Take your Egg Bites to a new level with this easy recipe that uses the steam function of the Ninja Foodi for PERFECT Egg Bites every time!
I have never been a huge fan of egg bites in a pressure cooker. In fact, I'm not a big fan of eggs in a pressure cooker because they always turn out rubbery for me. I've tried low pressure, high pressure, short cook time, longer cook times, immediate release, natural release, and it is always more of the same. Overset eggs, especially on the outside, that have a texture I do not like.
I was about to give up and leave the egg biting to everyone else who apparently has found a magic formula that I, apparently, cannot master. Then, I tried again. This time I used my good friend steam and guess what? Say goodbye to rubbery and overcooked eggs! YES!
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My husband, Jeff, loves those egg souffles from Panera bread and had asked me to recreate them in the Ninja Foodi. I asked him to describe the texture to me and we tried a few times, but, no. They weren't even close. Then, I started working on this recipe and apparently nailed it!
Although I have never had a Sous Vide egg bite from Starbucks or an egg souffle from Panera, I can imagine that these are pretty darn close! Jeff says they are better!
Why use Steam instead of Pressure when Making Egg Bites?
Eggs are delicate and do much better when cooked at lower temperatures. Making the steam function on the Ninja Foodi a much better option than pressure cooking, in my opinion.
Have you ever fried an egg in a frying pan that is too hot and as the white spreads out and cooks, it becomes rubbery? That is because at high heat, the proteins in the egg white forms too many bonds, that are tightly woven, and your egg becomes rubbery.
Cooking an egg perfectly is a balance between applying just enough heat to rearrange the molecules and have the eggs set, but not so much heat that the whites become rubbery and the yolks become chalky.
The steam function on the Ninja Foodi meets that goal perfectly! You can also adjust the steaming time according to your personal preference on how you like your egg bites cooked.
For firmer egg bites, increase the time by a few minutes. The egg bites in this recipe are fully set and have a soft, velvety texture. Perfect for me, but everyone likes their egg bites cooked differently, so adjust timing as needed to achieve your perfect egg bite!
Can I make these Egg Bites Ahead of Time?
Yes, of course. Many people make several trays of egg bites at once and store them in the fridge for easy, grab and go, breakfasts. In my experience, these egg bites will last up to a week in the refrigerator.
Although I have not tried this, I have read that you can freeze them for longer storage.
How do I reheat them?
The easiest way to reheat them is in the microwave and I found 30-60 seconds will heat them through without over cooking. This timing worked perfectly for me and the egg bites were just as soft and creamy as they were fresh out of the Ninja Foodi.
If you want to reheat them in the Ninja Foodi, I would use the steam function to do that. I haven't tried this because... well, the microwave does have some uses and this is one of them!
If you want to reheat from frozen, I would microwave at 30 second intervals and I think about 90-120 seconds will do the trick. These egg bites never last long enough around here, so I haven't frozen any yet!
What are the Base Ingredients in these Egg Bites?
Since egg bites can be customized with all different kinds of add-ins, let me go over the basic ingredients in these Egg Bites.
- 5 large eggs
- ¼ cup of heavy cream
- ¼ cup of cream cheese (about 1.5 ounces)
That's it. From there, you can add in any seasonings or other ingredients that you like.
You can even mix up the base and make several different types of Egg Bites in the same tray.
Do I have to use the Ninja Foodi Hot Cold Blender for this recipe?
Absolutely not. You can use any blender or food processor or just whisk everything up by hand. The Ninja Foodi Hot Cold Blender does a great job though and if you are in the market for a new blender, I would really recommend considering it.
I used the Hot Cold Blender because I wanted the onion flavor, but not large onion chunks. I was able to put in ¼ of an onion and the blender puréed it, so the flavor was there, but no chunks! It also did a great job with the ham and cheese that I used in my Egg Bites.
If you are going to mix these up by hand, make sure your cream cheese is room temperature and you dice up the ingredients you are adding very small. You don't want huge chunks in your Egg Bites because it will change the texture some. Unless you like that and then go for it!
What and How Much of the Add-Ins can I Add?
If you are making the Egg Bites in an Egg Bite mold, like I did, then you want to limit the total amount of added ingredients to about 3 ounces. More than that and
your egg to add-in ratio will be off and they might not set up as perfectly.
You can customize your egg bites with whatever ingredients you have on hand. Some ideas are:
- Spinach & Feta
- Red Bell Pepper & Onion
- Sausage* & Cheddar
- Bacon* & Gouda
- Three Cheese Blend
- Ham & Swiss
- Taco Meat & Mexican Cheese
The list goes on and on and on. Basically, put whatever you want in your egg bites. Just remember not to add too much!
*Make sure to fully cook any meat before adding, the steam time will not cook the raw meat enough.
Do I have to have an Egg Bite Mold to make this Recipe?
No, you don't absolutely have to have an egg bite mold to make these, but it does help. Since I have not tested this recipe with other containers, the steam time will vary, but you can make this same recipe in any container that is safe for steam.
This includes; ramekins, ceramic or glass dishes that are oven safe, 4 0unce canning jars, or other silicone molds you have.
The timing will be different depending on the container, but it is really easy to check on your egg bites when using the steam function on the Ninja Foodi. Since we don't go under pressure, the lid can be removed at any time* and you can check for doneness.
