Microwave Cooking Searches Peak in Summer! Over 50% Say 'Don't Want to Use Fire' — Kitchen Trends in Summer. Yet Tempura and Karaage Remain Popular! Recommended Recipes to Beat the Heat

Nadia Inc. (Minato-ku, Tokyo / President and CEO: Yoshinori Katsuragi), operator of the cooking media platform 'Nadia' (URL: https://oceans-nadia.com/), has conducted a 'Survey on Summer Meal Preparation (※1)'.

The survey explored challenges in summer cooking and dishes people tend to avoid due to the heat. Nadia offers helpful recipes to address these concerns.

(※1) [Survey Details] Period / Respondents: May 29 – June 3, 2026 / 1,094 Nadia users; June 26 – July 1, 2026 / 1,127 Nadia users (varies by question); Conducted by: Internal survey; Target: Nadia registered users; Method: Survey responses collected via email newsletter.

Summer Kitchens Are Scorching—Top Concern: 'Don't Want to Use Fire'

When asked about summer cooking challenges, 'The kitchen is hot; I don’t want to use fire (54.2%)' ranked highest, indicating that over half of respondents find stove cooking uncomfortable during summer.

Actual feedback included: 'The kitchen exceeds 40°C—cooking is painful. It’s a blazing hell.' 'I’ve felt unwell while cooking—looking back, it was mild heatstroke.'

This 'avoid using fire' mindset is also reflected in Nadia’s search data. Keywords like 'reinchin' (microwave cooking) and 'microwave' peak annually between July and August (※2). In Japan’s sweltering summers, microwave cooking—requiring no stove—is in high demand.

(※2) Search data from the Nadia app

Avoiding 'Frying and Oil Handling' in Summer—Yet Tempura and Karaage Remain Popular

When asked, 'What cooking tasks do you tend to avoid at home in summer?', 'Frying and oil handling (72.2%)' ranked overwhelmingly first. 'Simmering (51.2%)' also exceeded half. However, when asked (open-ended) about dishes they 'actually want to eat but often give up on in summer,' around 60% mentioned fried foods (e.g., karaage, tempura, tonkatsu, korokke).

In fact, Nadia’s search data shows that 'karaage' remains consistently popular year-round, with no drop in summer (July–August). 'Tempura' and 'kakiage' even see increased searches in summer, driven by demand for pairing with cold soba and somen. This reveals a latent desire to eat fried foods in summer, despite the perceived hassle of heat and oil cleanup.

Microwave Only! Minimal Oil! Summer Survival Recipes

Here are helpful recipes that solve the dilemma: 'I don’t want to use fire… but I still want fried food!' All are easy to make and highly satisfying.

[No Stove Needed! Fully Microwave-Based Dishes]

Make meat crumbles and namul entirely in the microwave!

Top with kimchi or gochujang to taste. ◎

[Microwave Bibimbap—Easy & Kid-Friendly! Packed with Nutrition ♡] by Hisae Sugiyama

https://oceans-nadia.com/user/259228/recipe/429421

Just add ingredients to a bowl and microwave!

Uses curry roux—super simple.

[Cheese & Eggplant Keema Curry—Authentic Flavor in the Microwave ◎ Rich Cheese ♡] by coto

https://oceans-nadia.com/user/484627/recipe/463715

[Microwave or Light Pan-Fry—No Deep Frying Needed!]

Juicy karaage made in the microwave!

Perfect for busy morning bento prep. ◎

Juicy Chicken Karaage Made in the Microwave by Eriko Kanda

https://oceans-nadia.com/user/13780/recipe/395923

Pan-fry with just 4 tablespoons of oil ♪

Uses minimal oil—easy cleanup!

Chikuwa & Onion Kakiage [No-Fry Tempura] by asuca

https://oceans-nadia.com/user/303237/recipe/402082

Use tempura flakes to mimic shrimp tempura!

Just mix—super easy! ♪

Ultra-Easy No-Fry Shrimp Tempura Rice Ball (Onigiri) by rumi

https://oceans-nadia.com/user/279721/recipe/388976

Nadia offers many more recipes. For inquiries about recipes or data, please contact the Nadia editorial team.

About the Cooking Media 'Nadia'

Nadia is a cooking media platform featuring delicious recipes from professional chefs. It currently serves 20 million users monthly. Recipes are posted by over 1,100 vetted chefs, culinary researchers, and influencers (Instagrammers) active in TV, publishing, and social media—collectively known as 'Nadia Artists.' Their high-quality recipes are popular for being 'easy to make and delicious.'

As of July 2026, Nadia Artists have a combined follower count of approximately 83.7 million, attracting attention from food brands, kitchenware and appliance manufacturers, and publishers.

Nadia also publishes cookbooks under three labels: 'Nadia Artist Series' (Takarajima-sha), 'Nadia Books' (One Publishing), and 'Nadia Collection' (KADOKAWA, since 2023).

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<About Nadia Inc.>

Company Name: Nadia Inc.

Founded: July 5, 2012

Representative: President and CEO Yoshinori Katsuragi

URL: https://nadia-corp.co.jp/

Headquarters: STOCK Building 2F–3F, 2-16-4 Takanawa, Minato-ku, Tokyo 108-0074

Business: Internet media (Nadia), chef management (Nadia Management), advertising, planning, and PR services