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    Home » Recipes » Italian Recipes

    Published: Jul 27, 2018 · Modified: Dec 7, 2022 by Mariska Ramondino · This post may contain affiliate links

    Eggs and Anchovies (healthy low-carb egg bites)

    Jump to Recipe Print Recipe
    Low carb egg muffins for breakfast—umami flavor recipe.

    These are must-make eggs and anchovies mini breakfast frittatas with a super silky texture and incredibly rich Italian flavors.

    Make them in ramekins for an easy bake and a more festive look. Or turn them into simple breakfast egg muffins for meal prep.

    They also are low-carb, Keto, and Paleo-friendly—Mediterranean mini frittatas at their best.

    The Perfect Parsley and Anchovy Mini Frittatas

    Ever wonder what to do with canned or jarred anchovy fillets in olive oil? I often use them to start the base of a good pasta sauce or add rich umami flavors to a good beef stew.

    Just like a bouillon cube, a tin of salty anchovies in over-the-top soaked olive oil can add a beautiful depth of savory undertones.

    In this egg recipe, these little canned fish fillets will almost disappear but leave a boost of rich deliciousness that you can't get unless you use anchovies as your secret ingredient.

    The result? Egg muffins with a super silky texture and sweet and savory flavors.

    Let's make them!

    Jump to:
    • Ingredients
    • Step-by-step instructions with pics
    • Make them in ramekins
    • Make them in a tin muffin pan
    • Storage
    • Serving Suggestion
    • Other savory recipes you might like
    • 📖 Recipe
    Cheesy egg muffins assorted on a wooden board.

    Ingredients

    Olive oil, garlic, salt, black pepper mill, eggs, fresh parsley, canned anchovies, canned pumpkin puree, and grated Parmesan cheese displayed on a table.

    Eggs: Simply whisk together 6 large eggs.

    Hard cheese: Add some personality by choosing your favorite hard cheese.  Parmesan is a great choice, but any other aged cheese will do to add a natural hint of sweetness.

    Garlic: I suggest using two garlic cloves. Don't use garlic powder—it's just not the same.

    Fresh Parsley: Try to go for flat-leaf parsley. As a seasoning, it adds freshness and enough character to neutralize the salty taste of the anchovies.

    A small tin of anchovies: Use Italian or Spanish canned or jarred anchovy fillets in olive oil.

    Note: I promise anchovies won't overpower this dish—no taste of the sea here. Instead, these anchovy fillets give a rich, savory depth to this egg recipe that only a few other ingredients can do in baking—Parmesan cheese and truffles come to mind in Italian cuisine.

    Olive oil: add a tablespoon of extra virgin olive oil and the oil from the anchovies to smoothly blend the parsley leaves with the rest of the ingredients.

    Pumpkin puree:  Maybe a bit of an odd choice, but the density of this vegetable's fibrous flesh works well with potent salty ingredients.

    Note: Pumpkin puree. gives these breakfast frittatas a super silky texture and a more sophisticated taste than your typical mini frittatas.

    Seasoning: keep it simple with a little salt and black pepper—remember, the cheese and the anchovies will already add plenty of saltiness. You could add some red pepper flakes for a spicier touch.

    Step-by-step instructions with pics

    Let's go over it step by step. See the full Recipe below.

    STEP 1: Briefly beat the eggs with a whisk in a small bowl, then add the cheese and combine. Make sure the egg yolks are sufficiently broken up.

    A bowl with blended eggs and grated cheese.

    Step 2: Gather the fresh herbs (parsley leaves), garlic cloves, olive oil, and anchovies in a can.

    Ingredients like canned anchovies, fresh Parsley, olive oil, and garlic cloves displayed on a white cutting board.

    STEP 3: Blend garlic, parsley, and anchovy fillets plus the oil in the can and one tablespoon of olive oil on medium to high speed until you get a beautiful green paste—it will smell AMAZING.

    Fresh parsley, garlic cloves, and canned anchovies in a blender.
    A green parsley paste in a small bowl.

    Note: the green paste alone will taste great on a slice of toast or slices of bread.

    STEP 4: Transfer the green anchovy paste to the bowl containing the beaten eggs and cheese mixture.

    Blended eggs in a stainless steel bowl with a green parsley paste.

    STEP 5: Whisk until everything is thoroughly combined and season with salt and black pepper.

    Mixed eggs, fresh parsley, and cheese in a bowl.
    A whisk resting in a bowl with mixed eggs, fresh parsley, cheese, and seasoning.

    STEP 6: Add the pumpkin puree. Stir or whisk until well combined.

    Mixed eggs, fresh parsley, cheese, and pumpkin puree in a bowl.
    An orangy egg blended mixture with cheese in a stainless steel bowl.

    STEP 7: Divide the egg mixture evenly into six mini ramekin bowls (I use 6 oz mini bowls) or 12-cupcake muffin pan and bake.

    Make them in ramekins

    You can make these low-carb egg bites in ramekins—excellent for a more festive occasion or lazy Sunday brunch.

    A spoon lifting a piece of an egg muffin in a ramekin.

    There is no doubt that making these frittatas in ramekins is so much easier.

    They come beautifully out of the oven, and you can immediately serve them warm and eat straight out of them with a spoon.

    The egg mixture for making these baked egg muffins nicely and equally divides into 6 ( 6-ounce) ramekins, lightly coated with some olive oil.

    They even taste great at room temperature.

    Make them in a tin muffin pan

    Oh boy, from its looks, maybe it's time to buy a new muffin pan.

    A basting brush with oil resting on a tin muffin pan next to a small cup filled with olive oil.

    You can also divide the egg-based liquid into a 12-cupcake muffin pan.

