Keto Quail Egg Breakfast with Bacon and Avocado
Quail eggs are small but rich, one quail egg roughly equals a quarter of a chicken egg. Eight quail eggs make a single breakfast portion, taste more delicate and contain proportionally more yolk. Together with crispy bacon and half an avocado, they turn into a complete keto breakfast. Per serving: 3 g net carbs, 26 g protein, 38 g fat.
Key Takeaways
- Prep time: approx. 12 minutes.
- Approx. 3 g net carbs and 38 g fat per serving.
- Ingredients: 8 quail eggs, bacon, avocado, butter, chives.
- Refined keto breakfast with a high yolk ratio and healthy fats.
Ingredients
One serving is designed as a breakfast portion.
| Amount | Ingredient | Note | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| quail eggs | - | |||
| bacon | in strips | |||
| in strips | ||||
| avocado | ½ avocado | |||
| ½ avocado | ||||
| butter | - | |||
| fresh chives | 1 tbsp | |||
| 1 tbsp | ||||
| salt | to taste | |||
| to taste | ||||
| pepper | to taste | |||
| to taste | ||||
Preparation
Render the bacon in a dry pan without extra fat until crispy, then set aside. Heat a little butter in the bacon fat. Carefully crack the quail eggs into a bowl (the shell is hard and elastic, best opened with scissors or a small serrated knife). Slide the eggs into the pan and let them set over low heat for 90 seconds, the whites are done as soon as they turn opaque while the yolks stay runny. Halve and pit the avocado, then season with salt and pepper. Plate everything and sprinkle with chives.
Why this breakfast fits keto
Quail eggs contain around 13 g of fat, 13 g of protein and 0.4 g of carbs per 100 g, a higher fat ratio than chicken eggs. Eight quail eggs weigh approx. 80 g and deliver about 10 g of protein and 10 g of fat. Bacon (30 g) contributes around 12 g of fat and no carbs. Half an avocado (80 g) provides around 12 g of fat, 7 g of fiber and just 1.5 g of net carbs, making it one of the most valuable keto foods around.
Source: USDA FoodData Central – Egg, quail, whole, fresh , USDA FoodData Central – Avocado, raw
How can I vary this breakfast?
Instead of bacon, thinly sliced air-dried ham (Serrano, Parma) works well, just crisp it briefly in a dry pan. If you have no chives, use parsley or a touch of fresh tarragon. For a spicy kick, add a few drops of hot sauce directly onto the yolk. Alternatively with chicken or turkey: 8 quail eggs roughly equal 2 chicken eggs (around 100 g total), so the breakfast also works with regular eggs while the yolk-to-white ratio and the nutrition stay almost identical. To swap the bacon, 30 g of crisped turkey breast strips or thin turkey ham slices also work, but add 5 g of extra butter to the pan since turkey ham releases hardly any fat of its own.
Tips for quail eggs
- Cut the shell open, do not crack it, the shell is very sturdy but the membrane underneath is thread-like.
- Snip into the blunt end with small scissors and let the egg slide into a bowl.
- Low heat: quail eggs cook extremely fast and turn rubbery if the heat is too high.
- Plan on approx. 6 to 8 quail eggs per person for breakfast, they equal about 2 chicken eggs.
- Open the avocado right before serving, otherwise it browns. A squeeze of lemon juice delays the discoloration.
Nutrition values
| Nutrient | Per 100 g | Per serving | Keto context |
|---|---|---|---|
| Calories | approx. 230 kcal | approx. 470 kcal | Filling breakfast. |
| Filling breakfast. | |||
| Fat | approx. 19 g | approx. 38 g | From yolks, bacon, avocado, butter. |
| From yolks, bacon, avocado, butter. | |||
| Net carbs | approx. 1.5 g | approx. 3 g | Low, mainly from avocado. |
| Low, mainly from avocado. | |||
| Protein | approx. 13 g | approx. 26 g | From eggs and bacon. |
| From eggs and bacon. | |||
| Salt | approx. 0.7 g | approx. 1.8 g | Bacon brings the salt. |
| Bacon brings the salt. | |||
Note: Nutrition values are estimated averages per 100 g and per serving and may vary depending on ingredients, brands, portion size, and preparation. They do not replace individual nutrition or medical advice.
FAQ
Where can I buy quail eggs?
In well-stocked supermarkets (often at the fresh-foods counter), from poultry butchers and at farmers' markets. They are usually sold in packs of 12 and keep refrigerated for around 3 weeks.
Are quail eggs healthier than chicken eggs?
They are no "superfood", but they have a slightly higher yolk ratio and more vitamin B12 and iron per gram. They are also tolerated by many people with a chicken-egg allergy, though that should always be confirmed by a doctor.
How many quail eggs per day are okay?
On keto and a mixed diet there is no strict upper limit. Eight quail eggs equal about two chicken eggs and are perfectly fine as a breakfast portion.