Cottage Cheese Egg Bake: Easy and Gluten Free

Fluffy, cheesy, and versatile, this gluten-free Cottage Cheese Egg Bake is perfect for a crowd or an easy, savory morning breakfast that will feed you for days. And, this recipe is perfect for anyone with insulin resistance who wants to start their day with a high-protein meal.

Image of a slice of fluffy cottage cheese egg bake served on a white plate. We can see the corner of a yellow baking dish atop a black and white checkered napkin in the background.

We love having this egg bake in the fridge for days when we don’t have time to cook. Just pop a slice in the microwave, serve it with a veggie side or salad, and call it lunch or dinner.

Ingredients for Cottage Cheese Egg Bake

Eggs: we use whole eggs in this recipe, as you need the egg yolks and whites for the proper consistency and rise.

Image of a whisk and several whole, cracked eggs in a large glass bowl.

Cottage Cheese: Good Culture and Kalona SuperNatural brand cottage cheese top the list of our faves. The small curds and creamy texture are delightful in both brands.
Superfine Almond Flour: In addition to being gluten-free, almond flour provides 6-7 grams of protein per ¼ cup. It's available in the baking aisle of most grocery stores.

Image of ingredients necessary to make the cottage cheese egg bake, including eggs, cottage cheese, roasted chiles, butter, almond flour, baking powder and shredded cheese.

Chiles: head to the frozen food section of your grocery store and look for frozen, roasted hatch green chiles. Depending on the brand, they are available in a tub or bag, and vary in spice level from mild to spicy. If you can’t find frozen chiles, feel free to roast your own (hatch and poblano chiles work well here) or look for the canned version. Be sure to thaw and drain chiles before adding them to the other ingredients.

Image of thawed chiles in a fine mesh colander being drained into a bowl.

Shredded Cheese: cheddar, Monterey jack, or mozzarella all work well. If you can shred your own, you’ll avoid added potato starch, cellulose, and other potential additives, but I know sometimes convenience is key, so do what works for you.
Baking Powder: Don't skip the baking powder. It's essential for making your egg bake rise to its fluffy consistency.

How to Make the Cottage Cheese Egg Bake

This bake requires little hands-on time. All you do is mix all the ingredients in a bowl, pour the mixture into a greased baking dish, and bake.

Image of all the ingredients for the cottage cheese egg bake in one bowl, ready to be mixed.

Make it Your Own

It’s easy to get creative and make this egg bake your own by adding your favorite veggies, such as:

Blanched broccoli
Blanched asparagus
Fresh or frozen spinach (thawed and drained)
Chopped bell peppers
Fresh, sliced jalapeños
Grated zucchini (drain all excess liquid)
Shredded chicken
Cooked sausage (nitrate- and nitrite-free), etc.

COMMON QUESTIONS For Cottage Cheese Egg Bake

Can I freeze the cottage cheese bake?

Yes! You can freeze the bake for up to three weeks. Simply defrost it in the refrigerator overnight, or for about 8 hours.

Can I Use a Muffin Pan to Make Individual "Muffins"?

Yes! A silicone muffin pan (affiliate link) is the best option for muffins as they release easily from the pan. Be sure to grease each muffin cup and fill them ¾ full with the egg and cheese batter. If you have extra batter, bake them in batches. Adjust the oven time to 15 minutes at 400°F, and another 15 minutes at 350°F. Use the toothpick test to ensure the muffins are fully cooked.

Do I Have to Use Butter?

The butter makes the egg and cheese bake extra silky, but you can omit the butter if you are trying to cut down on fat. It will still be delicious! If you use butter, we do recommend butter from grass-fed cows.

What is the Best Re-heating Method?

Place a slice on a microwave-safe plate and heat on high in the microwave for 1-2 minutes, checking every 30 seconds to avoid overheating.

Image of the baked cottage cheese egg bake in a casserole dish.

How to Turn This Egg Bake Into a Complete Meal

Serve it with a side of fresh berries for breakfast.
Ladle up a bowl of your favorite soup like our Chicken Potato Soup Recipe or toss together some nutrient-dense greens for a side salad and make it lunch.
Pair it with roasted green veggies like our Roasted Broccoli and Cauliflower, and roasted chicken breast for dinner.

When things get a little hectic and you need to whip up a simple, nutritious dish that will satisfy your hunger any time of day, this will be your go-to. Enjoy it, and if you make the Cottage Cheese Egg Bake, please rate it and leave a comment below so others can learn from your experience!

Recipe

Cottage Cheese Egg Bake

Fluffy, cheesy, and versatile, this gluten-free egg and cottage cheese bake is perfect for a crowd or an easy, savory morning breakfast that will feed you for days.

