Microwave Toastie Recipes (With Timings by Wattage)
The best microwave toastie fillings are low-moisture and quick to heat: grated cheese, thin ham, pesto, pre-cooked meats and spreads. A standard cheese toastie takes roughly 2 minutes 30 seconds in an 800W microwave inside a microwave toastie maker like the Morphy Richards Mico; below are a reliable base recipe, a wattage table and a dozen fillings that suit the method.
Watch out: timings and preheating rules vary between microwave toastie makers. Always follow the instructions that came with yours, never run it empty unless the maker says you can, and use oven gloves: the plates get very hot. Our step-by-step guide to using a microwave toastie maker covers safety in detail.
On this page
Recipe: Microwave toastie maker ham and cheese
Ingredients
- 2 slices medium-sliced white bread (standard square sandwich loaf)
- 40g mature cheddar, finely grated
- 1 thin slice ham (about 20g)
- 10g butter, softened, or a thin layer of spread
- 1/2 tsp English mustard or Dijon, optional
Method
- Butter one side of each slice thinly to the edges. The buttered sides face the plates and help the browning plates crisp the bread.
- Lay one slice butter-side down on the bottom plate. Spread with mustard, add half the cheese, the ham folded to sit inside the crusts, then the rest of the cheese.
- Top with the second slice butter-side up, close the lid and secure the clip according to the maker's instructions.
- Microwave on full power: about 3 minutes at 700W, 2 minutes 30 seconds at 800W, 2 minutes 15 seconds at 900W or 2 minutes at 1000W.
- Using oven gloves, take it out, stand for 30 seconds, then open and check. If pale, close and give it 15–20 seconds more.
- Lift out with a plastic or silicone spatula (never metal on the coating), cut and leave for a minute before eating; the cheese is very hot.
How microwave toastie makers cook
The plates contain a susceptor layer that absorbs microwave energy and gets hot, so the bread browns by contact while the microwaves heat the filling from inside. That combination is why it works, and also why some fillings fail: anything very wet turns to steam, which softens the bread before the plates can crisp it. For a full explanation of how they compare to plug-in machines, see microwave vs electric toastie maker, and for picks, the best microwave toastie makers.
Timings by microwave wattage
| Filling | 700W | 800W | 900W | 1000W |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cheese only (40–50g) | 2 min 45 s | 2 min 20 s | 2 min 5 s | 1 min 50 s |
| Ham and cheese | 3 min | 2 min 30 s | 2 min 15 s | 2 min |
| Cheese and beans (2 tbsp) | 3 min 15 s | 2 min 45 s | 2 min 30 s | 2 min 15 s |
| Sweet (chocolate spread, banana) | 2 min 15 s | 2 min | 1 min 45 s | 1 min 30 s |
| Thick bread or deep filling | 3 min 30 s | 3 min | 2 min 40 s | 2 min 20 s |
These are starting points for a single toastie from chilled ingredients. Your microwave's wattage is on the sticker inside the door or in the manual. If you're cooking for yourself in halls or a bedsit, our toastie makers for students guide explains when a microwave model makes sense.
12 fillings that suit a microwave toastie maker
Savoury
- Cheese and pickle: 40g cheddar plus 1 tsp Branston. Keep the pickle in the centre.
- Tuna melt: 40g well-drained tuna mixed with 1 tsp mayo, topped with 30g cheese. See the full tuna melt toastie.
- Cheese and beans: drain the sauce for a few seconds in a sieve and use only 2 tbsp; more will leak. Full guide: cheese and beans toastie.
- Pesto chicken: 40g cooked chicken, 1 tsp pesto, 30g mozzarella. See chicken pesto toastie.
- Pizza: 1 tsp tomato purée (not passata, which is too wet), 30g grated mozzarella, 4 slices pepperoni.
- Cheese and onion: 40g cheddar with 1 finely sliced spring onion.
- Leftover chilli: 2 tbsp thick, cold chilli plus 30g cheddar. Reheat time is the same as ham and cheese, as long as the chilli isn't sloppy.
- Brie and cranberry: 40g sliced brie and 1 tsp cranberry sauce.
Sweet
- Chocolate spread and banana: 1 tbsp spread, half a banana sliced thinly. Recipe: Nutella and banana toastie.
- Peanut butter and jam: keep the jam thin; it gets molten hot.
- Apple and cinnamon: thin slices of eating apple, a pinch of cinnamon and 1 tsp brown sugar.
- Marshmallow and chocolate: a few mini marshmallows and chocolate buttons; cut the time by 15 seconds.
Fillings to avoid in the microwave
- Raw meat or raw egg: cook times are too short to be safe.
- Fresh tomato slices and wet mozzarella: they release steam and leave the bread soggy. Use sun-dried tomatoes or drained, grated mozzarella.
- Large amounts of sugar: sugary fillings get far hotter than cheese and can scorch the coating.
- Anything foil-wrapped or with metal: obviously, no metal in the microwave.
Other ways to make these fillings
Every filling above also works in a standard electric sealed toastie maker in about 3–4 minutes (4–5 minutes in a deep fill), or in a frying pan or air fryer if you keep the filling firm. If you own the Morphy Richards model, the Mico microwave toastie maker guide has model-specific advice. For more combinations, see our 40+ toastie filling ideas.
FAQs
Do you butter bread for a microwave toastie maker?
Yes, a thin layer on the outsides gives a crisper, more golden finish. The susceptor plates brown dry bread too, but it tends to come out more like toast than a fried crust.
Why is my microwave toastie soggy?
Usually a wet filling or too little power. Drain beans and tuna well, avoid fresh tomato, and check your microwave's real wattage. Leaving the toastie in the closed maker after cooking also steams the bread, so open it promptly.
Can I make two toasties back to back?
Yes, but the plates are already hot for the second one, so cut 15–30 seconds from the time. Let the maker cool before washing it.
Can I use thick bread?
Only if the maker still closes and clips properly. Extra-thick bread needs about 30 seconds longer and may not seal at the edges.