Baked Ham and Egg Cups in Hash Browns

White table scene breakfast setting with Baked Ham and Egg Hash Brown Cups.

Wake up to a sunny breakfast with these fun Ham and Egg Cups. Baked in Hash Brown nests with Parmesan cheese and bright basil pesto, they are the perfect start to your day.

Disclosure: This post is made possible by Egg Farmers of Alberta. All opinions and experiences are my own.

Looking for some more tasty and unique ways to enjoy eggs? Check out one of our family’s favourite appetizers; Zesty Nacho Deviled Eggs…they’re not your mother’s deviled eggs! However, these perfectly Pickled Eggs ARE my mother’s eggs. They’ve been in the family for a few generations, at least.

Two baked yellow yolked egg with ham sitting in a nest of hash browns.

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Ham and Egg Cups But Gimme Hash Browns

Most people believe getting a good start to the day involves a hearty, filling breakfast but I have one more requirement; it also has to be delicious!

These Ham and Egg Cups are baked in scrumptious little hash brown nests flavoured with a bright pesto and just a smidgen of grated Parmesan cheese. The best part is…they are crazy easy to make and are ready in under an hour.

White table scene breakfast setting with Baked Ham and Egg Hash Brown Cups.

Egg Farmers of Alberta

Did you know Alberta has over 170 registered egg farms dedicated to providing Albertans with fresh, local eggs?

In Canada, locally produced eggs are nationally certified through Egg Quality Assurance™ mark (EQA™ for short). This EQA assures the eggs are produced with strict food safety and animal welfare standards.

A glass bowl containing hash browns, pesto, cheese, and green onions surrounded by a tray of brown eggs, a bowl of pesto, and ham.

Eggs, the Perfect Food

Eggs are one of the few foods considered to be a complete protein, because they contain all 9 essential amino acids. One large (53 g) Grade-A egg contains 6 g of protein and only 70 calories.

Additionally, eggs also contain many vitamins (A, D, E, B12 plus folate), and minerals (Iron, Selenium) as well all Lutein, Zeaxanthin, and Choline.

Did you know that when you feed a laying hen a flaxseed rich diet, they produce eggs that are high in Omega-3 eggs! Omega-3s are a type of (healthy) polyunsaturated fat which is great for your heart.

Raw eggs and ham sit in hash brown cups before baking.

How to Make Ham and Egg Cups

Let’s face it. Shortcuts around breakfast time are an egg-cellent idea. To save time, hash browns make up the base of these Egg Cups. Both thawed frozen grated hash browns or reconstituted dried hash brows will work.

Place the hash browns in a large bowl and add the pesto, Parmesan cheese, green onions, and a beaten egg. Season with salt and pepper. Next, gently mix it all together, taking care not to break up the hash browns.

A baked yellow yolked egg with ham sits in a nest of hash browns.

Divide the hash brown egg mixture between six jumbo muffin cups in a pre-greased muffin pan. Use your hands to evenly mold the mixture to the bottoms and sides of the cups.

Don’t worry if the mixture pushes above the muffin tin, that is completely okay! Bake the hash brown nests in a 375 F oven for ten minutes or until they just start turning a nice golden brown.

White table scene breakfast setting with Baked Ham and Egg Hash Brown Cups.

Remove the muffin tin from the oven (reduce temperature to 350 F) and place a slice of ham inside every hash brown cup. Carefully crack an egg into each cup. Season with salt and pepper to taste then bake for another 15-20 minutes, or until the egg has reached desired doneness.

To remove the Ham and Egg cups from the muffin tin, run knife around inside of each muffin cup, then remove. Lift the nests onto individual serving plates and garnish with fresh chives or parsley.

Two baked yellow yolked egg with ham sitting in a nest of hash browns.

Ideas for Breakfast Sides

These Ham and Egg Cups make a hearty breakfast all on their own. However, I like to serve fresh cut fruit, toast and jam or extra ham with them.

As with any full nutritious breakfast, I also love fresh squeezed orange or grapefruit juice. It is a special treat we only serve on weekends at our house. Don’t forget the coffee, it’s an essential part of a complete breakfast!

Two baked yellow yolked egg with ham sitting in a nest of hash browns.

Can I Make and Freeze Ham and Egg Cups?

Ham and Egg cups are the perfect make ahead breakfast idea because they freeze so well. To freeze: Bake as directed, then allow them to cool to room temperature.

Place the cooled cups in a large freezer bag and remove as much air as you can before sealing it. They will keep in the freezer like this for up to 3 months.

White table scene breakfast setting with Baked Ham and Egg Hash Brown Cups.

How Long Will Ham and Egg Cups Keep in the Fridge?

No more skipping breakfast! Prepping these on the weekend is a lifesaver because they’ll last all week (4-5 days) in the fridge.

Now I no longer get hangry around 11:30 am because I’ve had a satisfying breakfast to start the day.

A baked yellow yolked egg with ham sits in a nest of hash browns.

How to Reheat Ham and Egg Cups

To reheat from frozen: Thaw overnight in the fridge then heat in the microwave in 30 second increments so as not to over heat the eggs.

To reheat from the fridge: Heat in a microwave in 30 second increments so as not to over heat the eggs.

Pinterest image of three baked yellow yolked egg with ham sits in a nest of hash browns.
Yield: 6

Baked Ham and Egg Cups in Hash Browns

A baked yellow yolked egg with ham sits in a nest of hash browns.

