These Cottage Cheese Egg Bites are moist, creamy, flavorful and packed with 6.5 g of protein. Quick and easy to make, they’re perfect for grab-and-go breakfasts, healthy snacks and meal prep.
Looking for quick and easy protein breakfasts? Try this egg bites recipe with cottage cheese. Together with cottage cheese flatbread, savory oatmeal and scrambled cottage cheese eggs, they’re perfect for busy mornings and meal prepping.
Why cottage cheese egg bites
I’m a big fan of meal prepping. Whenever I’m out for the day, I always bring with me snacks and meals in portable containers. But last day I had a mishap and had to rush out.
Mid-morning I got tired. So I entered Starbucks and ordered a huge americano along with egg bites. They seemed like the healthiest option, and I always love eggs. They were so delicious that I had to make a high protein, low calorie version.
This is a copycat recipe of Starbucks Sous Vide egg bites. They are creamy, moist, soft and so flavorful like the original. But made healthy at home, easy without the sous vide method.
Whether for breakfast, as a snack or for lunch, egg cottage cheese bites will become part of your weekly rotation.
- Healthy and high protein. Made with eggs and cottage cheese, these bites are high in protein and nutrients. Plus, they’re low calorie, keto-friendly and packed with nutrients.
- Creamy and delicious. Adding cottage cheese to egg bites makes them moister, creamier and flavorful. Not rubbery at all.
- No cottage cheese flavor. Cottage cheese is mild in taste and doesn’t overpower the other flavors. Plus, you can blend it for a smoother texture. Kids and picky eaters will love them too!
- Meal prep friendly. Make a larger batch on Sunday, and you will have on-the-go breakfasts and snacks for the week.
Ingredients and substitutes
This recipe requires 3 main ingredients. Adding veggies, meat and seasonings provides extra flavor. Here’s all you need along with tips and substitutes. Precise quantities are in the recipe card at the bottom.
- Eggs – I recommend pasture raised eggs, they are packed with protein, nutrients and taste. As an alternative, replace whole eggs with 2 cups of egg whites (or try my egg white bites recipe).
- Cottage cheese – Whole milk cottage cheese (4% fat) works best. I used Good cultures. For a low calorie option, use 2% fat or nonfat cottage cheese.
- Shredded cheese – Shredded mozzarella, Monterey Jack, shredded cheese, Parmesan and crumbled feta are all delicious. They add flavor and a cheesiness.
- Veggies – Optional, you can add flavor and nutrients with chopped spinach, sliced onion, diced red bell pepper, tomatoes, sautéed mushrooms, or grilled zucchini.
- Seasonings – I used little sea salt and cracked black pepper. Sometimes I mix in low sodium herb mix too. But feel free to add garlic and onion powder, Italian seasonings, or chili flakes for a spicy flavor.
Tip – Don’t add too much salt! These are egg bites made with cottage cheese, which is already quite savory and high in sodium. Out of experience, it’s best to use little salt and seasonings as they overpower the taste.
How to make egg bites with cottage cheese
Step 3 – Prep. Preheat oven to 350°F (180°C) and line muffin tins with parchment paper cups or silicon cups. To prevent sticking, grease the muffin tins with cooking spray or oil.
Step 3 – Mix. Add to a bowl eggs, cottage cheese, salt and pepper. Whisk until combined then stir in chopped spinach, diced red bell peppers, sliced onion, and shredded cheese.
Step 3 – Bake. Fill ¾ of each muffin mold. Sprinkle with more diced chopped spinach on top, if you desire. Bake in hot oven for 25 to 30 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean and the top is no more jiggly. Let cool for about 5 minutes before serving.
I baked mine in 2 batches of 6 each.
Watch the video recipe
Recipe variations and mix-ins
- Add a protein. Stir in the egg mixture diced bacon or turkey bacon, lean ham, coked ground turkey, seitan or tofu. Meats must be cooked, before stirring in.
- Add more veggies. Mix in other low-moisture vegetables like diced red bell peppers, sautéed mushrooms, grilled zucchini or eggplant, or broccoli.
- Use Greek yogurt. Swap cottage cheese for full fat plain Greek yogurt or sour cream.
- Make them dairy-free. Use my dairy-free cottage cheese made from tofu. And swap mozzarella for vegan shredded cheese.
- Blended. For a creamier texture, blend eggs and cottage cheese before stirring in veggies, shredded cheese and other mix-ins.
Storage instructions
These protein-packed egg bites are perfect for meal prepping! You can make them ahead, then keep in the fridge for grab-and-go breakfasts and snacks. For a longer storage, freeze them.