    Even with a generous coat of olive oil, or no matter how much you grease your muffin pan, it's always a bit tricky to get the baked egg muffins out.

    Most of the time, I have great success with removing them after they've cooled a bit and run a knife around the edges first.

    But if you don't want to deal with all that, your best bet is to bake them using reusable silicone muffin liners or try a silicone muffin pan.

    For now, I'm sticking to my old beat-up cupcake pan, and it still works fine with the help of a baking brush, some olive oil, and greasing those individual pans profusely.

    Storage

    Refrigerator: The egg muffins can be stored in an airtight container for up to 5 days in the fridge.

    If you have used single-serving ramekins, simply cover them with cling film if they don't come with a lid already, or place them in a large enough airtight container to store in the fridge.

    I'll admit that these egg muffins never make it to the freezer in my household.

    If they are part of your breakfast meal prep, I suggest making just enough to plan for the week ahead because they taste so much better fresh or consumed after refrigerating versus after freezing.

    Parsley and Anchovy Mini Frittatas

    The texture is soft and silky, yet meaty enough with a super flavorful sweet bite.

    A hand holding a bitten egg muffin.

    Serving Suggestion

    • Enjoy them warm or cold;
    • Alone for breakfast or as a healthy protein-rich snack,
    • I love them after lifting weights to fuel my muscles.
    • Serve them as part of a larger breakfast or brunch table, including this homemade dairy-free iced latte and waffle board (which also has low-carb, keto, and gluten-free options).
    • Make them part of a healthy lunch with a large kale salad, slices of avocado to keep it low carb, or this healthy mango salad for a more refreshing bite.
    • Yes, you can even enjoy them as a light dinner with a cup of bone broth or toss them in almond flour tortillas (low carb) or gluten-free drop biscuits for a sandwich-like experience.

    All I have left to say is, make this delicious Italian recipe!

    Other savory recipes you might like

    • How to make an amazing instant pot beef stew
    • Tender Italian Meatballs in Tomato Sauce
    • Nourishing Stracciatella Soup (Italian Egg Drop Soup)
    • Mediterranean Platter (with 7 easy recipes)

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    Have questions? Simply comment below or message me. If you make this recipe, please leave a comment and a starred review below. Thank you!


    📖 Recipe

    Cheesy egg muffins assorted on a wooden board with fresh parsley leaves.

    Eggs and anchovies (healthy low-carb egg bites)

    Mariska Ramondino
    These beautiful low carb egg bites with Italian flavors of parsley, anchovy, and garlic perfectly harmonize with soft pumpkin puree. What you get are savory, lightly sweet mini egg muffins with a super silky texture. YUM!
    5 from 4 votes
    Print Recipe Pin Recipe Rate this Recipe
    Prep Time 15 mins
    Cook Time 25 mins
    Total Time 40 mins
    Course Breakfast and Brunch
    Cuisine Italian

    Equipment

    • 6 6-ounce ramekins or a 12-cupcake muffin pan
    Servings 6 ramekins frittatas or 12 egg muffins

    Ingredients
     

    • 6 eggs beaten
    • ½ cup grated hard cheese, plus extra for garnish 40 grams
    • 2 garlic cloves
    • 1 cup packed chopped fresh parsley 55 grams
    • 1 can anchovy fillets in olive oil 2 ounces/55 grams
    • 1 tablespoon olive oil
    • 1 can pumpkin puree 15 ounces/425 grams
    • ¼ teaspoon sea salt the cheese and the anchovy will already add plenty of a salty taste
    • Black pepper as desired about 15 turns with the black peppermill

    Instructions

    • Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
    • In a bowl, combine eggs with the cheese, and set aside.
    • In a blender or food processor, add garlic, parsley, anchovies plus the oil in the can, and one tablespoon of extra olive oil. Blend on medium to high speed until you get a beautiful green paste.
    • Transfer the green anchovy paste to the bowl containing the eggs and whisk it in until thoroughly combined.
    • Season with salt and black pepper.
    • Add the pumpkin puree. Stir or whisk until well combined.
    • Divide the egg mixture evenly into six mini ramekin bowls (I use 6 oz mini bowls).
    • Place in the center of the oven and bake for 25 minutes or until firm to the touch.
    • Turn the oven off and slowly open the oven door. It allows for the muffins to acclimate to the new temperature from outside.
    • With the oven door ajar or ⅔ open, leave them in the oven for an extra 5 minutes.
    • Remove from the oven and generously sprinkle them with extra grated cheese while they are still hot so the cheese can melt.
    • Serve immediately and enjoy!

    Notes

    Equipment: use 6 ( 6-ounce) ramekins if you are preparing them for a more festive breakfast or brunch. Or use a 12-cup non-stick muffin pan if you plan to make them for a quick breakfast during the week.
    Storage: store egg muffins in an airtight container for up to 5 days in the fridge.
    If you have used single-serving ramekins, simply cover them with cling film if they don't come with a lid already, or place them in a large enough airtight container to store in the fridge.

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    Nutrition (% Daily value)

    Serving: 1frittataCalories: 165kcal (8%)Carbohydrates: 7g (2%)Protein: 12g (24%)Fat: 10g (15%)Saturated Fat: 3g (19%)Polyunsaturated Fat: 1gMonounsaturated Fat: 4gTrans Fat: 0.02gCholesterol: 177mg (59%)Sodium: 651mg (28%)Potassium: 325mg (9%)Fiber: 2g (8%)Sugar: 3g (3%)Vitamin A: 12173IU (243%)Vitamin C: 17mg (21%)Calcium: 179mg (18%)Iron: 3mg (17%)

    Disclaimer: This nutritional data is calculated using third party tools and is only intended as a reference.

    Keywords : anchovy recipes, eggs and anchovies, low carb egg bites, mini frittatas recipe
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