Mid-morning, afternoons, on the go…whenever you need a quick snack, these savoury herb muffins are a winner! They’re perfect to include in school or work lunches, and can be batch-cooked & frozen for later.
We all know how lovely it is to cook with fresh herbs from our own garden, and this recipe brings those herbs to the fore. Most herbs are perennials which benefit from regular picking, and these easy savoury muffins really let them shine.
This is a versatile recipe which allows you to substitute flavours as you like. You can leave out the capsicum (sweet peppers) or replace it with shallots. Capers or sun-dried tomatoes or olives could be added. You can include some finely diced bacon or ham or chorizo if you want. As long as you don’t change the basic ingredients & ratios, the flavour is up to you!
The herbs are interchangeable too. This recipe calls for parsley and chives, but you can easily substitute other herbs. You might like to try whatever you have growing fresh in your garden right now, or just whatever is your favourite. Use one herb or two or three…the choice is all yours!
Go out to the garden and pick your fresh herbs. Wash them, then chop them quite finely. You want to chop them small enough to cook through yet be visible once the muffins are cooked.
Saute the onion and capsicum over a gentle heat. If you include a meat ingredient, add it into the saute. Meanwhile, mix the egg and milk together in a small jug or bowl.
Grate one cup of cheese, and mix it in a large bowl with the flour and herbs.
Once you have sauteed your veggies, add them to your dry ingredients then mix well. At this stage your mixture will look and feel floury & crumbly.
Add a good pinch of dried chillies- I use those that I have grown and dried myself. I find that adding a pinch of chilli lifts the flavour rather than adding spice–but you can definitely leave it out if you like. Add the milk & egg mixture into the bowl with the dry ingredients and blend well. As shown here, the mixture should hold together on a wooden spoon. Now you’re ready to bake!
Savoury Herb Muffins
Equipment
- 1 Oven
- 1 muffin tray
- 1 patty pans
- 1 mixing bowl
- 1 cooling rack
Ingredients
- 1 1/4 cups self-raising flour
- 1 whole onion, chopped small size
- 3/4 cup milk
- 1/2 red capsicum (sweet pepper) sauteed prior
- 8 whole olives, deseeded optional
- 1 cup grated cheese
- 1 egg
- 1 1/2 tbsp parsley, chopped finely
- 1 1/2 tbsp chives, chopped finely
- 125 grams bacon, diced optional
Instructions
- Chop the herbs, onion and capsicum.
- Preheat oven to 200C (400F).
- Sautee the onion & capsicum (and meat if included) gently over a low heat until cooked through.
- Whisk the egg together with the milk in a small bowl or jug.
- Grate one cup of cheese.
- Mix the herbs, flour and cheese together in a large mixing bowl. Add a pinch each of salt, pepper and chilli (optional).
- Once cooked, mix the sauteed ingredients through the dry ingredients.
- Fold the egg & milk mixture through the dry ingredients, ensuring everything is well-blended.
- Line your muffin tray with patty pans, and add 2 heaped spoonfuls of mixture to each.
- Cook for 15 minutes at 200C (400F).
- Remove from oven and place muffins on cooling rack.
- When the muffins have cooled completely, remove the patty pans.
- Muffins will keep fresh for 3 days in the fridge (keep in a sealed container) or can be frozen.
