Learn the secret to Starbuck’s silky egg bites! This vegetarian version is made in a muffin tin with roasted peppers, basil, and cottage cheese. Video.
We think that the point is to pass the test or overcome the problem, but the truth is that things don’t really get solved. They come together and they fall apart. Then they come together again and fall apart again. It’s just like that. The healing comes from letting there be room for all of this to happen: room for grief, for relief, for misery, for joy.~ Pema Chodron
Here is my favorite egg bites recipe! They are so silky smooth with the best texure and flavor. These are adapted from Once Upon a Chef, where my friend Jenn was able to perfectly recreate the texture of Starbucks egg bites, with a pan of water in the oven.
We’ve done the same here but kept them vegetarian with roasted red pepper and fresh basil from the garden. But really, they are adaptable, and you can add almost anything- scroll down to see some of my favorite variations!
Why You'll Love This Egg Bites Recipe
- They are SO simple! With 5 ingredients, in addition to salt and pepper, these easy egg bites can be made in just over 30 minutes.
- Great for busy mornings. Prep this breakfast recipe in advance on the weekend and enjoy them throughout the week for a quick and satisfying breakfast on busy weekday mornings.
- Incredibly versatile. Once you have the eggy base, you can add any other ingredients you wish! Use up any extra vegetables or herbs you have on hand.
- Freezer-friendly. These egg bites can be frozen for up to 3 months! Pull out all your muffin pans and make a large batch to freeze and have on hand whenever you’re short on time.
- Deliciously cheesy and custardy. Cottage cheese and shredded cheese combine with the eggs to create a rich, cheesy texture and flavor. After baking, these bites will have a silky, custardy top that is simply divine.
Egg Bite Recipe Ingredients
- Extra Large eggs: The main ingredient in the egg bites, provides the base and structure.
- Cottage cheese: We use whole milk cottage cheese, 4% fat for the best texture. This ingredient is essential for adding creaminess to the egg bites, resulting in a silky smooth texture.
- Shredded cheese: Gruyere, mozzarella, pepper jack, cheddar, or a blend of cheese works great! The cheese contributes to the richness and flavor of the egg bites.
- Salt and pepper: Salt brings out the flavors in these breakfast bites, while pepper adds a nice kick.
- Roasted peppers: Adds a sweet and smoky flavor to the egg bites. You can use store-bought roasted peppers or roast your own.
- Fresh basil leaves: Adds freshness and a pleasant herbaceous note to the egg bites.
- Optional additions: Wilted spinach, cherry tomatoes are a juicy and sweet addition, or consider sprinkling parmesan cheese over top for even more of a cheesy flavor.
These ingredients work together to create a delicious and satisfying base for your quick and easy egg bites. Feel free to customize the recipe and add any other additional ingredients or variations that you desire!
Egg Bites Recipe Tips
- Use muffin liners! These egg bites like to stick to the pan, even greased non-stick pans. Even silicone pans! (Although it is better when greased.) I am tired of fighting them, so I use just muffin liners now.
- Use whole milk cottage cheese – these make them fluffy and light, with enough fat to bind them together.
- Layer them. Add some egg batter first, then add the filling, then top with more batter. This will help prevent the filling from all sinking to the bottom.
- Steam them. Adding a pan with water in the oven to create steam while they bake greatly enhances their consistency!
- How do you know when egg bites are done cooking? Internal temperature should reach 160°F. The edges should pull away from the pan just slightly; the top should be springy to the touch, not runny, but a slight jiggle is ok.
How to Make Egg Bites
1. Preheat oven to 300F. Place a pan of water 1/4 inch deep, on the lower rack to create steam. (see notes) Grease a standard, non-stick muffin tin with olive oil. If not using non-stick, use muffin liners. I actually use liners all the time now for the easiest clean up.
2. Place the eggs, cottage cheese, shredded cheese, salt and pepper in a blender and blend until silky smooth.
3. Pour and divide the batter into the greased muffin tins ( with liners) to about 3/4 full. You can also use silicone egg molds (also spray with spray olive oil).
4. Add the roasted pepper and basil to the top, stirring some down a bit. Top with a cherry tomato and sprinkle lightly with parmesan cheese.
