How to Cook New Potatoes & Carrots in the Microwave

How to Cook New Potatoes & Carrots in the Microwave Photo Credit Rafael Suarez/Demand Media

New potatoes and carrots not only complement each other well, but also cook quickly together in the microwave. You can steam them in a little bit of water to create an easy and nutritious side dish that pairs well with beef, roasted chicken, fish and a variety of other main courses. The addition of a few herbs and spices can dramatically change the flavor of the carrots and potatoes. Use baby carrots and chunked potatoes and you'll have dinner on the table in no time.

Step 1

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Pour rinsed baby carrots into a microwave-safe dish.

Step 2

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Wash your new potatoes under running water to remove dirt and debris. Chop your potatoes into rough 2-inch chunks. Leave very small new potatoes whole. Aim for a mix of potato chunks that are roughly the same size, whether chopped or whole, as the size of new potatoes varies.

Step 3

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Add the potatoes to the dish with the carrots. Toss the carrots and potatoes together with your hands or a spoon until mixed.

Step 4

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Add a small amount of water to the dish. Avoid adding more than 3 tablespoons per pound of vegetables as you just want to steam them, not boil them.

Step 5

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Stir in fresh herbs, spices, salt, pepper or other flavors.

Step 6

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Cover tightly with plastic wrap. Poke a tiny hole in the center of the plastic wrap to let steam escape.

Step 7

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Microwave on high for 4 to 5 minutes. Check the potatoes and carrots for tenderness with a fork. Give them a quick stir and re-cover with plastic wrap. Cook on high at 2- to 3-minute intervals, checking after each interval for tenderness.

Step 8

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Let the dish rest, covered, for 3 to 4 minutes.

Warnings

• Some microwaves have much lower or higher maximum settings. You may need to adjust cooking times slightly to work for your machine.
• Take care when removing the lid -- steam will escape from the sides and can scald your skin.

Tips

• Pre-washed and cleaned bags of baby carrots make this dish easier and quicker to put together. If you'd prefer to use large carrots, simply clean them thoroughly under running water, peel them and chop them into rough 2-inch chunks.
• The potatoes and carrots can be cooked separately following the same instructions for each dish and reducing the cooking times to an initial 3-minute cook time, followed by 1- to 2-minute increments until they're as tender as you'd like them.
• Large, whole potatoes can take anywhere from 9 to 16 minutes to cook.

Things You'll Need

• Microwave-safe bowl or dish
• Measuring spoon
• Stock or broth (optional)
• Seasonings (optional)
• Plastic wrap

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