Tasty Microwave Potato Chunks (2024)

FAQs

How long does it take to cook diced potatoes in the microwave? ›

Place potatoes in a 1-1/2 to 2 quart microwave-safe dish. Cover with lid. Microwave on high for about 10 minutes or until potatoes are tender when pierced with a fork; stir once. Transfer to a serving dish.

Step by Step: Microwaving Potatoes

Cut potato in half lengthwise. Cover with the lid (knob lifted). Cook in the microwave. Potato is done when fork tender.

You can cook potatoes in a microwave without adding any additional water. Just place them in the microwave and get going. This has a great advantage: potatoes don't turn moister than they were to start with. If anything, they'll dry out slightly.

Don't Forget to Poke

These little holes allow steam to escape while the potato is cooking. Forget to poke, and your potato could end up exploding in your microwave from the pent-up steam. It's both messy and a serious dinner let-down.

Peeled, cubed potatoes cut into small, one-inch pieces should cook in 10 to 12 minutes, once the water reaches a boil. Larger pieces (about 2 inches across) may need longer, around 15 minutes. Medium whole potatoes should boil 20 minutes before they'll be tender.

Give the potato a good scrub: Use a scrub brush to thoroughly clean the potato skin, and dry it with a paper towel. Poke holes in the potato: Using a fork or the tip of a knife, poke several small holes all over the potato before microwaving.

Pierce 3 to 4 times with a fork. Step 2Place potato on microwave-safe plate and microwave 7 minutes, turning over halfway through cooking. If your potato isn't fork-tender after 7 minutes, continue microwaving in 1 minute increments until fully cooked. Let rest for 2 minutes.

Because a microwave steams the inside of the potato rather than baking it from the outside, the resulting potato has a fluffier inner texture. The only downside of microwaving potatoes is that the skin gets soggy and doesn't have the crispy texture that you get from the oven.

Using a fork, poke holes in each potato. Then, wrap each potato in a damp paper towel. Place the paper towel-wrapped potatoes in the microwave and microwave on high for 3 minutes.

Microwave heats due to friction with the water molecules, which then heats the food and has no effect on flavor or nutrients within.

Why do chefs soak potatoes in water? ›

Soaking potatoes in water helps remove excess starch. Excess starch can inhibit the potatoes from cooking evenly as well as creating a gummy or sticky texture on the outside of your potatoes. Cold water is used because hot water would react with the starch activating it, making it harder to separate from the potatoes.

For 1 medium-sized potato, start with 5-6 minutes. For 2 medium-sized potatoes, start with 10-11 minutes microwave time. For 4 potatoes, start with 15-16 minutes in the microwave. When the time is up, get a towel or oven mitt and gently squeeze the sides of the potato.

Cooking potatoes in the microwave saves time over conventional cooking methods such as the oven or stovetop. Many microwave potato techniques focus more on cooking an entire potato to replicate a baked potato, but you also can cook diced potatoes in the microwave.

Microwaving 3 baked potatoes typically takes around 10 - 12 minutes , depending on the size and power of your microwave . It is important to poke holes in the potatoes with a fork before microwaving to allow steam to escape and prevent them from exploding .

Cut leftover baked potato in half lengthwise, and place each half cut side up on a microwave-safe dish. Cover each cut side with a damp paper towel. Heat the halved potato for about 3 minutes, or until heated through.

Cutting large potatoes into smaller pieces or potato cubes can quicken the cooking time. New potatoes are smaller, so they cook more quickly. Throw in a pinch of kosher salt, cover the pot with a lid, and then turn the stove on high heat.