If you’ve been using your microwave for just heating, it’s time to change that with these easy Indian microwave recipes. I am sharing four incredible Indian recipes that you can whip up in your microwave!
Microwaves aren’t just for reheating leftovers; they can do so much more! Your microwave is a surprisingly powerful tool for everyday cooking as well. From quick sabzis and dals to rice dishes, you can actually make your microwave your new best friend! Indian microwave recipes are all about convenience without compromising on flavor.
Think of this as your go-to collection for fuss-free meals that come together in minutes, using simple ingredients and minimal cleanup. Perfect for busy weekdays or lazy evenings, these dishes prove that great Indian food doesn’t always need a long cooking time.
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Microwave Dal Tadka
I decided to make this comforting Indian staple, dal tadka, in the microwave and there is no looking back! It’s a simple recipe, but just requires a fair amount of soaking the dal to help everything cook evenly. It’s warm, hearty, and just like the pressure cooked and stovetop version.
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Wash & soak dal for 1 hour.
½ cup tur dal
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Take oil & jeera in a microwave safe bowl, keep in the centre of the oven and microwave for 1 ½ minutes.
1 tablespoon sunflower or any neutral flavoured oil, 1 teaspoon cumin seeds
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Add hing, ginger, garlic, green chilli & microwave for 1 minute.
1 pinch asafoetida, ¼ teaspoon finely chopped ginger, ¾ teaspoon finely chopped garlic, 1 green chilli
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Add onions & microwave for 1 ½ minutes till onions turn pale golden.
2 tablespoons finely chopped onions
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Add spice powders – coriander, cumin, turmeric, red chilli, salt, 2 tablespoons of water & microwave for 1 minute.
¼ teaspoon coriander powder, ⅛ teaspoon cumin powder, ¼ teaspoon turmeric powder, ⅛ teaspoon red chilli powder, ¾ teaspoon salt, 2 cups water
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Add tomatoes, 2 tablespoons of water. cover the bowl with a microwave safe lid with holes in it or microwave safe cling wrap with holes punched in. microwave covered for 3 minutes till they are cooked well & become mushy.
¼ cup finely chopped tomatoes
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Add soaked dal, 2 cups of water and microwave covered for 30-40 minutes till dals are cooked well & become mushy. Whisk well to get a smooth texture.
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Garnish with coriander leaves and serve.
2 teaspoons finely chopped coriander leaves
- It is important to soak dal so they get evenly cooked.
- Covering with a lid with holes or cling wrap is important so heat does not escape while cooking and it fastens the cooking process.
- The lid or cling wrap must have holes in them, otherwise the water spills over & alters the cooking process.
- Keeping the bowl in the centre of the oven is important for uniform cooking.
- The microwave timings are suggested as per the microwave I use which may change slightly as per your microwave.
Calories: 91kcal, Carbohydrates: 10g, Protein: 2g, Fat: 5g, Saturated Fat: 1g, Polyunsaturated Fat: 0.3g, Monounsaturated Fat: 4g, Sodium: 645mg, Potassium: 174mg, Fiber: 3g, Sugar: 1g, Vitamin A: 144IU, Vitamin C: 4mg, Calcium: 32mg, Iron: 1mg
Microwave Matar Paneer
How cool it is that you can make restuarant-style matar paneer masala in the microwave!! This microwave recipe just completely blew my mind! This microwave version has the same creamy, mildly spiced curry along with the softest pieces of paneer and green peas. It’s a simple recipe that does not compromise on taste at all. I made this for a gathering recently and none of my friends could guess that this wasn’t made the traditional way!
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Add oil, jeera, cardamom, cloves, cinnamon to a microwave safe bowl and microwave for 2 ½ minutes.
1 tablespoon sunflower or any neutral flavoured cooking oil, ½ teaspoon jeera, 1 cardamom, 2 cloves, ½ inch cinnamon
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Add chopped onions, ¼ teaspoon salt & microwave for 2 ½ minutes till onions get roasted and turn light brown. Add ginger garlic paste and microwave for ½ minute. Add dry spice powders – kashmiri chilli, red chilli, coriander, cumin, turmeric, ¼ cup of water, mix well. cover the bowl with a microwave safe lid with holes in it or microwave safe cling wrap with holes punched in. microwave covered for 1 minute.
¼ cup finely chopped onions, ¾ teaspoon salt, 1 ½ teaspoons ginger garlic paste, 1 teaspoon kashmiri chilli powder, ½ teaspoon red chilli powder, ½ teaspoon coriander powder, ¼ teaspoon cumin powder, ⅛ teaspoon turmeric powder, 1 cup water
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Add tomato puree, green peas and microwave covered for 8 minutes till they are cooked well.
