Baked Egg and Spinach Breakfast Cups Low Calorie with Feta and Sun-Dried Tomato
Some mornings just need a breakfast that does the heavy lifting for you. These baked egg and spinach breakfast cups are low calorie, genuinely filling and take almost no effort to pull together. Each cup is built around a whole egg nestled into a base of wilted baby spinach, creamy crumbled feta and sweet sun-dried tomato. The result is a little pocket of flavour that feels indulgent but clocks in at under 90 calories per cup. That is the kind of morning win worth waking up for.
What makes this recipe stand out from the usual egg muffin crowd is the attention to texture and nutrition in equal measure. Instead of loading the cups with heavy cream or full-fat cheese, this version uses a small splash of unsweetened almond milk to keep the egg mixture silky without adding unnecessary calories. Baby spinach brings iron, magnesium and folate to the table, while the feta adds a salty, tangy punch that means you genuinely do not need much of it to get a big hit of flavour. Sun-dried tomatoes add natural sweetness and a concentrated dose of lycopene, a powerful antioxidant that supports heart health. Together, these ingredients create a breakfast cup that earns its place in your weekly rotation.
Meal prep is where these cups truly shine. You can bake a full tray of twelve on a Sunday evening and have breakfast sorted for the entire working week. They reheat beautifully in the microwave in about 45 seconds, or you can enjoy them cold straight from the fridge if you are really pushed for time. The cups are naturally gluten free and keto friendly, making them easy to fit into a wide range of eating plans. If you are cooking for a family with different dietary needs, these are a quiet crowd pleaser that nobody will complain about. Even picky eaters tend to come around once they try one.
The technique here is simple enough for a complete beginner but the results look impressive enough to serve at a weekend brunch. Lining the muffin tin with a light coating of olive oil spray is key, because it ensures the cups pop out cleanly without tearing. Wilting the spinach before adding it to the cups is another small but important step. Fresh spinach holds a lot of moisture, and if you skip the wilting stage the cups can turn out watery. A quick two-minute sauté in a dry pan is all it takes. From there, the assembly is straightforward and the oven does the rest. You are looking at twelve perfectly portioned, protein-rich breakfast cups that cost a fraction of a cafe breakfast and take just 25 minutes from start to finish.
Ingredients
- 12 large eggs (free-range if possible)
- 3 cups baby spinach, tightly packed (wilted before use)
- 3 tablespoons unsweetened almond milk (or any low-calorie milk of choice)
- 80 g reduced-fat feta cheese (crumbled)
- 60 g sun-dried tomatoes in water (drained and roughly chopped, not in oil)
- 2 cloves garlic (finely minced)
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano
- 0.5 teaspoon smoked paprika
- 0.3 teaspoon black pepper, freshly ground
- 0.3 teaspoon fine sea salt (optional, feta adds saltiness)
- 1 spray olive oil cooking spray (for greasing the muffin tin)
- 2 tablespoons fresh chives (finely chopped, for garnish)
Instructions
- 1
Preheat your oven to 190 degrees Celsius (375 degrees Fahrenheit). Spray a 12-hole standard muffin tin generously with olive oil cooking spray, making sure to coat the sides as well as the base of each cup.
A silicone muffin tray works even better here as the cups release without any sticking at all.
- 2
Place a non-stick pan over medium heat. Add the baby spinach and the minced garlic and toss for about 2 minutes until the spinach has fully wilted down. Remove from the heat and allow to cool for a couple of minutes, then press the spinach gently with the back of a spoon to squeeze out any excess moisture.
Removing the moisture from the spinach is the most important step. Watery cups are the number one reason people end up disappointed with this style of recipe.
- 3
Divide the wilted spinach mixture evenly between the 12 muffin holes, pressing it gently into the base and slightly up the sides to create a small nest shape in each cup.
- 4
Scatter the chopped sun-dried tomatoes evenly over the spinach in each cup. Follow with the crumbled feta, distributing it as evenly as you can across all 12 cups.
- 5
In a small bowl or jug, lightly whisk together 8 of the 12 eggs with the almond milk, smoked paprika, dried oregano, black pepper and salt if using. Pour a small amount of this egg mixture into each cup, filling them roughly one-third of the way up.
