This Cottage Cheese Egg Bake is an easy, high-protein option that comes together with simple ingredients. It’s naturally gluten free, kid-friendly, and easy to customize with your favorite veggies, herbs, or add-ins. Perfect for meal prep and grab-and-go breakfast ready for the week.
Why You’ll Love This High Protein Egg Bake
- 10 grams of protein and only 108 kcal per serving
- Naturally gluten-free
- Great for meal prep
- Customizable
- Kid-friendly
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The best make ahead Breakfast Bake
If you’re looking for an easy breakfast that actually keeps you full all morning, this Cottage Cheese Egg Casserole delivers. It’s high in protein, simple to make, and perfect for meal prep.
Just mix, bake, and you’ve got a satisfying and delicious, make-ahead option ready to go for the week.
It holds up beautifully in the fridge for meal prep, and you can easily customize it with whatever vegetables, herbs, or add-ins you have on hand. It’s mild enough for kids, but still satisfying for adults, which makes this healthy egg bake one of those recipes everyone at the table will actually eat.
This recipe is featured in my list of 20 High Protein Cottage Cheese Breakfast Ideas.
Why add cottage cheese to eggs
Adding cottage cheese to eggs is a simple and affordable way to boost the protein content of your morning meal without changing the flavor in any noticeable way. The extra moisture also gives the eggs a softer, creamier texture and helps prevent dryness, so your eggs stay tender and fluffy instead of turning rubbery.
The cottage cheese blends in smoothly with the eggs, so you get the benefits without a strong change in taste. If you like the idea, you can also use this same trick in my Cottage Cheese Quiche and Cottage Cheese Egg Salad recipes.
Ingredient notes
- Fresh, large eggs - I like Vital Farms
- Cottage cheese - you can use either full-fat cottage cheese or a low fat variety
- Red onion - you can also sub yellow or white onion
- Baby spinach - about 4oz, chopped
- Red bell pepper - green, yellow and orange bell peppers will work great, too
- Mozzarella cheese - you can also use other cheese such as colby jack or cheddar
- Garlic powder - If all you have is garlic salt, reduce or omit the salt called for in the recipe
- Salt & Black pepper - for seasoning
- Extra virgin olive oil
See recipe card for quantities.
Instructions
- Step 1: Heat olive oil in a pan over medium-low heat, then cook diced peppers and onions for a few minutes to soften, stirring often.
- Step 2: Add chopped spinach, cover with a lid and leave it for about a minute until spinach is just wilted. Turn off the heat and set aside.
- Step 3: Add eggs, cottage cheese, and spices to a bowl. Whisk vigorously until incorporated.
- Step 4: Add the cooked veggies and mozzarella cheese to the egg mixture and stir together.
- Step 5: Transfer everything to the prepared baking dish.
- Step 6: Bake uncovered for 25-30 minutes until the top is set and the edges slightly brown.
Storage and Reheating Tips
Make sure you cool any casserole leftovers completely before refrigerating or freezing.
Store in an airtight container for up to 4 days in the fridge or 3 months in the freezer.
If freezing, it’s better to slice and freeze the individual servings in plastic wrap, then in a freezer safe storage bag. Allow to thaw completely before reheating.
Reheat this egg casserole in the microwave for 1-2 minutes on high, but it also tastes great at room temperature!
Flavor Variations
There are many ways to switch up your egg bake flavor. Check out some of these great options and mix-ins and you can have a different variation of the recipe every week!
Add Extra Protein
- Cooked turkey or chicken sausage
- Bacon bits
- Diced ham
Different Veggies
- Mushrooms
- Zucchini or yellow squash
- Chives or green onions
- Diced sweet potatoes
- Broccoli
- Kale
Make It Spicy
- Jalapeños
- Red pepper flakes
- Hot sauce
Tips & Tricks
- Don't overbake the eggs! Overcooked eggs become rubbery. You can insert a woodpick in the center if you're not sure if the eggs are fully cooked.
- I like to use a ceramic baking dish. Glass will also work. Be sure to spray it with oil to prevent the casserole from sticking.
- Any color bell pepper will work, or a colorful combo.
- Any grated cheese will taste great! Try it with cheddar cheese, monterey jack, gouda, feta, or parmesan cheese.
Recipe FAQs
No, it blends in and becomes creamy without any overpowering taste to it.
You can if you want to but if you’re concerned about white curds in your casserole, there won’t be any even if you add cottage cheese without blending it first. It just melts into the bake.
Cottage cheese softens and blends with the eggs when baked, creating a moist and fluffy texture. I add it to my mac and cheese and it becomes smooth as it heats.
The center of the eggs should be set with no jiggle, and the edges will be slightly golden brown.
You could, but softening them in oil before adding will give you best results. It also helps fresh spinach lose some of its volume, which makes it easier to incorporate into the egg batter.
More cottage cheese recipes
Looking for other recipes like this? Try these:
Recipe
Cottage Cheese Egg Bake
Equipment
Ingredients
- 8 large eggs fresh
- ¾ cup cottage cheese full fat or low fat
- ⅓ cup red onion diced, or yellow or white onion
- 4 cups baby spinach about 4oz, chopped
- ½ cup red bell pepper diced
- ¾ cup mozzarella cheese shredded, or other cheese, such as colby jack or cheddar
- ½ teaspoon garlic powder
- ½ teaspoon back pepper
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon olive oil extra virgin
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 375 degrees Fahrenheit and spray a 9x9 baking dish with oil (such as avocado oil spray).
- Heat olive oil in a medium skillet. Add diced peppers and onions and cook together on medium low heat for a few minutes to soften, stirring often.
- Turn the heat to low, ddd chopped baby spinach, cover with a lid and leave it for about a minute. Open the lid and stir until spinach is just wilted. Turn off the heat and set aside.
- Crack all 8 eggs into a large or medium bowl and add ¾ cup cottage cheese, salt, pepper and garlic powder. Whisk vigorously until incorporated.
- Now add the cooked veggies and mozzarella cheese and mix together with a spoon.
- Transfer the egg mixture into the prepared 9x9 dish.
- Bake uncovered for 25-30 minutes in preheated oven. The top should be set and the edges slightly brown.
- Cut into 9 squares and serve hot or at room temperature.
Notes
Nutrition
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Meet the Author
Hi, I'm Agnieszka. I'm a mom of three and recipe developer, writer and photographer behind Wholly Tasteful. I love creating comforting, delicious, family-friendly recipes that you can feel good about.
Elle says
Could you add pasta to make a kind of frittata? Love the high protein in this.
Agnieszka says
Yes, you can! Not too much - I'd say a cup of cooked pasta like spaghetti would be nice in this.
Ana says
I tried this egg bake and loved how soft and creamy it turned out! The cottage cheese really makes a difference! It was such an easy, high-protein breakfast to prep ahead and reheat during busy mornings.
Liza says
I made this for our weekend brunch! I added sauteed mushrooms to half and it was a big hit!
Agnieszka says
I love the mushroom idea!
Kathy says
This is the best start to the day ever! It's so good, and I wasn't hungry AT ALL for hours.
Elaine says
I love how easy this cottage cheese egg bake is to make. It's also really tasty and a new favorite weekend breakfast recipe.
Christina says
Perfect recipe for Saturday breakfast with the family. So scrumptious!
Bogusia says
Tasty and healthy dish🌺