All the Starbucks flavor, made right at home.
Confession time. I am EXTREMELY basic. Well, at least in the sense that I absolutely LOVE Starbucks.
The aroma of fresh ground coffee, the cozy ambiance, and the predictable taste of my ½-caff iced Americano with oat milk. And, of course, those fluffy roasted red pepper egg white bites.
But since daily Starbucks runs aren’t always in the budget, I set out to replicate them at home, even dissecting their nutrition labels for clues. And guess what? They’re secretly a breeze to make, especially with my tips and shortcuts below!
(Like the yolks? Check out these Breakfast Egg Muffins for a heartier version or these Spinach Tomato Egg Muffins!)
Ingredients and Substitutions
For the exact measurements and detailed instructions, please see the recipe card below.
- Seasoning. Garlic powder, salt, and black pepper are all you need here.
- Egg whites. You’ll need a dozen egg whites. I like to buy liquid egg whites to make this recipe come together super fast. (The most popular brand is called Egg Beaters.) Simply use 3 tablespoons in place of 1 egg white.
- Red pepper. Fresh or roasted both work. Either way, chop peppers into small pieces. If using roasted, be sure to drain extra liquid and dab to dry.
- Spinach. Finely chopped so it evenly disperses.
- Shredded cheese. Monterrey jack is what Starbucks uses, but you can switch for Mozzarella, cheddar, or even gruyere depending on your preference and what you have on hand!
- Cottage cheese. Aim for at least 2%, 4% is even better. If there is less fat than this, the cheese will make the bites extremely watery.
- Hot sauce. Just a touch. Tabasco or Sriracha can also be used. Or, omit to avoid the heat.
Step-by-step Instructions
Please see the recipe card below for the full instructions, ingredient amounts, and a printable recipe.
Whisk the egg whites.
Add the egg whites, cottage cheese, and seasonings to a bowl with a spout or at least a 6-cup measuring cup. (It will be MUCH easier to get the mixture into the muffin tins if you use a spout!) Beat well until everything is combined.
Pro Tip: Make them extra fluffy by popping all of this in a blender and blending until smooth!
Fold in the add-ins.
Add the vegetables, meats (if using), and shredded cheese to the mixing bowl. Again, aim for at least 2%, if not even 4% fat cottage cheese. Give everything a good stir to combine.
Pro Tip: Make sure to thoroughly dry the roasted red peppers or else they’ll make the egg bites soggy!
Pour into muffin pan.
Egg bites are notorious for sticking to the muffin tins. The culprit: older muffin tins. Use a newer pan and liberally coat the insides with non-stick cooking spray. Alternatively, use silicone molds to easily pop them out when cooked.
Fill muffin cups ¾ full with the egg mixture. When they’re all poured, stir the filling to ensure everything is well mixed.
Bake in the oven.
Bake at 350℉ for 20-22 minutes.
Warning! These bites will rise A LOT around 15 minutes, but they will not be fully cooked. Wait until at least 18 minutes to check for doneness. The egg bites will be solid in the middle, slightly brown on the outside, and no longer shiny.
(Want to take them up a notch? Check out these Sous Vide Egg Bites for a different method of cooking!)
FAQs
Starbucks includes egg whites, spinach, red peppers, green onions, cheese, and seasonings in their bites. They also have a kale and mushroom version as well as a bacon and gruyere one.
To make these bites, whisk egg whites and seasonings, then add in vegetable, meat, or cheese mix-ins. Pour mixture into greased muffin tins and bake at 350℉ for about 20 minutes.
Place bites in an airtight container. Keep in the fridge for up to 3-5 days. Or, wrap tightly in plastic wrap and store in the freezer for up to 2-3 months. Note, freezing the bites will change their texture.
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Egg White Bites Recipe
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Ingredients
- 2 ¼ cups liquid egg whites or 12 egg whites
- ½ cup cottage cheese 2-4%
- ½-1 teaspoon hot sauce optional
- ¼ teaspoon garlic powder
- ½ teaspoon salt to taste
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper to taste
- ½ cup finely diced red bell pepper fresh or roasted (see note)
- ½ cup shredded Monterrey jack cheese
- ½ cup chopped fresh spinach
- 2 tablespoons Chopped green onions
- Fresh parsley optional
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
- Add the egg whites, cottage cheese, hot sauce (if using), garlic powder, salt, and pepper to a large bowl with a spout or measuring cup and whisk until well combined. Alternatively, you can blend this in a blender for 10-20 seconds, or until smooth, for a fluffier bite.2 ¼ cups liquid egg whites, ½ cup finely diced red bell pepper, ½-1 teaspoon hot sauce, ¼ teaspoon garlic powder, ½ teaspoon salt, ½ cup cottage cheese
- Mix in the cheeses, bell pepper, spinach, and green onions. Stir until just combined.½ cup shredded Monterrey jack cheese, ½ cup chopped fresh spinach, 2 tablespoons Chopped green onions
- Spray a 12-cup muffin pan with non-stick cooking spray and fill each one to ¾ full. Bake in the preheated oven for 20-22 minutes, or until the eggs are set and no longer jiggly.
- Serve immediately with a sprinkle of fresh parsley and enjoy!
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Video
Notes
- Eggs: Grab a carton of egg whites from the store to save time.
- Roasted Red Bell Peppers: Make sure to dry them thoroughly before adding into the mix.
- Find a spout. Mix the ingredients in a bowl or large measuring cup with a spout to make if much easier to pour.
- Muffin Tins: Make sure you’re using a relatively new, scratch-free muffin tin that has been liberally coated in non-stick cooking spray so the bites do not stick.
- Fillings: You can choose just about anything from meat to cheese to veggies to put inside.
- Prep-Ahead: Purchase egg whites to save time. Chop vegetables up to 1-2 days before or shred cheese up to 3-5 days before.
- Storage: Place bites in an airtight container and keep in the fridge for up to 3-5 days.
- Freezing: Wrap tightly in plastic wrap and store in the freezer for up to 2-3 months.
- Reheating: Cover bites in a damp paper towel and warm in microwave until heated through.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
More Breakfast Recipes
If you’re a breakfast-for-any-meal kind of person, you can’t go wrong with the following:
Corned Beef Hash and Eggs
35 mins
Hashbrown Breakfast Casserole
1 hr 15 mins
Mini Quiche Recipe
45 mins
Oatmeal Breakfast Cookies
24 mins
I cut the recipe in half since I had six egg whites to use. I also used what I had on hand for veggies which was yellow pepper (fresh) and grape tomatoes (quartered), and I added 1/8 tsp onion powder. Delicious!
My only complaint is this page kept refreshing, and I have an add that takes over half of it on mobile.
Thanks so much for leaving a comment, Sara! I’m so glad you enjoyed them — your veggie swaps sound delicious, and great idea adding a little onion powder.
I’m sorry about the page refreshing and ads on mobile — I really appreciate you mentioning that and will take a look. Thanks again for sharing your experience!
Wonderful fresh or refrigerated. Horrible after freezing! Moisture flows out dry crumbely inside. Tried both oven and microwave same yuky result! 🤮
Thanks so much for leaving a comment, Sheila! I’m so glad you enjoyed them fresh — that’s definitely when they’re at their best.
Freezing can change the texture quite a bit with egg-based recipes, so that’s really helpful feedback for others. Thanks for sharing your experience!