Once you know the basic formula for sous vide egg bites, you hardly need a recipe.
Start with eggs and something creamy, add cheese, choose a seasonal vegetable or other filling, finish with herbs or a flavorful accent—and suddenly one basic mixture can become dozens of different breakfasts.
The secret is keeping the proportions balanced. Too many additions can make egg bites heavy or watery; too little dairy can make them firmer than the silky, custardy texture we’re after.
Here is our basic Edible Paradise formula.
The Master Egg Bite Formula
Makes approximately 6 small egg bites
The Egg Base
6 large eggs
1/2 cup cottage cheese
1/2 cup shredded or crumbled cheese
1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
Freshly ground black pepper, to taste
Blend the eggs and cottage cheese until completely smooth. We like to use a blender or immersion blender. Stir or pulse in the cheese.
This creates a creamy, tender base that works with almost any combination of vegetables, herbs, or other additions.
Then Add:
1/2 to 3/4 cup cooked vegetables or other filling
PLUS
1 to 3 tablespoons fresh herbs or flavorful accents
That’s it.
Think of the formula as: EGGS + CREAMY ELEMENT + CHEESE + VEGETABLE/FILLING + HERB/ACCENT
Choose Your Ingredients
1. Eggs
For one batch: 6 large eggs
This produces enough mixture for approximately six small jars, depending on the size of the jars and how many fillings you add.
2. Choose Something Creamy
Our favorite starting point is: 1/2 cup cottage cheese
Cottage cheese blends beautifully into eggs and produces a remarkably creamy texture without making the bites overly rich.
You can also experiment with:
- Ricotta
- Cream cheese
- Greek yogurt
- Soft goat cheese
- Crème fraîche
Because these ingredients vary in moisture and richness, start conservatively when substituting.
3. Add Cheese
Use approximately: 1/2 cup cheese
Choose one or combine several:
- Gruyère
- Sharp cheddar
- Monterey Jack
- Fontina
- Mozzarella
- Parmesan
- Pecorino
- Feta
- Goat cheese
Strong cheeses such as Parmesan, feta, or goat cheese may require less than mild cheeses.
4. Add Vegetables or Other Fillings
Use: 1/2 to 3/4 cup total cooked filling
Good choices include:
- Sautéed mushrooms
- Roasted tomatoes
- Roasted peppers
- Wilted spinach
- Swiss chard
- Asparagus
- Broccoli
- Caramelized onions
- Leeks
- Corn
- Artichoke hearts
- Roasted winter squash
- Sautéed mushrooms
- Roasted tomatoes
- Roasted peppers
- Wilted spinach
- Swiss chard
- Asparagus
- Broccoli
- Caramelized onions
- Leeks
- Corn
- Artichoke hearts
- Roasted winter squash
- Cooked potatoes
- Sautéed zucchini
- Cooked sausage or bacon, if desired
- Cooked potatoes
- Sautéed zucchini
- Cooked sausage or bacon, if desired
The Important Rule: Cook Watery Vegetables First
Raw vegetables often release water as they cook, which can dilute the egg mixture and create watery pockets.
For best results:
- Sauté mushrooms until their liquid evaporates.
- Wilt spinach or chard and squeeze out excess moisture.
- Roast tomatoes rather than adding them raw.
- Sauté zucchini before using.
- Cook onions and leeks until tender.
Cool fillings slightly before adding them to the egg mixture.
5. Finish With Herbs and Flavor Accents
This is where the farmers market really comes into play.
Try:
- Chives
- Basil
- Parsley
- Dill
- Tarragon
- Thyme
- Cilantro
- Oregano
- Marjoram
Use approximately 1 to 3 tablespoons, depending on the strength of the herb.
Flavor Accents
A little goes a long way:
- Roasted garlic
- Freshly grated lemon zest
- Pesto
- Dijon mustard
- Calabrian chile
- Roasted green chile
- Sun-dried tomato
- Olive tapenade
- Caramelized shallot
- Everything seasoning
- Smoked paprika
The Sous Vide Method
1. Heat the Water Bath
Preheat your immersion circulator to: 172°F
2. Prepare the Jars
Lightly grease six small heat-safe canning jars.
Four-ounce jars are especially convenient for individual portions.
3. Blend the Base
Combine the eggs, cottage cheese, salt, and pepper in a blender.
Blend until completely smooth.
Add the cheese and pulse briefly, or stir it in afterward.
4. Add Your Fillings
You have two options.
For evenly distributed ingredients, gently fold the vegetables and herbs into the egg mixture.
Or divide the fillings among the jars first and pour the egg mixture over them.
The second method makes it particularly easy to create several flavors from one batch.
5. Fill the Jars
Divide the mixture among the jars, leaving some room at the top for expansion.
Wipe the rims clean.
Attach the lids finger-tight. Do not overtighten them.
6. Cook
Carefully lower the jars into the 172°F water bath.
Cook for approximately: 90 minutes
7. Serve or Chill
Carefully remove the jars from the water.
Serve the egg bites warm, or cool them promptly for later use.
For make-ahead egg bites, transfer the jars to an ice-water bath to chill quickly before refrigerating.
The Mix-and-Match Formula
The most useful recipe may ultimately be the simplest: 6 eggs + 1/2 cup creamy ingredient + 1/2 cup cheese + 1/2 to 3/4 cup seasonal filling + fresh herbs
Once you know the basic proportions, creating your own combination becomes easy:
The goal is balance.
If you’re using a strong cheese, use a little less.
If your vegetables are particularly flavorful, let them be the star.
If you’re adding salty ingredients such as feta, bacon, Parmesan, pesto, or olives, reduce the added salt.
A Few Combinations to Get You Started
Once you begin looking around the farmers market, the possibilities multiply quickly.
Spring
Asparagus + goat cheese + chives + lemon zest
Summer
Roasted tomato + mozzarella + basil
Late Summer
Sweet corn + roasted poblano + Monterey Jack + cilantro
Fall
Mushroom + Gruyère + thyme + caramelized shallot
Winter
Leek + spinach + Parmesan + nutmeg
Mediterranean
Roasted pepper + feta + spinach + dill
And remember: you don’t have to make all six jars the same.
Prepare one batch of the egg base and divide it among several jars. Add mushrooms and Gruyère to two, tomato and basil to another two, and perhaps spinach and feta to the remaining jars.
One cooking session can give you several different breakfasts.
