Mini Ham and Cheese Quinoa Cups

I had this whole spiel ready about how real men do, in fact, eat quiche, as demonstrated by Ben who housed nearly a dozen Mini Ham and Cheese Quinoa Cups that resemble wee baby quiche for dinner last night, but then I remembered quiche has a crust and Mini Ham and Cheese Quinoa Cups do not, so in reality they’re more like mini frittatas and well, all was tragically lost.

These 2-bite delights combine whole eggs, egg whites, cooked quinoa, shredded zucchini, cheddar cheese, and diced ham in a perfectly poppable package that contains 3 grams of protein per mini cup, thanks to quinoa and lean ham in the mix. They’re low in calories too, at less than 50 calories a piece.

Did I mention they’re SO DANG CUTE?!

Watch How to Make Them!

Protein-Packed Quinoa Bites

Best of all, these protein-packed quinoa bites are super versatile. Try these other varieties!

• Pizza Quinoa Bites
• Mushroom and Swiss Quinoa Bites
• Bacon Cheeseburger Quinoa Cups

Plus they can be eaten for breakfast, lunch, dinner, or a snack. Is there anything Mini Ham & Cheese Quinoa Cups can’t do?

This easy, gluten-free recipe takes no time at all. Simply combine the ingredients in a bowl.

Mix.

Then add cooked quinoa and mix again.

Liberally spray a mini muffin tin or mini muffin baking pan with nonstick spray, fill the cups up with the mixture, then bake for 20 minutes or until the cups are golden brown around the outside.

Pop them out once cool enough to handle then try not to squeal. These delicious mini quinoa cups are almost too cute to eat.

Almost!

Like I said, you could eat mini quinoa cups for breakfast, brunch, lunch, or dinner — hot or cold. They’re even freezer-friendly. Enjoy, enjoy!

More Protein-Packed Breakfast Recipes

• Mini Egg Bites
• High Protein Overnight Oats
• Gluten Free Breakfast Casserole
• Make-Ahead Breakfast Bowls

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Mini Ham and Cheese Quinoa Cups

4.9 from 24 votes

by Kristin Porter

Prep: 10 minutes mins

Cook: 15 minutes mins

Total: 25 minutes mins

Servings: 12

GFGluten Free

SaveSaved Pin Print

Mini Ham and Cheese Quinoa Cups are a poppable gluten free breakfast or snack recipe. Super easy and loved by both kids and adults!

Equipment

• Silicon Mini Muffin Pan

Ingredients

• 2 cups cooked quinoa, ~about 3/4 cup uncooked
• 2 large eggs
• 2 egg whites
• 1 cup shredded zucchini
• 1 cup shredded sharp cheddar cheese
• 1/2 cup diced ham
• 1/4 cup loosely packed parsley, chopped
• 2 Tablespoons grated parmesan cheese
• 2 green onions, chopped
• salt and pepper

Directions 

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Combine all ingredients in a large bowl then mix to combine. Liberally spray a mini muffin tin with nonstick spray then scoop the quinoa mixture to the top of each cup. Bake for 15-20 minutes, or until the edges of the cups are golden brown. Let cool for 5 minutes before removing from the muffin tin and transferring to a cooling rack to cool.

Notes

• For regular-sized muffin tins: bake for 25-30 minutes (Note: I have not tested full-sized muffins myself, although several readers have left comments saying this works!)
• To freeze: place baked cups on a baking sheet then freeze until solid and transfer to a freezer bag. Microwave for 20-40 seconds depending on how many you're reheating.

Nutrition

Calories: 101kcal, Carbohydrates: 8g, Protein: 6g, Fat: 5g, Saturated Fat: 2g, Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g, Monounsaturated Fat: 1g, Trans Fat: 0.003g, Cholesterol: 40mg, Sodium: 160mg, Potassium: 143mg, Fiber: 1g, Sugar: 1g, Vitamin A: 307IU, Vitamin C: 6mg, Calcium: 92mg, Iron: 1mg

Nutritional values are estimates only. Please read our full nutrition information disclaimer.

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