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Cottage Cheese Egg Bites

Fluffy, Starbucks-style egg bites made with eggs, cottage cheese, turkey bacon and spinach. Bake a batch for the week: 23 grams of protein per serving.

  • 23g protein
  • 255 calories
  • 43 minutes
  • 4 servings

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By The Protein First Kitchen Team. Published

Egg bites topped with melted cheese on a white plate
Photo by @tastytin on Unsplash

These are the breakfast we would make every Sunday if we could only pick one. Twelve bites take about 45 minutes, most of it hands-off, and they reheat in under a minute all week. Three bites give you 23 grams of protein before 8 a.m.

Why they come out like the coffee-shop version

Coffee-shop egg bites are cooked sous-vide, which keeps them soft and almost custardy. You can get close at home with two tricks: blend the eggs with cottage cheese for a smoother, creamier mixture, and bake low (300°F) with a pan of hot water in the oven for steam.

Filling combinations

  • Turkey bacon and spinach (the version above).
  • Roasted red pepper and feta: swap the bacon and Jack for 1/3 cup chopped jarred red peppers and 1/4 cup feta.
  • Ham and cheddar: 1/2 cup diced ham and sharp cheddar in place of Monterey Jack.

For smaller appetites

Two bites (about 170 calories, 15 grams of protein) make a good small breakfast or snack, which is one reason these are popular with people on GLP-1 medications.

Ingredients you’ll need

  • Eggs: the base. Eight large eggs make 12 bites.
  • Cottage cheese: blended in for a fluffy, custardy texture like the coffee-shop version.
  • Monterey Jack: mild and melty. Gruyère gives the classic Starbucks flavor.
  • Turkey bacon and spinach: our favorite filling, but any cooked meat and vegetables work.

How to make egg bites with cottage cheese

  1. Blend the eggs, cottage cheese and cheese until frothy. This is what makes them light.
  2. Fill a well-greased silicone muffin pan, putting the fillings in first.
  3. Bake low with steam: 300°F with a pan of hot water on the rack below.
  4. Check the center: they are done when set and no longer jiggly, about 25 to 30 minutes.

Egg bites in the Instant Pot

Use a silicone egg bite mold covered with foil. Add 1 cup water to the pot, set the mold on the trivet, and pressure cook on steam for 8 minutes with a 10-minute natural release.

Meal prep tips

Bake on Sunday and keep in the fridge for 5 days. Reheat 30 to 45 seconds. For a leaner version with egg whites, see our egg white bites.

You might also like

For a leaner version, try our egg white bites at 134 calories for three. If you prefer one big grab-and-go breakfast, our freezer high protein breakfast burritos have 41 grams of protein each.

Cottage Cheese Egg Bites

Prep 15 min. Cook 28 min. Makes 4 servings of 3 egg bites.

Servings

Ingredients

Instructions

  1. Heat the oven to 300°F (150°C). Place a baking dish on the lower rack and fill it halfway with hot water. Generously spray a 12-cup silicone or nonstick muffin pan.
  2. Blend the eggs, cottage cheese, Monterey Jack and pepper for 30 seconds, until smooth and frothy.
  3. Divide the turkey bacon and spinach between the muffin cups. Pour the egg mixture over them, filling each cup about three-quarters full.
  4. Bake on the middle rack for 25 to 30 minutes, until the centers are just set and no longer jiggle.
  5. Cool in the pan for 5 minutes, then run a thin spatula around each bite to release.

Notes

  • The pan of water creates steam, which gives the soft, custardy texture of sous-vide egg bites.
  • Refrigerate in an airtight container for up to 5 days. Reheat 30 to 45 seconds in the microwave.
  • Freeze for up to 2 months. Reheat from frozen for 60 to 90 seconds.

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    Questions people ask

    Why do egg bites need cottage cheese?

    Blended cottage cheese makes them fluffier and creamier, the way Starbucks egg bites taste, and it adds about 5 grams of protein per serving.

    Why did my egg bites sink?

    Some deflation is normal as they cool. Large sinking usually means the oven was too hot. Keep it at 300°F with the water bath.

    Can you freeze cottage cheese egg bites?

    Yes. Cool them completely, freeze on a tray, then bag them for up to 2 months. Reheat from frozen in the microwave for 60 to 90 seconds.

    How do you make egg bites without cottage cheese?

    Replace the cottage cheese with the same amount of plain Greek yogurt or whole milk ricotta. Greek yogurt adds similar protein; ricotta makes them richer.

    Can I make egg bites in a regular muffin pan?

    Yes. Grease it very well or use paper liners sprayed with oil. Silicone pans release the most easily.

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