Western Egg Bites with Ham, Swiss, and Bell Peppers
Western Egg Bites
Ingredients
- 450 g egg whites
- 28 g ham low sodium; minced
- 57 g swiss cheese diced
- ½ cup red bell peppers chopped
- ½ cup yellow bell pepper chopped
- ¼ cup onions green chopped
- ⅛ tsp salt
- ⅛ tsp black pepper
- 50 g eggs
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350°F. Spray a standard 12 cup muffin tin generously with cooking spray and set aside.
- In a large bowl combine the egg whites and whole eggs. Whisk together until fully combined and slightly frothy. Season with black pepper and a pinch of salt.
- Add the minced ham, diced swiss cheese, chopped red bell pepper, chopped yellow bell pepper, and chopped green onions to the egg mixture. Stir until everything is evenly distributed throughout.
- Pour the mixture evenly into the 12 prepared muffin cups filling each one about three quarters of the way full.
- Bake for 20 to 24 minutes until the egg bites are fully set in the center and the edges are just beginning to pull away from the sides of the cups. They should not jiggle when you gently shake the pan.
- Allow to cool in the pan for 5 minutes before removing. Run a small knife or silicone spatula around the edges of each cup if needed to help them release cleanly.
Nutrition
Western egg bites made with egg whites, whole eggs, low sodium ham, swiss cheese, red and yellow bell peppers, and green onions, baked in a muffin tin and ready in under 40 minutes.
Twelve bites per batch, four servings of three, at 161 calories per serving and 20 grams of protein each.
These are one of the best meal prep breakfasts on the blog because they check every box. They are high in protein, low in calories, easy to make in bulk, and they reheat in about 30 seconds.
You make one batch on Sunday and breakfast is handled for most of the week without any effort on your end in the morning.
What Makes These Work
Using mostly egg whites with a small amount of whole egg is what keeps these light and low in calories while still giving them enough richness and structure to hold together properly. All egg whites would give you something too firm and rubbery. The 50 grams of whole egg in the mix is what makes the texture feel satisfying rather than sparse.
Mincing the ham finely before adding it means you get a little in every bite rather than one large chunk in some cups and none in others. The same logic applies to dicing the swiss cheese small rather than shredding it, which helps it melt more evenly throughout the mixture as it bakes.
A Few Things Worth Knowing Before You Start
Spray the muffin tin very generously. Egg bites stick aggressively to an under-greased pan and you will lose the bottom of each one trying to get them out if you are not thorough with the cooking spray. Every cup, all the way up the sides.
Fill each muffin cup about three quarters of the way full. The egg mixture puffs slightly as it bakes and will overflow if the cups are too full. Three quarters gives them enough room to rise without spilling over.
The egg bites are done when the centers are fully set and do not jiggle when you gently shake the pan. If there is any movement in the center they need more time. Check at 20 minutes and add time in 2 minute increments if needed.
Run a small knife or silicone spatula around the edges of each cup before trying to pop them out. Even with generous cooking spray they can grip the sides slightly and a quick pass around the edge releases them cleanly without tearing.
Store in an airtight container in the fridge for up to four days. Reheat in the microwave for 30 to 45 seconds. They also freeze well for up to two months. Freeze in a single layer first then transfer to a bag or container. Microwave straight from frozen for about 60 seconds.
