Are you enthusiastic about kicking your toaster oven to the curb? Does it appear to be it’s taking on approach an excessive amount of counter area and getting used approach too sometimes? You may repair that—simply learn up on one of the best issues to make in a toaster oven. It’s able to much more than you ever gave it credit score for.
Sure, you’ll be able to toast your bagel or reheat takeout with no need to activate the precise oven. However for the reason that toaster oven in your countertop is only a tiny model of the full-size one, there’s actually virtually nothing you can’t prepare dinner in there, so long as you scale the servings down: a single hen leg or breast, or (relying in your oven’s capability) even an entire half hen? Test. Broiled salmon for 2? Completely. A small batch of roasted veggies, kale chips, nachos, or granola? Sure, sure, sure, and sure. A miniature lasagna? Positive, so long as you could have a sufficiently small pan! Don’t overlook mini sheet pan dinners both.
Some issues are higher suited to this smaller equipment—like toasted and roasted and melted issues. Or one-to-two-serving quantities of meals to be reheated (these meatballs you made forward and stashed within the freezer, as an illustration). However it may possibly additionally nonetheless shock you—so see find out how to profit from your toaster oven with these 15 recipes and scrumptious concepts:
1. Lazy Grilled Cheese (Or Tuna Melts)
True, you gained’t get the peerlessly golden-brown, crisp outer layer you do from mayo-kissed bread assembly a scorching pan, however it is a strong strategy to make a no-fuss melted cheese sandwich of your selecting, and the bread will nonetheless have crunch. Lay a bit of foil all the way down to make clean-up simple. And see our rules for the best tuna melt.
2. Potato Skins
For those who’ve acquired a potato, you’ve acquired dinner. You may bake one or two potatoes in your toaster oven, then top them with no matter you want (making this an incredible meal for utilizing leftover meat, veggies, and even pantry staples). However for a snackier possibility, you’ll be able to’t beat baked potato skins, which get crisp and melty within the mini oven. See our information to perfect potato skins with recipes.
3. Fundamental Baked Eggs
Ramekins are an incredible funding—they function prep bowls whenever you’re establishing your mise en place, work as small condiment containers, and act as cooking vessels for molten chocolate cakes, amongst different issues. Crack an egg into one, add some butter and cheese—and no matter else you please, from spices to a splash of milk for further creaminess—and pop it in your toaster oven for a simple, fast breakfast or lunch. Serve with bacon or sausage for breakfast, or add a salad and a bit of toast later within the day. Get our Baked Eggs recipe.
4. Toaster Oven Bacon
The best way to make bacon is in an oven. Ergo, one of the best ways to make a small batch of bacon is within the toaster oven. Simply hold a detailed eye on it in case it renders a considerable amount of grease—and perhaps have a fireplace extinguisher shut at hand. If the pan is pooling with an excessive amount of fats, take it out and (rigorously) drain it partway via the cooking course of.
5. Mac and Cheese Bites
Once you purchase a mini muffin pan in your toaster oven, don’t relegate it to candy responsibility—use it for all kinds of individually portioned treats. Leftover mac and cheese, as an illustration, will get new life baked in crisp prosciutto cups. You can also make mini frittatas, quiches, meatloaf, and extra. Mainly, anything you can make in a muffin pan, you’ll be able to scale all the way down to make in a toaster oven muffin pan!
6. Pita Pizzas
Retailer-bought Bagel Bites are nice and all, however you can also make plenty of different varieties of small-scale pizza in your toaster oven too. One particularly simple approach is to pile your toppings on a pita (or naan, or different flatbread) and bake till they’re achieved to your liking. See some unconventional topping ideas, and lightened-up pizza topping combos good for summer season, only for starters.
