Is It Better To Microwave Chef Boyardee Or Cook It On The Stove?

When it comes to nostalgic foods, Chef Boyardee lands at the top of the list for many who grew up in the '80s and '90s, though the popular chef's meals go back to the 1920s. Chef Boyardee's ready-to-eat macaroni offers a convenient alternative to homemade pasta. Everything from the company's Beef Ravioli to its Beefaroni has enabled busy adults, college students, and kids to make an easy meal in minutes. That leads many to associate Chef Boyardee's offerings with the microwave — but this isn't the only way to prepare them.

While Chef Boyardee's microwavable cups are certainly meant to be heated using the convenient kitchen appliance, the company's canned meals offer two cooking options. The backs of cans of Chef Boyardee products feature instructions for the microwave, as well as the stovetop. The pasta tastes the same either way, so many will opt for the ease of the former method. However, preparing Chef Boyardee on the stove provides an opportunity to elevate the canned meal using ingredients of your own. That makes it the better cooking option, even if it takes more effort.

Chef Boyardee is far from fine Italian cuisine, but the canned pasta can be spruced up while it's cooking on the stove. Adding ingredients like extra meat or vegetables can enhance its flavor and give it more nutritional value. You may create something comforting and new.

One stovetop variation that will seriously upgrade your canned ravioli involves pouring it over ground beef and Velveeta cheese. This blends two childhood favorites, turning Chef Boyardee into something like chili. Of course, customizing your Chef Boyardee doesn't have to be quite so complicated. Adding herbs and spices while it simmers can give it an extra kick. Onions and other veggies also add some freshness to the meal while elevating the texture. Working in another type of pasta sauce or more cheese will give Chef Boyardee a more authentic Italian taste. 

All of this would be difficult or outright impossible to accomplish in the microwave. While microwaving Chef Boyardee might be the superior option for those short on time, putting it on the burner is the right choice for anyone hoping to enhance the flavor.