*Sometimes when using the steam function, the red or silver button on the pressure lid will pop up. This does lock the lid in place, but it will go back down after a few minutes. Just make sure your valve is in the vented position.
How to Make Egg Bites in the Ninja Foodi
Crack the eggs into a bowl and then add them to the Ninja Foodi Hot Cold Blender. Add the cream cheese, onion (no need to chop if using the blender), and the heavy cream to the blender. Add salt and pepper. Select the Smoothie function. Add in the ham and cheese and pulse twice.
Butter the silicone egg bite mold and the silicone cover or foil.
Pour the egg mixture into each well about halfway. After each well is filled halfway, use a spoon to spoon the mixture out of the blender. This way you can control the amount of ham and cheese that goes into each well. Fill the wells up about ¾ of the way total. Cover with a silicone cover like the one show in the photo above or foil.
Put 2 cups of water into the inner pot. This is important. You want to use a full 2 cups of water that has not been heated or your eggs will not cook all the way through. I tried using 1 cup of water and the eggs were not set.
Put the silicone egg bite tray on the rack in the low position and place it into the Ninja Foodi. Put the pressure lid on and turn the valve all the way to VENT. Make sure the valve is fully vented or you may overcook your eggs. Select the steam function for 12 minutes. When the time is up, remove the lid and the rack from the inner pot.
Remove the cover and let the egg bites sit to cool for just a few minutes. They should start to pull away from the edges. If they don't, use a cake tester or a butter knife to loosen them. Flip over onto a plate or serving tray. Serve and Enjoy!
Egg Bites in the Ninja Foodi
Ingredients
- 5 large eggs
- ¼ cup heavy cream
- 1½ ounces cream cheese (¼ cup) room temperature
Optional Ingredients
- ¼ onion
- 2 ounces ham cubed
- 1 ounce swiss cheese cubed
- ½ tsp salt
- ¼ tsp pepper
Instructions
- Crack the eggs into a mixing bowl or into the Ninja Foodi Hot Cold Blender. Add the heavy cream, cream cheese, onion, salt and pepper. Select the smoothie function.
- Butter or oil the egg bite mold and the silicone cover.
- Add the ham and cheese cubes to the blender. Pulse 2-3 times.
- Pour the egg mixture into each well about ½ way. Since the ham and cheese settles in the blender, you want to make sure each egg bite gets some of the ham and cheese. Spoon or pour out the remaining egg mixture to fill each well ¾ of the way full. You want at least ¼" at the top to allow for rising. Cover the egg bites with foil or a silicone cover.
- Add 2 cups of water to the inner pot. Place the egg bites on the rack in the low position. Place the rack in the inner pot. Put the pressure lid on and turn the valve to VENT.
- Select the steam function for 12 minutes. When the time is done, remove the lid. Remove the rack with the egg bites and uncover. Allow to cool just a few minutes.
- Use a cake tester or a knife and make sure the egg bites are releasing from the sides. If they aren't, let them cool a little longer. If they still aren't pulling back from the silicone, then run a cake tester or butter knife around the edges.
- Flip over onto a plate. Serve & Enjoy!
Notes
Nutrition
ABOUT THE RECIPE AUTHOR, LOUISE LONG
Louise is a full-time recipe creator and food blogger @ The Salted Pepper. She has over 30 years of 
experience with cooking and recipe development. She owned a restaurant for several years and was a full-time RN until retiring to blog full-time.
Louise has several very active Facebook groups that help people with the basics of cooking and getting the most out of the Ninja Foodi.
Ninja Foodi Fresh & Healthy Meals
Seeing the need for easy, delicious, and high quality recipes, she is focusing all of her efforts creating recipes specifically for the Ninja Foodi. Her recipes are easy for the home cook to follow and provide step-by-step instructions.
Louise is also a YouTube creator and you can find most of her recipes in video format on The Salted Pepper YouTube channel.
She is very responsive to messages and eager to help in any way she can.
Keith Price
I'm wondring if I did it wrong. I set it to steam and it took about 5 or more to build up enough pressure to start the timer. I had the pin on VENT. When the 12 min timer went off, it took another 3 to 5 minutes for the pin to drop.
The eggs were tasty but rubbery.
Louise
No, you didn't do anything wrong. I'm guessing you have a newer model of Ninja Foodi? I noticed that with the newer models (stainless on the outside and one lid) that the pin pops up and stays up a lot more often when steaming which is a problem because you can't open the lid when that happens. Decrease your steam time to 9 or 10 minutes or you can use a glass lid. When I created this recipe, the models were different. I'll have to go in and update the recipe notes. Thanks for bringing this to my attention.
sara
could two egg molds be stacked and cooked at same time in 8 qt. foodi?? Any adjustment to time cooked?
Tanya
Curious to hear updates on making these in the new foodie xl with smart lid? I made a different version and they also took way longer than expected to cook. I am about to give these a try so any updates would be helpful! Also, any guidance on setting adjustments if using 2 tiers of silicone cups in the foodie xl? Cooking for a crowd!
Louise
I haven't done them in the one lid model yet, but I will update the post when I do. If you make them, please let me know how they did in the one lid!