Make Ahead Egg Muffins: Nutritious Grab and Go Meal
Call them egg muffins, egg bites or mini egg frittatas – these little savoury egg treats are perfect to grab and go. I call them muffins because I bake them in a muffin tin. They don’t contain any flour, are easy-to-make and packed with high-quality protein and your favourite add-ins. They can be enjoyed hot or cold and are perfect for the freezer so you always have a tasty, nutritious meal on hand.
Also Read: Spinach and Pepper Frittata, Lunch Ideas, Savoury Cottage Cheese
Why Add Cottage Cheese?
Adding cottage cheese to your egg bites helps to:
- Boost Protein: Cottage cheese adds protein to your egg muffins, making them even more filling and satisfying – 1 cup of cottage cheese contains roughly 25-28g of protein (depending on brand and fat content). Add that to 48-56 g of protein from 8 large eggs and you end up with 6-7g of protein per muffin.
- Create a Creamy Texture: Cottage cheese creates a smoother, fluffier texture without being dense or rubbery.
- Add Moisture: Cottage cheese adds moisture and keeps muffins soft and tender even if slightly overcooked.
- Make these Muffins Freezable: Egg muffins with cottage cheese freeze and reheat well, making them ideal for make ahead snacks and meals.
Favourite Egg Muffin Combinations
Customize and create different flavours for your egg muffins. Choose your favourite ingredients or use up whatever is in the fridge. For best results, use pre-cooked, drained, and diced vegetables, pre-cooked meats and cheeses with lower moisture content. This will help ensure your egg bites have a pleasant texture and are not too soggy or greasy. If not pre-cooking veggies, dice small. Here are some of my favorite ingredient combos:
- Broccoli and Cheddar Cheese
- Spinach, Sweet Bell Peppers and Feta – drain feta and sauté, drain and chop spinach for best results
- Bacon, Peppers and Onions – use pre-cooked crumbled bacon and sautéed onions
- Mushroom, Sausage and Swiss Cheese – use crumbled pre-cooked sausage
- Spinach/Asparagus, Ham and Cheese (cheddar or Swiss) – pre-cook spinach or asparagus and small use dices of ham
What NOT to Add to Egg Muffins
Some add-ins work better than others due to their moisture content, texture, or cooking characteristics, use caution using the following:
Watery Vegetables (e.g., cucumber, tomatoes, leafy greens): These vegetables have high water content, which can make the egg mixture watery and cause the egg bites to become soggy. If you do want to use them, make sure to cook and drain them thoroughly first.
Raw Potatoes: Raw potatoes take too long to cook through in a muffin tin, resulting in undercooked, crunchy pieces. If you want to use potatoes, pre-cook them until tender.
Overly Sweet Vegetables (e.g., sweet potatoes, butternut squash): These can overpower the savoury flavour of the egg mixture and may require extra seasoning adjustments.
Cheeses with Strong Flavours (e.g., blue cheese): Strong cheeses can dominate the flavour of the egg bites, use them in moderation.
High-Fat Meats (e.g., fatty bacon, sausage): These can release a lot of grease during cooking, if using, pre-cook and drain excess fat.
Recipe for Egg Muffins
Tasty Grab and Go Egg Muffins
Ingredients
- 6 eggs
- 3/4 cup cottage cheese
- 1/4 tsp salt
- 1/8 tsp black pepper
- 1/2 tsp garlic powder
- pinch nutmeg
- 1/4 tsp hot pepper flakes optional
- 1/4 cup fresh herbs (parsley, chives, dill, thyme etc.) 2 tsp dried
- 3/4 cup grated cheese (cheddar, mozza, feta, Parmesan, etc.) try a combination
- 1 1/4 cups finely chopped veggie and/or meat filling see notes
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350°F/180°C and generously spray non-stick muffin pan with spray or use silicone muffin liners – not paper liners.
- Use blender or a deep bowl and immersion blender to beat together eggs, cottage cheese, salt, black pepper, garlic powder, nutmeg and hot pepper flakes (if using).
- Divide fillings (your choice of herbs, cheese, veggie and/or meats) into well greased muffin cups. About 2-2 1/2 tablespoons per cup, no more than half full. If you wish, reserve some of the cheese to sprinkle on top.
- Pour egg mixture over top of filling leaving 1/4 inch of space at the top to allow eggs to puff up.
- Top with set aside cheese if desired.
- Bake for 18 to 20 minutes until tops and edges just begin to brown and centers are set and not jiggly.
- Take out of oven and let rest for 2-3 minutes. Expect egg muffins to deflate somewhat as cooling. Run knife around edges and remove from pan.
- Enjoy right away. Store in fridge for 4 days or freeze.
Notes
-
- Broccoli and Cheddar Cheese – chop broccoli very small or blanch first
-
- Spinach, Sweet Bell Peppers and Feta – drain feta and sauté, drain and chop spinach for best results
-
- Bacon, Peppers and Onions – use pre-cooked crumbled bacon and sautéed onions
-
- Mushroom, Sausage and Swiss Cheese – use crumbled pre-cooked sausage
-
- Spinach/Asparagus, Ham and Cheese (cheddar or Swiss) – pre-cook spinach or asparagus and small use dices of ham
Nutrition Facts (per serving)
Frequently Asked Questions about Egg Muffins
How long will egg muffins last in the fridge?
Egg muffins can be stored in the refrigerator for up to 4 days.
What’s the best way to reheat egg muffins?
Reheat quickly by covering with a damp paper towel and microwaving at 20-second intervals until heated through. Be careful not to overcook, as this can make them rubbery.
Can I freeze egg muffins?
Yes, egg muffins freeze well. Allow them to cool completely, then wrap tightly and store in an airtight container for up to 3 months.
Why are my egg muffins rubbery?
Rubbery egg muffins often result from overcooking. Remove them from the oven as soon as they are puffed in the center, no longer wet, and just barely golden on the edges.
Why are my egg muffins watery?
Excess moisture can come from using watery vegetables or overmixing. Ensure vegetables are well-drained and avoid overmixing the egg mixture.
Can I mix the filling ingredients into the egg mixture?
Yes, you can but I have found it’s easier to equally distribute the fillings when you put them in the muffin cups first and then pour the egg mix on top. It also allows you to make different egg muffins so you can accommodate for different taste preferences.
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A certain coffee shop named after a hockey player, used to sell jalapeño cheddar egg bites for an exorbitant price. They used to my treat when I drove south of the border.
Sadly, both have been discontinued.
Thanks for the recipe. I look forward to having these in my freezer.
Hope you’re enjoying those egg bites, Kathleen.
They are a hit! These will be in our meal rotation! My daughter in law is going to make this for our little toddler. She will be easily be able to feed herself! I bet after you eat two you will want another lol
Hurray! So glad to hear it. Easy finger foods for toddlers are fantastic!
I love this recipe and it’s become a staple in our house. I freeze the muffins and they are perfect for the 2 of us. It’s so nice to have something in the freezer to grab and go. 😉