Air Fryer Egg Bites

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Air Fryer Egg Bites are made with crumbled bacon, Swiss cheese and green onion. They have a fluffy and creamy texture thanks to the addition of whole eggs and cottage cheese. Perfect for meal prepping and breakfast on-the-go!

Egg bites are simply mini frittatas or crustless quiche that are made in muffin cups or egg bite molds.

While they’re normally baked in the oven, this recipe is made using the air fryer, which means you can cook them a little quicker and there’s no need to turn on your oven.

Egg muffins on a plate with slices of bacon and a plate of home fries on the side.

If you’ve never had egg bites with cottage cheese, you’ll want to try this recipe! The cottage cheese provides extra protein and adds a smooth, creamy and fluffy texture to the eggs.

While these egg bites are crustless, if you prefer a crust, you can try these mini air fryer quiche. They have a flaky, buttery crust that’s filled with creamy egg, broccoli and ham.

For a full size frittata or quiche, you’ll want to check out this sausage frittata, sweet potato frittata or this crustless asparagus quiche.

Why you’ll love these air fryer egg bites

You only need 5 ingredients plus salt and pepper.
They’re quick and easy to make with just 10 minutes prep time.
They store and reheat well, so they’re great for meal prepping.
You can easily customize these egg muffins with different veggies, proteins and cheese (suggestions included below).
They’re low carb with plenty of protein thanks to the eggs and cottage cheese.

Details on the ingredients

Ingredients to make air fryer egg bites arranged in individual bowls on a wooden surface.

Eggs – You’ll need 3 large eggs to make 8 bites. It might not seem like enough, but they’ll be bulked up with cottage cheese.

Cottage cheese – A half cup of cottage cheese is blended together with the eggs which makes them extra creamy and fluffy. I used reduced fat cottage cheese (2 percent), but you can use full fat (4 percent) if you prefer. I don’t recommend using fat free or 1 percent as they may make the egg bites a bit watery.

Bacon – Just 1/4 cup of cooked, crumbled bacon adds salty, umami goodness to these egg bites. You can buy fully cooked crumbled bacon or you can cook your own and crumble it.

Swiss cheese – You’ll need 1/4 cup of finely grated Swiss cheese for these egg bites. Make sure it is finely grated so it fits nicely in the muffin cups. If you don’t have Swiss, you can also use Gruyere cheese.

Green onion – I think chopped green onions are the perfect addition to eggs. The recipe calls for 2 tablespoons. You can substitute with chives or shallots if you prefer.

Salt and pepper – Just a little for added seasoning. The bacon (even if you use reduced sodium) will make these egg bites a little salty. That’s why this recipe only calls for 1/8 teaspoon of salt.

How to make egg bites in the air fryer

Add the eggs, cottage cheese, salt and pepper to a blender. Blend on high for 20 seconds or until smooth.

Divide the bacon, green onion and cheese into 8 standard size silicone baking cups (muffin cups).

Silicone muffin cups filled with bacon, cheese and green onion with the egg mixture in a cup on the side.

Pour the egg mixture into the cups, filling 3/4 full.

Carefully transfer the filled muffin cups to the air fryer basket.

Silicone muffin cups filled with egg mixture and placed in the air fryer basket.

Air fry on 280F for 13-15 minutes or until the eggs are set.

Remove the basket from the air fryer and let the egg bites cool just enough to handle.

Cooked egg bites in muffin cups in the air fryer basket.

Carefully transfer to a plate and remove the egg bites from the silicone cups.

Serve with your choice of sides or store in the fridge or freezer for later.

Recipe variations

Instead of crumbled bacon, use cooked crumbled sausage or diced ham.
In place of green onions, use chopped chives, shallots or red onion.
Add some chopped red or green peppers.
Substitute the Swiss cheese with Gruyere, feta, mozzarella, Parmesan or cheddar cheese.
In addition to salt and pepper, feel free to add some dried herbs like oregano, basil or parsley.

Frequently asked questions

What temperature is best for cooking egg bites in the air fryer?

I tested a few different temperature settings and found that 280F degrees produced the best results. Higher temperatures caused the egg bites to expand too quickly, which resulted in them cooking unevenly. They were also misshaped and browned too much on the tops.

Can you make egg bites with egg whites only?

Yes, you can use egg whites to make air fryer egg bites. Just increase the eggs to about 6 to get enough egg whites to make 8 egg bites. I’ve also made them using cartoned egg whites.

Can you freeze egg bites?

Absolutely! Let them cool in the fridge first, then transfer the egg bites to a freezer safe container. Arrange them in a single layer or in between sheets of parchment or wax paper. Freeze for up to 3 months.

Can you use a metal muffin pan in the air fryer?

I haven’t test these egg bites with anything other than silicone molds. If you have a metal muffin pan that fits your air fryer, you can give it a try. Just keep in mind that you may need to adjust the air frying temperature and time for the egg bites.

What do you serve with egg bites?

We love these air fryer egg bites served for breakfast or brunch with some air fryer home fries, toast and extra bacon. A side of air fryer turkey bacon would also be delicious! For a quick meal or snack, you can enjoy egg bites on their own or with a side salad.

A breakfast setting with plates of egg bites, bacon, home fries and toast on a wooden table.

Key recipe tips

Blend or whisk. You can whisk the eggs and cottage cheese together, but for the creamiest and smoothest texture, I like to blend them.
Be careful not to over fill the muffin cups. The eggs will expand and puff up as they air fry, so just fill them to a maximum of 3/4 full.
Let egg bites rest. Once air fried, let the egg bites rest for a few minutes to allow them to firm up before removing them from the molds.
Air fry in batches. This recipe was made in a 5.8 quart air fryer basket. If you have a smaller air fryer, you can half the recipe or air fry the egg bites in two batches.
Substituting add ins. If you change up your add ins, use pre-cooked proteins and avoid veggies that will make the egg bites watery (such as mushrooms and spinach – unless you sauté them first).
Don’t overcook. This may result in tough and rubbery egg bites.
Air frying time. As air fryers can differ, you may need to adjust the temperature and air frying time slightly for your brand or model.

Storage and reheating

You can store egg bites in an airtight container in the fridge for 3-4 days or in the freezer for up to 3 months.

To reheat, just microwave them for 30-45 seconds, or until heated through. If your egg bites are frozen, they will take a little longer to reheat in the microwave.

Close up view of egg bites on a white plate and topped with chopped green onions.

More air fryer breakfast recipes

More breakfast recipes

If you make this recipe, I’d love to hear what you think in the comments below!

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