These Cheesy Spinach, Ham and Egg Cups are easily made-ahead and perfectly portioned! They have so much fantastic flavor going on with a rich, runny egg, the cheesy spinach and smoky ham, that no one will know (or care) that they’re also secretly healthy!
Hey all! So, I believe we’ve discussed how I love a good make-ahead breakfast in my Hummingbird Cake Overnight Oats post, so I’ll spare you, but it’s one of the many reasons I love this recipe.
On most days, I have the same thing for breakfast, sautéed veggies topped with two eggs over-easy. It’s not hard work, really, it isn’t, but still I find myself procrastinating on getting into the kitchen to whip it up. I don’t know why.
Maybe it’s just the regular ol’ morning sleepies, but whenever this happens, it throws off my whole morning and that’s just annoying.
Anyway, let’s talk of pleasant things. I love runny eggs the way Anthony Bordain loves runny eggs* and they’re what make these adorable little egg cups taste so… indulgent.
When that rich, creamy yolk breaks open over the cheesy spinach… ohmagoodness. And the ham! The texture and flavor of the ham after cooking in the oven is kind of ridiculous. I really want one of these right now, but let’s be honest, I already ate them all. I mean I had a little help, but it was mostly me. #sorrynotsorry
Just a warning: the creamed spinach is so stinkin’ tasty, I have to stop myself from eating it all before I can put it in the ham cups. Ya know, when I have to take a bite to check the seasoning? And then just one more to make double sure?
It’s a dirty job, but somebody’s gotta do it. So you may need some supervision to make sure that being spinach-less doesn’t happen to you. In fact, this creamy, cheesy, garlicky spinach has become so beloved that I turned it into a side dish all itself ⇒ 21 Day Fix Cheesy Garlic Creamed Spinach.
Anyway, you can bake all twelve at once, then refrigerate and reheat in the microwave. This is what I do and they still come out runny, fantastic and NOT rubbery (as old wives tales would have you believe!) Just FYI, The rule of thumb is that cooked eggs or meat will keep in the fridge for up to 4 days.
*There used to be a youtube video clip here of Anthony Bourdain proclaiming himself to be a “total egg slut” but I’ve found that it’s no longer there. Boo. Let’s just pretend that you just watched that clip and you found it hilarious and endearing, OK? 🙂
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Cheesy Spinach, Ham & Egg Cups
Ingredients
For the Spinach Mixture:
- 1 cup thinly sliced green onions (or any kind of onion you have on hand)
- 2-3 garlic cloves, minced
- 1 (10 oz) box of frozen chopped spinach, thawed and squeezed dry with a clean kitchen towel
- 1/4 cup cottage cheese (2%)
- 1 tbs greek yogurt (1%)
- 1/2 cup finely shredded cheese (any kind you like, I used Colby-jack)
- salt and pepper, for seasoning
For the egg cups:
- olive oil or coconut oil cooking spray
- 12 eggs
- 12 thin slices of low-sodium deli ham
- extra chopped green onions for garnish
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Spray a muffin tin with the cooking spray, set aside.
To make the spinach mixture:
- In a blender, blend the cottage cheese and greek yogurt, set aside.
- Heat a medium saucepan over medium-high heat. Add the onions and the garlic and cook until tender. Stir in the spinach and heat through. Once hot, remove from heat and stir in the blended cottage cheese mixture, the cheese, a little bit of salt and as much black pepper as you like.
To make the egg cups:
- Place one slice of ham in each cavity forming cups. Divide the spinach mixture between them (should be about a tbs and a half in each one, but that's approximate). Crack an egg over each cup, adding a little bit of freshly ground black pepper on top if you like (I like) and then bake for 15-20 minutes or until egg whites are almost (but not completely!) set. They should look just slightly wet right around the yolk (like a poached egg) if you want your yolk to be runny (which you do, trust me). Enjoy!
Notes
21 Day Fix Container Equivalents: 1 1/2 RED, 1/4 GREEN, 1/4 BLUE
Weight Watchers Freestyle Points: 2
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Nutrition Information:
Yield: 6 Serving Size: 2 egg cupsAmount Per Serving: Calories: 240Total Fat: 14g
These are so delicious, especially the spinach mixture! They heat up in the microwave really well for meal prepping, too!
Yes they do! I love that about them! I’m so glad you like them, I love that spinach mixture, too!
Can you use fresh spinach?
Hey Denae! I’m sure you can, but I’m not sure exactly how much it would take since spinach cooks down so much… if you try it I’d love to hear how it goes!
With 8 oz of fresh spinach there was enough for 2Tbsp of the mixture in each cup.
Nikki, you are awesome, thank you for sharing this!!
These were so good!
Yay!! Thanks, Melissa! One of my fave breakfasts ever in life 😉
These look delicious! I just made my first batch for this week’s breakfasts! Out of curiosity, do you refrigerate yours in the muffin tin or do you transfer them to a closed container?
Hi Mimi! I hope you loved them! I usually transfer mine to a closed container 🙂
How do you reheat these?
Hey Amy! I just reheat mine in the microwave 🙂
How long would you suggest microwaving for?
Hey Danielle! That’s really hard to say because it depends on your microwave. I’d start with 30 seconds and go from there. Then once you do it the first time, you’ll know how long you need to go with your microwave. It usually takes about a minute for mine.
OMG I think I’ll make these and pair with the Cheddar & Chive Waffles!!!! You are awesome!
Sounds like a good combo to me! Thanks so much, Allysa!! <3
These look delicious! Just one question. The serving says 2 egg cups for 1 serving but container count says 1/2 red is that for one egg cup? Wouldn’t 2 egg cups be 1 red?
Hey Laura! Thanks! The serving size is 2 egg cups and each serving is equal to 1 1/2 Red (because it’s the 2 eggs plus the ham). I think you just missed the first “1” when you were reading it 🙂 I hope you try them, they’re SOOO good!!
I’ve gotta say, this was my first ever meal on the 21 Day Fix, so I was a little nervous about liking it since as a foodie, I was afraid this lifestyle change would be difficult.
I am in awe from how amazing these are! They’re simple to make, and I love that I can store them for an easy breakfast the next few days.
Thanks so much for sharing this! It’s definitely going in my rotation for meals.
Yay! I’m so glad you liked them, Rachel! They’re one of my very favorite breakfasts, healthy or not. This is a totally doable lifestyle change 😉
Are the 21 day fix container equivalents for a 2 egg cup serving??
Yep!
These things are freaking AMAZING!! I didn’t change the recipe at all and it was perfect. The spinach mixture is one of the best things I have EVER tasted! I could seriously eat just a bowl of that lol. I made a batch and ate them all week long, they were still so good even after reheating!
Thanks, Erica! Isn’t that spinach mixture the BEST?!! I’m telling you, I really need to remember to make it as a stand-alone side dish… it would be great for Thanksgiving!
These sound delicious! Can these be made ahead and frozen?
Thanks, Melanie! I’ve never tried freezing them so I couldn’t say for sure how they’d turn out, but I don’t see why not. If you give it a shot, would you mind letting us know how it goes? I may just have to try it for myself, I’m really curious!