6 ways to cook food without a stove or cooktop

Cooking with no stove: Alternative cooking methods

There are several ways to cook without a stovetop, like using an oven, microwave, air fryer, slow cooker, grill or countertop oven. Explore cooktop alternatives and oven stand-ins below to find the option that fits your cooking needs.

1. Oven

If just your cooktop is out of commission, your oven can help you prepare a variety of meals. You can use your oven to roast, bake or broil several dishes at once, helping you get the job done quickly and easily. Ovens are ideal for baking and roasting large cuts of meat, making side dishes like au gratin potatoes and broiling thinly cut meats like steak, chicken and salmon.

Shop Whirlpool^® Smart Ovens

Select Whirlpool^® Smart Ovens can even help you get dinner started when you’re on your way home from the grocery store with Remote Start. When your smart oven is set to remote enable, you can use your smartphone or tablet to preheat your oven so it’s ready to cook when you are.¹

2. Microwave

Though compact, a microwave can be a versatile tool to lean on when you don’t have access to a cooktop. You can use a microwave to cook small pieces of meat (like bacon), steam vegetables, reheat casseroles and boil eggs. You can also cook a whole butternut squash in some microwaves, make scrambled and poached eggs and prepare rice.

Shop Whirlpool^® Microwaves

With select Whirlpool^® Microwaves, you can even steam cook foods like rice, and fish when you use a microwave oven steamer accessory.² Whirlpool^® Over-the-Range Microwaves free up counter space and offer optimal cooking capabilities, including Sensor Cooking features on select models, to help save you time and stress in your daily life.

3. Air fryer

Quick and convenient, air fryers can help you cook a variety of meals and reheat leftovers. Air fryers cook by rapidly circulating hot air around a perforated basket or tray to heat up all surface areas of your food to create a crispy outer layer.

You can use an air fryer to cook your family’s favorite frozen meals, roast vegetables and cook chicken wings. Other foods that can be cooked in an air fryer include French fries, chicken, vegetables and even fish, like salmon and shrimp. You can also use an air fryer to revive stale bagels.

Shop Whirlpool^® Ranges and Ovens with Air Fry Mode

Select Whirlpool^® Ranges and Ovens feature Air Fry Mode, which circulates hot air around the air fry basket to cook fried food in a healthy way, with less oil than traditional frying. You’ll get the benefits of an all-in-one appliance that bakes, broils and air fries.

4. Slow cooker

If you don’t have access to a cooktop, a slow cooker can help you cook your favorite soup, stews and roasts using direct heat, steam and long cook times. This stove alternative is a low-maintenance option—simply add your ingredients, select a cooking setting and move on to the next chore on your list. Slow cooking works great for large cuts of meat like pot roasts and whole chickens, but can also be great for stews, as well as vegetables and potatoes.

5. Grill

When the weather warms up, you can use your grill as an alternative to cooking on a stove. Heat from charcoal or gas cooks food quickly, allowing you to make large, multi-course meals easily. Use your grill to make fish, ribs, pizza, grilled vegetables and even baked potatoes. Other foods that are ideal for cooking on a grill include chicken breasts, burgers, kebabs, corn on the cob and whole fish.

6. Countertop oven

A countertop oven is a convenient way to get dinner on the table. Depending on the model, you can use a countertop oven similar to a standard-size oven, with features on select models that let you broil smaller portions of meat for dinner and bake cookies for an after school treat. Countertop ovens can also be used to roast vegetables, broil meat and toast bread.

Stove FAQs

Read on to get answers to some common questions about preparing meals without a stove. Find some ideas for easy no-cook meals, learn about cooking raw meat without a stove and discover if you can cook without a stove in an apartment.

What are some easy no-cook meals?

Some days are so busy that you may not have time to cook at all, and there are several recipes you can make in a pinch without using any heat. No-cook meals—which require no heating, stove or oven to prepare—can include overnight oats, salads, wraps and sandwiches that can satisfy even your pickiest eater. A charcuterie board that includes a selection of cured meats, cheeses, bread, nuts and olives is another good option for a no-cook meal.

Can you cook raw meat without a stove?

There are many different ways to cook raw meat without a stove, including using a countertop oven, air fryer, slow cooker or grill. When cooking raw meat, it’s important to make sure you cook meat to the suggested internal temperature, which is listed on the package label. Use a meat thermometer to ensure your meat has been cooked to the proper temperature.

Can you cook without a stove in an apartment?

You can cook without a stove in an apartment with the use of a microwave, countertop oven, electric griddle, air fryer or slow cooker, all of which are space-saving cooking alternatives that are ideal for the smaller kitchens that are common in apartments.

Explore Whirlpool^® Ranges

If it’s time to upgrade your stove, consider gas and electric ranges from Whirlpool brand to help streamline meal prep. Whirlpool^® Ranges offer innovative features on select models like No Preheat Air Fry, which can deliver the right heat at the right time with Whirlpool brand’s most advanced Air Fry Mode. Other models offer Air Cooking Technology, so you can experience the dynamic air flow and intense heat of Air Fry and Air Baking.