Tater tot egg cups are the ultimate grab-and-go breakfast that delivers crispy, cheesy, and savory satisfaction in every bite. With just a handful of ingredients and minimal prep, these tater tot muffin cups come together easily and bake up golden and flavorful. Perfect for brunch, meal prep, or weekday mornings, they’re a fun twist on classic egg and potato combos—no fork required!
Tater tot breakfast cups are not only delicious—they’re also a smart make-ahead option for busy mornings. Once baked, these savory cups store well in the fridge and can be quickly reheated in the microwave or oven. Their individual serving size makes them ideal for portioning, packing into lunchboxes, or serving at brunch buffets. Plus, you can easily customize the fillings with your favorite add-ins like sausage, veggies, or different cheeses to suit any taste.
Chili tater tots and hash browns aren’t just an easy side dish anymore. Use them to make creative and tasty snacks, appetizers, crack chicken tater tot casserole, and potato cups.
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Why We Love This Tater Tot Muffin Cups
- It offers a crispy, crunchy exterior, while the soft, runny yolk of a fried egg provides a delightful contrast in texture.
- The savory flavor of the tater tots complements the rich, slightly salty taste of the egg. This combination creates a satisfying and well-balanced dish.
- This is a simple and convenient meal option. They can be easily customized with various toppings like cheese, bacon, or vegetables to suit individual preferences.
Ingredient Notes and Substitutions
- Frozen tater tots: frozen tater tots are easy to use and always ready when you need them.
- Eggs: Cook them to your preference, for a slightly runnier egg you’ll want to cook less time.
- Cheddar cheese: or whatever your preferred cheese is, try jalapeño cheddar for a kick.
- Bacon: freshly made and cut into small pieces or pre-cooked bacon bits. Can substitute for ham cut into smaller pieces.
Recipe Variations
- Spinach and tomato egg bites: Add chopped spinach and diced tomatoes into the egg mixture before pouring it into the tater tot nests. It’s a fresh and veggie-packed option that boosts the flavor and nutrients.
- Ground beef and cheddar: Use seasoned ground beef instead of bacon or mix it in with your eggs for a heartier twist. This is a great way to use up leftover meat from dinner.
- Tater tot breakfast bites with veggies: Mix in sautéed onions, bell peppers, or mushrooms with the eggs before adding to the cups. A little sprinkle of salt on top brings it all together.
- Loaded egg cups: Sprinkle each egg cup with extra cheese, green onions, or crumbled bacon on the top of each egg before the final bake for a flavor-packed finish.
- Southwest style: Add a pinch of taco seasoning, black beans, and shredded cheese to each cup for a bold and zesty version of tater tot breakfast bites.
Equipment Used in this Recipe
- Jumbo-sized muffin tin
- Tongs
How to Make Tater Tot Breakfast Cups
- First, preheat your oven to 450º F. Then, place 8 frozen tater tots in each muffin pan opening.
- Bake tater tots at 450ºF for 10 minutes.
- Spray the bottom of a juice glass or small jelly jar around 3″ in diameter with cooking oil. Twist the glass around inside each muffin opening, creating a “nest,” and the sides of the tots reach the top of each opening.
- Return to the oven and bake for 15 minutes, until they are golden in color.
- Crack each egg and carefully drop the egg into each cup. As you can see above, a large egg fits perfectly inside the nests.
- Return the muffin pan to the oven, and bake for 15-20 minutes.
The eggs in the images were cooked for 20 minutes, and the yolks were completely set. - If you like like runny yolks, I recommend 15 minutes of baking, and 20 minutes if you like your egg yolks fully cooked as I do.
- Garnish the tater tot breakfast cups with chives, green onions, or sour cream before serving the tater tot egg cups.
This is an easy recipe that’s delicious and perfect for breakfast or brunch, like a mini breakfast casserole.
