How To Cook Pasta In The Microwave In Just 5 Minutes

If you ever wondered how to cook pasta in the microwave, this recipe has the answer. In only 5 minutes, you can cook pasta in the microwave that tastes just as delicious as if you made it on the stovetop! Seriously, it's so good! Not to mention, this recipe tops the pasta off with some butter and parmesan cheese to make it even better.

The Best Microwave Pasta Noodles

The days of having to cook pasta noodles on the stove are over!

Whether you're in a dorm room, anywhere without a stove, or just want a quick and easy way to cook pasta, this method to cook pasta in the microwave comes in clutch. Honestly, it's a total game-changer.

You can eat it plain, top it with some butter and parmesan cheese, or make the sauce from this Gigi Hadid pasta recipe to go on top of it. Honestly, any way you eat it, this al dente pasta is just so, so good.

By the way, if you want to make some more traditional recipes in the microwave, you have to give this microwave chocolate chip cookie and these microwave pancakes a try next!

Ingredients

• Dried pasta- I like to use bowtie pasta, but you can use any kind you want!
• Water- for cooking the pasta.
• Salt- to help the noodles cook.
• Butter- for a delicious flavor.
• Parmesan cheese- coats the buttered noodles for the best flavor combination.
• Black pepper- for more flavor.
• Parsley- as an optional garnish.

By the way, if you want a more elevated pasta dish, you can use some of these ingredients to make this chicken pesto pasta. Honestly, it's one of the best easy pasta recipes I've ever made.

My Ingredient Recommendations

Now, something I love about this recipe is that you can really make it however you want. There are honestly no wrong answers here! 

With that said, when it comes to dry pasta, I recommend smaller noodles like macaroni or bowtie. Spaghetti noodles will be a bit harder to manage, but feel free to experiment and try a couple of different types of pasta for this recipe! 

Also, to add a little extra flavor to the cooked pasta noodles, feel free to get creative and add things like red pepper flakes, everything but the bagel seasoning, garlic powder, grilled chicken, or shrimp! This shrimp scampi is especially delicious on top of it.

You can even add some veggies - like broccoli and diced bell peppers - to your microwave noodles and make 'em a bit heartier as well. 

Oh, and of course, you can toss the pasta in any kind of sauce that you want.

How To Cook Pasta In The Microwave

Step 1: Cook The Pasta

First, you'll want to take out a large bowl. And you'll want to make sure that it's big enough to hold your pasta and deep enough to allow the pasta to expand since the pasta will double in size once cooked. Basically, take out one of the biggest microwave-safe bowls that you have.

Now, put the dry pasta of your choice in the bowl, add enough water to completely cover the pasta - usually two cups is enough - and add a dash of salt. Don't worry about adding the perfect amount of salt, you can always add more later.

Step 2: Microwave The Pasta

So, now that the pasta, salt, and water are in the bowl, you can put the bowl in the microwave and cook it for about 3-4 minutes.

When the time is up, take the pasta out of the microwave and give it a good stir so the noodles don't stick together. Then, you can microwave it again in 1-minute increments, stirring between each one until the pasta reaches your desired doneness.

Personally, I like to cook my pasta al dente, so I usually take it out after four minutes. 

Step 3: Complete The Pasta

Once the pasta is how you like it, strain it and transfer it to a new bowl.

Now it's time to add some flavor to the microwaved pasta! So, to do this, after your pasta is cooked, add the butter, parmesan cheese, fresh parsley, and black pepper and give everything a mix until the butter melts and all of the noodles are coated in the ingredients.

Then , to finish up, I like to sprinkle more parmesan cheese on top and serve this pasta warm with some fresh bread - or any one of my garlic/cheese bread recipes.

Finally, let the pasta cool for a couple of minutes. Then, dig in and enjoy!

How I Recommend Storing Leftovers

This recipe will make enough for one big serving.  So, if you want more, just double - or triple - the recipe, and make sure to use a bigger bowl! Oh, and keep in mind that you'll need to add some more microwaving time to the pasta if you're cooking more of it.

Now, if you happen to have any leftovers, you can store the cooked pasta in an airtight container in the fridge for about 3-5 days. And, for what it's worth the leftovers are absolutely delicious. So, don't be afraid of storing them.

How I Recommend Reheating The Pasta

Now, although you can eat the pasta cold, you'll probably want to reheat it. And to do that, you can use the trusty microwave again! 

So, simply microwave the leftover pasta with a splash of water in 20-second increments - stirring between each one - until the pasta reaches your desired temperature. 

More Pasta Recipes

If you want to give some more easy pasta recipes like this one a try, we have a ton on the blog you have to check out next! 

Here are a few of my favorites:

• Spinach pasta
• One pan shrimp pasta
• Creamy salmon pasta
• Four cheese pasta
• Trenette al pesto
• How to cook rice noodles