High-Protein Cottage Cheese Egg Bake
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These oven-baked cottage cheese eggs are cheesy, airy, and loaded with protein and vegetables. It’s a simple make-ahead breakfast that’s ideal for meal preparation or brunch.
Reasons I Adore This Cottage Cheese Egg Bake
I’ve been on an egg bake spree recently, and these oven-baked cottage cheese eggs might just be my favorite rendition yet. My sausage egg casserole is another staple in our home.
This dish is packed with protein (24 grams per serving!), overflowing with veggies, and bakes up delightfully fluffy, thanks to the blended cottage cheese. For added protein, serve it with a few slices of turkey bacon.
This recipe is the type that simplifies your mornings. You can prepare it in advance, cut it into portions, and enjoy a fulfilling, nutritious breakfast ready to go throughout the week. Whether you’re catering to a group for brunch or striving to maintain your meal prepping, this one meets all the criteria.
If you’ve been enjoying high-protein breakfast suggestions these days, you might also want to try my cottage cheese egg bites or these scrambled cottage cheese eggs for more effortless ways to change things up.
Ingredients Required
- mushrooms – provide a savory, umami essence. I usually opt for baby bella mushrooms, but white mushrooms or shiitake are great alternatives.
- fresh spinach – wilts down and contributes a boost of greens. You can substitute kale or another leafy green if you’d like.
- eggs – the foundation of the recipe and a wonderful protein source. I utilized 12 whole eggs, but you can incorporate half egg whites if you wish to lessen the fat content.
- cottage cheese – enhances the creaminess of the eggs and adds even more protein. I favor full-fat for the finest texture, but low-fat will suffice as well.
- cheese – I used Trader Joe’s Unexpected Cheddar, but any shredded cheese is suitable. Cheddar, mozzarella, feta, or parmesan are all excellent choices.
Find the complete ingredient list with quantities in the recipe card below.
How to Prepare Baked Cottage Cheese Eggs
Step 1: Heat olive oil in a frying pan over medium heat. Incorporate the mushrooms with a sprinkle of salt and sauté until they expel their moisture and begin to brown.
Step 2: Add the onion and cook until softened; then introduce the spinach and cook just until wilted. Remove from heat and spread the cooked vegetable mixture evenly into a greased baking dish, allowing it to cool slightly.
Step 3: Add the eggs, cottage cheese, parsley, garlic powder, remaining salt, and pepper to a blender. Process until smooth and creamy.
Step 4: Fold shredded cheese into the egg mixture, then pour everything over the vegetables in the baking dish. Bake until the center is firm and the top is gently golden. Allow to cool for a few minutes before slicing and serving.
Brittany’s Cooking Tips
- Blend the cottage cheese thoroughly: Blending the eggs with cottage cheese is what grants this bake that smooth, airy texture. Omitting this step results in small curds rather than a creamy consistency.
- Cook off excess moisture from veggies: Mushrooms and spinach release substantial water during cooking. Make sure to sauté them long enough for the moisture to evaporate. This helps avoid a watery egg bake.
- Allow the veggies to cool before adding eggs: If the veggies are too warm, they may begin cooking the eggs upon pouring in the mixture. Let them cool for a few moments first.
- Choose full-fat cottage cheese: Full-fat cottage cheese offers the richest flavor and optimal texture. Lower-fat variations will work, but the bake may turn out slightly less creamy.
- Rest before slicing: Allow the egg bake to cool for a few minutes post-baking. This helps it firm up and eases the slicing process.
How to Prepare Meals + Store
This recipe is ideal for meal prepping and reheats excellently. You can also prepare a batch of my protein pancakes or protein muffins to complement this egg bake for a more substantial morning meal!
- To store: Allow the egg bake to cool entirely, then cut into servings and keep in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4–5 days.
- To reheat: Warm individual portions in the microwave for 30–60 seconds or until heated through.
- To freeze: You can freeze single portions for extended storage. Wrap securely or store in a freezer-safe container for up to 2–3 months. Defrost overnight in the refrigerator prior to reheating.
Commonly Asked Questions
Indeed! You can substitute some or all of the whole eggs with liquid egg whites. Just keep the overall volume roughly the same to maintain the fluffy texture and ensure the bake sets appropriately.
Blending is advisable as it helps achieve a smooth, creamy texture and contributes to making the egg bake particularly fluffy. However, you can skip blending if you don’t mind a bit of texture.
from the cottage cheese curds.
Absolutely! This egg bake is highly adaptable. You can replace the mushrooms or spinach with other vegetables such as bell peppers, broccoli, or zucchini, or use a combination of what you have available. Additionally, you may add cooked sausage, bacon, or ground turkey for added protein, or change the cheese for a different taste. Just make sure not to introduce too much moisture so that the egg bake sets correctly.
The egg bake is complete when the center is firm and no longer wobbly. You can also test it by inserting a knife or toothpick into the middle; if it emerges clean, it’s finished.
This egg bake goes wonderfully with avocado toast, fruit salad, or a sweet treat like pancakes or muffins (consider trying my sheet pan pancakes for another convenient make-ahead choice). It can also be enjoyed alongside breakfast sausage or a protein smoothie for an additional protein boost.
Additional Cottage Cheese Recipes
If you liked this recipe, please consider providing a ⭐ star rating and share your experience in the 📝 comments below.
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Preheat the oven to 350°F and grease a 9×13 baking dish. Warm oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add mushrooms and ¼ tsp salt, sautéing for 5–7 minutes until they release moisture and begin to brown.
2 teaspoons olive oil, 8 ounces baby bella mushrooms, 0.25 teaspoon sea salt
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Add onion and cook for an additional 3–4 minutes until tender.
1 cup diced yellow onion
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Add spinach and cook just until wilted. Remove from heat and transfer to the baking dish to cool slightly.
3 cups chopped fresh spinach
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Add eggs and cottage cheese, dried parsley, garlic powder, ¼ teaspoon salt, and pepper into a blender. Blend until smooth and creamy. Stir in cheese.
12 large eggs, 1 ½ cups cottage cheese, 1 teaspoon dried parsley, 1 teaspoon garlic powder, ½ teaspoon black pepper, 1 cup shredded cheese, 0.25 teaspoon sea salt
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Pour the egg mixture over the vegetables into the prepared baking dish.
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Bake for 35–40 minutes, or until the center is firm and the top is lightly golden. Allow to cool for a few minutes before slicing.
- Storage: Allow the egg bake to cool completely, then cut into portions and keep in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4–5 days. Reheat in the microwave for 30–60 seconds or until warmed through.
- Freezing: You may freeze individual servings for up to 2–3 months. Wrap securely or store in a freezer-safe container. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator before reheating.
- Make it your own: Feel free to change the vegetables based on what you have available. Bell peppers, broccoli, or zucchini all work wonderfully as substitutes or additions to the mushrooms and spinach.
- Lighten it up: You can substitute half of the whole eggs with egg whites to reduce the fat content while still keeping the recipe protein-rich.
Portion: 1 unit | Energy: 304kcal | Total Carbohydrates: 8g | Protein Content: 24g | Total Fat: 20g | Saturated Lipid: 8g | Polyunsaturated Lipid: 2g | Monounsaturated Lipid: 5g | Cholesterol Content: 396mg | Sodium Content: 635mg | Potassium Content: 482mg | Dietary Fiber: 2g | Sugars: 3g
Nutrition details are auto-calculated, thus should be regarded as an estimate.
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