When it comes to spinach, there seem to be two camps: Those who are irked and those who are delighted when a mountain of fresh spinach cooks down to a mere molehill.

I belong to the delighted camp, not least because the sweet, earthy taste of cooked spinach can be a balm for the taste buds after a parade of rich holiday foods and cookies.

Rather than feel scammed by Big Spinach, I love its vanishing act and use it to my advantage, as in these spinach egg bites. Since fresh spinach consists of mostly water, chopping it up and cooking it, and subsequently removing the water, concentrates its essence into something to be celebrated: a dense fistful of green.

When you’re on the run, though, frozen chopped spinach helps you get there much faster, without sacrificing too much flavor or nutrients.

Since it’s already been processed — washed, chopped, blanched then frozen — it can be used right away, so long as you thaw it. (I like to do this in the refrigerator the night before, though you could leave the unopened package in a bowl of cold water for speedier thawing.)

There are many ways to eat a condensed mound of spinach. These egg bites just happen to be the cutest. They were a real lifeline for me last year when I was so busy that I found myself skipping meals. But, I tried to remind myself, not every breakfast, lunch and dinner needs to be a big home-cooked affair, especially when you’re on the run. So it helps to have something nutrient-dense and protein-packed stocked in the fridge or freezer, ready to reheat and eat at a moment’s notice.

And it’s nothing new: Many great dishes of the world start with greens and herbs bound by egg. Spanakopita, the savory Greek spinach and feta pie, comes to mind, as does kuku sabzi, the frittatalike Persian dish. Stouffer’s spinach souffle is arguably America’s best interpretation of the form. Borrowing from all of those, these egg bites are tender in texture and dense in green flavor, not least because they’re mostly spinach and scallions.

As with most spinach and egg dishes, this recipe is very adaptable. You can swap out the scallions for dill or parsley, and the Parmesan for cheddar or feta. Make them your own and let them power you through the year.

Spinach Egg Bites

Lovers of the sweet, earthy flavor of leafy greens can rejoice in these fluffy egg bites, which are mostly spinach and scallions bound by a little egg. Many great dishes of the world start like this: Spanikopita, the savory Greek spinach and feta pie, comes to mind, as does kuku sabzi, the herby, frittatalike Persian dish. These egg bites are a great make-ahead breakfast or high-protein snack on their own, and they’re also a lovely lunch or light dinner alongside a green salad. They’re adaptable, too: You can swap out the scallions for dill or parsley, and the Parmesan for cheddar or feta. Make them your own.

By Eric Kim

Yield: 12 egg bites

Total time: 45 minutes

INGREDIENTS

Olive oil, for greasing
2 (10-ounce) packages frozen chopped spinach, thawed
4 scallions, thinly sliced crosswise
6 large eggs
2 cups (16 ounces) cottage cheese
1/4 cup grated Parmesan
Pinch of ground nutmeg
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
6 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking powder

DIRECTIONS

1. Arrange a rack in the center of the oven and heat to 375 degrees. Generously grease a 12-cup muffin tin with olive oil and place on a sheet pan.

2. With clean hands, squeeze the spinach over the sink to remove as much water as possible. Drain well and add to a large bowl, along with the scallions, eggs, cottage cheese, Parmesan and nutmeg. Season with salt and pepper. Stir until well combined. Add the flour and baking powder, and stir just until incorporated.

3. Fill the muffin tin with the spinach mixture — 1/3 cup each — and bake until set, 20 to 25 minutes. Allow to cool completely before running a sharp paring knife around the edges of each cup to help release the bites. (Alternatively, you could use a silicon muffin mold.)

4. These egg bites stay fresh in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days and in the freezer for up to 3 months. To reheat, just microwave them for 10 seconds at a time until warmed through.

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