Using a jug with a spout makes pouring the egg mixture into the cups much neater and quicker.
- 6
Carefully crack one whole egg into each of the remaining 4 cups so that the yolk sits whole on top of the filling. Then add a spoonful of the whisked egg mixture to the remaining 8 cups to finish filling them to about three-quarters full. This gives you a mix of whole-yolk cups and scrambled-style cups in the same batch.
If you prefer all cups to have a whole cracked egg, simply skip the whisked egg mixture and crack one egg into each of the 12 cups instead.
- 7
Slide the tray into the preheated oven and bake for 15 to 18 minutes. The egg whites should be fully set and the tops should look just slightly puffed. If you like a firmer yolk, give them the full 18 minutes.
Start checking at 15 minutes. Overbaking will make the eggs rubbery, so it is better to pull them slightly early.
- 8
Remove the tray from the oven and allow the cups to cool in the tin for 3 to 4 minutes before running a thin butter knife or small spatula around the edge of each cup to loosen them. Lift them out gently, scatter with fresh chives and serve warm.
Nutrition per serving
85kcal
Calories
7g
Protein
2g
Carbs
5g
Fat
0.5g
Fibre
1g
Sugar
180mg
Sodium
Pro Tips
- ✓
Always wilt and drain the spinach before baking. Excess moisture is the main cause of soggy, undercooked cups.
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Do not overfill the muffin cups. Filling to three-quarters full gives the egg room to puff up without overflowing.
- ✓
Let the cups rest in the tin for a few minutes after baking. They firm up as they cool and release much more cleanly.
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Sun-dried tomatoes packed in water rather than oil keep the calorie count significantly lower without losing any flavour.
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For a more golden top, switch the oven to the grill setting for the final 2 minutes of cooking.
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Add a pinch of chilli flakes to the egg mixture if you like a gentle kick of heat in the morning.
Frequently Asked Questions
Variations
- •
Mediterranean Artichoke
Swap the sun-dried tomatoes for chopped marinated artichoke hearts and add a few sliced black olives. Sprinkle with a little dried thyme instead of oregano for a slightly different herby note.
- •
Spicy Turkey Sausage
Add a small amount of cooked, crumbled turkey sausage to the base of each cup before the spinach. This bumps the protein content up further and makes each cup more substantial for bigger appetites.
- •
Mushroom and Thyme
Sauté finely diced mushrooms with the garlic and spinach for an earthy, umami-rich version. Replace the oregano with fresh thyme leaves and skip the feta for a fully dairy free option.
- •
Roasted Red Pepper and Goat Cheese
Replace the feta with a small amount of crumbled soft goat cheese and swap the sun-dried tomatoes for finely chopped jarred roasted red peppers. The combination is slightly sweeter and very satisfying.
Substitutions
- •Almond milk → Oat milk or skimmed dairy milk (Any low-fat milk works here. The quantity is small so it will not significantly affect the flavour or calorie count.)
- •Reduced-fat feta → Crumbled firm tofu with nutritional yeast (Use the same quantity and add half a teaspoon of nutritional yeast for a dairy free, similarly savoury result.)
- •Baby spinach → Chopped kale or Swiss chard (Both work well but take a minute longer to wilt down in the pan. Chop kale finely before cooking for the best texture in the cups.)
- •Sun-dried tomatoes in water → Fresh cherry tomatoes, halved (Fresh tomatoes will release a little more moisture so pat them dry with a kitchen towel before adding to the cups.)
- •Fresh chives → Spring onion greens or fresh parsley (Both add a fresh herby finish. Spring onion has a slightly stronger flavour so use a little less if you prefer a milder garnish.)
🧊 Storage
Store cooled cups in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days. To reheat, microwave individual cups for 40 to 50 seconds. You can also reheat them in a 170 degree Celsius oven for 8 minutes if you prefer a less rubbery texture. Freeze for up to 2 months in a sealed freezer-safe bag.
📅 Make Ahead
These cups are ideal for Sunday meal prep. Bake the full batch, cool completely, and refrigerate. They hold their texture and flavour well throughout the working week. For best results, add the fresh chive garnish just before serving rather than before storing.
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