High Protein Egg Muffins – 4 Ways!
- Updated on Jul 04, 2024
If I had to pick just one ingredient that helps the most with weight loss AND muscle building, it would be egg. Talk about superfoods.
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Combine those high-protein, low-carb properties with awesome taste and the fact you can make savoury muffins from them, and you’ve got a winner.
They’re vegetarian too, of course.
We’ve recently changed our much-loved Breakfast Egg Muffins (sometimes called egg cups) page – and we now have three brand new versions – as well as the original! All four can be found further down this very page.
And if you’d like hear something weird, check out this podcast on why our protein needs change as we age.
High Protein Egg Muffins – in 4 tasty ways!
Why this Sports Nutritionist thinks eggs are fantastic
The health benefits of eggs alone are more than enough reason to try these delicious breakfast egg muffins!
Eggs are a total nutrient bomb. Look at the nutritional profile of just 1 large egg:
| Source: USDA, FoodData Central, 2019 | Calories | Protein | Fat | Carbs |
| Egg, whole, raw (1 large) | 71.5 kcal | 6.3 g | 4.8 g | 0.4 g |
You’ve got a fat wodge of protein in there and some super healthy fats like omega 3.
What’s more, that’s next to no carbs, so if you’re trying to cut down on carbohydrates for whatever reason, then our egg muffins are the food for you (they’re actually one of our favorite vegetarian low-carb breakfast ideas and by far our fave egg-based snack recipe)!
What you don’t see on that table are the plethora of other nutrients that are tucked away in every egg. We’re talking vitamins on vitamins on vitamins:
- Vitamin A
- Vitamin B
- Vitamin B12
- Vitamin D
- Folate
- Selenium
- Calcium
- Phosphorus
- Zinc
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Are eggs a good food for weight loss?
We would also recommend eggs for weight loss. Partly because they are just really super healthy, as you can see above, but also because they are really super filling!
That is thanks to all the protein they contain, which, as studies show, helps you to feel full and can encourage weight loss. Consuming protein literally increases production of peptide YY, a hormone which makes you feel full.
You can also listen to our podcast episode about fad diets here, it’s full of helpful weight loss things you should know!
Furthermore, your belly takes longer to digest protein, meaning that foods high in protein keep you full for longer. If you feel full for longer, you are less likely to snack, reducing your overall energy consumption.
Check out these super high protein egg recipes for more protein-packed egg-based treats!
In this breakfast egg muffin, the added vegetables up the fibre levels and the cheese adds even more protein!
And if you’re following a keto diet, then you’re also in luck! These are keto egg muffins, low in carbs and high in good fats.
If you want to learn more helpful info like this about weight loss and vegetarian foods, why not join The Vegetarian Protein Fix? It’s full of incredible meal plans, professional help and Nutritionist support.
Tips for how to make perfect healthy egg muffins every time
These eggs muffins are really easy to make. Do these tips as well and you’ll have the best muffins every single. Promise!
- Chop your veggies and other ingredients well to avoid uneven cooking and distribution.
- Make sure to wipe off any spilled mixture from between slots in your muffin tin to avoid any burning (and make the cleanup easier).
- Try not to overfill the slots in the pan as the eggs will rise slightly during cooking and can spill over. If your muffin pan is smaller you can always make more muffins and adjust cooking time accordingly.
- Using silicon muffin cups is the best way to make these, I’ve found through extensive testing. Paper muffin cups also work ok, but need a spoon get the stickiest bits of mixture out properly.
- You can also skip muffins cups completely if you don’t have them. To stop your egg muffins from sticking to the pan, we recommend using a non-stick muffin tin greased with a little oil. If they still refuse to budge, wait for a few minutes to let them cool and firm up a little before using a fork to gently loosen them out.
Breakfast muffins 4 ways!
This original breakfast egg muffin recipe calls for chopped peppers, spring onions and cherry tomatoes. You can add extras like spinach and cheese, or even a dash of hot sauce to spice it up a bit!