½ cup tomato puree, ½ cup green peas
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Add ⅛ cup curds, ¼ cup of water and microwave covered for 4 minutes till oil separates from the masala.
⅛ cup curds
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Add paneer, garam masala, kasuri methi, microwave covered for 2 minutes and serve.
100 grams paneer, ⅛ teaspoon garam masala powder, ⅛ teaspoon kasuri methi
- Covering with a lid with holes or cling wrap is important so heat does not escape while cooking and it fastens cooking process.
- The lid or cling wrap must have holes in them, otherwise the water spills over & alters the cooking process.
- Keeping the bowl in the centre of the oven is important for uniform cooking.
- The microwave timings are suggested as per the microwave I use which may change slightly as per your microwave.
Calories: 147kcal, Carbohydrates: 9g, Protein: 6g, Fat: 10g, Saturated Fat: 4g, Polyunsaturated Fat: 0.3g, Monounsaturated Fat: 3g, Cholesterol: 17mg, Sodium: 473mg, Potassium: 248mg, Fiber: 3g, Sugar: 3g, Vitamin A: 541IU, Vitamin C: 12mg, Calcium: 156mg, Iron: 1mg
Microwave Aloo Gobi Sabzi
This everyday favorite comes together effortlessly in the microwave, with potatoes and cauliflower cooked until tender and tossed in a flavorful mix of spices. It’s a no-fuss, homestyle sabzi that pairs beautifully with roti or dal-rice.
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Take oil, cumin seeds, garlic, ginger in a microwave safe bowl and microwave for 2 minutes.
1 tablespoon oil, ½ teaspoon cumin seeds, ½ teaspoon finely chopped garlic, ¼ teaspoon finely chopped ginger
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Add spice powders – coriander, chilli, turmeric, amchur, salt, 2 tablespoons of water, mix well and microwave for 1 ½ minutes.
2 teaspoons coriander powder, 1 teaspoon red chilli powder, ¼ teaspoon turmeric powder, ½ teaspoon amchur powder, ½ teaspoon salt, ½ cup water divided
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Add potato cubes, cauliflower florets, 2 tablespoons of water, mix well and microwave covered with a microwave safe lid for 8 minutes, give a good toss and microwave covered for 8 minutes till it’s cooked well. Garnish with coriander leaves and serve..
½ cup potatoes, 1 cup cauliflower florets, 1 tablespoon finely chopped coriander leaves
- Covering with a lid is important so heat does not escape while cooking and it fastens the cooking process.
- Keeping the bowl in the centre of the oven is important for uniform cooking.
- The microwave timings are suggested as per the microwave I use which may change slightly as per your microwave.
Calories: 132kcal, Carbohydrates: 15g, Protein: 3g, Fat: 8g, Saturated Fat: 1g, Polyunsaturated Fat: 2g, Monounsaturated Fat: 5g, Trans Fat: 0.03g, Sodium: 621mg, Potassium: 436mg, Fiber: 3g, Sugar: 2g, Vitamin A: 317IU, Vitamin C: 35mg, Calcium: 44mg, Iron: 2mg
Microwave Rice
Light, fluffy, and perfectly cooked, microwave rice is a total game-changer for busy days. With just the right water ratio and timing, you can skip the stovetop and still get consistent results every time.
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Wash rice well and soak for 30 minutes.
½ cup sona masoori rice
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Take rice and water in a microwave safe bowl. cover with a lid with holes or microwave safe cling wrap with holes punched in it. Keep in the centre of the oven and microwave for 20-21 minutes till rice is soft and cooked well. Rest for 5 minutes, fluff up the rice with a spoon or fork and serve.
2 cups water
- It is important to soak the rice otherwise it will not get evenly cooked.
- Covering with a lid or cling wrap is important so heat does not escape while cooking and it fastens the cooking process.
- The lid or cling wrap must have holes in them, otherwise the water spills over & alters the cooking process.
- Keeping the bowl in the centre of the oven is important for uniform cooking.
- The microwave timings are suggested as per the microwave I use which may change slightly as per your microwave.
Calories: 169kcal, Carbohydrates: 37g, Protein: 3g, Fat: 0.3g, Saturated Fat: 0.1g, Polyunsaturated Fat: 0.1g, Monounsaturated Fat: 0.1g, Sodium: 14mg, Potassium: 53mg, Fiber: 1g, Sugar: 0.1g, Calcium: 20mg, Iron: 0.4mg
