If you like mug noodles, you might be wondering if it’s safe to make mug noodles in the microwave. This is a common question because some people may not know exactly how to make this quick and convenient meal.
Mug noodles have been around for a long time and continue to enjoy great popularity. Despite the competition, no other instant noodles could really compete with the original cup noodle brand.
Mainly because so many people grew up eating these noodles and have nostalgic memories of them. They are not only very practical and quick, but also delicious and a comfort food for many people.
Read on to find out how to cook mug noodles in the microwave and how not to cook a mug of noodles.
How do you cook mug noodles in the microwave?
If you love mug noodles, you’re not alone as many people know and love this convenient meal. The best thing about mug noodles is that they can be conveniently prepared in the microwave by simply boiling water.
Cup noodles were very popular many years ago because they are so convenient and tasty. These are instant noodles that do not need to be cooked. All you have to do is add hot water and the noodles can soak it up.
These noodles are designed to cook in minutes. This allows you to enjoy your meal very quickly, without having to wait for the water to boil and the pasta to be cooked.
Mug noodles also have a very traditional flavor that many people would recognize immediately. Especially those who grew up as kids took a cup of pasta to school every day as a quick and delicious option for lunch.
Although these noodles are very convenient to prepare, there are certain steps you should follow when preparing them. Especially since many people may get this wrong.
Prepare the water
The first thing to do when making mug noodles for your meal is to get a microwavable mug. You need to fill this mug with about a cup of water and heat it in the microwave until it boils.
Most microwave ovens require you to heat the water in the microwave for about two minutes until it reaches boiling point. This is the perfect temperature to quickly cook the pasta, allowing it to be perfectly cooked through and ready to eat in minutes.
Add the water
Once your water has reached the boiling point, you can no longer carefully pour it into your cup noodles container. This styrofoam mug is designed to safely hold the hot water and insulates the mug to keep the noodles warm.
It is recommended to leave part of the paper cap on top so you can put it back over the opening to isolate the vapor. Alternatively, you can place a plate over the cup to retain steam.
This steam, along with the boiling hot water, helps the pasta cook faster. Allow the mug noodles to be ready to eat within 2 to 3 minutes so they are still nice and hot.
This also helps the dried vegetables in the cup noodles cook through completely. If you find the veggies are still a bit crispy, you can isolate the steam a little longer to allow the veggies to cook through completely before eating your cup of pasta.
How long does it take to cook mug noodles in the microwave?
Using the above method of adding hot water and steaming your mug noodles takes just five minutes total. Approximately, it takes two minutes to put the water in the microwave and you need to cook the mug noodles for three minutes.
This results in perfectly cooked pasta and vegetables that are ready to eat and still hot. But there is also an alternative way to prepare mug noodles in the microwave.
To do this, you need to get a bowl and pour the contents of the mug noodles into the bowl. Then you can pour a cup of water over the dried noodles and vegetables in the bowl and put the bowl in the microwave.
You need to microwave your noodles for 3 to 5 minutes and check after 3 minutes if the noodles are soft and cooked through. However, most people say this takes about five minutes for most microwaves.
This is an alternative way to cook a cup of pasta without having to pour water into the actual container. Many people prefer to do this because it’s easier to eat from a bowl than a cup and you don’t have exposure to the hot styrofoam.
Mug noodles should not be heated directly in the microwave
It’s important to understand that mug noodles are not intended to be cooked directly in the microwave. Mug noodles are packaged in a Styrofoam cup with a paper lid that retains heat.
Styrofoam is a material that can easily melt at high temperatures, making it unmicrowave safe. Cup noodles are not designed to be prepared as the styrofoam can melt in the microwave.
Hot styrofoam can also begin to melt and leak toxins into the ramen if doing so does not create a hole in the cup. Styrofoam can only be safely stored in hot temperatures, not for cooking in a hot environment.
For this reason, the traditional way to prepare cup noodles is to place a mug of hot water in the microwave and pour it into the cup noodle mug. This is completely safe and will not be so hot that it will melt or crack the styrofoam cup.
For this reason, you should never put mug noodles directly in the microwave as it is unsafe in a number of ways.
