Name: Cottage Cheese Egg Bites
Prep time: 15 min
Cook time: 25 min
Total time: 40 min
Ingredients: 1 tablespoon olive oil; 1 cup finely diced red bell pepper; ½ cup finely diced yellow onion; 2 cups packed baby spinach, roughly chopped (measure then chop); 7 large eggs (see notes 1 and 2); 1 cup cottage cheese; 2 teaspoons Dijon mustard; ½ teaspoon salt; ½ teaspoon garlic powder; ½ cup shredded cheddar cheese; ¼ cup bacon bits, the packaged kind made from real bacon, not simulated; Sliced green onions or chives (optional garnish)

Cottage Cheese Egg Bites are the perfect high-protein meal prep breakfast or snack. With customizable veggie mix-ins, a delicious creamy texture and melty cheddar cheese, these little bites are sure to become a family favourite.

This recipe was adapted from my reader favourite Cottage Cheese Egg Bake. Give it a try if you’re cooking for a crowd or special occasion!

An overhead view of ten Cottage Cheese Egg Bites on a white oval platter garnished with chopped fresh chives, next to a white plate with a serving of two egg bites.

Why you’ll love this recipe

We’ve been making these high-protein egg bites all summer while I tested the recipe and they’ve been such a lifesaver when we need a nourishing grab-and-go meal. They’ve become a favourite for the whole family on busy mornings and for a quick snack before evening extracurriculars. We think you’ll love these cottage cheese egg bites too because they are

Fluffy and creamy thanks to the cottage cheese blended with the eggs. You really can’t taste the cottage cheese, but it gives a tender texture.
A high-protein meal or snack, with each egg bite having about 8 grams of protein. We have two or three at a time, depending on what we’re serving with it, like toast or fruit.
Customizable with your favourite veggie, cheese and meat mix-ins. Picky eaters will enjoy a plain cheddar version, but we think you’ll love the generous amount of added veggies in this recipe!
Ideal for meal prep as they store, freeze and reheat beautifully.
Naturally gluten free and easily made vegetarian, for those with dietary restrictions.

Four cottage cheese egg bites on a white plate garnished with chopped fresh chives, viewed from the side to show the perfect muffin cup shape.

Ingredients

Here’s what you’ll need to make these Cottage Cheese Egg Bites. See the recipe card below for full details.

Large eggs – the recipe works best with large eggs, specifically. If you use extra large or small eggs, you won’t get the exact amount of mixture needed for 12 egg bites. You’ll need 7 large eggs if you’re adding all the veggies and bacon, or 9 large eggs if you’re making a plain cheddar cheese version.
Cottage cheese – gives creamy texture and added protein to the egg bites. I recommend using a full-fat variety for the best result.
Veggie mix-ins – we use onion, red bell pepper and chopped baby spinach. You can customize with any of your favourite vegetables that are finely diced, like cremini mushrooms, zucchini or broccoli.
Bacon bits – to save time, we use bacon bits made from real bacon (not the simulated kind), but you could also cook and crumble 4 slices of bacon. Leave out the bacon if you want the egg bites to be vegetarian.
Flavour enhancers – Dijon mustard, garlic powder and salt.
Shredded cheddar cheese – you can substitute sharp cheddar, Monterey Jack or any other cheese you like!

Ingredients needed to make Cottage Cheese Egg Bites viewed from overhead with text label overlays.

How to make them

First, sauté the bell pepper and onion in olive oil in a skillet over medium heat. Once they’re softening and fragrant, add the chopped spinach and continue to cook until wilted. Remove the skillet from heat and set aside.

Next, to a large bowl add the eggs, cottage cheese, Dijon, garlic powder and salt. Use an immersion blender to blend until smooth and creamy. You can do this step in a regular high speed blender, if necessary.

A 6-photo process collage showing the steps to make Cottage Cheese Egg Bites.

Next, add the sautéed vegetables, bacon bits and shredded cheddar to the egg mixture. Fold it together until well combined.

Use a quarter cup measure to divide the mixture into the 12 cups in a lightly greased silicone muffin tin. Each cup will be filled almost to the top.

Bake at 350°F for 25 minutes, or until the egg bites puff up and the middles are set and no longer jiggly. Let the egg bites cool in the pan for 5 minutes before serving.

A closeup of a Cottage Cheese Egg Bite being removed from a red silicone muffin pan using a silver spoon.

Tips for success

Finely dice the mix-ins. This is important because large pieces won’t distribute well in the egg mixture, causing the egg bites to fall apart.
Don’t skip the sauté. This will remove some of the water content from the veggies so that the egg bites won’t have a watery result. It also adds nice flavour and gives a more pleasing texture to the vegetables.
Use a silicone muffin pan. This is the key to achieving the smooth sous-vide style texture like the Starbucks egg bites, and it’s easier to clean! If you only have a regular muffin tin, see the recipe card notes below for adjusting the cook time.
Use a quarter cup measuring cup to scoop the egg mixture into the muffin pan. This speeds up the process and helps keep the mix-ins evenly distributed among the egg bites.
Place the silicone pan on a baking sheet before filling (if your pan is not sturdy). It seems obvious, but I forgot to do this once and it was super fun trying to get it onto the baking sheet without spilling (spoiler: I spilled it 🤣).

A closeup of a sliced cottage cheese egg bite to show the smooth egg texture and generous amount of veggies and bacon on the inside.

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