These cheesy quinoa bites are the perfect solution when you need something to do with leftover quinoa!
You and the kids will love them because they’re bite-sized, cheesy, nutritious, and pair great with everything!
Are Quinoa Bites Healthy?
These quinoa bites are a healthy meal option for adults and kids; with each bite containing 36 calories and 2 grams of protein, they’re a terrific meal builder.
Quinoa is also a healthy grain providing fiber, protein, and minerals, making it a great addition to your meals.
Ingredients
Few ingredients go into these cheesy quinoa bites, which is why they’re always the perfect thing to make and easy to customize! You’ll need:
- Quinoa: the recipe card below includes measurements for leftover cooked quinoa or uncooked.
- Egg: to bind the quinoa, seasoning, and cheese.
- Italian seasoning: adds a mild flavor kids love. Check the recipe card for other seasoning suggestions.
- Garlic powder: a little goes a long way to add flavor.
- Salt: just a pinch for seasoning.
- Shredded Cheese: this is what gives these bites its “cheesy” name and make it a kid-favorite! I suggest sharp cheddar for flavor, but you can use mozzarella too.
How to Make Quinoa Bites
Making cheesy quinoa bites is easy, almost like making cupcakes! Here is what you’ll need to do:
- Cook the quinoa (if you don’t have leftovers)
In a medium saucepan, place quinoa and water and bring to a boil. Cover, reduce heat to a simmer, and cook for 10 minutes. Turn off the heat, and let the quinoa sit, covered, for 5 to 7 more minutes. Remove the lid and fluff with a fork.
Allow the quinoa to cool down to room temperature; this is a great step to make ahead of time or use up leftover quinoa. - Prep the oven
Preheat the oven to 400F and grease or spray a (24) mini muffin pan*. - Make the cheesy base
In a large bowl, whisk the egg. Add the Italian seasoning, garlic powder, salt, and shredded cheese. Once combined, add the cooled quinoa and mix. - Fill them up!
Spoon the cheesy quinoa mixture into the muffin pan. - Bake the cheesy quinoa bites
Bake in the preheated oven for 15 to 18 minutes until the tops are golden brown. Remove from oven and enjoy. - Serve
Serve these cheesy quinoa bites with marinara sauce, salsa, topped with guacamole, and more!
Watch this quick recipe video to see it all come together step-by-step
Dry to Cooked Quinoa Ratio
1 cup of dry quinoa expands 3 to 4 times its size, yielding approximately 3.5 cups cooked.
The recipe card below includes the measurements to make these cheesy quinoa bites starting from dry and with leftover cooked quinoa.
Kid and Toddler Approved Quinoa Recipe
By turning quinoa into a bite-sized food and adding cheese, you’re transforming a nutritious ingredient into a kid and toddler-approved quinoa recipe. Bonus points when you serve these cheesy quinoa bites with a sauce for dipping!
Sauces for Dipping Quinoa Bites
Kids and toddlers love to dip their food, and by serving these quinoa bites with a sauce, you’re making them more fun to eat.
Consider dipping these in:
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How to Pack Quinoa Bites for Lunch
You can pack these quinoa bites warm inside a preheated thermos or at room temperature inside a compartmentalized container.
Pair these with some fruit and veggies, and you’ve got one complete meal!
These are my favorite kid-friendly lunch containers.
More Ways to Use Leftover Quinoa
Want more ways to use up quinoa? Consider these recipes:
Southwest Quinoa Salad | Pizza Quinoa Bites | Cranberry Quinoa Salad
Cheesy Quinoa Bites
Ingredients
- ½ cup quinoa*
- 1 cup water
- 1 large egg
- 1 ½ teaspoons Italian seasoning*
- ½ teaspoon garlic powder
- Pinch of salt
- 1 cup shredded cheese
Instructions
- In a medium saucepan, place quinoa and water and bring to a boil. Cover, reduce heat to a simmer, and cook for 10 minutes. Turn off the heat, and let the quinoa sit, covered, for 5 to 7 more minutes. Remove the lid and fluff with a fork. Allow the quinoa to cool down to room temperature; this is a great step to make ahead of time or use up leftover quinoa.
- Preheat the oven to 400F and grease or spray a (24) mini muffin pan*.
- In a large bowl, whisk the egg. Add the Italian seasoning, garlic powder, salt, and shredded cheese. Once combined, add the cooled quinoa and mix.
- Spoon the cheesy quinoa mixture into the muffin pan.
- Bake in the preheated oven for 15 to 18 minutes until the tops are golden brown. Remove from oven and enjoy.
