Buzz
When something becomes mainstream, you know it's available at Starbucks—cake pops were the first clue, and now their sous-vide egg bites, which have been a hit since their 2017 debut. I've been making my own sous-vide egg bites using an immersion circulator for almost as long, and they're not only better but also more affordable than the ones served at Starbucks.
Starbucks prepares their egg bites offsite with sous-vide cooking, then warms them in a small oven, which results in a browned, somewhat tough skin, undermining the benefits of sous-vide. Additionally, these egg bites are ridiculously pricey (over six dollars for just two), and most imitation recipes turn out to be nothing more than muffin tin frittatas. But a real homemade sous-vide egg bite is both cost-effective and far tastier than the store-bought versions. No tough, dry skin or burnt areas—just perfectly cooked, cheesy eggs filled with bacon or your favorite mix-ins.
After testing, it was found that the ideal egg bites are created using a 50/50 blend of egg and cottage cheese.
The egg mixture is undoubtedly the key element of a perfect egg bite. While the fillings are the fun part, they’re also endless, giving you the freedom to fill your bites with any combination of meats, cheeses, and vegetables. However, I felt it was more important to focus on the egg and dairy base, leaving the choice of fillings up to your personal taste preferences.
While Starbucks opts for cottage cheese, many online recipes suggest cream cheese, and I thought ricotta could bring an interesting twist. Instead of choosing one, I decided to create six small jars containing the following combinations:
A 50/50 blend (by weight) of egg and cottage cheese
A 50/50 blend (by weight) of egg and cream cheese
A 50/50 blend (by weight) of egg and ricotta
A 50/25/25 blend (by weight) of egg, cottage cheese, and cream cheese
A 50/25/25 blend (by weight) of egg, cottage cheese, and ricotta
A 50/25/25 blend (by weight) of egg, ricotta, and cream cheese
I ended up using one egg with 2 ounces of cheese in each bite, along with a generous pinch of salt, 1/2 teaspoon of nutritional yeast (which Starbucks skips, but it really enhances the umami), and around three dashes of hot sauce (feel free to add more). Each egg mixture was blended smooth with an immersion blender, then poured into a buttered jar and cooked in a 170-degree water bath for an hour.
Surprisingly, my favorite was the 50/50 mixture of egg and cottage cheese. It was creamy, velvety, and rich, with the perfect balance of salt and a subtle tang. The cream cheese was also good but became a bit heavy after a few bites, while the ricotta, unfortunately, was pretty awful (and grainy). I had expected to favor the combination of cream cheese and cottage cheese, but it turned out to be dull and lacking in character—as if each cheese, in competing for dominance, had only succeeded in muting the other.
In addition to confirming that Starbucks was right in choosing cottage cheese as the best dairy for the job, that first round of bites also taught me a useful lesson: it’s crucial to skim off the bubbles from your egg mixture before sous-vide cooking. Otherwise, you end up with bubbly, unattractive bites. (Not a huge issue, but I personally can’t stand the sight of all those little clustered holes.)
After deciding that cottage cheese was the best dairy to pair with our eggs, I experimented with using egg whites to see if they could help achieve the same smooth, creamy texture. I also threw in some caramelized onions because, well, they’re just delicious.
The results were quite similar to our whole-egg version. The egg white bite was (of course) a little less rich, but unlike the dreaded egg white omelette, it was surprisingly enjoyable to eat.
How to Create Better-Than-Starbucks Sous-Vide Egg Bites
Not only are these creamy, delicious, protein-packed bites simple to make, but they can be prepped ahead of time and enjoyed throughout the week as an easy, satisfying, budget-friendly breakfast—no need to face someone in a green apron who is determined to butcher your name. Plus, they’re free from that dry, tough skin, which is crucial for me as a devout fan of sous-vide eggs.
Ingredients (yields 6 bites):
6 eggs (or egg whites)
12 ounces cottage cheese (reduce to 10 ounces if using only egg whites)
1 tablespoon nutritional yeast
1 teaspoon salt
About 6 tablespoons of your preferred mix-ins
Butter or oil for greasing small jars
6 four-ounce mason jars
Blend the eggs, cheese, yeast, and salt together until smooth. Grease your jars with butter or oil, and then add about a tablespoon of your choice of cheese, meat, or vegetables to each jar—feel free to mix it up and add a different combination to each jar for variety. Be sure to cook any vegetables and meats beforehand to prevent them from releasing grease or water, which could make the bites soggy or greasy. Pour the egg mixture over the fillings, seal the jars, and cook them in a 170-degree water bath for an hour.
Once cooked, remove the jars from the bath and allow them to cool enough to handle. You can enjoy them right from the jar, or if preferred, turn them out onto a plate (though I’m not sure why you'd bother). If you’re not eating all six at once, refrigerate the remaining jars and reheat them either in your sous-vide setup or in the microwave for about 30 seconds.
