Mini Ham and Cheese Quinoa Cups are a poppable, protein-packed gluten free breakfast or snack recipe. Filling, flavorful, and a hit with both kids and adults!
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!
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
- Gluten Free Breakfast Bombs
- Mini Egg Bites
- High Protein Overnight Oats
- Gluten Free Breakfast Casserole
- Make-Ahead Breakfast Bowls
Equipment
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
Nutritional values are estimates only. Please read our full nutrition information disclaimer.
this looks really good and i would love to try it but i don’t eggs. is there anything i can use to substitute the eggs.
So disappointed. Could not get them out of muffin pan.
It was a nonstick and I used bacel to coat each cup but still stuck. Any suggestions out there. Liked the taste of the crumbs
These are beautiful, and look and sound delicious, real men do eat quiche, there’s no gender divides when it comes to delicious food, maybe I’m not a real man though as I would take the ham out (I’m vege) and replace it with little cubes of fried haloumi and maybe add some chilli flakes and garlic. Thank you for the inspiration.
I love these :) I have linked them on my blog as a healthy snack idea :) x
https://bloomandbanquet.wordpress.com/life-how-to-stop-hunger-in-the-workplace-12-snack-ideas/
These are my new favorite food. I used the large muffin pan for about 40 minutes ad they came out great. I take them to work with me for breakfast and my co-workers steal them. I have a batch in the oven for them now… :)
Delicious! I didn’t have green onions so I used rosemary instead, and it made a great substitute!
These look SO good! I can picture a few of these with a splotch of sriracha on top for an extra kick in the morning. I’ll definitely be trying these within the next few days. Thanks! :)
Loved these and so did my husband and daughter! They were also a big hit at work. Glad I found you on Pinterest. Thanks!
These look awesome! My husband loves quiche, and I love finding new breakfast options. Yum!
Wow Yummy!
Hello.
That’s sound delicious, healthy, and easy to make. The way I like to cook. Thanks for sharing :)
I made this today and it was delicious! They got stuck on the bottom of the pan. what should I do in order for them pop out more easily!
So glad you liked them! Just spray the tins really well with nonstick spray next time and they should pop right out!
Hi, is the parsley you use English Parsley or Italian Parsley or Chinese Parlsey (coriander)?
Grenonions are the one also called Spring onions ?
many thanks!