How Do You Cook an Egg in the Microwave Without a Mess?

Pick your texture before you cook

If you're after soft eggs you can eat straight from a bowl, we'd try scrambled first because the stirring pauses give you regular chances to check their progress. Their final standing period also gives you a clear finishing step before serving.

The two methods below follow Whirlpool's general egg-cooking guidance. Choose one before preparing your bowl, because a whisked mixture and a separate yolk need different handling during cooking. Keep that method's preparation, timing and finishing steps together.

For either bowl method, crack the eggs out of their shells. Whirlpool warns that eggs generally shouldn't be microwaved inside the shell because steam can build up underneath it, causing cracking, explosion or spillage.

Get the scrambled mixture ready

Grease a microwave-safe bowl and crack in the eggs you want to scramble. Before whisking, pierce the yolks: Whirlpool's egg-preparation precaution (opens in a new tab) calls for piercing eggs cooked outside their shells to prevent an explosion and the sticky mess it leaves behind.

You can leave the eggs plain or add liquid for a softer result. Use 1 or 2 teaspoons per egg, choosing water for a fluffier texture or milk for a richer flavor and heavier texture. Milk is an option, so you don't need it to make this recipe.

Measure the liquid against your egg count. If you're scrambling two eggs, that proportion works out to 2 to 4 teaspoons total, depending on whether you choose the smaller or larger addition. This is an ingredient adjustment for the scrambled mixture.

Add salt and pepper, then whisk everything until well combined. Finish mixing before putting the bowl in the microwave, so the eggs, optional liquid and seasonings form the mixture you'll stir during the next stage.

Give scrambled eggs pauses for stirring

Leave the bowl uncovered for this cooking stage. Have a fork ready for the pauses: Whirlpool's scrambled-egg method (opens in a new tab) includes a stir after each of the first two bursts, followed by shorter additions of cooking time.

1. Microwave for about 30 seconds. Remove the bowl and stir with a fork, checking the mixture's progress.
2. Microwave for another 20 seconds. Remove the bowl and stir again, checking how far the eggs have set.
3. Continue in 10-second increments until the eggs are almost set. That is the endpoint for the microwave cooking stage.

The initial bursts add up to about 50 seconds of cooking, with a stirring pause between them. Keep those pauses in your breakfast plan: the sequence gives you opportunities to inspect the eggs before deciding how much additional cooking they need.

Let the eggs set before serving

Stir in any extras after the microwave cooking stage. Grated cheese and scallions are two options in Whirlpool's method, and they go in before the final standing period. You can also leave the eggs as they are if you want them plain.

Cover the eggs with a paper towel and set them aside for about a minute, until they've set. This is when the scrambled method uses a cover. The covered standing period (opens in a new tab) finishes the sequence before you serve the eggs warm.

When judging the result, look for the change from almost set at the end of cooking to set after standing. Include that final minute when deciding when breakfast will be ready, especially if you're adding cheese or scallions at the end.

A gentler setting for your next scramble

If the scrambled result isn't the texture you'd like, Whirlpool recommends reducing the power to 60% or Medium for gentler cooking. Look at how your microwave names its power options: they may be percentages or labels such as High, Medium and Low.

Use that gentler-power adjustment (opens in a new tab) when trying the scrambled method again. Keep the stirring stages and watch the mixture's progress as you cook, using its almost-set endpoint to decide when it's ready for the standing period.

This adjustment belongs to the scrambled-egg instructions. If you've chosen the fried-style alternative below, follow its high-power setting and covered cooking sequence instead of combining settings from the two recipes.

Prepare a fried-style egg in a bowl

For a separate yolk and white, use the fried-style alternative. Whirlpool favors a stovetop skillet for frying eggs, but offers the microwave method when you don't have access to a stove. The egg cooks with a small amount of fat in the bowl.

Choose an average-sized microwave-safe bowl and consider the width of its bottom before adding anything. That bottom forms the egg's shape, so pick the width with your finished egg in mind. Add a small amount of oil or melted butter to the bottom.

Crack one or two eggs into the bowl and pierce each yolk to prevent it from exploding during cooking. This precaution is part of Whirlpool's fried-style preparation (opens in a new tab), even though the eggs will also be covered. Season with salt and pepper if you'd like.

Keep the yolks and whites separate for this version. The scrambled method's whisking and optional water or milk belong to a different texture, while this preparation uses oil or butter beneath the eggs.

Cook fried-style eggs under a cover

Have your cover ready before starting. For Whirlpool's fried-style method (opens in a new tab), the options are a plate, plastic wrap or a wet rag over the bowl. Use the cover during cooking, including any additional bursts after checking the eggs.

The initial timing is per egg: one egg starts with 30 seconds on high, and two eggs start with 60 seconds on high. This takes you to the first doneness check, where you'll decide whether the eggs need further cooking.

1. Cover the bowl and cook on high for the initial time for your egg count. Remove it and check the eggs' doneness.
2. Flip the egg or eggs if you'd like, then replace the cover if further cooking is needed. Check that the bowl is covered before restarting.
3. Continue cooking in 10-second intervals, covering again for each burst, until the eggs are cooked to your liking.

Flipping is optional at the check between the initial cooking period and any extra time. You can leave the eggs in their original position if you prefer. Stop adding cooking intervals once you've reached the doneness you want.