5 from 4 votes

Print Pin Rate

Course: Breakfast, Dinner, Lunch

Keyword: easy, gluten-free, high-protein

Prep Time: 10

Cook Time: 45

Servings:

Calories: 424kcal

Author: Jackelin Slack And Jen Birge MS, RDN, CDCES

Equipment

1 Glass Casserole Dish 9 inch x 13 inch
1 12 Cups Silicone Muffin Pan optional

Ingredients

10 Large eggs pasture-raised, organic (recommended)
32 oz tubs of low-fat cottage cheese We like Good Culture brand; whole milk cottage cheese is optional but will increase fat content and calories
12 oz tub of roasted hatch green chiles sub-in fresh, chopped roasted chiles, blanched veggies, and or lean meat (see notes)
½ cup superfine almond flour
8 oz block of cheddar or Monterey Jack cheese shredded
½ cup grass-fed butter, melted (optional) -
1¼ teaspoon baking powder
½ tablespoon olive oil for greasing casserole dish

Get Recipe Ingredients

Instructions

Heat oven to 400℉.
Prepare a 9x13 casserole dish by greasing thoroughly with the olive oil.
½ tbsp olive oil
Drain the chiles in a fine mesh colander. In a large bowl whisk the eggs thoroughly and then add the rest of the ingredients, including the drained chiles. Mix until combined.
10 Large eggs, 32 oz tubs of low-fat cottage cheese, 12 oz tub of roasted hatch green chiles, ½ cup superfine almond flour, 8 oz block of cheddar or Monterey Jack cheese, ½ cup grass-fed butter, melted, 1¼ tsp baking powder
Pour the mixture into the greased casserole dish and place it onto the middle rack of the preheated oven. Bake for 15 minutes, lower the temperature to 350℉ and bake for another 30 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the middle of the dish comes out clean.
Remove the pan from the oven and allow the egg and cheese bake to cool about 10 minutes before serving.
To Make Muffins: If you prefer to make muffins, we recommend a silicone muffin pan to easily release the muffins. Grease each individual cup thoroughly. Fill each cup ¾ full and bake at 400℉ for 15 minutes. Lower the oven temperature to 350℉ and bake for another 15 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the middle of the muffin comes out clean. Allow the muffins to cool completely before removing them from the muffin pan.
Repeat the process with any remaining mixture, being sure to clean and grease the muffin pan between baking.

Notes

Chiles:

The spice level of hatch chiles varies, so be sure to check the package before purchasing.
Look for tubs or bags of frozen roasted hatch chiles in the frozen food section of your grocery store. Defrost frozen chiles and remove all excess liquid before using.
The Hatch Chile Store has instructions on roasting your own chiles if your grocery store doesn't carry them. You can order roasted hatch chiles from their online store.
You can omit chiles, replace them with one of the customizations listed below, or use canned, drained chiles instead of frozen/fresh.

Customizations:
Feel free to make this egg and cheese bake your own by adding veggies or meat. Some ideas include:

blanched broccoli or asparagus (chopped small)
fresh or frozen spinach (thawed and drained)
bell peppers
fresh jalapeños
grated zucchini (drained of excess liquid)
cooked, shredded chicken
cooked bacon
cooked sausage

Storage:
Refrigerate for up to a week, or store in the freezer for up to 3 weeks.

Defrosting:
Thaw frozen bake in the refrigerator overnight, or for approximately 8 hours.

Reheating:
Place a slice or muffin on a microwave-safe dish and heat on high for two minutes, checking every 30 seconds.

Nutrition

Dietitian Approved - by Jen Birge, MS, RDN, CDCES

Cottage Cheese Egg Bake is Great for Those with Insulin Resisance:

The Cottage Cheese Egg Bake has a protein-to-carb ratio that is about 30 grams of protein to 7 grams of carbs. That’s even better than our general recommendation of having at least one 1 gram of protein to 2 grams of carbs for a meal. This means it will help balance blood sugar and insulin levels.

And, you have some wiggle room here with carbohydrates - meaning, you can add a little more, if you want. Of course, we recommend that you add a whole food carbohydrate like a serving of fruit. Check out our post on Carbohydrates: Making Smart Carb Choices for Insulin Resistance for some ideas.

Tip: eat the carb food after you eat the Cottage Cheese Egg Bake. Having the higher protein food first, helps reduce your glucose response from the carbohydrates.

This recipe can easily be doubled. Have one now and freeze one for later. Meal prepping made easy!

It really is delicious - especially with Hatch Green Chiles! Enjoy!