Can you microwave parchment paper?

Baking parchment is paper coated in cured silicone, which is stable well above any temperature a microwave will produce in food and does not transfer to what it touches. It is the standard way to stop splatter or to keep food from sticking to the turntable. Wax paper is a different product: the wax softens and can transfer, so it is fine as a cover but not for direct contact with hot fat. Anything sold as "foil-lined parchment" is foil and must not go in.

How to do it properly

1. Use it flat under food or loosely over a bowl to catch splatter
2. Keep it away from the cavity walls so it cannot touch a hot spot
3. Do not run the oven with parchment and no food in it

What goes wrong

• Dry paper with nothing absorbing energy can scorch on long runs
• Foil-backed or metallised papers arc

Other "can you microwave" questions

• Can you microwave styrofoam? It depends — Only if the container is labeled microwave-safe, and most takeout foam is not.
• Can you microwave aluminum foil? No — No — foil reflects microwaves and the edges arc, which can start a fire.
• Can you microwave plastic containers? It depends — Only ones labeled microwave-safe — cold-storage tubs are not among them.
• Can you microwave eggs? It depends — Beaten or pricked eggs, yes. A whole egg in its shell will explode.
• Can you microwave Tupperware? It depends — Yes, if that specific piece carries the microwave-safe symbol on its base.
• Can you microwave paper plates? It depends — Plain white paper plates are fine; anything with metallic trim or a foam layer is not.
• Can you microwave metal? No — No — metal reflects microwaves, arcs at edges, and can damage the oven or start a fire.
• Can you microwave breast milk? No — No — microwaves create hot spots that scald a baby even when the bottle feels cool.
• Can you microwave takeout containers? It depends — Only if the container is marked microwave-safe — most are not, and metal-handled ones never are.
• Can you microwave cardboard? It depends — Plain dry cardboard is usually fine briefly; anything with glue, staples, wax or foil is not.
• Can you microwave glass? It depends — Yes for ordinary heatproof glass; no for leaded crystal, and never straight from the freezer.
• Can you microwave water? It depends — Yes, but very clean water can superheat and erupt when you move the cup.