Celeste
loooove this cheese snack
Mikayla Pheifer
Can you freeze these? If i made a triple batch and cooked them and then froze them?
Laura Fuentes
You sure can! just heat them up and serve. Enjoy!
Mindy G
I would add a few veggies to help boost the nutrients…maybe broccoli or even little bits of kale.
Rachel
Oh any kind of savory crumbled meat or olives!
Valerie Gordon
The recipe looks good and basic. I would just add some sauteed onions and broccoli. Thanks!
Jamie
Love this, I can’t wait to try it on my picky eaters. I might add carrots or spinach.
Carrie Miller
Green chilies or ham. Or both!
Marion
My kids would love to add chopped pepperoni and our homemade pizza seasoning!
Jennifer
I would add mushrooms or zucchini!
Be
I think these are a great idea!! I would add bacon bits!!! Yum!
Laura Fuentes
You can never go wrong with bacon!
AnnEllen Feltcorn
First, I love the note in the lunch box. I wrote notes most days to my kids on the napkin I enclosed in their lunches. It became the subject each lunch table my kids would sit at, and other kids loved it. Second, I would love to add defrosted chopped spinach, and here’s a twist for this amazing quinoa recipe., Siracha sauce mixed with a bit of mayo for a dipping sauce. Great use for that bit of made ahead (no such things as left overs)quinoa.
Laura Fuentes
That sounds amazing AnnEllen!
Mary Clare
I love the idea of pepperoni!
Lisa Floyd
I find these bites-type of foods often lack enough flavor to make my kids want them more than once (with the exception of cheesy turkey meatloaf bites). I would add some uncured bacon bits and a few fresh spinach leaves that have been cut into thin ribbons with kitchen scissors. A sliced cherry tomato ring baked into the top would also be fun and add a little more vitamins and color.
Laura Fuentes
These are just the base to add an unlimited amount of toppings and add-ins. Enjoy!
Meridith
Can’t wait to try these! I would try adding bacon and maybe some thawed frozen spinach, but just a little to not overpower the flavor! Thank you!
Laynee
These sound good except I don’t like cheese. Would it be easy for me to just leave the cheese out? My first thought was to add pepperoni and onions and bell peppers to make them pizza quinoa bites, but if I remember, I think you already have another recipe of just that. So I would add some broccoli, bell peppers, and maybe some pastured bacon. That would be for all my family! Lucky we all like veggies!
Laura Fuentes
If you leave the cheese out, add an additional egg since the cheese helps bind everything together. Enjoy!
Kathy
Bacon sounds really good. Since my kids are grown, I would make some for myself and add some jalapeño peppers
Natasha
These cheesy quinoa bites seem perfect as is….but if I were to add anything, it would have to be BROCCOLI!!
Carin
Definitely the secret ingredient… Love!!
Damiana
These look super tasty! I’d add in a little bit of hamburger or turkey burger, chopped super fine, to sneak in a bit of iron for my toddler. Thanks!
Sarah
My kids would love pepperoni and black olives cut up real small in them.
Juliane P.
These look delicious! I think broccoli and chicken would be a good addition.
Candy Conrad
Broccoli would be a nice addition. I love the idea of using them as croutons and with tomato soup. Thanks for the recipe!
Mama Bear
They are perfect just as presented here. I would add nothing. 🙂
January V.
I’d add some finenlt chopped carrots or possibly some collagen to up the protein. They look delish!
Kathy
Look yummy! I think I’d like dried tomatoes 🙂 but I know my sons would like Greek style w/ olives & feta.
Kathy
Look yummy! I think I’d like dried tomorrows but I know my sons would like Greek style w/ olives & feta.
Michelle
Some leftover chicken or sausage would be delicious.
Melissa
I love that this recipe can be modified right in the bowl to accommodate all three of my kids tastes. Just cheese for one – put in the pan, add in some diced ham in the remaining mix – put in the pan, and finally add in broccoli and grated carrots to go with the ham for my third child who loves it all!
Melissa Kling
These look so yummy! I think you could add whatever you have in the fridge or pantry! Broccoli, spinach, nuts, bacon! They look versatile! Can’t wait to try them!
Kim
I am thinking about trying shredded zucchini in these! Can’t wait to try it 🙂
Cristina Moidel
I would add pepperoni or sausage, and I like the broccoli idea! Thank you for sharing this recipe!
Stacy L
Thanks for the quinoa recipe – can’t wait to try it! I would add grated carrots or minced onions.
