Equipment
Ingredients
Egg Base
- 10 large eggs, room temperature
- 60 ml whole milk
- 3 g salt
- 2 g black pepper, freshly ground
- 10 g cooking spray
Fillings
- 150 g bacon, chopped
- 60 g fresh spinach, chopped
- 100 g cherry tomatoes, quartered
- 80 g cheddar cheese, grated
- 50 g feta cheese, crumbled
Nutrition (per serving)
Nutrition is estimated per serving. Nutrients without complete source data are omitted.
Full nutrition
- Calories
- 146 kcal
- Protein
- 9 g
- Carbohydrates
- 2 g
- Fat
- 11 g
- Fiber
- 1 g
- Sugar
- 1 g
- Sodium
- 435 mg
- Saturated Fat
- 4 g
- Trans Fat
- 0 g
- Monounsaturated Fat
- 3 g
- Polyunsaturated Fat
- 3 g
- Cholesterol
- 159 mg
- Potassium
- 144 mg
- Calcium
- 107 mg
- Iron
- 1.3 mg
- Magnesium
- 16 mg
- Phosphorus
- 147 mg
- Zinc
- 1.0 mg
- Vitamin A
- 116 mcg
- Vitamin C
- 3 mg
- Vitamin D
- 0.9 mcg
- Vitamin E
- 1.4 mg
- Vitamin K
- 25 mcg
- Vitamin B6
- 0.2 mg
- Vitamin B12
- 0.5 mcg
- Thiamin
- 0.58 mg
- Riboflavin
- 0.30 mg
- Niacin
- 1.1 mg
- Folate
- 36 mcg
- Water
- 49 g
Sources: Aggregated Public Data, USDA FoodData Central
Method
Preheat your oven to 175C (350F). Generously coat a 12-cup muffin tin with cooking spray or butter to prevent sticking.
Cook the chopped bacon in a skillet over medium heat until crispy, about 5 to 7 minutes. Remove the bacon with a slotted spoon and drain on paper towels, leaving a small amount of bacon fat in the pan.
Add the chopped spinach to the residual bacon fat in the skillet. Sauté until just wilted, about 1 to 2 minutes, then remove from heat and let cool slightly.
Whisk the eggs, milk, salt, and black pepper together in a large mixing bowl or liquid measuring cup until thoroughly combined and frothy.
Distribute the crispy bacon, wilted spinach, quartered cherry tomatoes, grated Cheddar, and crumbled feta evenly among the 12 muffin cups.
Carefully pour the egg mixture over the fillings in each cup, filling them about three-quarters of the way to the top to allow room for the eggs to puff up.
Bake in the preheated oven at 175C (350F) for 18 to 20 minutes, or until the centers are set and the tops are slightly golden.
Allow the muffins to cool in the tin for 5 minutes. Run a thin knife around the edges of each muffin to loosen, then carefully lift them out to serve or store.
Chef's Notes
- Silicone muffin liners are highly recommended for any baked egg dish to ensure completely effortless removal and cleanup.
- To customize, try swapping the bacon for cooked sausage or diced ham, but always ensure watery vegetables are pre-cooked to avoid weeping.
- A dash of hot sauce or a pinch of smoked paprika added to the egg base elevates the savory flavor profile considerably.
- Do not overfill the muffin cups. Eggs will puff significantly in the oven due to steam generation before settling back down as they cool.
Storage
Refrigerator: 5 days — Store in an airtight container lined with a paper towel to absorb excess moisture.
Freezer: 3 months — Wrap individually in parchment paper and place in a freezer-safe bag.
Reheating: Microwave for 30 to 60 seconds, or heat in a 175C (350F) oven for 10 minutes until warmed through.
Troubleshooting
Muffins stuck stubbornly to the pan
Cause: Insufficient greasing or scratched non-stick coating on the muffin tin
Fix: Carefully run a flexible offset spatula or thin plastic knife around the edges to loosen
Prevention: Use silicone muffin liners, or apply a very heavy coat of non-stick cooking spray before assembling
Muffins are watery at the bottom
Cause: Vegetables released too much moisture during baking
Fix: Pat the bottoms of the cooked muffins dry with a paper towel
Prevention: Ensure spinach is fully wilted and drained of excess liquid before adding to the cups. Remove tomato seeds if highly liquid.
Muffins deflated dramatically after baking
Cause: Over-whipping the eggs incorporating too much air, or overbaking
Fix: Cannot be fixed, but purely cosmetic. Taste remains unaffected.
Prevention: Whisk just until combined, avoid creating excessive foam, and remove from oven as soon as the centers are set
Cultural Context
Egg muffins, often referred to as mini frittatas, are a modern adaptation of traditional Italian frittatas or French crustless quiches, engineered for convenience in fast-paced contemporary lifestyles. By utilizing muffin tins for automatic portion control, this dish represents the intersection of meal-prep culture and protein-forward diets.
