Make-Ahead Egg Bites With Red Pepper, Chive, and Chèvre
Love make-ahead egg bites? These fluffy egg bites are studded with roasted red pepper, chives, and goat cheese. All you need is an oven, a muffin tin, and 30 minutes of your time.
Let’s face it, mornings are tough and the last thing I want to worry about before walking out the door is cooking or assembling any sort of nutritious breakfast. After all, isn’t it enough of an accomplishment to actually put on a pot of coffee and skip the mid-commute coffee run?
Enter these fluffy, vegetarian egg bites loaded with succulent roasted red peppers, fresh chives, and creamy goat cheese that you can bake on a Sunday night and enjoy all week long. Sure, they’re delicious, easy-to-make, and certainly low-carb, but that’s not even the best part. All you’ll have to do is pop an egg bite or two into the microwave, reheat, and devour as you race out the door during busy mornings. These reheat from frozen just as well as they do straight out of the refrigerator, so go ahead and make a few dozen of these! You’ll thank yourself later.
Think of Egg Bites as Mini Frittatas
Egg bites are popping up everywhere—as they should! Think of them as mini frittatas: Fluffy, loaded with good-for-you veggies, cheese, and whatever other toppings you have on hand. They’re as portable and delicious as they are adaptable to whatever fillings you have sitting in your refrigerator.
A Simple Vegetarian Egg Bite Recipe
These vegetarian egg bites are filled with simple ingredients that are easy to keep on hand yet totally luxurious to bite into on a busy weekday morning.
- If you don’t already have some roasted red peppers in your fridge, grab a jar at the store during your next grocery run and they’ll keep for a while in your fridge. Jarred roasted red peppers are an incredible time-saver. Since they’re already roasted, most of the work has already been done for you. Just give them a quick chop, and they’re ready to be mixed into your egg bites to add just a hint of sweetness and smokiness to the equation.
- Fresh chives take these egg bites to the next level, lending a delicate, onion-like flavor without giving you 8 AM onion breath—your co-workers will thank you. Whether you grab a bunch from your local grocery store or your garden, chives give these egg bites a lovely pop of color and freshness, and since they’re so tender to begin with, there’s no need to pre-cook them (or any of these ingredients)!
- My personal favorite ingredient in these egg bites is the addition of creamy chèvre, which adds a subtle tang and creaminess without overpowering the other ingredients. Chèvre is just another word for goat cheese, though it’s usually the mild, unaged variety. While goat cheese might not be everyone’s cup of tea, I find that the subtlety of the chèvre in this specific recipe blends perfectly with the other fillers, so you’ll still taste each distinct ingredient.
No Water Bath Needed for These Egg Bites
Lots of egg bite recipes call for water baths to gently cook the egg mixture, but I’ve found that baking them at a low temperature without a water bath works just as well which makes for a quick and hassle-free technique.
Baking these egg bites at 325ºF ensures that the outer edges aren’t tough by the time the inside fully sets, for a deliciously soft and fluffy interior and exterior.
Another crucial element of this recipe is using a regular or immersion blender to combine the egg and cream mixture until completely smooth and frothy which results in a creamier, fluffier egg bite. Of course, if you don’t have a blender at your disposal, never fear. Whisk the egg mixture for 45 to 60 seconds, until there are plenty of bubbles, and your results will virtually be the same.
Substitutions and Variations
The beauty of egg bites is that they’ll work with just about anything you have in your refrigerator.
- If you’re not a goat cheese fan, feel free to substitute with any grated sharp cheddar cheese — the tang from sharp cheddar works perfectly with the roasted red peppers and chives.
- In lieu of roasted red peppers, you can substitute 3/4 cup pre-cooked veggies of your choice. Here are just a couple of options—you can get creative here!
- Fresh spinach or other hearty greens
- Finely diced and sautéed zucchini or squash
- Canned, petite-diced tomatoes
Spoiler alert: as delectable as these egg bites are fresh out of the oven, they’re just as good after being reheated in the microwave for the quickest grab-and-go breakfast you could ever dream of. We've included tips for storing, freezing, and reheating in the recipe so you have plenty of options.
More Egg-cellent Egg Bite Recipes
- Instant Pot Egg Bites
- Ham, Cheddar, and Green Chile Egg Bites
- Cheesy Hash Brown Egg Bites
- Broccoli Cheddar Egg Bites
Making the Egg Bites
Preheat the oven to 325°F.
Melt the butter:
Microwave the butter in a small microwave-safe bowl until just melted, 15 to 20 seconds.
Conversely, you can melt the butter in a small saucepan until it’s completely melted and just beginning to bubble, about 1 minute.
Prepare the muffin tin:
Using a silicone or pastry brush, brush each well in a 12-well muffin or cupcake tin generously with the melted butter.
Prepare the egg mixture:
Add the eggs, half and half, and 3/4 teaspoon salt into a blender. Blend on high until fully combined and frothy, 20 to 25 seconds.
Prep the filling:
In a medium bowl, combine the roasted red peppers and chives. Season with 1/4 teaspoon salt.
Fill the muffin wells:
Divide the red pepper mixture among the 12 buttered wells of your muffin tin. Crumble about 1 teaspoon of chèvre into each well, then carefully fill each well 3/4 full with the egg mixture.
Use a butter knife to swirl and combine the ingredients in each well. Finish with ground black pepper on the top of each egg bite, to taste.
Bake the egg bites:
Place the muffin tin into your preheated oven and bake for 18 to 20 minutes, or until gently puffed and completely set, being sure to turn the muffin pan halfway through baking. You can test for doneness by gently poking the centers of the egg bites—perfectly cooked egg bites will feel soft but bouncy.
Serve or store the egg bites:
When cooked, remove the egg bites from the oven. Immediately run a butter knife around the edge of each well to release any stuck-on bits. Let the egg bites cool for at least 5 minutes, then carefully remove to a plate. Serve hot or allow to cool to room temperature and store.
Refrigerate or Freeze and Reheat
Storing and Reheating:
To store these egg bites in the refrigerator, allow them to cool to room temperature. When cooled, arrange the egg bites in a large plastic bag and store for 4 to 5 days.
To reheat, place an egg bite or two on a plate, cover loosely with a damp paper towel, and microwave for 30 to 45 seconds, or until just warmed through.
To freeze egg bites, place the cooled egg bites on a large plate or medium-sized sheet pan in the freezer, covered in plastic wrap, for one hour. Freezing them for an hour allows the outsides to completely set up and will prevent any sticking to each other. After an hour, add the egg bites to a large plastic bag and freeze, for up to two months.
To reheat, place one or two frozen egg bites on a plate and microwave for 1:30 to 2 minutes or until completely defrosted and warmed through. To reheat in a toaster oven, place egg bites directly on the rack and toast for 6 to 8 minutes. To heat a large batch in a conventional oven, preheat the oven to 325°F and bake for 10-12 minutes. To reheat on the stove, place a skillet with a tight-fitting lid over medium-low heat, arrange egg bites evenly throughout the skillet, then add 2 tablespoons of water to the skillet to allow the egg bites to gently steam. Cover with a lid and cook for 6-8 minutes.