5. Place the egg bites on the middle rack (over the pan with water) and bake until the egg bites are set and golden, 20-30 minutes. (Ours were ready at 24 minutes.)
Egg bites are done cooking when the internal temperature reaches 160°F. The edges should pull away from the pan just slightly; the top should be springy to the touch, not runny, but a slight jiggle is ok. Be doubly sure the center ones are set– they usually take 1-2 minutes longer than the ones on the edges.
6. Let cool 5-10 minutes; loosen the edges with a knife, and carefully scoop them out with a spoon. If you are using a greased, silicone mold, they should pop right out.
Variations of Egg Bites With Cottage Cheese
Here are some possible variations to this recipe, taking flavor pairings into consideration.
You can also explore your own kitchen for any extra veggies you have on hand and create your own take on this recipe! Have extra roasted vegetables, like broccoli? Chop them into smaller pieces, and they would make a lovely addition. If you’re craving meat in these egg bites, add crispy bacon, diced ham, smoked salmon, chorizo, or sausage.
- Sautéed mushrooms, thyme, gruyere
- Caramelized onion or shallots, smoked mozzarella cheese and sage
- Smoked salmon and fresh dill
- Spinach, sun-dried tomato and goat cheese or feta cheese
- Bacon crumbles, jalapeno and cheddar cheese
- Canned green chilies, cilantro (or green onions) and pepper jack or Monterey jack cheese
How to Serve Egg Bites
Serve egg bites with fresh fruit or a fruit salad, breakfast potatoes, vegan bacon, or just on their own. They make a great breakfast on-the- go!
How to Store Homemade Egg Bites
Store leftover egg bites for up to 4 days in the refrigerator in an airtight container. Egg bites can be reheated in a microwave for roughly 60 seconds or warmed in a 350F toaster oven.
Can egg bites be frozen?
Yes, egg bites can be frozen. Separate layers with parchment paper and freeze for up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in the fridge and reheat in the morning using the microwave or toaster oven.
FAQs
Yes! You can pour the egg mixture into a square baking pan if you prefer. The bake time may vary, so just be sure to check the center for doneness.
This is our own copycat Starbucks egg bites recipe where we use a pan of water. in the oven to create the steam that results in the silky, custardy texture. Check out the notes for how to do this!
Because of the eggs, this recipe is high in protein, and is also a good source of B12 and choline. Plus, when you add colorful veggies and herbs you can pack in some extra vitamins and antioxidants!
This is entirely up to you! Though we typically eat 2 at a time. You can serve the bites with toast, avocado, or have a smoothie on the side!
Yes, Egg bites can be made in your instant pot. You’ll need silicone egg bite molds that fit your model. Add 1 ½ cups water to the instant pot. Fill the molds to 3/4 full. Cover the molds with parchment or foil. Place on the rack and gently lift and lower into the instant pot (you can stack two molds). Pressure cook on high for 8 minutes. Naturally, release.
Enjoy the Egg Bites. Take a look at my friend, Jenn’s blog and have a beautiful weekend. ❤️
For another on-the-go breakfast snack, try our Chocolate Oatmeal No Bake Cookies!
xoxo
More egg recipes you may like
EASY Egg Bites | Video Tutorial
Egg Bites Recipe
- Prep Time: 10
- Cook Time: 25
- Total Time: 35 minutes
- Yield: 12 1x
- Category: breakfast, brunch
- Method: baked
- Cuisine: American
- Diet: Vegetarian
Description
These quick & easy egg bites are the perfect make-ahead breakfast. Make them in 35 minutes, and store them in the fridge for the busy work week, or freeze and reheat. Keto and Vegetarian. (Adapted from Once Upon a Chef.)
Ingredients
- 6 large eggs
- 1 1/4 cup whole milk, full-fat cottage cheese (full fat 4%) See note!
- 1 1/4 cup shredded cheese- gruyere, cheddar, mozzarella, pepper jack, etc
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 teaspoon pepper
- 1 roasted bell pepper, sliced or diced (from a jar, or sub-canned green chilies, drained)
- 1/4– 1/2 cup fresh basil, ribbons (or sub cilantro or dill)
- optional: 6-12 cherry tomatoes, cut in half
- Optional: 3 tablespoons parmesan
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 300F. Place a pan of water 1/4 inch deep, on the lower rack to create steam. (see notes)
- Grease a standard, non-stick muffin tin with olive oil. If not using non-stick, use muffin liners.
