It’s hard to find a quick on-the-go breakfast that’s not a 500 calorie piece of coffee cake or a heavy carb-loaded bagel. And while I love me a piece of cinnamon coffee cake, I just can’t eat it for breakfast and deal with that calorie guilt all day long.
About a month ago I was at a conference in Boston, and there was a Starbucks in the hotel lobby. On a whim I ordered the Ham & Cheddar Sous Vide Egg Bites. At only 250 calories – and filled with protein – they seemed like a good breakfast option (besides the $4.50 price tag).
As with all fast food breakfasts, my expectations were pretty low. Once a year I treat myself to a McDonald’s Egg McMuffin and Hash browns (or like, 3 hash browns; those things are addictive), so that’s where the bar was set.
The were round and spongy, warm from the quick zap in whatever oven Starbucks hides behind the counter.
And they were…
DELICIOUS.
They were creamy and firm at the same time, with bits of ham and cheese inside. I was torn between taking small bites and trying to savor them, and scarfing them down because they were so tasty.
After that one breakfast, I was hooked.
I came home and told Mr. KK about them. “They are AMAZING!” I gushed. “SO SO SO good!” He gave me a look that told me he thought I was crazy, and that nothing from Starbucks aside from coffee could taste that good.
A few mornings later, Mr. KK came home from his morning gym class – which was right next to Starbucks – with iced coffees and a set of the sous vide egg bites. “I had to see what all the hype was about,” he said, picking one up and devouring half of it in one bite.
How could he eat it so fast? Didn’t he know he needed to make it last because they were so delicious. He pushed the other egg bite towards me. I ate it with a fork and in about 17 bites. And if I’m being honest, I was a little disappointed that I had to share ONE order of egg bites with him, only giving me a single egg bite.
“Well?” I asked him.
“They’re pretty good,” he said. “But this is like a one-time thing; they’re expensive.” And then he left the kitchen to go shower, acting like his world was not just changed by a breakfast item.
And I hate to admit it, but Mr. KK is right: they are a sometimes breakfast treat at almost $5 a pop.
Of course I wasn’t the only one obsessed with these things. A quick Google search produced results of other egg bite lovers, as well a slew of copycat recipes to recreate them at home.
Why not? I thought. What’s the worst that could happen, I don’t like them?
I choose this recipe because I was copy catting the sous vide egg bites without using my sous vide (which felt like a lot of work). This recipe used the Instant Pot. And I bought this egg mold to make them.
Recipe for copycat Starbucks Sous Vide Egg Bites
Ingredients
- 4 each eggs
- 1/2 cup cheese of your choice grated
- 1/2 cup low-fat cottage cheese
- 1/4 tsp salt
**I also diced up some ham steak for mine.
Instructions
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Prepare the molds with non-stick spray. (I use canola or olive oil spray).
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Add one cup of water in the Instant Pot and place the trivet inside.
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In a blender, add the eggs, cheese, cottage cheese and pinch of salt. Blend until smooth (about 30 seconds). NOTE: Once you have blended the egg mixture, you can add some green vegetable leaves such as spinach or basil at this time, and give it a quick pulse–but be prepared for green color!
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If using fresh spinach, heat about 2 teaspoons of olive oil in a non-stick skillet and add a heaping bag of spinach. Allow to wilt and cook down. Remove from heat, allow to cool and squeeze out excess water; rough chop.
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OPTIONAL: In each mold, place whatever ingredients you want to add such as chopped spinach, green onion chopped up ham, green chiles etc.
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Fill each mold with the egg mixture leave just a bit of room for expansion. Cover the mold with foil or with an 8″ parchment paper (for cakes).
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Place the mold on top of the trivet. If using two molds (double the recipe, of course) place the second one on top, but adjust so that the wells are aligned exactly with the mold below (to allow for expansion).
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Check the Instant Pot lid that your gasket is in place, propertly. Close and lock the lid. Press STEAM for 10 minutes.
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Allow the pressure to release naturally (about 10 minutes). Release any remaining pressure, and remove the lid. The egg bites will be tall and fluffy. Allow them to deflate (about 30 seconds).
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Carefully remove the molds, wearing heat-protective gloves. Allow the egg bites to cool for a few minutes. The easiest way to remove these is to place a wire rack on top, and flip over. If the molds were prepared properly, they should pop right out.
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Store in the refrigerator in an air-tight container for up to one week.
(Let’s be real, these look nothing like the Starbucks ones).
The author of this recipe got really fully egg bites that rose over the top of the mold. Mine did not look like that. Mine were more like deflated, sad egg flats.
Mr. KK – who was hopeful that I would fall in love with these egg bites and never again purchase them at their high price tag – popped one in his mouth and exclaimed, “These are delicious! They taste just like Starbucks!”
While I appreciate his enthusiasm for my cooking, I have to disagree.
Were they good? I guess? (I would call them “edible” vs “good”.)
Did they taste like the Starbucks ones? Not at all.
Were they cheaper? That’s a big yes.
Will I still eat the knock-off eggs? Yes.
Will I still sneak the real deal egg bites when I can? Hell to the yes.
Life of kk 
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