Spinach & Sun-Dried Tomato Egg Muffins
Tender baked egg muffins folded with garlicky wilted spinach, chewy sun-dried tomatoes, sweet softened onion, fresh basil, and savory nutritional yeast for a portable, protein-rich breakfast.
Why You'll Love This Recipe
These egg muffins are made for anyone who wants a real, savory breakfast but has no time to cook in the morning. You bake a batch once, keep them in the fridge, and grab a couple on your way out the door. They eat well warm or cold, travel without falling apart, and lean heavily on vegetables, so they feel like a plate of food rather than a snack.
The aromatics and greens are wilted before they ever meet the eggs. Raw spinach releases a surprising amount of water as it cooks, and if you skipped the skillet that water would pool in the bottom of each cup and leave the muffins soggy. Cooking the onion and garlic until soft builds a sweet, savory base, the quick wilt drives off excess moisture from the spinach, and the sun-dried tomatoes go in off the heat so they stay chewy and concentrated. Nutritional yeast whisked into the eggs adds a mellow, cheese-like savoriness without any dairy.
Eggs on one side, a lot of vegetables on the other, and together they keep you full for hours rather than leaving you hungry an hour later. The sun-dried tomatoes bring a tangy, almost meaty depth, the basil keeps everything fresh, and each muffin is tender and custardy inside with lightly browned, puffed tops. It is a breakfast that tastes indulgent while being built almost entirely from whole foods.
Ingredients
- 6 large eggs
- 3 cups fresh spinach, chopped
- 1/4 cup sun-dried tomatoes, chopped
- 1/3 cup onion, finely diced
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 2 tbsp nutritional yeast
- 2 tbsp fresh basil, chopped
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- 1/2 tsp salt
Instructions
- Preheat and grease the tin: Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C). Brush a six-cup muffin tin generously with olive oil, coating the bottom and all the way up the sides of each cup so the eggs release cleanly.
- Prep the vegetables: Finely dice the onion, mince the garlic, roughly chop the spinach, chop the sun-dried tomatoes, and chop the fresh basil. Keep the basil separate from the rest.
- Wilt the vegetables: Warm a splash of olive oil in a skillet over medium heat. Add the onion and garlic and cook, stirring, until soft and translucent, about 3 minutes. Add the chopped spinach and cook just until it collapses and turns bright green, 1 to 2 minutes. Remove from the heat, stir in the sun-dried tomatoes, and let the mixture cool for a few minutes so it does not begin to cook the eggs.
- Whisk the eggs: Crack the eggs into a bowl and whisk with the nutritional yeast, chopped basil, and salt until the yolks and whites are fully blended and the mixture is uniform and slightly frothy.
- Fill the cups: Divide the cooled vegetable mixture evenly among the muffin cups. Pour the egg mixture over the top, filling each cup about three-quarters full to leave room for rising.
- Bake and cool: Bake for 20 to 22 minutes, until the tops are set, puffed, and no longer jiggle when the tin is gently nudged. Let the muffins cool in the tin for 5 minutes, then run a thin knife around each one and lift them out.
Variations
- Mushroom and thyme: Sauté finely sliced mushrooms with the onion until their liquid evaporates, and swap the basil for fresh thyme. The mushrooms add an earthy, savory depth.
- Roasted red pepper: Fold in chopped jarred roasted red peppers along with the sun-dried tomatoes for extra sweetness and a pop of color. Pat them dry first so they do not add moisture.
- Spicy arrabbiata: Add a pinch of red pepper flakes to the onion and garlic as they soften for a gentle heat that plays off the tangy tomatoes.
- Herb garden: Replace the basil with a mix of chopped fresh dill, parsley, and chives for a brighter, greener flavor throughout the muffins.
- Extra green: Stir a handful of chopped fresh kale in with the spinach, cooking it a minute longer since it is sturdier, for even more vegetable volume.
Storage & Leftovers
Store the cooled muffins in an airtight container in the refrigerator, where they keep well for up to four days. Let them cool completely before sealing the container so trapped steam does not make them damp.
To reheat, microwave a muffin or two for about 20 to 30 seconds, just until warmed through, or set them in a low oven for a few minutes. Avoid over-microwaving, which turns eggs rubbery. They are also good eaten cold straight from the fridge.
For make-ahead, bake a full batch at the start of the week and portion them into grab-and-go containers. They also freeze well: wrap each muffin individually, freeze for up to two months, and thaw overnight in the fridge before reheating.
Notes & Tips
- Choose your sun-dried tomatoes: Both dry-packed and oil-packed work. If you use oil-packed, drain and blot them well so the extra oil does not weigh down the eggs; if you use dry-packed, soak them in warm water for a few minutes to soften, then chop.
- Grease more than you think: Eggs are notorious for sticking. Get the olive oil all the way up the sides of each cup, or use a silicone muffin tin, which releases the muffins with almost no effort.
- Cool the vegetables first: Letting the wilted vegetables cool before adding them keeps the eggs from starting to scramble in the bowl, which gives you a smoother, more custardy set.
- Nutritional yeast is your savory shortcut: It brings a cheesy, umami note without any dairy. If you like it stronger, add a little extra; if it is new to you, start with less and taste the raw egg mixture on a spoon.
- Check doneness by the jiggle: They are ready when the centers are set and puffed and no longer wobble when you nudge the tin. A knife inserted in the middle should come out clean.
- Serve it as a meal: Round them out with sliced avocado and fresh fruit, or a handful of cherry tomatoes and cucumber on the side, for a fuller plate at the table.
Nutrition & Mindful Eating
- Eggs, spinach and sun-dried tomatoes bake into something with three clear parts: the custardy set of the egg, the soft green of the spinach and the chewy, concentrated tomato you keep coming across.
- Eggs are the whole structure here. They puff in the oven and settle as they cool into a tender, custardy set, and they carry the complete protein and choline that make a couple of these eat like a real breakfast.
- Sun-dried tomatoes have had their water driven off, which leaves them chewy, tangy, and intensely tomato, and it concentrates the lycopene and potassium that were spread thin through the fresh fruit.
- Spinach is cooked down with onion and garlic before it goes into the tin, so it never weeps water into the eggs, and it brings iron, folate and vitamin K in a form that disappears into every bite.
- Nutritional yeast turns the whole batch savory and faintly cheesy, and fresh basil torn in at the end stays sweet and peppery, with a little salt keeping the tomatoes from tasting flat.
- As you eat, find the chewy pieces of tomato inside the soft set of the egg, and let a quiet few minutes go with them rather than eating on the move.
Frequently Asked Questions
Why did my egg muffins turn out watery or soggy?
The most common cause is skipping or shortening the wilting step. Raw spinach and untreated tomatoes release water as they bake, which pools in the cups. Cook the spinach until it fully collapses and let the mixture cool before combining, and blot oil-packed tomatoes dry.
Why do my muffins deflate after coming out of the oven?
Eggs puff from steam as they bake and settle a little as they cool, which is completely normal. To keep them tall, avoid overfilling the cups past three-quarters full and take them out as soon as the centers are set rather than overbaking.
Can I make these without a muffin tin?
Yes. Pour the same filling and egg mixture into a well-greased oven-safe dish and bake it as a single frittata, adding several minutes to the time until the center is set. Cut it into squares to keep the grab-and-go convenience.
How do I keep them from sticking to the pan?
Grease every cup generously up the sides with olive oil, and let the baked muffins rest in the tin for five minutes before running a thin knife around each edge to lift them out. A silicone tin makes release even easier.