This healthy, gluten-free, kid-friendly quinoa recipe is a must-try! Pizza-flavored Quinoa Bites make a nutritious meal or snack the whole family will love. They're the perfect pizza alternative that's so easy to make.
Eureka! We found a healthy quinoa recipe for kids!
Every single one of our four adorable yet discerning kiddos actually likes them. It's a Healthy Food Recipe, and it's super easy to make! It's like finding gold!
Quinoa Pizza Bites are delicious and a great alternative to traditional pizza, usually high in fat and sodium. These make a great recipe to feed your toddler!
If you want to Cook Your Quinoa Perfectly, follow this easy tutorial.
Over the years, we've tried a kazillion recipes that we think the kids will like, only to have a ton of leftovers that no one will eat. We thought we struck it rich the day every one of the kids thought this recipe was super good!
Kids love oatmeal bars for a healthy snack or this Crockpot Pizza Casserole.
Benefits of Quinoa
If you don't know quinoa, the superfood, let me introduce you.
Quinoa seeds {yes, it's a seed, not a grain} contain all the essential amino acids like lysine and small quantities of calcium, phosphorus, and iron. Quinoa also provides small amounts of omega-3 fatty acids and fiber.
It's also considered a complete protein. What other seed or grain can do that? Quinoa is gluten-free and easy to digest, so those with sensitivities can enjoy this one.
How to Make Gluten-Free Quinoa Pizza Bites
With your leftover cooked quinoa, these Pizza Cups can be on the table in 20 minutes and only require one bowl for prep. (That's my kind of recipe!)
Step 1 - Preheat Your Oven + Prep Pan
First, preheat your oven to 400 degrees F. Spray the inside of the muffin pan with non-stick spray.
Gather your ingredients. (You can use cheddar or mozzarella.)
Step 2 - Mix Ingredients
Next, place all your ingredients in a medium bowl except your parmesan cheese and pizza sauce. Stir to combine.
Step 2 - Fill Cups
Now, fill the mini muffin cups, and you're ready to bake!
Step 3 - Bake
Finally, top with parmesan cheese and broil for 30 seconds to a minute. Watch them closely so they don't burn. Your Quinoa Pizza Bites are done when they're golden brown.
Tips & Tricks
- You can use any cheese for this recipe, depending on your preference, but mozzarella is our top choice for the best pizza-flavored Quinoa Bites.
- You can use regular or turkey pepperoni in this recipe.
- For meal and snack prep, doubling the batch is a good idea.
- This recipe is so simple, and the kids can certainly help!
- Quinoa Bites are best served with marinara or kid-favorite ranch dressing.
What Are Good Flavor Combinations?
You can certainly customize your quinoa bites for many flavor combinations.
- To add more nutritional value, try adding shredded vegetables like zucchini or carrots to the recipe.
- Ham and cheese is a wonderful variation.
- Bacon! Yes, bacon is a great addition or stand-alone ingredient.
Can You Freeze Them?
Yes, you can definitely freeze these pizza bites made with quinoa. They are great to pull from the freezer when you're in a rush or need something healthy.
- To freeze for later, take the quinoa bites out of the muffin pan, place individual baked cups on a cookie sheet, and freeze until solid. Then, transfer to a freezer-safe bag. You always want to prevent freezer burn. To thaw, microwave for 20-40 seconds, depending on how many bites you're reheating.
Note: They keep in an airtight container stored in the refrigerator for about a week.
More Family-Friendly Recipes
Love this Quinoa Bites recipe? Please leave a 5 star ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ rating in the recipe card below ⬇️ and/or a review in the comment section further down.
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Printable Recipe
Kid-Friendly Quinoa Pizza Bites Recipe
Equipment
- mini muffin pans
- mixing bowl
- Mixing spoon or spatula
Ingredients
- 1 cup cooked quinoa
- ¾ cup shredded cheese
- 2 Tablespoons Parmesan cheese
- 1 egg
- ¼ teaspoon salt (to taste)
- ½ teaspoon ground pepper
- ½ teaspoon garlic powder
- 3 teaspoons Italian seasoning
- ½ cup chopped pepperoni or veggies (optional)
- Marinara Sauce (for dipping)
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. and then spray a mini muffin tin VERY well with nonstick spray and set aside.
- Add all ingredients except parmesan cheese and pizza sauce to a large bowl and stir to combine. Fill mini muffin tin cups to the top with the mixture, then place on a prepared baking sheet and bake for 13-15 minutes, or until golden brown.
- Top with remaining parmesan cheese and broil for about 30 seconds to 1 minute (watch them closely, they burn easily). Let cool for 5 minutes before removing from cups. Serve with warmed pizza sauce.
Video
Notes
Nutrition
We updated the recipe with additional instructions and photographs on 1/31/2020.
Emma says
Newbie question - should I let the cooked quinoa cool down before making these?
Ritika Gann says
Hey Emma! Yes, I would! Good flag, though. I'll add this note to the instructions.
Tina says
We had left over quinoa and found this recipe while searching for what to do with it. We made two versions- a dairy free version and an egg free version and both came out great!
Ritika Gann says
Amazing! So glad they turned out well.
Linden says
Very good! Easy to make.
Ritika Gann says
So glad it turned out well!
Carolina says
Hi there, what could I replace the egg with?
Erin Henry says
You'll need some sort of "binder" to hold it all together. You could try making a chia seed egg, but I am unsure of the results.
Star says
Sounds good. Looking fwd to trying it. I have a question about the directions… why do you use a muffin tin AND a “prepared baking sheet”?
Erin Henry says
Good question, Star. It is the same thing. It should read "prepared baking pan", which is the muffin tin.
Star Stivitts says
Ahaaa. ? Lol thank you.
MMW says
DELICIOUS! Love all your quinoa recipes. This is perfect for the kiddos.
Erin Henry says
Glad you liked it! Our kids ask for just all the time!
Katie says
I am SO excited to make these for my kiddos! They're going to love it!
Katie says
Made this for the family and it was a hit!
Natalie says
What a delicious recipe! Very kid-friendly! Love that I can get them to eat quinoa with this recipe!
Erin Henry says
Oh, yay! Quinoa is so good when it tastes like pizza! 🙂
Shirley Wood says
I do believe my grandchildren would gobble these up quickly. So glad you shared this yummy recipe with us at Merry Monday. Tweeted.
Erin says
Ahh,thanks, Shirley! I think the grandkids will love them...and you can feel good about giving them something healthy!
DIY Thrill says
These look so yummy! Thanks so much for sharing! 🙂
Erin says
Yes!! It's so yummy and so great that both the kids and us parents like it too!!
Raia says
Great recipe, Erin! I can't wait to try it. 🙂 I bet my kiddos will love it! Thank you so much for sharing it with us at Allergy Free Thursdays!
Erin says
It's so nice when you find a kid-friendly, healthy recipe! Enjoy and let me know what your kids think! I need to make some more of these and have them in the freezer for a quick dinner!
Bethany says
These look delicious and so fun!