7. Toaster Oven Cookies
The enjoyment of utilizing the toaster oven to make cookies is you could bake one or two at a time with none fuss (and with out feeling responsible about leaving an enormous oven largely empty). Slice-and-bake cookie dough logs will be saved within the freezer so you’ll be able to simply lower off as a lot as you’d prefer to chew. Different cookie doughs (like chocolate chip) will be pre-portioned, frozen on a baking sheet, then saved in zip-top freezer baggage.
You’ll wish to use the bake perform, preheat the toaster oven, and regulate your cookies because the bake time could fluctuate out of your common oven (particularly if you happen to’re baking the dough straight from the freezer, which you completely can). No frozen dough on the prepared? No worries. You will discover plenty of small batch cookie recipes on-line—ditto different dessert recipes for two which can be sufficiently small to suit completely in slightly oven.
8. English Muffins with Bruléed Bananas
For a extra early a.m.-appropriate deal with that’s nonetheless, nicely, candy, strive topping your English muffins with caramelized bananas. It’s so simple as sprinkling a little bit of sugar on prime and popping them again within the toaster oven for a couple of minutes (simply regulate them, after all). Get our English Muffins with Bruléed Bananas recipe.
9. Toaster Oven Hardboiled Eggs
Eggs within the oven? It’s uncommon, however an effective way to make do if you happen to’re with out a stovetop or can’t boil water…and don’t have an Instant Pot, after all (that’s nonetheless one of the best “various” strategy to go). Utilizing a toaster oven takes slightly bit longer (about half-hour) however if you happen to’re making a giant batch of egg salad you’ll be able to simply scale up and put the entire dozen within the toaster on the identical time. Right here’s how to make hard “boiled” eggs in the oven—and see more pointers here.
10. Spinach Artichoke Dip
This wealthy and creamy dip is certainly not low-cal, so if you happen to’re only one or two for snack time, you would possibly wish to halve our Baked Spinach Artichoke Dip recipe—and a small quantity is ideal for the toaster oven. Simply make certain you could have an oven-safe dish of the fitting dimension.
11. Small-Batch Jalapeño Poppers
One other nibble that’s simple to downsize: jalapeño poppers. Simply prep as many peppers as you wish to eat and broil them within the toaster oven for a fast snack. These are additionally an effective way to make use of up leftover cream cheese.
12. Portobello Burgers
You may, if you happen to select, make a daily hamburger in your toaster oven, however we truthfully assume these do higher in a searing-hot cast iron skillet or on a grill. A meaty portobello mushroom cap, nonetheless, takes nicely to roasting (and you’ll nonetheless add a smoky flavor with spices if you happen to like). It’s juicy and flavorful even with out the cheese, however clearly that melts like a dream within the toasting machine. Toast your buns or bread too, then assemble and slather it with no matter condiments you want—chimichurri, pesto, or homemade mayo are all tremendous choices. (Use our Portobello Burger recipe as a information however tweak it for the toaster oven.)
13.Tomato Confit
Professional-tip: Your toaster oven is the proper dimension for roasting a few heads of garlic to make use of all through the following week or two (hi there, compound butter)—nevertheless it will also be used for a small batch of confit tomatoes, that are additionally good on eachfactor. Get our Tomato Confit recipe.
14. Molten Chocolate Lava Truffles
Advised you these ramekins would turn out to be useful! This Molten Chocolate Lava Cake recipe solely makes 4 desserts, and you possibly can pretty simply lower the ingredient quantities in half for 2 servings whole. (In any other case, make the total batch and easily retailer the batter within the fridge for 2 or three days, baking one cake at a time. You’re welcome.)
15. 3-Ingredient Crème Brûlée
Yet one more strategy to make these ramekins actually repay: Make a single-serve crème brûlée with simply three components! This sensible 3-Ingredient Crème Brûlée recipe not too long ago took TikTok by storm, and it’s plain to see why. You’ll have to plan forward for this one, and also you’ll want a mini casserole dish in your toaster oven with a purpose to arrange the bain marie (i.e., water tub), however will probably be SO price it.
