Do you ever get bored of having pizza every Friday night? Pizza rolls are the perfect way to still enjoy the undefeated combination of stringy cheese and sweet tomato without any extra effort.
If you are used to making your own pizzas at home, then your first thought may be to throw your pizza rolls into the oven. But what if you are in a rush or it is too hot to use your oven? Can you microwave pizza rolls instead?
To microwave pizza rolls, place them onto a microwave-safe plate and microwave for 5 minutes or so, hydrating them a little every few minutes.
How to Microwave Pizza Rolls
Admittedly, using a microwave to make pizza rolls from scratch is not the best idea as it can take too long to get the dough to cook properly through and can become too dry.
That being said, here is a method you can follow that tackles some of the issues with cooking pizza rolls in a microwave:
- Prepare A Plate
Using the biggest microwavable plate you can fit into your microwave, trim some parchment paper and use a little oil to stick the parchment paper to the plate. - Arrange On The Plate
Take your pre-prepared pizza rolls and arrange them on the plate with a 1/2 inch gap in between each roll. - Microwave
Set your microwave to the highest setting you can and pop your pizza rolls in, microwaving for between 5-10 minutes, depending on the size of your pizza rolls and how many you are cooking at once. - Hydrate Every Few Minutes
Spray the rolls with water every few minutes to ensure a perfect pizza crust. But do not take too long to do so as the rolls may start to cool before they’re properly cooked. - Do Not Immediately Serve
As tempting as the pizza rolls may smell once they have been microwaved, leave them to stand on your counter for a few minutes before eating. This way, you won’t burn your mouth, and the rolls will have an extra few minutes to continue cooking.
Pizza rolls will cook in the microwave in 5 to 10 minutes, depending on the number of pizza rolls you’re cooking. You will want to add a little water every few minutes.
How to Microwave Pizza Rolls From Scratch
Some people will buy frozen pizza rolls which, while can be cooked in a microwave, are nowhere near as tasty as when you make pizza rolls yourself at home.
Microwaving homemade pizza rolls is even more rewarding and just as easy as microwaving frozen pizza rolls. Here is how:
- Build And Arrange The Rolls
Follow your favourite pizza roll recipe to make and construct your pizza rolls, arranging them on a microwaveable plate as soon as the rolls are done. - Set Your Microwave
Take a moment to programme your microwave to its highest possible setting and set the microwave’s timer for 7 minutes. - Microwave
Place your pizza roll plate directly into the microwave and cook for only 2 minutes. - Hydrate
After 2 minutes, spray the pizza rolls with a little water to help make the crust perfectly crispy. Repeat this every other minute for the full 7 minutes until the rolls are cooked. - Cool
Once the dough of the pizza rolls is fully cooked, open your microwave and leave the rolls to cool a little to finish cooking completely. Then serve and enjoy!
How to Microwave Pizza Rolls Successfully
Using a microwave to cook pizza rolls can be very tricky to do successfully, so here are some tips that may help you out:
- Make Ahead of Time – Unless you plan to eat all of your pizza rolls in 24 hours, you can make a bigger batch ahead of time and leave them in your freezer for up to 3 months. Take a few out whenever you are craving a savoury snack and microwave for a few extra minutes.
- Use the Right Cheese – If you are microwaving raw pizza rolls, you will need to use a soft cheese that will melt at a lower heat to get the same satisfying cheese pull as typically prepared pizza rolls. Stick with grated mozzarella or Monterey jack cheese.
- Use Less Sauce – While a pizza roll is not complete without pizza sauce, you do not need to slather on the sauce for it to pack a punch, no matter if the sauce is homemade or added to the pizza rolls from a jar. In fact, using a little less pizza sauce on your pizza rolls will prevent the rolls from being overly soggy once cooked.
- Add More Cheese – You can never have too much cheese when it comes to pizza rolls; the more, the merrier! You can use as much cheese as you like when making your pizza rolls but be aware that you will have a better-looking pizza roll when using soft cheese.
- Leave Enough Space to Cook – Most microwaves are quite small but can still fit a big serving plate. Make the most of that space to spread out your pizza rolls as much as you can so that they have enough space to expand when cooking without sticking together.
Why You Should Microwave Pizza Rolls
Pizza rolls are not usually microwaved, but there are some benefits to microwaving them when you are craving a quick snack:
It’s an Easy Solution to Pizza
Some like to make pizza rolls simply because making a pizza from scratch can be too much effort.
With pizza rolls, you can just throw them into the microwave for a few minutes and enjoy the moreish combination of cheese and tomato instead of having to tend to a pizza in the oven constantly.
Perfect for Smaller Portions
If you are only making a hand full of pizza rolls, the microwave is a great way to save on dishes and the effort of using your oven. And it can be just as quick, if not quicker, than cooking pizza rolls in an oven.
Why You Shouldn’t Microwave Pizza Rolls
However, there are plenty of reasons you should not microwave pizza rolls and just stick with an oven instead. For example:
They Won’t be the Right Texture
At the end of the day, no matter how you try to cook your pizza rolls in the microwave, they will not be the perfect texture. They will likely be too crisp and dry or too soggy and undercooked.
Takes Longer to Cook
Microwaving food is usually the quicker, simpler solution to using the oven or air fryer.
But depending on how many pizza rolls you are making and how thick you make the pizza rolls, using a microwave for cooking your pizza rolls can take longer than in the oven.
Different Toppings = Different Cooking Times
If you are a fan of a simple cheese pizza roll then you may experience this issue. But if you like your pizza rolls with a little more flavour like chicken or olives, then you will need to ensure that you microwave your pizza rolls for long enough to safely cook your toppings of choice.
Different toppings will need to be cooked for different lengths of time which can cause a lot more stress than you want to deal with.
You Won’t Get that Cheese Pull
One of the most satisfying things about making pizza rolls is that signature cheese stretch when they have just come out of the oven.
Depending on what kind of cheese you use, you may not get that same cheese pull when using a microwave to cook your pizza rolls because of the difference in heat, meaning that the cheese may not melt as well.
Microwaving Pizza Rolls FAQs
If you still have a question or two about microwaving pizza rolls then check these out:
Unfortunately, pizza rolls will not have the best texture when they are microwaved. You will find that they can become a little soggy and stodgy.
Pizza rolls are significantly better when cooked in the oven. You’ll get the perfect texture and they will also bake evenly throughout.
Acacia may be a freelance writer by day, but they are a food fanatic by night. They are always trying out new recipes or finding different ways to elevate classical dishes. But their biggest culinary aim is to educate others on the basics of the kitchen so that they too can enjoy delicious food.