How to Brown Food in a Microwave Oven

Co-authored by wikiHow Staff

Last Updated: March 28, 2019

Microwave ovens can work wonders with the right tools. While it used to require an entire oven or at least a stovetop pan to reheat food, or cook prepared food items, a microwave can do the job in a manner of minutes. Although microwaves are handy for reheating food, browning food can be a little bit trickier. In order to brown your food, you have a few options, including a browning dish, or preparing food beforehand. Either of these strategies may be used to cultivate a lovely, crisp layer to your dishes.

Method 1

Method 1 of 2:

Using a Browning Dish

1
Purchase a dish specifically for microwave browning. Browning dishes typically have small feet on the bottom of the dish, are made of glass or ceramic, and have a grid-like pattern on the bottom. These elements make it possible for the microwave to concentrate heat on the grid, browning your food.
- Select a trusted brand. While you could use an off brand or unknown brand, it may be harder to find instructions, seek customer support, and find replacement parts.
2
Place the empty dish into the microwave. Because browning in a microwave requires specific cooking components (typically a strip of metal caging along the bottom of the dish), you must first heat up these components before placing your food in the microwave.^{[1]
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- The amount of time required to heat the cookware will depend on your dish. Check the manufacturer’s notes to determine how long the dish needs to warm up.
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3
Place your food browning side down in the dish. Place whichever side of the food you want to brown down in the dish. This will place the food directly over the cooking material and encourage the microwave heat to focus on that spot.
- If you want an all-over brown, simply complete these steps on one side, then repeat on the other side.
4
Set the microwave settings on high. To brown in the microwave, your machine must be set on “high.” Lower settings will not concentrate enough heat. If you typically use presets, make sure the presets also provide high heat.^{[2]
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5
Cook for the amount of time suggested in your manual. Your cooking time will depend on the type of food you are cooking, the dish you are using, and the microwave you are cooking in. Check your owner’s manual to determine the amount of time required to cook--both the owner’s manual for your browning tool and your microwave.
- If you do not have your manual, you can search the food online for a general idea of cooking time, and you can contact the manufacturer of your microwave for instructions.
6
Check for browning. After the amount of time set in your manual, check your dish for browning. If it has not browned, continue cooking in smaller increments, such as two or three minutes, until browned.
7
Remove from heat. When your food has finished cooking, remove the dish from the microwave and promptly remove the food from the browning dish to prevent continued cooking. Let the dish cool for a few minutes before serving, as the food will be extremely hot.
- Leaving the food in the dish could mean your food will continue cooking. Immediately removing it from heat will preserve the temperature and texture you are looking for.

Method 2

Method 2 of 2:

Browning Without a Specialized Dish

1
Cook food all the way through first. To brown food in a microwave without a dedicated browning dish, you must first cook the food through all the way. Browning in a microwave is completed after cooking, rather than during cooking.
- Because microwaves cook from the inside out using superheated molecules, browning raw or uncooked food is not possible.
2
Use a built-in microwave rack feature. If your microwave is equipped with a grill rack, use this to place your food on. If not, simply place your food facedown in a microwave-safe dish.
- A grill is ideal, as it provides beautiful sear marks for your food, and allows air to circulate more freely than a dish, resulting in a more even cooking experience.
3
Select the “grill” setting. Use your microwave’s grill, because the grill setting also concentrates heat on the metal portion of the grill and can create a browning effect. If your microwave does not have a “grill” feature, you can place a small amount of foil into the bottom of a glass or ceramic cooking dish to simulate a grill.^{[3]
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4
Cook on high. Finish by placing your microwave on its highest setting and cooking as usual. While it will not brown as thoroughly as an oven, enlisting the help of small amounts of metal will concentrate heat on the outside of your food.
- Cook according to the recipe. If you desire a crisper, browner texture, you can cook on high in the microwave, then finish by pan-searing or broiling your food in a standard oven.

Community Q&A

Question

True browning alters the chemical composition of foods. Does the sauce facilitate this alteration?

Community Answer

The sauce just colors the food to make it look good. It does not give the same flavor true browning does. There are special browning plates for microwave ovens that will do true browning. You need to use one of these, or buy a Combination microwave oven. These have built-in browning elements. Alternatively, cook the food in the microwave oven and then brown it in a frying pan on your stove top.
Question

Can I use my browning dish in an oven?

Community Answer

You'll have to check your manual to see if it's ovenproof.
Question

160• means what heat in the microwave? Is it low or medium heat?

Michele

Top Answerer

Microwaves don't have temperatures. The time and wattage determine how fast your food will heat up, not to what temperature. To get the finished food to the desired temp, you'll have to check it with a thermometer. Whether your microwave is at full power or at 50%, it will only affect how long it takes to heat.

Warnings

Not all food will brown in a microwave. Although dishes intended for use as a browning tool work wonders, the way that microwaves are designed makes browning very difficult, if not impossible for some models.

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