Mayah DeVillier
I would add chopped ham or bacon.
Shant
I’d maybe try adding chopped tomatoes and fresh basil. These look like a great snack to have on hand.
Tiffany Brown
I love your reciles and tips! I would add some diced pepperoni.
Debbie Hausher
These sound yummy so definitely will try them out. I would try Colby Jack cheese and bacon with little taco seasoning for Tex-Mex twist.
Alli
I would add curry powder or dried rosemary. I love when there is a lot of flavor and as long as it’s not too spicy my kids usually are on board! These sound awesome and I plan to make them soon.
Nancy B
I would add some colorful peppers into those little bites.
Marie
I was thinking of adding pepperoni – but I like the other suggestions of broccoli and bacon, too!
How do you recommend sending them to school? Since you don’t have them photographed with a Thermos – do you just send them cold?
Marie
I guess your video addresses sending them to school… But it says room temperature. What about cold? From the fridge to the lunchbox with an ice pack?
Laura Fuentes
Yes, from fridge to lunchbox with an ice pack or warmed inside a thermos.
Laura Fuentes
I send them as is, inside a lunchbox. My kids don’t mind them at room temperature. You could warm them and place them in a thermos too.
Jill
Seems simple and easy to make and something my son would love! I would add broccoli or perhaps pepperoni or ham.
Laura Fuentes
Congratulations Jill! You are the winner of the Bob’s REd Mill Gift Card! Look in your inbox for an email from [email protected] Thanks for following me!
Tammera Barnas
These look tasty! I would add some chopped baby spinach.
Dawn Kirchmann
My kiddos like ham, bacon, & sausage, so I would try each!
Kristin D
I would add finely chopped spinach! Would add a nice pop of color 🙂
Kay Eibl
We love quinoa bites! I made some with a similar recipe this weekend and added chopped spinach, plus an extra egg white. My family loves eating them with sriracha sauce! Thank you for sharing another wonderful recipe, with protein-filled quinoa… the best! Thank you.
Beth
I would make “BLTs” and add some snipped sun dried tomatoes (not in oil), spinach, and bacon – my daughter and I love tomatoes! My son would prefer broccoli and ham.
Theresa O
Can’t wait to try these! My kids like your tuna-quinoa casserole recipe from your book a lot, so I would think adding any veggies, like broccoli, corn or peas could bump up the nutrition. And a sprinkle of cumin like in the casserole. I really like the suggestion of bacon up above too. What a great idea!
Katie
I would dice up some pepperoni and mix it in. Looks delicious.
Audra
They sound yummy as they are, but ham, spinach, bacon would be good in them too!
Jennifer
I would try chickpeas for added protein.
Kate Olson
Ahhh I love this!! Can’t wait to try these! I think I would add broccoli in some and maybe bell peppers and onions?… I’ve decided that everything should be in mini muffin form because they’re so dang cute and easy to eat. Plus the kids love that it fits in their palm! 🙂 Thank you for another super fun recipe!!
Carrie Haines
I’ve never eaten quinoa, but I recently bought some and am inspired by this post…. I like cheese 🙂 I want to try adding ham or bacon… yum!
Denise
I think chopped broccoli would be fantastic 🙂
CarrieP
I would add shredded zucchini to it especially at this time of the year.
Tiffany B
I’d add some bacon!!! Yum!!
Kate
How about some fresh or frozen spinach, and maybe a little Italian sausage (pre-cooked)?
Keri justice
I would love to try this recipe with a ranch seasoning in place of the itialin seasonings and use a ranch dip also! They sound super tasty.
Marcia
These look yummy, but we don’t eat cheese. I would try subbing mashed sweet potato instead.
Brenda
I would add a diced jalapeño to the mix and serve with salsa.
latanya
I would add some carrots
Natalie
Humm ,maybe a couple different cheeses and spinach
Linda
These look great and I definitely plan to make them. It would be great if you could also post the nutritional data on these recipes for those of us who are monitoring our nutritional and calorie intake.
Jennifer
I would add 1-2 tablespoons ancient seeds or chopped almonds, to add a little crunch and a bit more protein.
Laura Fuentes
Sounds delish. Enjoy!
de
These look great! I would add bacon!
Rita
Love that idea. Everything is better with bacon!!!
Tiffany D
I’m like you in always trying to get more greens in for my daughter. I’d like to add in broccoli chopped up really small. For us big kids, I think it’d be nice to add a grilled shrimp on top to make for a fun appetizer. As always, thanks for amazing recipes!