Toaster ovens are the ideal kitchen appliances for preparing quick, simple, and frequently even healthful meals.
One glance at our stove or the large oven makes it seem like there is a lot of effort to be done just to prepare one simple dinner. Waiting till the oven gets hot enough in particular
Toaster ovens are simply ideal for baking little quantities of food, such as a loaf of bread for two or a batch of cookies to enjoy while they are still warm.
Everybody has experienced days when they just felt lazy and wanted to whip up something quick, simple, and if it’s crunchy, unique.
Toaster Oven Recipes
Well, most of the meals we can make in toaster ovens are pretty easy to prepare. Actually, it usually takes more time to prepare the ingredients than the actual cooking does.
Another good thing about these meals is that you can add things or change them in a way to better suit your taste (like adding pineapple to the mini pizzas).
So, if you are equipped with toaster oven-friendly tools, here are the 5 favorite toaster oven recipes you should definitely try if you haven’t already.
Tex-Mex Chicken Quesadillas
What you need:
- 2 green onions
- 2 c. shredded skinless rotisserie chicken meat
- 1 3/4 c. Shredded Monterey Jack cheese
- 1 pickled jalapeño chili
- 1/4 c. fresh cilantro leaves
- 4 burrito size flour tortillas
- 3/4 c. Salsa Verde
- 3/4 c. reduced-fat sour cream
Related: How Long do Rotisserie Chicken Last?
How to make it:
- Firstly, preheat your toaster oven to 425°F (220 °C).
- You need to thinly slice the green onions, but set aside 2 tablespoons of dark green tops for decoration later.
- Then you have to evenly divide chicken, cheese, jalapeño, cilantro, and remaining green onion on one side of each tortilla. If you put it on the whole, it will topple when you fold the other half over. So remember, just on one side and then fold it.
- You put the quesadillas on a single layer on a foil-lined toaster oven tray and toast them for 8 to 10 minutes, or until the tortillas are golden brown and the cheese is melted. Don’t put everything at once to bake if you don’t have room in the toaster oven; bake them a few pieces at a time.
- When they are a bit cooled, cut each quesadilla in half and serve with salsa Verde, plus sour cream, if you like it, and sprinkle with reserved green onions to make them look pretty.
- If you want to make this Tex-Mex chicken recipe into a full meal and not just a snack, simply add a sliced tomato sprinkled with fresh basil or make a mixed green salad dressed with a fresh lime vinaigrette.
Lasagna Toasts
What you need:
- 4 slice Italian bread
- 1 medium zucchini
- 1 clove garlic
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 4 ripe plum tomatoes
- Salt and pepper
- 1 c. part-skim ricotta cheese
- 1/4 c. freshly grated Pecorino Romano cheese
- 4 oz. fresh mozzarella cheese (110gr)
Cooking With Olive Oil? Check Out This Informational Guide: Rated Olive Oil Sprayer And Recommended Olive Oil Dispensers
Note: For preparing this meal, you will need a microwave as well
How to make it:
- Preheat your toaster oven to 450°F (220°C) and toast bread for 5 to 10 minutes or until they get a golden crust.
- Then you need a microwave-safe medium bowl where you need to combine and mix zucchini cut into small cubes, cut garlic, and oil.
- Microwave this mix on high for 4 minutes, stirring it only once, and then add the cut tomatoes, 1/4 teaspoon of salt, and 1/4 teaspoon of freshly ground black pepper.
- Cover the bowl with vented plastic wrap and then microwave the mix on high for 3 minutes.
- Meanwhile, thinly slice the basil leaves. Just remember to reserve 2 tablespoons for garnish. Then in a small bowl, combine the rest of the basil, ricotta, Romano cheese, 1/8 teaspoon of salt, and 1/4 teaspoon of freshly ground black pepper.
- The baked slices of bread should be cooled by now, so spread 1/4 of the ricotta mixture on each bread slice, so each slice is all nice and covered. Using a slotted spoon, divide tomato mixture among bread slices evenly, then top all of it with mozzarella.
