These 2-Ingredient Crispy Egg Cups Make On-The-Go Breakfast So Easy

If you've been searching for a quick but satisfying, portable grab-and-go breakfast and you still haven't tried egg cups, we may have just the thing to tempt you — a crispy hashbrown crust. Egg cups, already touted as an excellent solution for anyone with a busy morning schedule, hit next-level heights in this simple mash-up. Well-regarded as tasty, filling, and easy-to-make, in their most stripped-down form, they require just two ingredients: eggs and tater tots. But they DO require a bit of prep. Leave them for a Sunday and in about thirty-five minutes, you'll have made breakfast for the whole week.

These little breakfast bombs are just one way to turn tater tots into edible cups using simple muffin tin magic. All you need is about 8 eggs, a bag of frozen tater tots or their flatter counterpart— potato rounds (you can even sub frozen hash browns), and a standard muffin pan. Spray your pan with cooking oil. Place 3-6 tater tots in each cup, depending on your preference. Then, pre-par-bake your tots according to their instructions, taking care to reduce the cooking time, until the tots are slightly browned but still malleable. Remove the pan from the oven, and use the back of a spoon or a small glass to gently smoosh the tots to the bottom and sides of the muffin tin, forming little cups. 

Once the tots are out and smashed, set your oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheight and whisk your eggs in a bowl, adding whatever seasonings you like. Pour the egg mixture into the cups, filling each one about ⅔ of the way up. Stick the pan back in the oven for another 15 to 20 minutes, or until the eggs are fully cooked. Let them cool before devouring.

Of course, this is the most basic version of egg cups, which provides a foundation on which to build and explore. The addition of cheese, meat, and veggies will put these little babies on the map. Try adding your favorite breakfast meats like crumbled bacon, one of these store-bought breakfast sausages, or diced ham, along with cheese like cheddar, pepper jack, Swiss, Parmesan, or even mozzarella. If you want more complexity and fiber, try adding some veggies. Think traditional omelet fillings like mushrooms, onions, spinach, and peppers.

These savory ingredients are added at the same time as the eggs. You can either place them on top of the smashed tater tots and then pour the egg mixture over them, or combine the additional ingredients with the egg mixture during whisking. Either way works, just be sure to cook any meat separately first. Top them with stuff like green onions, fresh herbs, salsa, or avocado. 

Egg cups keep in the fridge in an air-tight container for up to five days. Or freeze them if you're aiming for more of a once or twice a week option. They're also easy to tailor for families, so that everyone gets theirs just the way they like it. Pair them with any of Tasting Table's breakfast recipes to start your day off right.