You’re standing in front of the fridge, staring at the leftover slice of bread from last night’s dinner. You’re thinking about reheating it in the oven, but then you remember how long it took to heat up the oven in the first place.
There’s got to be a quicker way to reheat this bread. Suddenly, your eyes settle on the microwave. You’ve never tried reheating bread in the microwave before, but it can’t be that hard, right?
Well, that’s what I’m here to answer. In this article, I’ll be covering all you need to know about microwaving bread.
Can You Microwave Bread?
Microwaving bread is not as straightforward as microwaving other food items. If you’ve ever microwaved a slice of pizza or a bowl of soup, you know that all you need to do is pop it in for a few minutes, and voila!
But when it comes to bread, the process is a little more complicated. This is because bread can be tricky to reheat in the microwave without making it hard and chewy.
If you microwave it just as you would any other food item, the bread will likely come out hard, stale, and chewy. But don’t worry! There are a few tricks you can use to make sure your bread comes out moist and delicious.
Why Does Bread Turn Hard and Chewy When Microwaved?
When the bread is reheated in the microwave, the water molecules inside of it start to vibrate. As the molecules vibrate, they absorb energy from the microwaves, which causes them to heat up.
The water molecules will continue to absorb energy until they reach their boiling point. At this point, the water molecules will change their physical state from a liquid to a gas and evaporate.
The evaporation process is what causes bread to become hard and chewy when microwaved. When the water molecules inside of the bread are heated to their boiling point and evaporate, they leave behind a dry, crusty piece of bread.
How to Microwave Bread without Making It Hard and Chewy
Although it’s tricky to reheat bread in the microwave without making it hard and chewy, it is possible. With a little bit of care and attention, you can reheat your bread so that it’s moist, fluffy, and delicious.
There are a few different methods you can use to make sure your bread comes out moist and delicious.
One of the best ways to reheat bread is to wrap it in a damp towel or a kitchen towel before microwaving it. The moisture from the towel will help to keep the bread moist as it reheats.
Here’s a step-by-step guide on how to do it:
- Wrap the bread in a damp towel or kitchen towel.
- Take another dry towel and cover the whole thing.
- Put the covered bread in the microwave and set it to low power.
- Microwave the bread for 10 seconds. Flip it over and microwave for another 10 seconds.
- Remove the bread from the microwave and let it cool for 15 seconds before enjoying it.
Another method you can use to make sure your bread comes out moist and delicious is to use the micro steam function if your microwave has one. The micro steam function will help to rehydrate the bread and make it soft and fluffy.
Here’s a step-by-step guide on how to do it:
- Place the bread on a paper towel on a plate.
- Put the plate in the microwave and set it to the micro steam function.
- Microwave the bread for 20 seconds.
- Remove the bread from the microwave and let it cool for 15 seconds before enjoying it.
Safety Tips for Microwaving Bread
Now that you know how to microwave bread without making it hard and chewy, there are a few safety tips you should keep in mind.
1. Use a microwave-safe dish
This one should be pretty self-explanatory, but it’s worth mentioning nonetheless. If you try to reheat your bread in something that isn’t microwave-safe, you run the risk of melting or warping the dish—not to mention potentially starting a fire. So play it safe and use a plate or bowl that’s specifically designed for microwaving.
2. Make sure to use a damp towel
This might seem like an odd tip, but trust me—it’ll help keep your bread from drying out. Simply wet a towel and drape it over the top of your bread before popping it in the microwave. The towel will absorb any moisture that’s released as the bread reheats, helping to keep things nice and moist.
3. Do not microwave more than 4 at a time
We know, we know—you’re in a hurry! But cramming too much bread into the microwave at once can lead to uneven heating. So play it safe and stick to reheating no more than four pieces of bread at once.
4. Do not stack the bread
This is another tip that will help ensure even heating. If you try to reheat multiple pieces of bread by stacking them on top of each other, the pieces on the bottom will likely end up overcooked while the ones on top might not get hot enough. So instead, arranges things in a single layer.
5 Ways to Turn a Slice of Bread into a Delicious Meal
With a little bit of creativity and some pantry staples, you can turn that sad slice of bread into a sumptuous meal that will leave you licking your plate clean. Here are five of my favorite ways to do it.
1. Make bread soup: This might sound crazy, but bear with me. All you need to do is tear the bread into small pieces and add it to your favorite soup recipe. The bread will absorb all the delicious flavors of the soup and add a lovely texture as well. Trust me, this is a game-changer.
2. Make savory French toast: Ditch the syrup and go savory with your French toast. Mix together some eggs, milk, and your favorite herbs and spices, dip your slices of bread in the mixture and cook them up in a hot pan until they’re nice and crispy. Serve with sauteed kale and roasted tomatoes for a complete meal.
3. Put an egg in it: This one is so simple, yet so satisfying. All you need is one slice of bread (I like mine untoasted), one egg, and whatever toppings you like on your eggs (cheese, bacon, avocado, etc.). Fry up the egg sunny side up or however you like it, place it on the slice of bread, and enjoy!
4. Top it with clams: This one is for all my seafood lovers out there. Start by heating up some canned clams in their juice until they’re nice and plump. Then, place the clams on top of a slice of toasted bread and top with fresh parsley, lemon juice, and red pepper flakes for a bit of heat. So good!
5. Turn it into “pizza”: OK, technically this isn’t pizza since there’s no tomato sauce involved. But it’s close enough! Simply top a slice of toasted bread with your favorite pizza toppings (I like sausage, peppers, onions, and cheese) and pop it under the broiler for a few minutes until the cheese is melted and bubbly. Yum!
Final Thought
So, can you microwave bread? The answer is yes! Although it’s tricky to reheat bread in the microwave without making it hard and chewy, there are a few different methods you can use that will help ensure your bread comes out moist and delicious.
Give one of these methods a try the next time you have some leftover bread to reheat. And if you need some inspiration for what to do with that slice of bread, be sure to check out the five ideas I’ve listed above.
With a little bit of creativity, you can turn a slice of bread into a sumptuous meal that will leave you licking your plate clean. Bon appetit!
