Description

These Baby Cottage Cheese Egg Bites are a creamy and protein-packed snack or breakfast option made by blending eggs with cottage cheese and baking them in a water bath for a moist, tender texture. With five delightful mix-in variations including Spinach & Feta, Roasted Red Pepper & Goat Cheese, Broccoli & Cheddar, Caramelized Onion & Gruyere, and Fresh Herb, this recipe offers versatile flavors to suit different tastes.

Ingredients

Scale

Base Ingredients

4 large eggs
1/2 cup cottage cheese
Oil or cooking spray, for the muffin pan

Spinach + Feta Mix-In

1 tsp olive oil (for cooking spinach)
1 cup baby spinach, packed (or other leafy green)
1 clove garlic, minced
1/4 cup crumbled feta cheese

Roasted Red Pepper + Goat Cheese Mix-In

1/4 cup diced roasted red peppers (well-drained)
3 tbsp crumbled goat cheese (or feta)

Broccoli + Cheddar Mix-In

1/4 cup finely chopped broccoli florets (fresh or frozen and thawed)
3 tbsp grated cheddar cheese

Caramelized Onion + Gruyere Mix-In

1 tsp olive oil (for caramelizing onions)
1/2 small onion, thinly sliced
Salt and pepper, to taste
3 tbsp grated gruyere cheese

Fresh Herb Mix-In

1/4 cup chopped fresh herbs of choice, such as basil, chives, dill, or parsley

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Instructions

Prepare Mix-Ins: If you plan to use any mix-ins, prepare them first according to their individual instructions. For example, sauté spinach with garlic for the Spinach + Feta variation, dice roasted red peppers for the Roasted Red Pepper + Goat Cheese, chop and thaw broccoli for Broccoli + Cheddar, caramelize onions gently with seasoning for Caramelized Onion + Gruyere, or finely chop fresh herbs for the Herb option.
Heat Oven and Prepare Water Bath: Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C). Pour hot water into a rimmed pan and place it on the lower rack of the oven to create steam during baking. Grease a mini (24-cup) muffin pan with oil or cooking spray to prevent sticking.
Blend Base Mixture: Add the 4 large eggs and 1/2 cup cottage cheese into a food processor or blender. Blend until completely smooth, scraping down the sides as necessary to ensure an even, creamy texture.
Add Mix-Ins to Muffin Cups: Spoon about 1 teaspoon of your chosen mix-in evenly into each greased muffin cup.
Pour Egg Mixture: Pour the blended egg and cottage cheese mixture evenly over the mix-ins in each muffin cup. Lightly tap or shake the muffin pan on the counter to help distribute the egg mixture evenly and remove air bubbles.
Bake Egg Bites: Place the muffin pan on the upper rack of the oven above the water bath. Bake for about 14-18 minutes if making plain or herb egg bites, or 20-25 minutes for egg bites with vegetable mix-ins, until the centers are fully set and no longer jiggly.
Cool and Remove: Allow the egg bites to cool in the pan for 5-10 minutes before gently removing them to prevent breakage. Optionally, use a knife to loosen edges if needed.

Notes

Blend the egg and cottage cheese mixture as smooth as possible to achieve a creamy, uniform texture in the egg bites.
The water bath in the oven creates steam which results in moist, tender egg bites mimicking a sous vide effect—do not skip this step.
Many ovens do not allow pans on the floor, so place the water bath pan on the lowest rack and the muffin pan on the rack above.
Even when using silicone muffin liners, lightly oil or spray the pans to prevent sticking. Warm water can help release stuck egg bites.
Use only about 1 teaspoon of mix-ins per cup, especially with vegetables, to avoid causing the egg bites to fall apart or cook unevenly.
You can make these in full-size muffin tins, which will require adding 5-10 extra minutes to the baking time.

Nutrition

Serving Size: 2 egg bites (approx. 1/12th of recipe)
Calories: 70
Sugar: 1 g
Sodium: 120 mg
Fat: 4 g
Saturated Fat: 1.5 g
Unsaturated Fat: 2 g
Trans Fat: 0 g
Carbohydrates: 2 g
Fiber: 0.3 g
Protein: 7 g
Cholesterol: 110 mg