Mini Ham and Cheese Quinoa Cups are the perfect, poppable, gluten-free breakfast or snack recipe. Easy, delicious and loved by kids and adults alike!
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.
Ok, let me explain. First of all, Mini Ham and Cheese Quinoa Cups might be my new favorite thing on the planet. I may or may not have squealed with delight when they came out of the oven. THEY ARE SO CUTE!!!
These 2-bite delights are basically mini frittatas containing eggs, egg whites, cooked quinoa, shredded zucchini, cheddar cheese, and diced ham, but I couldn’t name them Mini Ham and Cheese Frittatas because Ben won’t knowingly eat frittatas. Or quiche, for that matter. Mini Ham and Cheese Quinoa Cups, though? Can’t get enough.
Anyway, these perfectly poppable bites are packed with protein at 3 grams 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.
Plus, they’re versatile. Like I said, my Mini Ham and Cheese Quinoa Cups contain fresh zucchini, ham and sharp cheddar cheese, because that’s what I had in the fridge, but I can think of a zillion different combos that would be equally as delish. Broccoli Cheddar. Sun Dried Tomato & Pesto. Mushroom & Swiss. 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 some 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!
Make Ahead Stuffed ShellsMini Ham and Cheese Quinoa Cups
Description
Mini Ham and Cheese Quinoa Cups are the perfect, poppable, gluten-free breakfast or snack recipe. Easy, delicious and loved by kids and adults alike!
Ingredients
- 2 cups cooked quinoa (about 3/4 cup uncooked)
- 2 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 shredded or grated parmesan cheese
- 2 green onions, chopped
- salt & pepper
Directions
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Combine all ingredients in a large bowl and mix to combine. Liberally spray a mini muffin tin with non-stick spray and spoon 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 at least 5 minutes before removing from the mini muffin tin.
- 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.
- 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!)
Notes
Adapted from So Very Blessed
This recipe is courtesy of Iowa Girl Eats, http://iowagirleats.com.
Video
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!
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Mini Ham and Cheese Quinoa Cups, the best recipe for children and they love it. Its tasty and healthy in one time. Thanks For This Post.
I somehow missed the zucchini while I was buying ingredients so instead I mixed in some broccoli and spinach. Because of this, my mixture was a bit dry so I also added in an additional egg. This recipe is super forgiving and so easy to customize! I love them and will definitely make these part of my normal rotation.
So glad you loved them and was able to make the recipe work, Savannah!
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Can anyone tell me about how long they’re good for once frozen? Thanks in advanced.
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I keep going back to this recipe over and over again and I always make a tad too little. Both, my boyfriend and my son can’t get enough of these. When I do not have ham, I just use some weiners.
I’m so glad everyone loves them, Llana – thanks so much for your feedback!
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My daughter made these last night. Delicious! She thought they were easy to throw together, too
I’m so glad to hear it, Dawn!
I’m trying to find nutritional information??
I just wondered if you knew calorie count and do these freeze well?
Hi Sherri! I don’t have the calorie count but they free very well!
I have been making these regularly for about the last 6 months. Awesome recipe!
I’m so glad to hear it, Karen! Thanks for letting me know! :)
would these still hold together fine without the cheese? I am dairy and and gluten free.
Hi Kara! It’s possible, because of the eggs, but I haven’t tested without cheese so I can’t say for sure!
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There were amazing! I have to watch my sodium so I used low sodium bacon instead of ham. Great energy booster to start your day. Thank you
So glad to hear you could tweak the recipe to fit your needs, Yvonne – thanks for your feedback and recipe review!
[…] 6. Mini Ham and Cheese Quinoa Cups Like a mini frittata, these muffin-size breakfast bites are full of good-for-you parts like cooked quinoa, eggs, egg whites, shredded zucchini, cheddar cheese and diced ham. […]
[…] These are savory min-quinoa breakfast quiches that are about the size of a two-bite muffin. They are light and fluffy and can be eaten cold. The version in this recipe contains ham, cheese, and eggs, which provide you with a solid base of protein that will keep you going all morning. You can also easily adapt the recipe to include vegetables such as spinach or zucchini and cheese. Other good combos would be broccoli cheddar, sun-dried tomato, and pesto, and mushroom and Swiss cheese The muffins themselves, which also contain grated parmesan cheese, green onions, and chopped parsley. From Iowa Gril Eats. […]
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[…] 6. Mini Ham and Cheese Quinoa Cups Like a mini frittata, these muffin-size breakfast bites are filled with good-for-you elements like cooked quinoa, eggs, egg whites, shredded zucchini, cheddar cheese and diced ham. […]
These quinoa cups sound amazing. I normally don’t like these type of things because of the strange egg consistency but I think the quinoa will help with that and they look so healthy. I can’t wait to try them. Pinning to make soon!
These are super yummy! Made them in a regular sized muffin tin and baked for 25 minutes at 350 degrees– worked perfectly. I swapped diced ham for cut up turkey deli meat that I had leftover (plus it’s a little healthier & super easy). I also added some chopped mushrooms and it was a great addition. Going to pack two per sandwich baggy and bring to the office to throw in the toaster oven for a quick lunch :)
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Has anyone made this in an 8×8 pan?
Wow these were so good! Ive been looking for quick breakfast ideas that don’t leave me hungry mid morning and these seem like a good ‘stay with your breakfast. I made them vegetarian without the ham, still very tasty. The quinoa and egg cheese and scallion flavors combined very nicely. I did have some trouble getting them out of my metal non stick mini muffin pans, even with cooking spray. I think it was where the bits of cheese adhered to the pan. I waited for it to cool a little more and ran a plastic knife or spoon around the edges to get them out. They released very easily from silicone muffin pans though. I put some in the freezer but have not tried them defrosted yet. This recipe is definitely a keeper!
Love these! So great for meal prep too!!
So true – they freeze so well! Thank you so much for your feedback and recipe rating, Ann!
One of my favorite breakfast recipes. I feel comfortable enough with the recipe to do different flavors such as sausage, mushroom and sage, broccoli cheddar, etc.
Would you be able to provide any recommendations for shipping these to family one state away? I feel like I need to be more cautious because of the ham and cheese. Would you freeze them first? Use 2 day shipping? The internet is all over the place with non-specific advice. Any thoughts would be appreciated.
Thank you for this recipe- I have made several versions of these for years and they are always a hit. My favorite is zucchini mushroom onion and cheese, but many varieties are great. We are blessed to have my mom live independently at 98 years f age, and I take her a months supply of frozen quinoa cups for her breakfast- she loves them as have many of my clients for whom I share them s a treat.
I am so thrilled to hear that, Wendy! Thank you so much for sharing, and for your recipe rating!