- To store. Let them cool completely to room temperature. Once cooled, transfer to an airtight container and put in the fridge. They will stay fresh for up to 3 days.
- To freeze. Let cool first, then pack into zipper bags. Freeze cottage cheese egg bites for up to 3 months.
- To reheat from frozen. Remove from the freezer, let them thaw overnight in the fridge. Microwave for 30-60 seconds or pop in hot oven at 350°F (180°C) until warm.
Frequently asked questions
Are egg bites with cottage cheese healthy?
Yes, they’re nutritious, high protein, low calorie and keto. Cottage cheese and eggs are two high quality sources of protein with all 9 essential amino acids (source). The veggies add extra nutrients and minerals. Further, there is no flour in this recipe, so that it’s naturally gluten-free.
Can I use egg whites?
Yes, replace the 8 whole eggs with 2 cups (480 g) of egg whites. For convenience I recommend egg whites in brick. Or try my copycat Starbucks egg white bites recipe.
When are my cottage cheese egg bites ready?
To check for doneness, insert a toothpick into the center of the egg bite. If it comes out clean and is not wet, they are ready. They should be removed from the oven when they have puffed and are no more jiggly.
Can I use the air fryer?
Absolutely! Cook these high protein egg bites in preheated air fryer at 300°F for 13-15 minutes. They’re ready when set and no more jiggly.
More high protein breakfasts
- Breakfast casserole
- Starbucks copycat egg white bites
- Cottage cheese flatbread
- Sunny side up eggs
- Over-easy eggs with protein bagels
- Chicken quesadilla
- Egg white omelette
Cottage Cheese Egg Bites
Ingredients
- 8 large eggs
- 1 cup (220 g) cottage cheese 4% fat recommended
- ⅓ cup (40 g) shredded mozzarella or Monterey Jack
Optional ingredients
- ½ cup fresh spinach chopped
- ¼ cup diced tomatoes or red bell pepper
- ¼ onion thinly sliced
- ¼ tsp sea salt more to taste
- a grind of black pepper to taste
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350°F (180°C) and line muffin tins with parchment paper cups or silicon cups. As an alternative, grease the muffin tins with cooking spray or oil.
- Add to a bowl eggs, cottage cheese, salt and pepper.
- Whisk until combined then stir in chopped spinach, diced tomatoes or red bell peppers, sliced onion and shredded cheese.For a creamier texture, you can blend eggs with cottage cheese before adding mix-ins like spinach and red bell peppers.
- Fill ¾ of each muffin mold. Sprinkle with more diced chopped spinach on top, if you desire.
- Bake in hot oven for 25 to 30 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean and the top is no more jiggly.
- Remove from the oven. Let cool for about 5 minutes before serving.
Notes
- Preheat air fryer to 300°F (150°C).
- Place the egg mixture in silicone muffin molds.
- Air fry for 13-15 minutes, or until set and no more jiggly.
- To store. Let cool completely to room temperature. Transfer to an airtight container and store in the fridge for up to 3 days.
- To freeze. Let cool first, then pack into zipper bags and freeze for up to 3 months.
- To reheat from frozen. Remove from the freezer, let them thaw overnight in the fridge. Microwave for 30-60 seconds or pop in hot oven at 350°F (180°C) until warm.
Nutrition
Per serving, estimated automatically, not a substitute for professional dietary advice.
Matteo
Turned out beautiful and delicious!
About halfway through cooking I sprinkled with pre cooked bacon and last 5 min topped with extra cheese. 😋
Hey Kim,
thank you SO much! I’m truly happy you liked these egg bites with cottage cheese. Wow, the added bacon is fantastic. It reminds me so much of Starbucks!
I wish you a great rest of the day,
Matteo
Can these be frozen for future use? Not sure if that works with cottage cheese
Hey Laura,
Of course you can freezer them! Let cool first, then pack into zipper bags before freezing for up to 2 months. To reheat, remove from the freezer, let them thaw overnight in the fridge and microwave or pop in the oven until they are warm.
Hope this helps,
Matteo
Cottage cheese recipes are one of my best. Thanks Matt
Hey dear Constantino,
thanks a lot for your comment. So glad you also like cottage cheese, definitely one of the best high protein sources!
Have a great day,
Matteo
Delicious this recipe with cottage cheese!
Hey dear Liza,
thank you very much for your comment!! I am so happy that you liked this cottage cheese egg bites recipe 😉
Have a great day,
Matteo