Due to popular demand, we developed three more flavours as well!
Italian style, Asian style, and Smokey-Dokey style. Something for everyone! There’s also 36 egg recipes for breakfast here if you need more inspiration.
1. Italian style
Sundried tomato, fresh cherry tomatoes, basil and creamy crumbly feta give a Mediterranean vibe to these savoury breakfast muffins!
2. Asian style
Shake things up a bit with this egg muffin recipe using soy sauce, spring onions and sesame oil. Serve with sweet chilli sauce, for a delicious Asian inspired snack!
3. Smokey-dokey style
Enjoy our extra high protein egg muffin, jacked up with smoked tofu and flavoured with delicious leek and cheese.
Which one appeals most to you?
What our readers are saying
As soon as I saw these I knew they would be good, but this good? OMG I made them before work this morning they were that easy, in the oven while I got ready. To have such a delicious hot brekki waiting for me was the best! So tasty I wouldn’t change the recipe at all. Now I have leftovers for tomorrow as well. Thanks guys, fantastic! 🙂
Anna ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
Had these for dinner this evening, absolutely amazeballs!!
Chris ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
I’m on a high protein diet and these are incredible. 2/3 muffins are plenty to fill you up, they’re cheap and easy to make, and make a great alternative to the usual chicken/rise/veggies etc… Thank you!
Waitesy ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
Equipment
Ingredients
- 1 bell pepper, red
- 2 spring onions
- 6 eggs
- 1 handful spinach (or any green leaves)
- ½ cup cheddar cheese (grated; other cheese is fine too)
- Salt to taste
- 4-5 splashes hot sauce (or 1 tsp curry powder)
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 200°C/ 390°F.
- Wash and dice the bell pepper and onions, and put them in a large mixing bowl.1 bell pepper, red, 2 spring onions
- Wash the spinach, lightly chop it and add it to the bowl as well.1 handful spinach
- Add the eggs and salt. Mix well. Pro tip – crack the eggs separately before adding. That way if you get a dodgy one, it won’t ruin the whole meal.6 eggs, Salt to taste
- Mix in the cheese to the batter.½ cup cheddar cheese
- Add some hot sauce or curry powder.4-5 splashes hot sauce
- Grease the muffin tin with oil and kitchen paper/baking brush and pour the egg mixture evenly into the muffin slots. (If you think they might still stick to the pan use some muffin cups or cut out some baking paper and to use as cups – definitely saves time on doing the washing up 😉I've found using silicon muffin cups are the best, and need no oil!
- Pop the tray into the oven for 20 minutes or until the tops are firm to the touch.
- Bon Appetit!!
NOTES
Nutrition
Breakfast Egg Muffin FAQ’s
We’ve added some frequently asked questions, but if you don’t find the answer you’re looking for here pop your question in the comments section and we’ll be happy to help!
Can you freeze egg muffins?
Yes! These muffins can be frozen and enjoyed later – making them perfect for meal prep.
To thaw we recommend taking them out of the freezer and putting them in the fridge the night before to defrost. Then, you can reheat them in the oven at 350°F (150°C) or pop them in the microwave.
How long do egg muffins last in the freezer?
Up to 3 months as long as they are wrapped well and allowed to cool before putting them in the freezer.
How long do egg muffins last in the fridge?
These tasty veggie egg muffins should last for at least 2 days in the fridge… if you can hold off from eating them for that long 😉
Can I use cupcake liners for egg muffins?
You sure can. We opted to oil our tray to stop the egg muffins from sticking, but you can also use cupcake liners or DIY baking parchment liners to stop them sticking to your pan – it also saves on the washing up too! I’ve found silicon work the best.
How long to bake eggs in a muffin pan?
We suggest baking your breakfast muffins for 20 to 25 minutes (until the tops are firm to the touch.)
Studies used in this article
Clinical Evidence and Mechanisms of High-Protein Diet-Induced Weight Loss
Evenness of Dietary Protein
Association of a Mediterranean Lifestyle With All-Cause and Cause-Specific Mortality
James LeBaigue MSc
James has a Masters Degree in Sport and Exercise Nutrition, as well as an Advanced Diploma in Human Nutrition.