- Place the eggs, cottage cheese, shredded cheese, salt and pepper in a blender and blend until silky smooth.
- Pour and divide the batter into the greased muffin tins-to about 3/4 full.
- Add the roasted pepper and basil to the top, stirring some down a bit. Top with a cherry tomato and sprinkle lightly with parmesan cheese.
- Place the egg bites on the middle rack (over the pan with water) and bake until the egg bites are set and golden, 20-30 minutes. (Our were ready at 24 minutes.)Be doubly sure the center ones are set– they usually take 1-2 minutes longer than the ones on the edges.
- Let cool 5- 10 minutes; loosen the edges with a knife, and carefully scoop them out with a spoon.
- These will keep up to 4 days in the fridge or can be frozen and reheated.
Notes
Cottage Cheese: Using low-fat cottage cheese has too much moisture, and will prevent them from setting up properly.
Steam: Adding the pan of water to the preheating oven will make steam, which gives them a silky, custardy texture.
Other variations: smoked salmon & dill, sundried tomato & olive, bacon crumbles & cheddar, canned green chilies + cilantro and pepper jack.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 egg bite
- Calories: 122
- Sugar: 1.4 g
- Sodium: 278.2 mg
- Fat: 8 g
- Saturated Fat: 3.8 g
- Carbohydrates: 1.9 g
- Fiber: 0.3 g
- Protein: 10.3 g
- Cholesterol: 112.6 mg
These are easy and tasty! Made them for a holiday brunch- made with fresh dill and smoked salmon plus a little goat cheese. I used a stoneware muffin pan and they took closer to 40 minutes. Removed the outer ones and put the center ones back in for 3-4 minutes. Delicious tho!
Great to hear!
What cooking time would you recommend when using a mini-muffin pan?
Hey Samantha, great question- I havent tested this in mini muffin tins, but I would check at half the time, then add more time as needed?
Now that I am back to school, I love making these and having them on hand for my early, busy mornings. I also like the variety of ingredients I can add. I like to mix them up. Make these on Sunday and have them for the week!!
Thanks Joelle! Glad you are enjoying this and thanks for circling back and rating it for us!
These were SO good!!!! Made them for my daughter’s wedding brunch 👌🏽
Great to hear Kellie! and Congratulations!🥂
Hi All, I’m looking to have these in the freezer for a quick protein rich breakfast when short of time = how would I best thaw and cook these quickly Thx
Hi Eric, I would thaw overnight in the fridge, then microwave before eating.
Great! Can someone tell me how to reheat these to keep the texture and moisture best?
Broil for just a few minutes in the oven, or microwave for 30-45 seconds.
Delicious. I have made them a several times and I did cut back on the cheese because they were really cheesy. I just cut it down by 1/4 cup which did the trick.
Thanks for the feedback Cara!
I just tried 3 different recipes for egg bites and these were by far the best ones! Absolutely delicious! Left them in for 30 minutes and used silicone muffin cups worked out perfectly!
Awesome to hear Tanja! Appreciate you leaving a comment and rating!
These gems are nutrient dense and so incredibly delicious. Fast prep too. Most impressive!
Glad you enjoyed!
Fantastic recipe! I was a little nervous about doubling a recipe I had never made even once before, however, I have made other egg muffin recipes and made sure to follow your specific steps. Most recipes don’t tell you to place the mix ins on top. I like how the ingredients settled into the muffins nicely. They popped out quite easily from my non stick cupcake pan w a spoon. Doubled recipe made 33 muffins.
So good to hear this worked out for you Michelle!
Excellent! Or should i say eggcellent! Made as is, and they turned out perfectly.
Heehee…so glad you enjoyed!:)
Great recipe! and a protein-packed ‘fun food’ for toddlers.
Great to hear Kim!
Great recipe! The batter is so rich and filling, chock full of protein. The steam bath for a custardy finish is genius. This recipe is super versatile – I added some sauteed potatoes, peppers, onions, and wilted spinach.
