Description
These protein-packed egg bites are made with cottage cheese for an incredibly fluffy texture, filled with fresh spinach, roasted red peppers, and green onions. They’re perfect for meal prep, naturally gluten-free, and can be customized with your favorite mix-ins.
Ingredients
Makes about 12 egg bites
- 6 large eggs
- ¾ cup cottage cheese (full-fat or low-fat)
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- Black pepper, to taste
- 3 cups fresh spinach
- ½ cup diced roasted red bell pepper
- ½ cup chopped green onion
- Olive oil or cooking spray, for greasing
Substitution Notes:
- Cottage cheese can be swapped with ricotta for a slightly different texture
- Use frozen spinach if fresh isn’t available (just thaw and squeeze dry!)
- Red bell pepper can be fresh instead of roasted—just dice small
- Try chives or regular onions instead of green onions
Instructions
Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C). Generously grease a 12-cup muffin tin with olive oil or cooking spray—don’t skip this step! You want to get into all the corners and sides so your egg bites pop right out later.
Add the eggs, cottage cheese, salt, and black pepper to your blender. Blend on high speed until the mixture is completely smooth and there are no visible cottage cheese curds—this usually takes about 30-45 seconds. The mixture should look creamy and uniform.
Lightly wilt your fresh spinach (I just pop it in a pan over medium heat for about 2 minutes until it wilts down). Let it cool slightly, then squeeze out as much excess moisture as you can—I use a clean kitchen towel for this. Give it a rough chop so the pieces are bite-sized.
Important: Don’t skip squeezing the spinach! This step prevents watery egg bites.
In a bowl, combine your chopped spinach with the diced roasted red bell pepper and chopped green onion. Give it a good stir to distribute everything evenly.
Divide the vegetable mixture evenly among the 12 muffin cups—I use about 2 tablespoons per cup. Then pour the blended egg mixture over the vegetables, filling each cup almost to the top (leave just a tiny bit of room since they’ll puff slightly).
Bake for 18-22 minutes, or until the egg bites are set in the center and just starting to turn golden on top. They should feel firm to the touch, not jiggly. Mine are usually perfect at the 20-minute mark.
Let the egg bites cool in the pan for about 5 minutes. Then run a butter knife around the edges and gently pop them out. If you greased well, they should release beautifully!
Notes
- Check for Doneness: Gently touch the center of an egg bite; it should spring back slightly when done
- Prevent Browning: If the tops are browning too quickly, loosely tent the pan with aluminum foil
- Silicone Liners: Seriously, invest in silicone muffin liners if you make these regularly
- Don’t Overbake: Overcooked egg bites get rubbery—pull them when they’re just set
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 20 minutes
- Category: Breakfast
- Cuisine: American