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Savory Muffins (easy basic recipe)

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4.9 from 12 reviews

This is a versatile, tasty savory muffin recipe with a good crumb. There's a nice sharp kick from the cheese and seasonings and a fresh feel from the tomatoes. You can add other ingredients, like spinach, mushroom, ham or bacon. They freeze wonderfully and are perfect for brunch tables and a great savory alternative for breakfast. 
A reader suggested adding garlic and onion powder to make them tastier and she was right, so the original recipe is slightly tweaked to include them. 

  • Total Time: 35 minutes
  • Yield: 12 muffins

Ingredients

Units
  • 4 tablespoons (60g) unsalted butter, melted
  • 1 cup (240g) whole milk, at room temperature
  • 2 eggs, at room temperature
  • 2 cups (270g) all-purpose flour
  • 2 teaspoons baking powder
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • Black pepper, to taste
  • 1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
  • 1/4 teaspoon onion powder
  • 1/2 cup chopped tomato, seeded
  • 4oz (about 1 cup) semi-hard cheese, such as Gouda or Fontina, grated
  • 2 tablespoons chopped parsley or basil

Instructions

  1. Preheat the oven to 350ºF / 180ºC.
  2. Grease or spray 12 muffin molds. Or fill with paper cups.
  3. In a large bowl, mix flour, baking powder, salt and pepper.
  4. In a small bowl mix butter, eggs, and milk.
  5. Add wet ingredients to the flour mixture and mix lightly, some dry parts should remain.
  6. Add cheese, tomato, and parsley. Mix just until combined. Don’t over mix or the muffins will be tough.
  7. Divide evenly between the 12 muffin molds.
  8. Bake for about 20 minutes, until golden and a tester comes out clean. Don't overbake.
  9. Let cool on a wire rack but my recommendation is to eat warm.

Notes

  • Cheese: you can use any combination of cheeses. I usually like a very melty one (mozzarella) and a stronger hard one, like gouda or even gruyere.
  • Add-ins: this recipe is easily customizable to different flavors.
    Ham/salami/bacon: omit the tomato and add chopped ham or salami (any type you like) or crunchy bacon bits.
    Spinach: a very popular flavor, make sure the spinach is as dry as possible so you don't add extra liquid to the batter. Use it instead of the tomato or add half of each.
    Vegetables: such as garlic (or garlic powder), onion, grated carrot, zucchini, eggplant (baked or roasted first in a medium oven until they are brown and have released the extra liquid). Chop them before adding them to the muffin batter. You can use a combination of them or individually, and can substitute them for the tomato.
    Corn: use cooked corn (frozen works very well). I like to roast it first until very lightly charred to add more flavor. Substitute the tomato in the recipe or use the corn in addition to it.
    Olives: green or black olives, chopped, can be added instead of the tomato for a fantastic variation.
    Mushrooms: chop and cook them first until they release all the liquid. Use them instead of the tomato.
  • Seasonings: be sure to add enough salt, pepper, garlic and onion powder. Under seasoned muffins are so dull. Spice it up with some smoked paprika or chili pepper if that's your jam.
  • Yield: 12 regular medium-sized muffins when you fill 3/4 of the paper cup, and 10 muffins if you fill it almost to the top. The batter holds itself well, so there's little chance of overflow even if you fill it more than three-quarters, which is a standard way of avoiding spills.
  • Freezing: these muffins can be frozen, wrapped first in plastic and then in aluminum foil. Rewarm in a medium (170°F) oven before eating.
  • Author: Paula Montenegro
  • Prep Time: 15
  • Cook Time: 20
  • Category: Muffins
  • Method: Baking
  • Cuisine: American

Nutrition

  • Serving Size: 1/12
  • Calories: 174
  • Sugar: 1.4 g
  • Sodium: 347.7 mg
  • Fat: 8 g
  • Carbohydrates: 18.4 g
  • Fiber: 0.7 g
  • Protein: 7.3 g
  • Cholesterol: 49.6 mg

Find it online: https://vintagekitchennotes.com/extra-cheesy-savory-ham-muffins/