Yum, sounds perfect!
Any suggestions if we want to make a dairy free option?
Hi Blanca- I bet a vegan cream cheese may work for the cottage cheese and vegan melthy cheese- I haven’t tried this though…will you let us know if you give it a go?
My husband is allergic to dairy, so I’m going to make this with almond milk and goat cheese (he can tolerate). I suspect there are a lot of substitutions we could make.
Yes, lots of room for variability with this recipe. Let us know how it turns out!
How do you adapt the recipe for smoked salmon and dill? What quantity and are there any adjustments in time?
Hey Stephanie! I would just add a tablespoon or two of salmon to each cup, and a teaspoon or two of dill to each. Time would be the same.
These do taste really good, but the consistency is not what I was looking for. Only change I made was that I used 2% cottage cheese, as that was the highest fat content my store had, so maybe there was too much moisture? Other than that, not sure what went wrong – I am an experienced cook and baker as well.
Hi- shoot! I think the cottage cheese was the issue. I tried it with lower fat cottage cheese and the exact same thing happened to me. I will note this in the recipe.
Thanks! Someone below mentioned using ricotta – do you think that would work better if I can’t find a full-fat cottage cheese? Any other potential higher-fat substitutes like, maybe mascarpone or cream cheese?
I’m not sure. I personally haven’t tried the ricotta. Maybe if it was whole milk ricotta?
I have never seen 4% cottage cheese in the grocery store. As a substitute, could I drain most of the liquid from 2% cottage cheese and then add some 10% cream?
Hey Linda- 4% cottage cheese is just regular cottage cheese, most stores have it. 2% is “low fat”. You can absolutely try adding the full fat cream, but I haven’t personally tested this.
The same thing happened to me, but I DID use the whole milk cottage cheese, as directed. It probably took an extra 10 minutes on top of the 24 minutes to actually set.
Oh dear Hannah. Just trying to trouble shoot here- have you tested your oven temperature? Did they work out after the extra 10 minutes?
EGGcellent! 😬 This recipe is spot on to the egg bites we buy from Sam’s, which is what I was attempting to replicate. Texture was perfect, light and fluffy without any excess accumulated liquid. Thank you so much for sharing. I cannot wait to try out more of your recipes!
Thanks so much Jessica! Appreciate the comment and rating too!
So good! I needed to use up some extra eggs and came across this recipe. I didn’t have cottage cheese so I used ricotta cheese. Thanks again for a great easy recipe!
Perfect Heidi!
Smooth and creamy! So much flavor! I added bacon bits to it as well. Love the idea of steaming from below. Eggs were so moist!! Would definitely make again!
Great to hear Christy!
These are easy and delicious. Made a batch, reheated during the week.
Great to hear!
Can these be made with egg whites?
Hi Toni, I haven’t tried with egg whites only- but I bet they would be ok? I’m just guessing though…will you let me know if you try?
So easy and delicious. I gave the recipe to my college aged daughter. Nice to make ahead and have a quick protein ready for breakfast.
Yes, perfect for the grab and go! Glad you are enjoying.
These are amazing – the steaming is key. Curious about the link connected to the salt ingredient. I love the idea of domestically sourced salt and this one looks good. Is this recipe adjusted to account for the density of sea salt versus kosher salt (the salt I have been assuming for your recipes). Love your website and find I recommend it quite often to others!
Hi Sandra- glad you enjoyed this. I have been using this Real Salt brand for a few couple of years in all the recipes. It is very rich in minerals and now I tend to stay clear of sea salt because of microplastics and pollutants. It is a finer salt and that is what I used here.
I think this recipe looks great and very handy as a make ahead breakfast idea. Is there something I could use instead of cottage cheese, though? I’m lactose intolerant, but I haven’t been able to find a good substitute for cottage cheese yet. Thanks so much!
Hummm… that is a great question. Would a lactose-free cottage cheese work for you? I think I have seen those. 😉
Has anyone tried this with Labneh instead of Cottage Cheese? I’m on a I LOVE LABNEH kick and wondered if it would make these delicious and Mediterranean.
Hey Lara! I love that idea but have not tried it. If you do, will you let us know what you think? Curious.