Abstract: In order to improve the sensory quality and physicochemical properties of microwave expanded cut stem, the expansion effects of three expansion methods, including online medium (solid silicon dioxide particles) heating expansion, microwave heating expansion and the combination of medium and microwave heating expansion, were investigated. The influences of drying means (thin plate cylinder drying, pneumatic drying and microwave drying) on the quality of microwave expanded cut stem were studied. The results showed that: 1) The combination heating expansion produced consistent tobacco stems, the expanded stems had uniform cell-like cavity structure and evenly spaced vessel clusters. Microwave power was the major factor affecting expansion rate and moisture content. The quality control principle for microwave expansion of stem was: expansion rate >300%, shrinkage rate after cooling <2%, appearance color dark yellow or dark brown, less sectional coking, offering distinct roasted aroma, and the moisture content in expanded stem was taken as a guidance control index. The optimized technological conditions were medium temperature 150℃-160℃ and microwave power 100-110 kW. At the same medium temperature, the total amount of aroma components increased with the increase of microwave power. 2) Drying means influenced the comprehensive quality of microwave expanded cut stem. Comparing with pneumatic drying and cylinder drying, microwave dried cut stems featured higher filling value, lower contents of total volatile alkalis, ammoniacal alkali and higher fatty acids, higher contents of chlorophylloid aroma components, and better sensory quality. The order of comprehensive sensory quality was microwave dried cut stem > cylinder dried cut stem > pneumatic dried cut stem. Microwave or pneumatic dried cut stem possessed higher long strand proportion and lower short strand proportion.