Cottage Cheese Egg Bites (High Protein, 4 Ways!)
Soft, creamy cottage cheese egg bites made with an easy blended base. Choose from four flavor combinations, or use whatever leftover vegetables and fillings you have in the fridge.
Servings: 12
Calories: 87kcal
Ingredients
For the base (12 bites)
- 8 regular eggs or 6 large eggs
- 340 grams 2% cottage cheese 1½ cups full-fat cottage cheese also works
- 55 grams shredded cheddar cheese ½ cup or your preferred cheese
- 1 tablespoon cornstarch cornflour in Ireland and the UK
- ¼ teaspoon garlic powder
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt or ¼ teaspoon table salt, plus more to taste
- Oil or cooking spray for greasing
Optional flavor variations — choose ONE group for a batch of 12
Option 1: Spinach & Feta
- ½ cup finely chopped baby spinach
- ¼ cup crumbled feta cheese
Option 2: Bacon & Cheddar
- 4 slices cooked bacon chopped
- ¼ cup extra shredded cheddar cheese
Option 3: Pesto, Spinach & Feta
- 2 –3 tablespoons basil pesto
- ½ cup finely chopped baby spinach
- ¼ cup crumbled feta cheese
Option 4: Harissa, Roasted Pepper & Feta
- 2 –4 teaspoons harissa paste
- ½ cup chopped roasted red pepper well drained
- ¼ cup crumbled feta cheese
Or use whatever you have! You don't need to follow my flavor combinations. For the full batch, aim for about ¾–1 cup of chopped mix-ins in total. Leftover cooked vegetables, spinach, cheese and cooked bacon all work. Drain watery vegetables well, and use strongly flavored pesto or harissa a little at a time.
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 325°F or 160°C. Lightly grease a 12-hole muffin tin. I used a greased silicone muffin tin and recommend placing it on a flat metal baking tray so it's easy to move in and out of the oven without spilling.
- Add the eggs, cottage cheese, cheddar, cornstarch, garlic powder, black pepper and salt to a blender. Blend just until smooth.
- Divide your chosen chopped fillings among the muffin cups. If using pesto or harissa, stir the paste into the egg mixture first so the flavor is evenly distributed.
- Pour the egg mixture over the fillings, leaving a little room at the top of each muffin cup.
- Place a separate oven-safe pan of hot water on the lower oven rack to create gentle steam. Bake the egg bites on the middle rack for approximately 25–35 minutes, until just set and their centers reach 160°F or 71°C.
- Let cool in the tin for 5–10 minutes before removing.
Notes
My top tips: I find a greased silicone muffin tin easier to use, especially when it's supported by a flat baking tray. Drain roasted peppers thoroughly and cook off excess moisture from mushrooms or other watery vegetables. Bacon, feta and pesto already add salt, so season to taste. Don't overbake if you want creamy rather than rubbery bites.
Other filling ideas: Broccoli and cheddar, roasted pepper and spinach, chipotle bacon and cheddar, cooked mushrooms, or chives.
Storage: Cool promptly, refrigerate in an airtight container and eat within 3–4 days. You can freeze extras for up to 3 months.
Nutrition calculations are based on the base recipe made with 2% cottage cheese. Optional mix-ins are not included, so values will vary by flavor.
Nutrition
Calories: 87kcal | Carbohydrates: 3.3g | Protein: 7.2g | Fat: 4.8g | Saturated Fat: 2g | Cholesterol: 101mg | Sodium: 195mg | Sugar: 1.4g | Calcium: 77mg | Iron: 0.3mg
