It's the perfect Easter weekend treat - but making some indulgent bacon rashers needn't take a lot of time, effort and washing up - in fact you can just pop them in the microwave and have perfect bacon in as little as 45 seconds. Whether you like smoked or unsmoked, back bacon or lardons, super crispy American style or soft cooked chewy bacon, there's a way to make it using your microwave that's quicker than a frying pan, and healthier too, with fewer calories and less sizzling fat making smoke in your kitchen.

In fact, in just 45 seconds, you can have delicious bacon with no mess and no oil at all, meaning it’s quicker and healthier than frying bacon in a pan - and all it takes is a humble microwave. Microwave bacon might not sound terribly appetising but you can quickly and easily make perfect bacon in the microwave, say food experts.

BBC Good Food says to microwave bacon, lay rashers on a plate lined with some kitchen roll. If you prefer bacon softer, you can pop a lid on top. Then set the microwave to high wattage (if you have the option of changing the wattage).

Then microwave the bacon for these times depending on how crispy you like it:

Softer bacon (not as crispy) - 45 seconds per rasher

Medium crispiness bacon - 1 minute per rasher

Extra crispy bacon - 2 minutes+ per rasher

And just add extra time if you want it even more crispy, like the American style hard bacon. Be sure to check in on it halfway through to make sure it’s cooking evenly and turn it over if necessary.

The method is backed up by other food websites and bloggers. Healthy Recipes Blog says: “This bacon is absolutely amazing. I resisted the idea for a long time, thinking it couldn't possibly be as good as pan-fried or oven bacon. Happily, I was wrong! Using the microwave to cook bacon is just as good as using the oven or a frying pan. The bacon cooks evenly and comes out perfectly crispy. And it's a fast method - faster and easier than any other.

"You can use this bacon like any other bacon! It's an obvious breakfast choice.

"You can keep the leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to four days. Once they are cool, I store them in a resealable food storage bag."

And the final upside is, with no oil needed, it’s much healthier than frying bacon in a pan because it adds no calories.

If you enjoy your microwave bacon, why not pair it with 30 second microwave fried eggs, too?