and antioxidant properties. Similar results were also obtained when food items with a high water consistency were microwaved.
Heating Food Items In Plastic Containers
Some plastic components are pliable and soft. They occasionally absorb flavors from the food they are near when exposed to higher temperatures. Your hormones and metabolic system may suffer from this. Asthma and fertility problems are other potential outcomes.
There may be an increase in blood pressure in kids. Hypertension and diabetes are additional risks.
Exposure To Harmful Bacteria
To eliminate any harmful bacteria present in the food, it must be heated evenly to a minimum temperature of 176°F. The bacteria will still be present if the food is not properly heated and distributed throughout.
The more food is allowed to cool and then be heated again, the more these bacteria can grow steadily. Therefore, avoid using the microwave to reheat food more than once.
You can look here if you’d like more information about these risks.
Conclusion
Knowing how food was originally prepared is the key to successful reheating.
Is it possible to reheat the food with the same cooking technique? For instance, when grilling or pan frying, dry heat is typically used to cook steak. To keep the flavor and crust, you should reheat it using another dry heat method.
Look for a recipe that explains how to make a dish if you’re unsure of how it was prepared. Reheat it using the same cooking procedure.
Take note of the food’s texture and dryness. A softer heat (steam or water bath) is preferable if you want to preserve the texture. However, if you want the food to stay dry, stay away from wet/moist-heat methods (no poaching, steaming, or boiling). Try baking it or pan-frying it.
Leave a comment if you have any specific queries about how to reheat a particular dish.
