Spinach, Feta, and Sun-Dried Tomato Egg Muffins: A Little Story
Okay, let me set the scene: It’s a groggy Monday morning, my toddler is having an existential crisis about socks, and the fridge offers about as much inspiration as a damp tea towel. I needed something I could whip up in advance and just grab, slice, and eat—leaning against the kitchen counter, if we’re honest. Enter these Spinach, Feta, and Sun-Dried Tomato Egg Muffins. They’re my trusty fallback, plus they look way fancier than they deserve. Actually, my friend Carla calls them “brunch magic in a muffin tin” and honestly, who am I to argue?
Why You’ll Love These (Or at Least Find Them Tolerable)
I make these when mornings hit like a lorry (which is most of ’em), or when I want to pretend I have my life together. My family goes crazy for them; even my partner—who normally eyes spinach with suspicion—happily downs two. It took me a while to get the egg-to-filling ratio right (there’s definitely such a thing as too much cheese… but, like, barely). Besides, they freeze well, which is a huge win if you’re like me and sometimes forget you even made them.
What You’ll Need (Don’t Fret, Swap What Ya Like)
- 6 large eggs (medium work too, you might just need 7)
- 1/2 cup crumbled feta cheese (Goat cheese is also fab, though once I tried halloumi and, erm, that’s a tale for another time)
- 1/2 cup sun-dried tomatoes in oil, drained and chopped (I sometimes use the dried ones soaked in hot water if I’ve run out of the fancy stuff)
- 1 cup fresh spinach, roughly chopped (Frozen works in a pinch, just squeeze out the extra water or you’ll have a sad soggy muffin)
- 1/4 cup milk (Any kind—almond, oat, or the classic cow juice. My nan always said, “Whatever you’ve got, love!”)
- Salt & pepper to taste (Careful, feta’s salty already. I found this out the hard way… rookie move.)
- Optional: Pinch dried oregano or basil, a few chopped spring onions, or a handful of olives if you’re feeling proper extra.
How I Throw These Together (Mostly, Anyway)
- Preheat your oven to 350°F (180°C). Grab a 12-cup muffin tin (or make do with whatever you’ve got—I sometimes only fill 8 and make slightly chubbier muffins). Grease the cups a bit; otherwise, you’ll be chiseling out egg bits for days.
- I start by mixing the eggs and milk in a bowl with a fork—nothing fancy, though once I used my hand mixer and the kitchen looked like an eggsplosion. Whisk until it looks pretty consistent.
- Toss in chopped spinach, sun-dried tomatoes, and your crumbly feta. Give it a gentle mix. This is where I inevitably snack on a bit of the feta. Who could blame me?
- Add a pinch of salt, a good grind of pepper, and your optional extras (sometimes I just go heavy on black pepper, no regrets). Pour the mixture evenly into the muffin cups. Don’t worry if the stuff sinks or floats weirdly–it sorts itself out in the oven.
- Bake for about 20-25 minutes or until they’re puffed and very slightly golden. I usually poke one with a knife, and if it comes out mostly clean, I call it done. If they sink a bit after coming out—shrug—they’re still delish.
Notes (Because, Trust Me, I Learned the Hard Way)
- Don’t overbake or they go rubbery. I did that the first time and, well, let’s just say the dog got a bonus breakfast.
- If you want bigger muffins, just fill the cups more and extend bake time a couple more minutes.
- I find they taste even better cold the next day. Maybe that’s weird, but hey, cold pizza’s a thing isn’t it?
Wild Variations I’ve Tried (and One I Regret)
- Mushroom and cheddar instead of spinach and feta – pretty epic, but watch the moisture or you’ll have soggy bottoms.
- Roasted red peppers instead of sun-dried tomatoes. Tasty, though on reflection, I prefer the tang of sun-dried.
- Once, I added chopped cooked bacon. Tasty, but honestly too much chaos. Maybe just me.
- Tried kale once—hmm, not for me. Fibrous and slightly odd. But you do you!
