This flavorful, fluffy cottage cheese egg bake has a lot more protein than you’ll find in most recipes. Plus, it’s loaded with filling, healthy ingredients that keep you satisfied for hours.
As a Nutritionist, I’ve found that egg-based breakfasts are one of the best tools for sustainable, lasting fat loss goals — because they’re so dang filling. But there are two main problems:
- Eggs aren’t that high in protein
- It can be a pain to prep every morning
To eat enough protein to help you burn fat while keeping muscle, you need to eat at least 5 whole eggs in one sitting… most people don’t want to do that.
And if you’re short on time, taking out a bowl to scramble eggs, then cooking them in a pan, then washing all the dishes every single morning isn’t always realistic.
To solve these issues, I’ve created a meal-prep friendly egg bake recipe that is actually high in protein — a whopping 34 grams per serving.
This recipe is featured from my brand new Fall Meal Plan with over 60 delish, seasonal recipes to help you enjoy the holiday season without having to “start over” on January 1st. It also takes the guess work out of what to make every day with 6 weeks of breakfast, lunch and dinner all planned for you. And yes, desserts are included 😋
You can checkout my Fall Meal Plan HERE.
But now, let’s dive into my insanely healthy, super filling, and crazy delicious cottage cheese egg bake recipe.
Recipe Highlights
- Actually high protein: 34 grams per serving.
- Nutrient-dense: Thanks to superfoods like eggs, kale and cottage cheese.
- Perfect for meal prep: Make for the week!
- Very flavorful: Not a sad, squishy egg bake.
Key Ingredients
Eggs
Eggs on their own are a superfood and they’re particularly awesome for fat loss. When compared to other breakfast foods, like oatmeal, eggs have been shown to make you feel fuller longer and eat less later. They’re also a good source of leucine — the amino acid required to help prevent muscle loss while losing weight. The one downside is that eggs aren’t very high in protein. Which is why we’re adding in the next food…
Cottage Cheese
For every 1 cup of cottage cheese, you get about 28 grams of protein. This helps to balance out eggs and make this meal truly high protein. Plus, you get about 11% of your daily calcium needs per 1 cup. Concerned about heart health? You shouldn’t be. Because there has been an overwhelming amount of new evidence showing that although full-fat dairy is high in saturated fats, it doesn’t actually raise the risk of heart disease.
And full-fat dairy is significantly higher than low-fat dairy in vitamin K2, which is essential for getting calcium out of the arteries and into the bones. That’s not only important for heart health (preventing atherosclerosis) but also for bone health, too.
Kale
This cruciferous veggie is high in a compound called glucosinolates. These are important for phase 2 liver detox and speeding up how quickly your body breaks down caffeine. Not to mention, kale and other leafy greens were the only plant-based food listed on the top 11 most nutrient-dense foods to support long term health and prevent nutrient deficiencies. When you cook kale, it also becomes easier to digest and break down, making it easier on the GI tract, too.
From a fat loss perspective, kale is incredibly low glycemic load, meaning it won’t spike your blood sugar at all. This makes it easier to shift back into fat burning mechanisms faster after eating.
Chicken Sausage
Here’s where a lot of the flavor comes in (plus even more protein)! Really any sausage will work for this recipe, but try and look for the ones that are highest in protein. Chicken, beef and turkey-based sausages tend to be better than pork.
Equipment Needed
- 9×13 Baking Pan (I like to use non-toxic, non-stick, like Caraway)
- Pan or Skillet
How To Make This Recipe
This recipe comes together in less than an hour for a full 6 days worth of ready-to-eat high protein breakfasts. Here’s a super simplified breakdown for how to make it.
- Sauté the veggies.
- Whisk together the eggs, goat cheese, cottage cheese, and sausage.
- Pour the veggies into the eggs and give it a whisk.
- Add the mixture to a pan and bake in a 375 F oven for 30-35 minutes.
Ingredient Swaps
- Goat cheese: Sub in any other cheese. Cashew-based cheeses also work.
- Chicken and Apple Sausage: Any other sausage works. Andouille would add a nice smokiness and spicy italian adds some heat. Just make sure to pre-cook it if it’s not already.
- Kale: Spinach, arugula, beet greens are all good swaps.
- Mushrooms: Any type of mushroom works. Shiitake, portabello, button, baby bella. Or you can leave it out if you’re not a fan.
Storing and Reheating
These are great for meal prep! Allow it to fully cool before slicing into 6 pieces and storing in a sealed container in the fridge. This can be eaten hot or cold. If you want to heat it up, microwave one slice for 30-60 seconds. Or you can wrap it in foil and warm it up in an oven pre-heated to 350 F for 10 minutes.
What to Pair This With
This goes great with a side of refreshing fruit. If you need to up your protein even further, protein coffee is excellent to have with it for a boost of 18 grams. Below are my favorite protein coffee recipes.
Tips From The Nutritionist
Autumn Bates, CCN, MS, BS, CPT
If you need more than 34 grams of protein per meal, definitely pair this with protein coffee. It’s an easy hack to instantly hit your protein needs. Not sure how much protein you need per day? Check out my free Protein Calculator here.
FAQ’s
Eggs aren’t super high in protein (each egg only has about 5-6 grams). Cottage cheese helps to significantly raise the protein content of this egg bake while also adding a rich, fluffy texture.
Other Recipes You May Love
- High Protein, High Fiber Cottage Cheese Bowl; Just a few minutes of prep and very filling.
- Anti-Inflammatory Golden Milk Smoothie; Using kefir, turmeric, ginger and protein.
- Blueberry Cottage Cheese Toast; Ready in minutes and only three ingredients!
Did you love this recipe? Let me know in the comments below!
Mushroom Kale Egg Bake
Ingredients
- 1 tsp. olive oil
- 1 1/2 cups mushrooms sliced
- 1/2 medium yellow onion diced
- 1 tsp. dried thyme
- 2 cups kale chopped
- 2 cloves garlic minced
- salt
- 12 eggs
- 16 oz. cottage cheese full-fat
- 5 oz. soft goat cheese
- 4 links pre-cooked chicken and apple sausage diced
- 1/2 cup favorite fruit (per serving, when ready to eat)
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 375 and grease the baking pan.
- In a pan over medium heat, add the olive oil, mushrooms, onions, thyme and a pinch of salt. Sauté until soft, about 5 minutes. Add the kale and garlic and sauté for another 2 minutes or until kale is softened.
- In a large bowl, add the eggs and cottage cheese. Whisk to combine. Sprinkle in the goat cheese, sausage, and cooked veggies and stir to combine.
- Pour the mixture into the greased pan and bake for 30-35 minutes. You know it's ready when you poke a knife into the center and it comes out clean.
- Allow it to fully cool before slicing into 6 pieces and storing in a sealed container in the fridge.
- When ready to eat, pair one slice of egg bake with 1/2 cup of your favorite fruit. This can be eaten hot or cold. If you want to heat it up, microwave one slice for 30-60 seconds. Or you can wrap it in foil and warm it up in an oven pre-heated to 350 F for 10 minutes.
Notes
Equipment
Nutrition
Did you try this recipe?
Don’t forget to leave a comment below and share your thoughts!
