These spinach feta egg cups bake in a muffin tin with eggs, wilted spinach, and tangy feta for an easy high protein breakfast ready in 25 minutes. ♡
The trick to spinach feta egg cups that do not taste rubbery or watery is squeezing the spinach very dry before it goes into the tin. I use thawed frozen spinach, press out every drop in a clean towel, then toss it with salt and lemon zest. The result is a fluffy baked egg cup packed with briny feta and bright spinach in every bite. Each cup has 9 grams of protein.
This is my go-to easy breakfast meal prep when I want something I can grab on my way out the door. They reheat in 30 seconds, freeze beautifully, and taste like a Greek omelette you did not have to cook one by one. Let’s make it together.
Ingredients
Spinach Feta Egg Cups
- 8 large eggs
- 1/4 cup whole milk or half and half
- 10 oz frozen chopped spinach, thawed and squeezed dry
- 3/4 cup crumbled feta cheese
- 3 green onions, finely sliced
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 tsp lemon zest
- 1/2 tsp kosher salt
- 1/4 tsp black pepper
- 1/4 tsp red pepper flakes (optional)
- 2 tbsp chopped fresh dill
- Cooking spray or olive oil for the pan
Optional add-ins:
- Sun dried tomatoes chopped fine
- Crumbled bacon or diced ham
- Crumbled goat cheese instead of feta
- Chopped roasted red peppers
- Kalamata olives
How to Make Spinach Feta Egg Cups
- Prep. Heat oven to 375F. Spray a 12 cup muffin tin generously with cooking spray or brush with olive oil. Use silicone cups for easy release if you have them.
- Dry. Place the thawed spinach in a clean kitchen towel and squeeze out as much water as possible. You should end up with about 1 cup of dry compacted spinach.
- Whisk. In a large bowl whisk eggs with milk, salt, pepper, and lemon zest until completely combined and slightly foamy. This takes about 30 seconds of hard whisking.
- Mix. Stir in the dry spinach, feta, green onions, garlic, dill, and red pepper flakes. Give everything a quick stir until evenly distributed.
- Fill. Divide the mixture between the 12 muffin cups, filling each about 3/4 full. Stir the bowl between scoops so the spinach and feta stay evenly suspended.
- Bake. Bake 18 to 22 minutes until the centers are set and the tops are puffed and lightly golden. A toothpick should come out clean.
- Cool. Let the cups cool in the pan for 5 minutes. Run a thin knife around the edges and lift out. They will deflate slightly as they cool which is completely normal.
Why This Recipe Works
Squeezing the spinach bone dry is the most important step in any baked egg cups recipe. Frozen chopped spinach holds an insane amount of water, and if you add it wet the eggs turn green gray and watery at the bottom of the pan. Twisting it in a towel removes the excess moisture so the eggs stay fluffy and the color stays bright green.
Adding milk to the eggs is what separates a baked egg cup from a tough scrambled egg muffin. The small amount of milk creates steam as it bakes, which puffs the eggs up like a souffle and keeps them tender once they cool. Eggs without any dairy bake up rubbery and dense.
Using a good quality block feta rather than pre crumbled gives a much brighter tang and creamier melt. Block feta is brined and still holds its full moisture, which means it softens into the hot egg instead of staying dry and salty. Pre crumbled feta is coated with anti caking agents and tastes flat (read more about feta quality differences on USDA FoodData Central).
Tips
- Store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days. Keep parchment between layers so they do not stick.
- Reheat in the microwave for 30 to 45 seconds or in a 350F oven for 5 minutes. Reheat from frozen in the microwave at 50 percent power for 90 seconds.
- For meal prep, bake a double batch on Sunday and freeze half for later in the month.
- Use a silicone muffin tin or paper liners for easier cleanup. A metal tin works too as long as it is well greased.
- Common mistake: overfilling the cups. They puff over the top and stick. Fix: fill to 3/4 of the cup, no higher.
- If you only have fresh spinach, saute 8 oz in a dry pan until wilted, then squeeze dry just like frozen.
- Gluten free? These are naturally gluten free. Always double check feta labels for modified wheat starch.
Variations
- Mediterranean egg cups: add chopped sun dried tomatoes and kalamata olives.
- Bacon cheddar egg cups: swap spinach for cooked bacon bits and feta for sharp cheddar.
- Ham and gruyere: use diced ham and shredded gruyere instead of spinach and feta.
- Mushroom egg cups: swap spinach for 1 cup sauteed mushrooms and 2 tbsp chives.
- Jalapeno popper egg cups: add pickled jalapenos and cream cheese for a spicy twist.
- High protein egg cups: stir in 1/2 cup cottage cheese for 12 grams of protein per cup.
Common Mistakes to Avoid
- Wet spinach. Makes the cups watery and green gray. Fix: squeeze in a towel until no liquid comes out.
- Skipping the grease step. Eggs stick to metal tins. Fix: spray heavily or use silicone cups.
- Overfilling the cups. They overflow and stick. Fix: fill to 3/4 only.
- Overbaking. They turn rubbery. Fix: pull them at 18 minutes and check. They should jiggle slightly in the center.
- Under seasoning. Eggs need salt. Fix: 1/2 tsp salt minimum, add a pinch on top before baking too.
Ingredients
Method
- Prep. Preheat oven to 375F. Spray a 12-cup muffin tin generously with cooking spray.
- Whisk. Beat eggs with milk, salt, pepper, and garlic powder in a large bowl until smooth.
- Fill. Divide chopped spinach, feta, and sun-dried tomatoes evenly among the muffin cups. Pour the egg mixture on top, filling each cup about 3/4 full.
- Bake. Bake for 20 to 22 minutes until the tops are set and lightly golden. Let cool in the pan for 5 minutes before removing.
Notes
Looking for more easy breakfast recipes? Try my blueberry lemon ricotta pancakes, Turkish eggs (cilbir), cottage cheese scrambled eggs, or a cozy stack of french toast casserole. For food safety on cooked eggs see the FDA safe food handling guide.
