The words “zero carb” are music to my ears when looking up keto recipes online. I was determined to make some zero carb egg muffins for breakfast that I can bring with me all week for lunch at work, too. These muffins are extremely easy to put together and have the perfect low carb, high fat, moderate protein macro ratio. I absolutely plan to create other egg muffin recipes in the future with different filling combinations; for now, this is a simple recipe that can be easily built upon by adding veggies or other cheeses that suit your taste.
I began by pre-heating my oven to 350°F and spraying my 6 cup jumbo muffin tin with non-stick spray.
I sliced the Italian sausage into small bite-sized pieces and sauteed them in butter. Although the Niman Ranch uncured sausage links are fully cooked in the package, I do want to brown them and heat them thoroughly before baking.
After cooking I spooned the sausage evenly into the muffin cups and set aside.
A quick note about Omega-3 fatty acids: I buy Organic Valley Large Brown Free Range eggs with 225mg Omega-3 in each egg. I like that these eggs come from family farms and that the hens are fed organic flax seed to raise the Omega-3 content in the eggs. Omega-3 fatty acids are really important in any diet, not just ketogenic living. There are three types of Omega-3s: EPA, DHA and ALA. EPA and DHA are typically found in fish while ALA is plant-based – although all three are important, EPA and DHA are the “active” versions and our bodies lack the ability to turn ALA into EPA or DHA. Omega-3 fatty acids help lower triglyceride levels, curb stiffness and joint pain, can lower levels of depression, lowers inflammation, reduces the effects of asthma, can assist with the effects of ADHD and may even prevent Alzheimer’s disease. Omega-6 fatty acids are pro-inflammatory fats – an excess of Omega-6s can lead to cancer, Alzheimer’s, diabetes, arthritis and heart disease. Here is a chart that shows different types of oils and fats and their Omega-3 and Omega-6 ratios – you want to avoid a high proportion of Omega-6s, or the blue bars.
Okay, back to the recipe…
I cracked the eggs into a bowl and added the hot sauce, pepper and red pepper flakes to kick up the heat.
After beating the eggs together I added the cheese and mixed until thoroughly combined.
I poured the egg mix evenly into the muffin cups and baked them for 20 minutes. When the timer when off, I turned the oven off and kept the muffins in the hot oven for an additional 5 minutes to finish setting up. These pull out of the muffin tin easily, are fluffy and full of flavor. The sausage adds substance to the cheesy eggs and the hot sauce and red pepper flakes bring extra flavor. They store easily in a container and are great for a few days after they are made; they re-heat very well. Easy and delicious! What breakfast muffins do you enjoy? Let me know!
Ingredients
- 2 spicy Italian sausage links
- 1tblsp butter
- 6 eggs
- 1c shredded cheddar cheese
- 2tsp hot sauce
- Red pepper flakes
- Fresh cracked pepper
Instructions
- Pre-heat the oven to 350°F and spray a jumbo muffin tin with non-stick spray.
- Slice sausage links into bite-sized pieces; saute in butter over medium high heat.
- Evenly distribute sausage on the bottom of each muffin cup.
- Beat the eggs, hot sauce and pepper together; add the cheese and mix thoroughly.
- Evenly pour the eggs over the sausage.
- Bake for 20 minutes. Turn off the oven and let them set an additional 5 minutes in the hot oven before removing.
Nutrtional Information
Per serving: 215 calories, 0g total carbs, 0g net carbs, 19g fat, 15g protein (Note: Please remember these numbers are based on the brands I used and may vary slightly with other brands.)
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Alison, Thanks for the recipe. I tried it tonight. I didn’t have any Italian sausage, so I used breakfast sausage. It was great! Keep up the good work!
Dan the Man
That’s great news Dan! So happy they worked with a different kind of sausage. Thanks for sharing!
Yum! I bet these would be great with spinach added into them.
Thanks Lauren! I am already planning a spinach and mozzarella version for the future.
R u putting spinach I raw
Yes I just put the spinach in raw, thanks for checking!
I did that they are great
These look great! 2 would fit my macros for a yummy breakfast! Thanks!
I’ve been making these for the last three weeks…can’t live without them! Today i added spinach and grape tomatoes sautéed in butter along with some sharp vermont cheddar…yum!!! I find I need more than 6 eggs though. How high do you fill each muffin tin?
So glad you are enjoying them! I probably fill them about 1/2 full, maybe 2/3. My muffin cups are kind of large so I definitely do not fill them up all the way. Extra eggs is a-okay and I’m happy to hear you are experimenting with different fillings!
Huge fan of your recipes – I bookmarked your page and turn to it every Sunday for recipes like these that can get me making weekday breakfasts in one shot! I love that you include nutritional info like your Omega Contents…it has made me review the ingredients with closer inspection to my benefit. Thanks and please keep up your recipes – they are a hit!
Thank you so much! I’m glad you enjoy them and I appreciate the support so much. Thanks!
Hi!
Would it be possible to make this with only egg whites or a reduced amount of egg yolks?
Hi Emily! Yes you could definitely do that, although there are so many great nutrients and fats in the yolks. I’d use two extra egg whites for every yolk you remove. 🙂
Hi Alison! How do you usually reheat these? I can’t wait to try them.
Hi Sarah. Honestly I just pop them in the microwave for a minute, test how warm they are and maybe add time if needed. You could bake them at 325 for 5 minutes or so, too.