Tools of the Trade (Or Not)
Muffin tin is ideal, but hey, if you’re feeling rebellious or can’t find yours (it happens), just use a few ramekins or even a small baking dish and cut into squares after baking. Oh, and line the tin with paper cups or baking parchment if you hate scrubbing pans as much as I do. (Check out these pan recommendations, if you’re in the market.)
What About Storage?
You can keep these in an airtight tub in the fridge up to 3 days. Allegedly. Honestly, in my house, they never last more than a day! They freeze, too; just thaw overnight in the fridge or microwave gently. Usually I forget about the last one and find it later, which, let’s not discuss…
How I Like to Serve Them (Totally Unnecessary Options)
I love them with a scoop of ricotta on the side, or sometimes with hot sauce (my lot are split on this—my daughter says it’s “too spicy for breakfast” but I say why not). On weekends, we make a little salad with baby arugula and olive oil and call it brunch. Oh, and sometimes I dunk them in tomato soup. No regrets.
Random Pro Tips I’ve Earned (The Hard Way)
- Don’t skip greasing the muffin tin. I once did, never again. Ever tried chiseling dried egg from a tin? Nightmare.
- If you use frozen spinach, squeeze out all that water; I thought I could skip it once (lazy day), ended up with a puddle at the bottom. Gross.
- Bake on the middle rack. Once I tried top rack to speed things up—silly me—ended up with scorched tops and undercooked bottoms.
FAQ (Because Apparently These are Hot Topics)
Can I make these dairy free?
Oh absolutely. Just skip the cheese or try one of those vegan feta blocks. I did once with almond milk instead of regular, and they were very decent.
Do I have to use sun-dried tomatoes?
Nope! You can use roasted red pepper or even chopped cherry tomatoes (though they’re a bit more juicy, so maybe cut back the milk a splash).
Can I double this recipe?
Definitely. I’ve made double batches for brunch crowds—just use two muffin tins or bake in batches. You might have to adjust the baking time a smidge for bigger muffins.
Why did my muffins deflate?
Happens to me. Eggs puff up heroically in the oven then collapse into little clouds—totally normal. They still taste ace.
How can I reheat them?
Microwave for 20 sec or pop in a low oven till warm. (Actually, I like them cold. Just saying.)
What if I don’t have muffin tins?
Ramekins work, or just bake as a big frittata and cut into pieces—it’s not the law or anything.
Bit of a tangent, but my friend Lucy once added chili flakes and called them “breakfast bombs.” She was right, so if you fancy a kick, try it!
That’s it—give these a go and let me know if you invent something better! And if you’re ever after more eggy inspiration, take a peek at Sally’s ideas here, which I borrow from liberally.
Ingredients
- 8 large eggs
- 1 cup fresh spinach, chopped
- 3/4 cup feta cheese, crumbled
- 1/3 cup sun-dried tomatoes, chopped
- 1/4 cup milk
- 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1/4 cup green onions, finely sliced
Instructions
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1Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C) and grease a 12-cup muffin tin with olive oil or non-stick spray.
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2In a large bowl, whisk together the eggs and milk until well combined. Season with salt and black pepper.
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3Add chopped spinach, sun-dried tomatoes, feta cheese, and green onions to the egg mixture. Stir gently to combine.
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4Divide the mixture evenly into the prepared muffin tin, filling each cup about 3/4 full.
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5Bake for 20-22 minutes, or until the egg muffins are set and slightly golden on top.
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6Remove from the oven and let cool for a few minutes before loosening the muffins from the tin. Serve warm or at room temperature.
Approximate Information for One Serving
Nutrition Disclaimers
Number of total servings shown is approximate. Actual number of servings will depend on your preferred portion sizes.
Nutritional values shown are general guidelines and reflect information for 1 serving using the ingredients listed, not including any optional ingredients. Actual macros may vary slightly depending on specific brands and types of ingredients used.
To determine the weight of one serving, prepare the recipe as instructed. Weigh the finished recipe, then divide the weight of the finished recipe (not including the weight of the container the food is in) by the desired number of servings. Result will be the weight of one serving.
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