Egg Bites with Hatch Chile Cheddar Cheese

Egg Bites, or low-carb egg muffins, are a delicious and healthy, grab and go breakfast. Make them on a Sunday night, and enjoy them throughout the week when you need a quick nibble. These Egg Bites with Hatch Chiles make the perfect, high protein gluten-free breakfast. They’re also a nice way to cook eggs for a brunch.

 

What are “Egg Bites”?

Egg “bites” or egg “muffins” are a great make-ahead breakfast. You’ve probably seen them at Costco or Starbucks. They are baked in a muffin tin, but these “egg muffins” do not contain flour. These egg bites are just eggs, cottage cheese and veggies, which makes them naturally gluten free and low-carb. 

This basic recipe makes it easy to tailor it to your family’s taste. (This post was originally posted on September 8th, 2014, and has been updated. As an Amazon Affiliate, I earn commission on qualifying purchases.) 

You can eat them like a muffin if you’re on the go, or for breakfast or brunch with a fork. Since I originally published these in 2014, I’ve tweaked the recipe and method many times. I confess, I’d never tasted Starbucks sous-vide egg bites until last summer in an airport. I knew I had to try to make my Hatch Chile Egg Bites using the mock sous-vide or water bath technique.

How do you make Egg Bites?

I like to use both cottage cheese and shredded cheeses for extra creaminess and protein. You can add any sort of chopped vegetables for a vegetarian version, or add diced ham, prosciutto, or sausage. For this version, I used diced Hatch chiles which are in season in the late summer to early fall, and we love to put them in our eggs either in egg bites, omelets or scrambled!

What kind of cheese works best for egg bites?

I like a sharp cheddar to help balance the heat of the Hatch chilies. You can certainly use a mild cheddar or even Monterey Jack. Pepper jack will give them an extra kick!

Why the water bath?

The water bath is key to a really creamy center. So the method is exactly the same as making cheesecake. The difference between this method and the previous method, is that the eggs, cottage cheese, cheese and seasonings are blended really well. Then the chiles and onions are added to the individual muffin cups. A game changer for me is using a silicone muffin pan. There’s no need to grease a tin, and the egg bites just pop right out! To make the water bath, place the muffin pan in a larger pan before filling it with the egg mixture. Pour boiling water into larger pan about half-way up

How do you make Egg Bites

Start with a base of eggs, and cottage cheese. From there you can add your favorite cheese and vegetables. I figure on about 8-10 eggs depending on the size of your eggs, or about 2 cups of eggs.

Puree the eggs, cheese, cottage cheese and seasonings in a blender. You want everything nice and smooth!

 

You can either divide the mixture into the muffin cups first and then add the diced chiles or before. It doesn’t really matter, as the chiles and onions will sink regardless. I like to add them before because I can divide the ingredients more evenly. 

Place the muffin pan in a larger roasting or baking pan for the water bath. After adding the diced chiles and onions to the muffin tin, pour in the blended egg mixture. Pour boiling water about 1/2 way up the muffin pan. Carefully place the pan in a preheated oven.

Can you substitute canned chiles?

Not everyone has easy access to Hatch chiles. Anaheim, or poblanos can be used as well. If you don’t want to go to the trouble of roasting and peeling them, canned jalapenos canned be substituted. 

 Creamiest Egg Muffin Tip!

I’ve discovered the secret to a really creamy center is to not overcook them. I pull the pan at 25 minutes and then allow them to cool in the water bath about 5 minutes.

 

How long do Egg Bites last? 

This recipe makes about 10-12 individual muffins per batch. That’s enough for about 5 or 6 servings. I wrap them well, and refrigerate them for up to 3 days. You can also freeze them and either defrost them the night before and reheat in the microwave the following morning. Frozen egg bites should last about 1 month.

Looking for more Hatch Chile recipes?

Here are some of my favorites!

Hatch White Chicken Chile

Low-carb Hatch Chile Rellenos Casserole

Hatch Chile Grilled Cheese