Thank you! I tried a variation on these today: cheesey egg muffins with sausage pieces, tomatoes, spinach, basil and a little Himalayan salt – basically, the stuff I had in my fridge. They were so delicious.
That sounds awesome, Sarah! Glad you liked them; you really can throw just about anything in there!
Do these freeze? How long to they keep in the fridge?
They look yummy and I have two going to college and I would love to have a grab and go for them at 6am.
Hi Stacie. Yes you could freeze them, definitely. I think they’d keep for 3-5 days in the fridge in an airtight container. Enjoy!
Niman Ranch products are the best!!!!
I agree! I love them!
Can I ask, how do you figure zero carbs? Both eggs and cheese have some carbs. Can you explain? Thanks!
As stated in all of my recipes, the brands I used in this recipe mark them as zero carb. I input all of my recipes into My Fitness Pal for the nutritional information, and copy it directly to each recipe. If you use other brands, there may or may not be a difference in carb and calorie counts. Thanks!
Oh my- I used this recipe last night to prepare for my breakfasts for work. It is DELICIOUS!!! I used Louisiana hot sauce instead of Sriracha and Cayenne Pepper and Mrs. Dash’s table seasoning with these and used turkey smoked sausage- oh my goodness!! This will be a staple to my meals! Thank you.
Awesome news, Daphne!! So glad you enjoyed the muffins, hope you continue to make them in the future!
What size muffin tin did you use? I can’t tell whether it’s standard or large. Thanks!
It’s a jumbo muffin tin: http://amzn.to/2lWTPRh
Just wanted to say that I was looking for this specific recipe and I loved your blog name so it’s the one I pulled up. Hands down Mean Girls is my absolute favorite movie. And now I’m going to cruise through your other recipes. I have had these and loved them but wanted to give someone else the recipe and couldn’t recall how long to cook them. Thanks for naming your blog with a great hook!
I love Mean Girls, too! So glad you liked the recipe, and the blog name is memorable. Thanks for stopping by!
Can you use bacon instead of sausage? Thank you!
Yes absolutely you can, Kyra. That would be delicious, too!
Thank you so much for sharing this recipe. I also want to thank your followers for sharing their variations. I start work at midnight, so having something (other than hard boiled eggs) that is truly “grab and go” is wonderful. I am looking forward to trying some of your other recipes as well.
Thank you, Karen! I hope you enjoy them and any other recipes you may try. They are very easy to change up and add other ingredients as you see fit.
Is a serving one egg muffin? Thanks so much for the recipe!
Yes that’s correct, Noel.
Can you tell me how many grams of fiber there are in one serving? It was missing from the nutrition details. These are awesome!! Thank you!
There isn’t any fiber in this recipe, which is why the amount is 0g total and 0g net in the recipe. Thanks!
I avoid that particular type of hot sauce because of the high amount of sugar in it. I have used Brother Brubrus hot sauce for years because it has beautiful flavor, no carbs, and no preservatives or added nasties. And just to clarify, the best cheeses to use are a high “calorie from fat” cheese. The carbs will be lowest with those. Also, avoid preshredded cheese as it typically has added cornstarch to keep it from sticking together. Many higher fat cheeses have no carbs at all unless you buy them in a preshredded bag (I was mostly talking to the people reading this, not the poster). Just stuff I found while reading. Oh! If you get the chance to try duck eggs in these recipes, they are fantastic. Higher fat content, bigger eggs, and if you live anywhere other than the city, farmers will sell completely free range eggs. One of the benefits of living in the middle of nowhere ;). I love my duck eggs!
Thanks for this for some reason I am very sensitive to chicken egg whites but don’t have such a bad reaction to duck eggs. I just wondered as they are bigger if I should mix one of the eggs off the recipe amounts? Thanks
I make this often. I have substituted a different Italian sausage. I add jalapenos and red peppers. I decided after a few batches not to add the cheese to the egg in the bowl. I add the cheese in the cup on top of the sausage, peppers, and hot peppers. That way I get the same amount in every cup of the pan and ensure every muffin has cheese in it.
Sounds like you make a great version of this, Peter! Glad you enjoy them and have found a version that works for you!
Can you use a standard size muffin tin for 12 muffins without changing the recipe amounts?
Doesn’t hurt to try, Linda. I have not attempted to do so; you may need to adjust the amounts in some way.
If you are using pre-cooked sausage, would it really be necessary to brown and warm them beforehand?
I would warm them in the microwave for a few minutes, just so they are for sure hot when they come out of the oven.
I didn’t have all ingredients last night when I found this. No hot sauce, extra pepper, and Canadia bacon. They smell divine. Thanks. After a month, eggs were getting old. I love this app
I just tried this tonight (first day on keto). I’ll eat them for breakfast in the morning…it came out great, I think! I didn’t have a muffin tin so I actually used a bread tin…came out more like a quiche. Looks awesome! Thanks!
I’m loving this easy recipe, I can whip up a batch while I’m meal prepping for the week. They freeze really well.
Before baking top the batter with Trader Joe’s Everything Bagel Seasoning Blend! Thanks for a delicious recipe!
great recipe thanks for sharing i wanna try this out for a change.im on a diet and low carb food will keep me in shape.
Thank you so much for this recipe, everyone in the house loves them, it’ll make it harder to keep some on hand for my breakfast, but well worth it.