Za'atar, Olive and Feta Mediterranean Egg Bites {no Cottage Cheese}

These Za'atar, Olive and Feta Mediterranean Egg Bites come together in a matter of minutes and bake in a simple muffin tin! We've ditched the cottage cheese and went with a Lebanese staple - labneh (or Greek yogurt). Blend, fill, pour and pop them in the oven for a quick, flavorful, tender breakfast option. This recipe will be your new go-to for a delicious, easy, make ahead breakfast!

As with most things I make, I love adding a bit of my Lebanese/Middle Eastern flair. Adding common Lebanese pantry staples to these egg bites was so simple and really gives a unique flavor. Loaded with eggs, spinach, za'atar spice, olives and feta cheese give these a delicious Mediterranean flavor. In place of the trendy cottage cheese, we're adding labneh - a Lebanese thickened yogurt. Labneh can be made at home or purchased at any Middle Eastern grocer. Greek yogurt is also a fine option if you don't have labneh. This thick and creamy yogurt gives the egg bites a deliciously silky texture.

Ingredients

I believe most of these ingredients are already in your Lebanese stocked pantry!

• Eggs - We couldn't have egg bites without eggs!
• Labneh/Greek Yogurt - Labneh is a staple in our home - it's a thickened yogurt that is tangy and ultra thick. It's similar to Greek yogurt which is an acceptable alternative.
• Za'atar Spice - Za'atar spice blend is a delicious herby flavor that really elevates these eggs. You can find za'atar in any Middle Eastern grocery store, some speciality grocers or online.
• Spinach - I love the addition of some greens in these - not too much where a kid is going to complain about green eggs. Just enough! I'm using frozen spinach because I ALWAYS have a bag on hand and can just pour in and blend. You can use fresh if you'd prefer and have on hand.
• Toum - Adding a heaping teaspoon of toum is delightful - you can also add in a clove or two of garlic instead and blend up with your egg mixture.
• Olives - The addition of tangy kalamata olives is so good - you can sub any type of olive you have on hand.
• Feta Cheese - The addition of feta cheese really gives these egg bites a huge boost of flavor. The salty, briney flavor pairs well with the neutral egg. I tried other cheeses in these and feta was the clear winner!
• Scallions - A little bit from scallions is so good but not overpowering - perfect addition to eggs.
• Salt, pepper, cooking spray

See recipe card for quantities.

Instructions

These bites come together in less than 5 minutes and bake within 20! They are a great meal prep option for busy mornings. I'd pair them with these Savory Mediterranean Muffins which share a lot of the same ingredients.

It's very important to spray your muffin tin well with cooking spray and have a good non-stick one. This is a great muffin tin that is affordable and works well in this recipe.

Equipment

This is a very easy recipe that doesn't require much but here are a few items that will make this much easier to make:

• Blender - I love my smaller Ninja blender for smoothies and things like this. But you could also use a food processor, standard blender or whisk really well (enough to get a good arm workout).
• Muffin Tin - Having a muffin tin on hand is great for these egg bites but also MUFFINS!! Like these savory muffins which would be the PERFECT pairing with these egg bites and share many of the same ingredients.

Storage

These bites are delicious right from the oven. Once fully cooled, you can store in the fridge up to 5 days - warm them up for 10-20 seconds in the microwave for a perfect breakfast bite. You can also freeze these bites in a sealed freezer proof container. Remove from freezer and place in fridge to thaw and enjoy warmed up.

Why We Love This Recipe