Can You Microwave Canned Soup?

Popping your soup in the microwave is a quick way to make yourself a warm meal. You might have found a tin of soup in your cupboard late at night when you can’t be fussed cooking anything, need a quick snack on your lunch break at work, or a microwave is the only cooking option you have at the time. Now you have probably wondered ‘can you microwave canned soup?’. 

In short, yes you can microwave the soup that comes in the can. We will break down the best way for optimal cooking for your soup in the microwave and what material is best to cook it in.

How Do I Microwave Soup Without It Exploding?

Waiting on a delicious snack or meal cooking in the microwave and you hear that loud POP is somewhat soul destroying! Even more so when it’s soup as you know there is going to be a whole lot of cleaning to do. So how do you keep soup from exploding in the microwave?

Follow a few simple steps to ensure this doesn’t happen. 

• Set the microwave display to a low power setting. 
• Only cook for a low period of time, 30 seconds to 1 minute. 
• Use a microwavable bowl, cup, or other container. 
• Don’t microwave a styrofoam container as this can be dangerous to your health and also crack or melt causing the soup to go everywhere.

So, Can You Microwave Canned Soup?

Yes, you can microwave the soup but not the can it comes in. You are best to use a microwavable bowl, container, or cup that’s suited for the microwave. The can is usually made of some sort of metal like tin or aluminum, materials that should never be put in a microwave. Not only are these now microwavable but it could cause smoke to come out of your microwave and potentially explode. Not to mention, your soup won’t have cooked properly and will still be cold as the can has reflected the radiation. 

How Do You Make Canned Soup In The Microwave?

Making some tasty canned soup in the microwave is perfect for your lunch break at work, as a starter, or when you are just looking for a quick bite to eat. Preparing your meal safely and ensuring you get that optimal taste and temperature you should follow the steps below.

1. Take the can of soup out of the cupboard or fridge.
2. Pour the soup into a microwaveable dish and discard the tin.
3. Set the power to low to medium. 
4. Turn on the microwave for 30 seconds.
5. After 1 minute open the microwave door and give it a stir.
6. Pop it back on for 30 seconds.
7. Check if it’s ready by a simple taste test. If not, repeat for another 30 seconds.
8. If the soup begins to harden with a kind of crust round the edges it’s starting to burn and will be ready. 
9. Use a kitchen cloth or similar to remove the container as it will be hot to touch.
10. Enjoy!

How To Microwave Soup In Tupperware

How to microwave canned soup in tupperware in a straightforward process. Tupperware comes in many sizes which means you can use any size of microwave. It’s also useful for keeping your lunch, whether it be sandwiches, leftovers, or soup to heat up in the microwave. Tupperware, like other plastics and styrofoam containers is not suitable for the microwave unless it is labelled microwaveable safe. 

1. Ideally, you want to use tupperware that has a vent. Microwaves directly hitting the soup will make it crusty and burn it. Place the lid on loosely if the tupperware doesn’t have a vent. 
2. Stir the soup every so often. Microwaves can cause uneven heating throughout your broth and you want to make sure you get that even warm taste.
3. When reheating soup make sure you set the power to 165F. This will destroy any bacteria that has accumulated. 
4. Remove the tupperware with a dish cloth or oven mitts, it’s most likely to be warm and you don’t want to get burned.
5. Enjoy!

Difference Between Heating Soup In Microwave Vs Stove?

The difference between heating soup in a microwave Vs a stove isn’t much at all. Soup heated in the microwave or in a pot shouldn’t produce much of a different taste if cooked in either correctly. Stoves do have a couple of advantages of cooking in the microwave though.

Microwaves tend to cook unevenly and you have to stop and stir. Always make sure the container is even as the thin layer of soup at the side will get scorched. 

If you have bits of vegetables in your soup, the parts protruding from the broth will sometimes get slightly burnt. This doesn’t tend to happen when cooking in a pot on the stove.

Can You Microwave Canned Soup? Recap

Yes, you can microwave canned soup can be microwaved but not in the can itself. You must use a microwavable bowl, tupperware, or a cup to heat your soup. The cans the soup comes in will usually be some sort of metallic that’s never a good idea to put in a microwave. Stop the microwave every so often and give the soup a stir to make sure it is cooking evenly and you’re not burning it. 

FAQ’s 

Check out the answers to some common questions regarding microwaving canned soup below.