What Can I Make in a Mini Oven?

Whether your toaster oven is just lying around taking up space on your kitchen counter or it’s too hot to use your regular oven, you’ve gotta make the most of what you have. Did you know your toaster oven is so much more than a toaster? Are we saying that it can bake delicious chocolate cookies? Absolutely. Or, the most delicious french fries you’ll ever taste? Yes! An unrivaled 3-minute pita pizza? Yes, yes, and yes. Before we begin, we’d like to clear a common misconception. 

What’s the Difference Between a Mini Oven and Toaster Oven?

A toaster oven is a mini version of the conventional oven. Your regular oven and toaster oven both work in the same manner. It’s just that the toaster oven is smaller and can be tucked away in a corner or cabinet when not in use. So, what’s a mini oven? It’s just another name for your toaster oven. If you’re reading a recipe and the term toaster oven pops up, know that they’re just talking about your small oven.

3 Recipes to Try in Your Mini Oven Today

There are so many things you can make in your mini oven — in fact, you can make everything that you make in a regular oven, just smaller. You can roast chicken, make bacon, fish filets (since fish requires the least heat), pizza, fries, cookies and more!

Fish filets

Ingredients:

• 1 tsp black pepper
• 1 tsp salt
• 1 tbsp vinegar
• 2 boneless fish slices (you may use chicken thigh pieces as well with the same recipe)
• 1 small butter slice 
• Lemon juice

Preparation:

1. Start by washing the fish and applying the marinade. Add vinegar first and then apply salt and black pepper thoroughly. If you do it the other way around, the vinegar won’t let the salt and pepper stick to the fish.
2. Leave the fish to marinate for 20-30 minutes. Apply butter to the tray/pan and place it in the oven.
3. Let the fish cook at a low temperature for 10-15 minutes.
4. Serve after a squeeze of lemon juice in the fish’s cracks and crevices. 

Pita pizza

While you can easily make an actual pizza in a mini oven, we want you to try a pita pizza that’s a quick and delicious spin-off.

Ingredients:

• 1 pita bread (of appropriate size for your oven)
• Mozzarella cheese (shredded)
• Sliced olives
• Mushrooms
• Chicken chunks (you can buy marinated ones)
• Garlic and cream cheese (or whatever sauce best suits your taste buds)

Preparation:

1. Oil the pita bread slightly.
2. Toss the ingredients onto the pita, and top all that goodness off with some lovely mozzarella cheese.
3. Bake at 350​​°F for 3-5 minutes and enjoy!

Toaster oven french fries

Guilty of devouring high-calorie, deep-fried french fries? We’ve got just the right recipe for you — low fat and low calorie baked french fries!

Ingredients:

• Potatoes
• Extra virgin olive oil (the least processed form of olive oil)
• Seasonings (salt, pepper, and peri-peri seasoning)

Preparation:

1. Slice your potato. You can either leave the peel on or take it off (we suggest keeping the peel on).
2. Throw the slices into a bowl of water for 10-15 minutes. It’ll help take starch off them and prevent them from turning brown when baked.
3. Dry them and throw them in a bowl with salt, pepper and olive oil.
4. Bake them for about 20 minutes.
5. Take them out and see if they’re done — serve with a sprinkle of peri-peri seasoning.

Conclusion

While we covered only three recipes (since they were our favorites), the short and simple answer is that you can make anything you want in your mini oven. As long as it fits inside the oven and you have the pan for it, you’re good! Folks with a sweet tooth can use it to make cupcakes, pastries, cookies, and many more desserts — particularly because of its low-maintenance and small size. If you’re a family of two, you may not even need a regular oven.