🎯 TFN Pro Tip
Use a jumbo-sized or regular-sized muffin pan for best results. Use fewer tater tots (4-6 pieces) regular size pan to hold the egg without overfilling the cup.
Serving Suggestions
Serve these tater tot muffin cups are fantastic for brunch, along with our sweet and gooey apple bake with cinnamon rolls, how to make monkey bread, banana bread recipe with self rising flour, or banana muffins with pancake mix!
You can also add additional toppings like chopped peppers, diced ham, breakfast sausage, chorizo, mushrooms, veggies, or any favorite breakfast meal. If you want it extra cheesy, add more mozzarella cheese.
Recipe FAQs
They are grated potatoes formed into small cylinders and deep-fried, often served as a side dish. The name “tater tot” is a registered trademark of the American frozen food company Ore-Ida, but is often used as a generic term. “Tater” is short for potato.
Place them in the fridge with freezer-safe containers. Then microwave for a few minutes to reheat.
Be sure to bake the tater tots until golden before shaping them into nests. Pressing them firmly with a greased glass helps them hold their shape. Baking them again before adding the eggs ensures they’re crispy and sturdy enough to hold the filling.
More Easy Tater Tot Recipes To Love…
If you tried this tater tot egg nest recipe or any other recipe on my website, please leave a 🌟 star rating and let me know how it went in the 📝 comments below. Thanks for visiting!
Tater Tot Egg Cups
Equipment
- jumbo-sized muffin tin
- tongs
Ingredients
- 1 bag (32 ounces) Tater Tots frozen
- 6 large eggs
- 8 ounces cheddar cheese grated
- 2 slices bacon cooked and crumble OR ¼ c. bacon bits
Optional
- chives
- green onion sliced, green part only
- sour cream for topping
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 450 degrees.
- For best results, use a jumbo-sized muffin tin. Spray muffin tin with cooking oil. Place 8 tater tots into each muffin cup. Bake in oven for 10 minutes. Remove from oven.
- Spray bottom of a juice glass or small jelly jar around 3" in diameter with cooking oil. Twist the glass around in each muffin creating a "nest" and the sides of the tater tots nests reach the top of each opening.
- Return to oven for 15 minutes, until they are golden in color.
- After removing from oven, carefully crack an egg into each of the tater tot nests. Bake for 15 minutes (10 for runny yolks, and up to 20 for hard cooked yolks).
- Add cheese and bacon bits on top and return to oven for 2-3 minutes until cheese has melted.
- Wait a few moments to cool and remove nests with tongs. Garnish with chives, green onions, or sour cream and serve.
Notes
- Spinach and tomato egg bites: Add chopped spinach and diced tomatoes into the egg mixture before pouring it into the tater tot nests. It’s a fresh and veggie-packed option that boosts the flavor and nutrients.
- Ground beef and cheddar: Use seasoned ground beef instead of bacon or mix it in with your eggs for a heartier twist. This is a great way to use up leftover meat from dinner.
- Tater tot breakfast bites with veggies: Mix in sautéed onions, bell peppers, or mushrooms with the eggs before adding to the cups. A little sprinkle of salt on top brings it all together.
- Loaded egg cups: Sprinkle each egg cup with extra cheese, green onions, or crumbled bacon on the top of each egg before the final bake for a flavor-packed finish.
- Southwest style: Add a pinch of taco seasoning, black beans, and shredded cheese to each cup for a bold and zesty version of tater tot breakfast bites.
- You can fully cook and assemble them, then store in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. Just reheat in the oven or microwave before serving.
- Place them in the fridge with freezer-safe containers. Then microwave for a few minutes to reheat.
- Let them cool completely, then freeze individually in an airtight container or freezer bag. Reheat in the oven at 350ºF until warmed through, or microwave in 30-second increments.
Nutrition
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Sharon says
This recipe is very easy and tasty. I thought 8 tater tots seemed like too many but work out just right for a nest. Used scrambled eggs. This will be a regular in our home.