Wake up to a sunny breakfast with these fun Ham and Egg Cups. Baked in Hash Brown nests with Parmesan cheese and bright pesto, they are the perfect start to your day.

Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 30 minutes
Total Time 50 minutes

Ingredients

  • 3 cups grated hash browns; thawed from frozen or reconstituted
  •  100 g shaved or thinly sliced ham 
  • 2 tbsp pesto 
  • 1/2 cup Parmesan cheese; finely grated
  • 1/4 cup green onions; sliced
  • 7 eggs
  • salt and pepper
  • 2 tbsp fresh chives; chopped 
  • 2 tbsp parsley; chopped 

Instructions

  1. Grease a jumbo muffin tin with butter and pre-heat oven to 375 F.
  2. Place hash browns in a large bowl and add Parmesan cheese, green onions, pesto, and one egg. Season.
  3. Stir well to combine but also carefully so as not to break up the hash browns.
  4. Divide hash brown mixture evenly between the six jumbo muffin cups and press it evenly along the sides and bottom so as to form a cup. It's okay if the hash browns are taller than the muffin tin.
  5. Bake for 10 minutes. Remove from oven. Reduce oven temperature to 350 F.
  6. Place a small slice of ham inside the cup along the edge. Repeat for all six cups.
  7. Carefully crack an egg into each cup. Season with salt and pepper.
  8. Bake for another 15-20 minutes or until the egg has reached desired level of doneness.
  9. Remove from oven and loosen the nest edges from the sides of the tin using a butter knife.
  10. Lift the nests onto individual serving plates and garnish with fresh chives or parsley.

Nutrition Information:

Yield:

6

Serving Size:

1

Amount Per Serving: Calories: 480Total Fat: 31gSaturated Fat: 7gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 22gCholesterol: 236mgSodium: 1116mgCarbohydrates: 35gFiber: 3gSugar: 1gProtein: 17g

Nutritional calculation was provided by Nutritionix and is an estimation only. For special diets or medical issues please use your preferred calculator.

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26 comments

  1. Cynthia Priest

    Ooh egg cups in hash brown is a brilliant idea! Will have to make these for brunch one weekend. Thank you for the recipe.

    Reply

    1. Bernice Hill

      We’ve mad them twice already…so good!

  2. Kerri

    Wow these would be perfect for our weekend brunches, hopefully I can make them soon with a small group of friends and catch up!

    Reply

    1. Bernice Hill

      These egg cups would be perfect for brunch with friends. I hope you can get together soon too!

  3. Karyl

    What an elegant breakfast! I love that you add pesto to the potatoes. I’ve never thought of doing that, and have lots of basil in my garden that would be perfect for just this idea.

    Reply

    1. Bernice Hill

      I add pesto to everything!! Lucky you, I can never seem to figure out how to grow basil in my garden.

  4. NANCY

    Can’t wait to give this a try! Sounds so easy to make. Hope the kid will ike it too!

    Reply

    1. Bernice Hill

      Oooo I think so. Mine sure did!

  5. Sharon

    You don’t miss anything in your breakfast wish list with these ham and egg cups.

    Reply

    1. Bernice Hill

      Nope…it’s completely delicious Sharon!

  6. Jenny

    All time favorite breakfast award from our house to your recipe! It was such a hit, I have demands for a repeat this weekend. Came out beautiful and tasted delicious. Thanks so much!!

    Reply

    1. Bernice Hill

      Great to hear Jenny, thanks for giving the Ham and Egg cups a try!

  7. Chef Dennis

    I made these for guests this morning and they raved about them! Thanks for making me look like a superstar at breakfast!!

    Reply

    1. Bernice Hill

      haha, thanks Chef. Glad everyone enjoyed!

  8. Denise

    What a fun and so easy breakfast idea! I’m going to make these this weekend for my family!

    Reply

    1. Bernice Hill

      Great news Denise, I hope they love them as much as we did.

  9. Nicoletta De Angelis Nardelli

    We absolutely love buying eggs from our local farmer’s markets! You just cannot beat their freshness and flavor. These egg cups are a delicious idea, one that I would absolutely enjoy at lunchtime!

    Reply

    1. Bernice Hill

      Breakfast, lunch, dinner…I’m in!

  10. JustineCelina

    These look absolutely delish, Bernice! I’ve always wanted to try egg cups and I love the ease of this recipe. Beautiful work!

    Reply

    1. Bernice Hill

      Thank you Justine. I’m loving having pesto on hand all the time, I put it in everything!

  11. Paula Montenegro

    I really like the idea of using hash browns as the container, a great idea! And having them frozen might just make me start eating breakfast, which is not easy. Thanks for sharing.

    Reply

    1. Bernice Hill

      I hope so Paula! They really are handy to have on hand!

  12. Laura

    What a great idea- hash brown cups!! I will be making these ASAP. Such a fun breakfast idea😊

    Reply

    1. Bernice Hill

      I hope you enjoy them Laura!

  13. Gloria

    Perfect for brunch on the weekend. Perfect for “breakfast for dinner ” too. Entertaining perfection. Fun to make and eat. Everything in one recipe….awesome.

    Reply

    1. Bernice Hill

      I agree but then I’m a huge believer in breakfast foods at any time of the day!

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