- On a foil-lined toaster oven tray, bake the toast slices for 8 to 10 minutes or until they heat through and the mozzarella is melted and lightly browned. If the slices are too big to bake all in one, bake them 2 by 2 in the oven on the same heat.
- Once you take them out, garnish with reserved basil.
You May Need: Rated Cheese Grater
English Muffin Pizzas
What you need:
- English muffins
- Pizza sauce
- Shredded cheese
- Various toppings like pepperoni, bacon, veggies, olives, etc.
How to make it:
- Preheat your toaster oven to 425°F (220°C).
- What you need to do first is to slice your English muffins open carefully. You can use a ceramic knife, but it is best if it’s done with a long fork. Just poke it through the side all the way around until you get it open. This way, the edges won’t be even, and it will give a nice homemade look to your muffins.
- Get the pizza sauce and spread it evenly on each slice of the muffin, just be careful not to put too much. Then add only a little bit of the cheese and then top off with your desired pizza toppings.
- Feel free to use more of the topping than you think you need because it will spread out as the cheese melts. Also, for those who like the taste of cheese more, add it a bit on top again.
- Bake those 8-10 minutes or until the edges are getting crispy and if you can’t place them all in the oven, bake them in two rounds. Cool it slightly before eating because the cheese can slide off if it’s too melted.
Here is a tip for pepperoni or large items: just cut them down into smaller pieces because it looks great to have a nice even distribution of toppings.
Mini Apple Pie
What you need:
- 1 flour tortilla
- 1/2 Apple
- About 1 teaspoon of honey
- About 1 tablespoon of cinnamon
You May Need: An Apple Peeler
How to make it:
- Take half an apple and cut it into thin slices. They don’t have to be perfect, and if it’s easier to cut the apple in cubes.
- Get the tortilla and place it on a flat surface, then add the sliced apple and put it all in the center. Take one teaspoon of honey and spread it over the apples adding the cinnamon on top of it.
- Gently fold up the corners of the tortilla to the center, so you create a little apple pie pouch. You can use some toothpicks to keep the sides of the tortilla in place so it doesn’t open. Basically, you can fold the tortilla any way you like as long as the apple with its topping stays inside.
- Heat the toaster oven on toast mode and just place the mini pie inside for about 5-7 minutes. That is usually the time it takes the apple to get soft.
- When it’s done, just serve it warm. These mini apple pies are great after-dinner snacks, especially when you’re craving dessert and want something quick and low in fat.
Of course, you can even add powdered sugar if you like it sweeter.
Peanut Butter Cookie
What you need:
(Makes 1 or 2 cookies)
- 2 tablespoons of flour
- 1.5 tablespoons of peanut butter
- 1/16 tablespoons of baking soda
- Very scant 1/16 tablespoons of salt
- 1/4 tablespoons of pure vanilla extract
- 1.5 tablespoon agave or maple syrup (Or use 3/4 tablespoon each sugar and brown sugar, or 1.5 tablespoon xylitol)
- 1 teaspoon of applesauce (or more, if using dry sweetener)
- Optional: Add a few chocolate chips
How to make it:
This is the simplest sweet snack ever.
- All you need for it is a bowl where you mix all dry ingredients, then add peanut butter and all the wet ingredients. Of course, if you like it sweeter, just add the chocolate chips.
- Mix them well and form into one or two cookies that you flatten and bake in a preheated oven at 350°F (175°C) for 8-10 minutes.
Note: The cookies will be more like cake if you are using a liquid sweetener, but if you use sugar, they will be chewier.
Further Reading: Most Recommended Bakeware Sets
Here are some ideas you can use to utilize the toaster oven to the max and bring some tasty snacks and desserts to your loved ones.
They are all easy to make and delicious. Of course, you can have your own variations and versions. Let me know how these turned out and what the guys over at your place said! 🙂