High-Protein Egg Muffin Cups (Print Version)

Savory egg muffin cups filled with spinach, tomatoes, and rich protein for a quick, nutritious start.

# What You'll Need:

→ Eggs & Dairy

01 - 8 large eggs
02 - 1/2 cup low-fat cottage cheese
03 - 1/4 cup shredded cheddar cheese, optional

→ Vegetables

04 - 1 cup fresh baby spinach, chopped
05 - 1 cup cherry tomatoes, quartered
06 - 1/4 cup red bell pepper, finely diced
07 - 2 green onions, sliced

→ Seasonings

08 - 1/2 teaspoon salt
09 - 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
10 - 1/4 teaspoon smoked paprika, optional

→ Cooking

11 - Olive oil spray or muffin liners for preparation

# How to Make:

01 - Preheat oven to 350°F. Lightly grease a 12-cup muffin tin with olive oil spray or line with paper muffin liners.
02 - In a large mixing bowl, whisk together eggs and cottage cheese until smooth. Stir in shredded cheddar cheese if using.
03 - Add chopped spinach, cherry tomatoes, red bell pepper, and green onions to the egg mixture. Season with salt, black pepper, and smoked paprika.
04 - Evenly divide the mixture among the 12 muffin cups, filling each approximately 3/4 full.
05 - Bake for 18 to 22 minutes, or until eggs are set and the tops are lightly golden.
06 - Remove from oven and let cool for a few minutes. Run a knife around the edges to release, if necessary.
07 - Serve warm, or let cool completely before storing in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • You can meal prep an entire week of breakfasts on Sunday and actually stick to eating them because they taste restaurant-quality, not like sad diet food.
  • The cottage cheese trick makes these ridiculously protein-dense without tasting chalky or rubbery, which I learned after accidentally doubling it once.
  • They freeze perfectly, so you can grab one while running out the door or reheat during a lazy morning without any guilt.
02 -
  • If you fill the cups more than 3/4 full, they'll overflow into the muffin tin during baking and create a stuck, difficult mess that haunts you through cleanup, so resist the urge to overfill even though it feels stingy.
  • The cottage cheese really does need to be whisked smooth into the eggs first before adding vegetables, or you'll get weird lumpy pockets that feel strange when you bite into them.
03 -
  • Using a small ice cream scoop to portion the mixture makes everything faster and ensures each muffin bakes evenly since they'll all be the same size.
  • Don't skip the resting time after they come out of the oven, because those few minutes let the structure set so they release cleanly from the tin instead of tearing apart.
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