Cottage Cheese Egg Bites

By Naz Deravian

Updated Dec. 28, 2025

Cottage Cheese Egg Bites
Ghazalle Badiozamani for The New York Times. Food Stylist: Barrett Washburne.
Total Time
40 minutes
Prep Time
10 minutes
Cook Time
30 minutes
Rating
5(4,177)
Comments
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Egg bites are a perfect, protein-rich snack to have on hand for busy mornings. Blending eggs with cottage cheese and shredded cheese, dividing the mixture among muffin cups and baking in a water bath result in a soft, delicate texture. For the right consistency, use a blender to combine all the ingredients until just smooth and frothy. You can add any fillings that you like (leftover cooked vegetables are a great addition). Use any of the shredded cheeses suggested or a combination, and finish with a sprinkling of Parmesan if you like. The water bath creates steam, which ensures the eggs bake gently and remain fluffy (see Tip). For best results, use a silicone muffin pan, so the egg bites pop right out.

Featured in: 5 Simple Tips to Make the Most of Those Precious Eggs

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Ingredients

Yield:12 egg bites
  • Nonstick cooking spray
  • 8large eggs
  • 1cup (8 ounces) full-fat cottage cheese
  • 1½cups (6 ounces) shredded Gruyère, Cheddar, mozzarella or Monterey Jack (or a combination)
  • ½teaspoon kosher salt (such as Diamond Crystal)
  • ¼teaspoon black pepper
  • Raw chopped vegetables (optional), such as onion, scallions, bell pepper or spinach (or a combination)
  • Cooked chopped vegetables (optional), such as mushrooms, broccoli, roasted red pepper, cauliflower, potato, sweet potato or butternut squash (or a combination)
  • Cooked chopped bacon or sausage (optional)
  • Finely chopped herbs (optional), such as basil, parsley, chives or cilantro
  • Dashes of hot sauce (optional)
Ingredient Substitution Guide

Preparation

  1. Step 1

    Heat the oven to 325 degrees with the rack in the center position. In a kettle or a medium saucepan, bring 3 cups of water to a boil and keep at a simmer. Thoroughly coat a 12-cup muffin pan (preferably silicone or nonstick) with nonstick cooking spray.

  2. Step 2

    Place the eggs, cottage cheese, 1 cup of the shredded cheese, and the salt and pepper in a blender. Blend on high for 8 to 10 seconds, just until the mixture is smooth and frothy. (Don’t overblend, as too much air could make the egg bites collapse as they bake.)

  3. Step 3

    Place the muffin pan on a sheet pan. Pour the egg mixture into the muffin cups, filling each three-quarters of the way. If using any optional mix-ins, add them on top of each cup and, using a chopstick or small spoon, gently stir them into the mixture. Top with the remaining ½ cup shredded cheese and transfer to the oven. Carefully pour the hot water into the sheet pan just to cover the very bottom of the muffin cups. (You can also skip the water bath; see Tip.)

  4. Step 4

    Bake for 25 to 30 minutes, until the egg bites have set. Remove the muffin pan from the sheet pan of water in the oven and set aside for 5 minutes, then remove the bites from the pan. If using a silicone pan, they should pop right out. If not, use a butter knife or small offset spatula to run along the sides of the cups and gently lift them out. Egg bites will keep covered in the fridge for up to 3 days and in the freezer for up to 3 months. Reheat in a microwave or a 300-degree oven until warmed through.

Tip
  • You can also make egg bites without the water bath. The egg bites will be firmer and more compact (rather than soft and fluffy), and they’ll brown on the bottom, like a frittata.

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Ratings

5 out of 5
4,177 user ratings
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Comments

sara

Love egg bites! This recipe is very adaptable and the bites microwave well. I don’t own a silicone mold and bake them instead in a nonstick muffin tin sans water bath. The texture is still great just not as visually perfect. 13 minutes is all they need at 325 this way.

Teresa

Rather than fiddle with water in a sheet pan, I just put water in a casserole dish on the oven rack below the rack with the bites. Works great.

Joan

@Tips for lactose intolerance? Lactaid cottage cheese works well. Aged cheese like Gruyere and Aged cheddar have little to no lactose, and work well.

Birdie

These were great. I did the no-water-bath method in a metal muffin pan with a LOT of cooking spray. Had no issues with sticking. They're very cheesy and flavorful even with out any add ins like veggies or cheese. I do want to add some spinach and maybe a little bacon next time. But they were a hit with my house. And they need about a minute and a half in our microwave to warm them up from the fridge.

Mary M

Delicious and creamy! Followed the recipe mostly ~ I used mini muffin tins. It still took around 20 minutes to fully cook with the water bath method. I added finely chopped red onion, mushrooms and leftover bacon + shredded gouda cheese for my cheese variety. My yield was 42 mini egg bites. Will be great to have on hand for quick breakfast bites or snacks!

Marti

Really good, definitely will make again with variations. 1st time used sausage, canned chilies, Fresno pepper & jack cheese. Very similar to a breakfast casserole I make. Used parchment cupcake liners- no problem w/ sticking

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Credits

By Naz Deravian

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