He loves combining his scientific knowledge along with food in the real world, and these recipes are the result.
He’s on top of all the latest evidence and guidelines to make sure our nutrition advice on the website is as accurate as it can be.
By day he works as an Advanced Clinical Practitioner in a busy NHS GP Practice.
Each recipe is tested and then eaten (much to James’ delight), many times before it is deemed worthy to be published. Bon appetit!
Comments
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179 comments
Tried it today, just awesome like your other recipies 🙂 I used a muffin tin with six ‘big’ slots, but doubling the ingredients was just a little bit too much – I recommend adjusting the slider to 9-10 muffins for 6 ‘large’ ones. By the way, you forgot the spinach in the intructions 🙂
And maybe you should increase the hot sauce amount – i’ve added like 7 splashes, but they definitely need an increased amount of spice!
Keep up the good work, your recipies are the best!
Greetings from Essen – Germany
Hi Thomas! Thanks a ton for trying out our breakfast egg muffins! I just double checked the recipe. It says one handful of spinach on my end 🙂
Actually, we very recently changed the recipe format style. Maybe that causes a few issues still. I’ll look into it.
Thanks for all the other tips, that’s definitely super helpful! I’ll keep the splashes of hot sauce low though. There are so many variations out there and I don’t want anybody to burn their mouths 😉
Best regards from Berlin!
There as so many comments here, so I don’t if you’ve already answered this: have you tried making this recipe in mini muffin tins? I’m guessing you’d reduce the cook time some, and maybe the oven temp too. Looks great, and can’t wait to try them! Thanks! –G
Hi Ginger,
I’ve never tried making these with a mini muffin tin, but I would keep the cook time the same. Mayyybe the egg will be a little overdone (I actually do like that!), but the veggies need some time to soften up 🙂
Can these be made in a convection microwave instead?
Hi Nupur, very good question! I’ve never tried it myself, buuutttt I used to make scrambled eggs in the microwave all the time and they came out great. In theory, I don’t see why not – they’ll certainly be quicker too! The veggies probably won’t soften as much, though that shouldn’t impact them too negatively. Obviously make sure you use a suitable microwave container – paper cups or metal aren’t always the best idea 😉 it could be worth making them in a couple of large cups or mugs, especially if you’re going to eat them straight away, or splitting them into muffin cups after they’re cooked. Overall – I’d say give it a go! Would be very interested to hear how they turned out 🙂 cheers Nupur!
So good and so easy too make. Really nice too have in the freezer for a grab and go breakfast or snack. My only recommendation is not too use the muffin paper but too spay your pans with non stick spray. They slide right out. I will definitely be making these again.
Really glad to hear that Kayla, thank you! And awesome for the spray tip, I’m sure that will help a lot of people 🙂
This is quick,easy & yummy.Thanks for sharing
You’re most welcome! 😀
Hi there, I’d love to give this recipe ago. Just to confirm, are the ingredients made for 6 or 12 muffins? As is says 6 howevee you use 12 muffin slots?
Hi Samantha!
Yep, I used a 12 muffin slot because that was the only size I had. The batter is for 6 muffins 🙂
I struggle with high cholesterol, will these be alright for me even though they’ve got 164% of the daily cholesterol? Or is that just a typo?
Hi Derk!
Nope the daily cholesterol of 164% should be about right. Last year the New York Times published a good article on “good” cholesterol and “bad” cholesterol. It discussed also the role of eggs. The gist: Eggs contain good cholesterol and are therefore much healthier than we think. I highly recommend having a look: https://www.nytimes.com/2015/02/21/opinion/when-the-government-tells-you-what-to-eat.html – Either way, I’m not a doctor and can’t tell you how this affects someone with an already high cholesterol level. I’d suggest checking back with your local doc. Le’t see what he/she has to say about eggs 😉