Dairy-free baked egg and rice cups

These savoury cups combine freshly cooked rice, egg and vegetables in a muffin tin. Serve warm with a cucumber salad for lunch, or add other foods that suit your appetite and dietary needs.

Makes: 12 cups; 4 servings of 3 cups
Preparation: 15 minutes
Cooking: 40 minutes, including rice
Resting: 5 minutes
Total: 60 minutes

Ingredients

• 100 g dry white rice
• 200 mL water, or the amount on the rice packet
• 400 g egg without shells (about 8 medium eggs)
• 120 g red capsicum, finely diced
• 60 g baby spinach, washed and roughly chopped
• 10 g fresh chives, finely chopped
• 20 mL olive oil, divided
• 30 mL water for the egg mixture
• 300 g cucumber, sliced, to serve

Method

1. Cook the rice with its measured water according to the packet. Meanwhile, heat the oven to 190°C conventional or 170°C fan-forced. Grease a standard 12-hole muffin tin with 10 mL oil.
2. Heat the remaining 10 mL oil in a frying pan over medium heat. Cook the capsicum for 4–5 minutes until softened. Add the spinach and stir for 1–2 minutes until wilted. Remove from the heat.
3. Spread the freshly cooked rice on a clean shallow plate for a few minutes so it stops steaming heavily. Continue preparing the recipe promptly; do not leave rice out for an extended period.
4. Whisk the egg with 30 mL water and the chives. Stir in the rice and cooked vegetables.
5. Divide evenly among the 12 muffin holes, stirring the mixture as you portion it so the rice is distributed. Bake for 20–25 minutes until set through the centre, with no liquid egg. Check the centre reaches 75°C with a clean food thermometer.
6. Rest in the tin for 5 minutes, then loosen gently with a silicone spatula. Serve warm with the cucumber.

Intolerance and allergy notes

Contains egg. Made without milk, cheese, onion or garlic as written; check packaged ingredients and cross-contact requirements. This is not a universal allergy-safe recipe. The rice makes it unsuitable for a starch-restricted CSID plan unless your dietitian has allowed that amount. It is not labelled low FODMAP or low histamine; adapt ingredients and portions to your established tolerance.

If capsicum does not suit you, use the same weight of finely diced zucchini and cook until excess moisture evaporates. Keep the egg base unchanged; an egg-free substitution needs a different recipe.

Storage

Cool spare cups quickly in a shallow container and refrigerate at 5°C or colder. Use within 2 days or freeze promptly. Keep packed lunches cold with an ice brick. Reheat only the portion needed until piping hot throughout, and do not leave cooked rice or egg sitting warm for hours.

See Food Standards Australia New Zealand food-safety guidance. Explore more recipe ideas and our guide to lactose-free and dairy-free labels.