Creamy Microwave Potato Bake

You can make a creamy potato bake in the microwave by layering thinly sliced potatoes with cream, milk and flavourings, covering the dish with a vented lid and cooking until the centre is tender. Allow roughly 20–35 minutes in the microwave, plus preparation and standing time. The potato thickness, dish and microwave power all affect the timing.

Updated October 2026

This is a soft, creamy side dish with melted cheese. A standard microwave will not give it a browned, crisp top, but it is handy when the oven is busy or you want a simple dinner accompaniment. Serve it with vegetables and your choice of main.

Recipe at a glance

Detail	Guide
Serves	4–6 as a side
Preparation	About 15 minutes
Cooking	About 20–35 minutes, then stand for 5 minutes
Equipment	A wide, microwave-safe dish, about 2.5–3 litres, with a vented microwave-safe cover
Best sign it is ready	A knife slides easily through the potatoes in the middle and around the edges

Ingredients

• 1 kg potatoes, scrubbed or peeled
• 300 mL cream
• 125 mL milk, plus a little extra if needed
• 1 small onion, very thinly sliced
• 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard, or less to taste
• 1 tablespoon dry French onion soup mix to start, with more to taste
• 100 g grated tasty cheese
• Optional: 75 g diced bacon, cooked in a frying pan before adding

Use the weight of the potatoes rather than counting them: six small potatoes and six large ones make very different amounts. All-purpose potatoes work well here. Try to keep the slices even, about 2–3 mm thick, so they cook at a similar rate.

Soup packets vary in size and saltiness, so this version starts with a measured spoonful rather than a whole packet. You can leave the soup mix out and use a little crushed garlic and black pepper instead. Milk, cream, mustard and soup mix can contain allergens; check their labels when cooking for someone with an allergy.

How to make microwave potato bake

1. Prepare the dish. Use a wide microwave-safe casserole dish with plenty of headroom. Check that it fits and turns freely in your microwave. Have a microwave-safe vented lid or cover ready. Do not use metal or seal the dish airtight.
2. Slice and layer. Slice the potatoes evenly. Arrange them in layers with the thinly sliced onion and cooked bacon, if using. Avoid pressing the layers into a very deep, dense stack.
3. Mix the sauce. Stir together the cream, milk, Dijon mustard and French onion soup mix. Pour over the potatoes. The sauce should run between the layers and sit partway up the dish; the top does not need to be completely submerged.
4. Start cooking. Cover with the vent left open. Microwave on high for 10 minutes, then carefully check the dish. Use oven mitts and lift the cover away from your face because steam can burn. If your microwave has no turntable, rotate the dish.
5. Check and continue. Cook for another 5 minutes, then test several places with a knife, including the centre. Continue in 3–5 minute bursts until the slices are tender throughout. If the sauce is drying out while the potatoes are still firm, add a small splash of milk.
6. Add the cheese. Scatter the grated cheese over the tender potatoes. Microwave in short bursts of about 30–60 seconds until melted. Leave the dish to stand for 5 minutes before serving. Check that the centre is hot, and allow children’s portions to cool to a comfortable eating temperature.

Getting the timing right

A 20–35 minute cooking window is a starting guide, not a promise. A lower-powered microwave, a deeper dish or thicker potato slices can need longer. Begin checking before the suggested finish time and let tenderness decide when to stop.

The top layer can look cooked while the middle is still firm. Test more than one spot. If only the edges are soft, carefully loosen the layers a little so the sauce can move between them, replace the cover and continue cooking.

Keep an eye on the sauce during the final bursts. Cream can bubble up, especially in a dish filled close to the rim. A little space above the food helps prevent a spill. If the potatoes are tender but the sauce seems loose, the standing time will help it settle; this is a creamy dish rather than a firm slice.

Easy variations

• Without packet soup: use crushed garlic, black pepper and a little extra onion. Add seasoning at the table if needed.
• Without bacon: simply leave it out. The onion, mustard and cheese still provide flavour.
• A milder version: reduce or omit the mustard. If cooking for a baby, prepare a separate portion of plain, soft cooked potato rather than assuming the seasoned family dish suits them.
• A browned top: once cooked, use a grill only if the dish is explicitly suitable for that heat source. Follow the dish manufacturer’s instructions; microwave-safe does not automatically mean grill-safe.

What to serve with it

Try this bake alongside slow cooker pulled beef and steamed greens. It can also sit beside a simple omelette or grilled fish.

For another meal that uses the microwave, see our microwave bolognese sauce. Finish with our self-saucing chocolate pudding in a mug if you would like a small dessert. Each recipe has its own quantities and cooking times.

Storing and reheating leftovers

Divide leftovers into shallow containers and refrigerate within two hours. Keep the fridge below 5°C and use refrigerated leftovers within three days, following NSW Food Authority advice.

Reheat only the portion you need until steaming hot throughout. In the microwave, cover loosely, stir or rearrange partway through and check the middle as well as the edges. Food Standards Australia New Zealand advises reheating cold food quickly until piping hot. Cool a child’s portion before serving.

Frequently asked questions

Can you cook potato bake entirely in the microwave?

Yes. Thinly sliced potatoes cook in the covered cream mixture, and the cheese melts at the end. The result is creamy and tender. A standard microwave does not produce the browned top of an oven bake.

How long does microwave potato bake take?

Allow approximately 20–35 minutes of microwave cooking for this quantity, then five minutes standing time. Start checking after 15 minutes. Microwave wattage and the depth of the dish can change the time, so test the centre for tenderness.

Can I use French onion soup mix in microwave potato bake?

Yes. Mix it into the cream and milk before pouring over the potatoes. Start with one tablespoon because packets vary. A whole packet may make this quantity too salty or strongly flavoured.

Can I make microwave potato bake with cream and no milk?

You can, but the sauce will be richer and thicker. The milk in this recipe helps it flow between the layers. If using all cream, check more closely for drying out and add a little liquid if the potatoes remain firm.

Why are my potatoes still hard?

Usually they need more cooking, were sliced too thickly or are stacked too deeply. Check that the cover is in place with its vent open, add a splash of milk if needed and keep cooking in short bursts. Do not judge doneness from the melted cheese alone.