Change up pizza night with poppable, gluten-free Mini Pizza Quinoa Bites! Packed with protein and pizza flavor, they're a fun snack or dinner option!
‘ve got an extremely difficult recipe for you today. Brace yourselves for lots of measuring, dishes, ingredients…NOT.
The recipe for Mini Pizza Quinoa Bites calls for tossing pizza-themed ingredients in bowl, scooping the mixture into mini muffin tins, then baking.
Oh, then reaping the CHEESY PIZZA REWARDS. I am so obsessed with these bites!
Mini Pizza Quinoa Bites are a riff on a couple of my favorite quinoa cups recipes, Mini Ham and Cheese Quinoa Cups and Mini BLT Quinoa Cups. As delicious as those are, though, I think the pizza version is my absolutely favorite.
All the fabulous pizza flavor, but lighter since we’re ditching the crust.
These mini pizza bites are filled with classic toppings like chopped pepperoni and sliced black olives, though you can add whatever you like but you could fill yours with whatever you like – peppers, cooked sausage, onions, etc. Serve with warmed pizza sauce and you’re set.
Change up pizza night tonight!
Like I said, step one: throw some stuff in a bowl.
You’ll need 2 cups cooked quinoa (about 1/2 cup dry quinoa) that’s been slightly cooled or chilled – aka you can make it ahead of time. Make sure you rinse the quinoa under cold running water before cooking to remove the bitter substance it’s coated in. 2 whole eggs PLUS 2 egg whites join the party, along with 1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese, 1/4 cup grated parmesan cheese, 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning, and 2 cups pizza toppings.
Mix!
Spoon the mixture to the top of 24 mini muffin tin cups that have been sprayed VERY well with nonstick spray. The cheese in the mixture WILL stick if you don’t spray it well. Sorry for all the CAPS but this is IMPORTANT. Yikes.
Place the muffin tin on top of a foil-lined baking sheet then bake for 15-20 minutes at 350 degrees, or until golden brown. Let the bites cool for 5 minutes before popping them out of the cups.
Serve with warm pizza sauce then pop away!
Seriously, seriously so yummy. I can’t wait for you to try these — enjoy!
Also check out my Mini Ham & Cheese Quinoa Cups, and Mini BLT Quinoa Cups!
Equipment
Ingredients
- 2 cups cooked quinoa, cooled slightly or chilled (about 1/2 cup uncooked quinoa)
- 2 whole eggs
- 2 egg whites
- 2 cups chopped pizza toppings, pepperoni, black olives, pineapple, ham, onions, sausage, peppers, etc.
- 1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese
- 1/4 cup grated parmesan cheese
- 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
- Pizza sauce, for dipping
Directions
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees, line a baking sheet with foil, then spray a 24-cup mini muffin tin VERY well with nonstick spray and set aside.
- Add all ingredients except pizza sauce to a large bowl then stir to combine. Fill mini muffin tin cups to the top with the mixture then place on prepared baking sheet and bake for 15-20 minutes, or until golden brown. Let cool for 5 minutes before removing from cups. Serve with warmed pizza sauce.
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.
Notes
- For regular-sized muffin tins: Bake for 25-30 minutes (Note: I have not tried this myself, although several readers have left comments saying this works!)
Nutrition
Nutritional values are estimates only. Please read our full nutrition information disclaimer.
Found your recipe after I made way too much quinoa. Made it as written. Easy, quick and delicious. Thank you!
Amazing!! So glad you found a way to use up those leftovers! Thank you so much for your feedback and recipe rating!
These are so delicious! I’m really on the fence with quinoa, so I subbed short grain brown rice. Added diced pepperoni, minced yellow onion and green bell pepper. Also just used 3 whole eggs. They were a hit with my gf son and DIL. As I was packaging the leftovers for them, my husband (with the iron gut who can eat anything) said, “please leave some for me to snack on later.” This is a terrific recipe…thank you so much!
Ahh, love hearing that DJ! So glad you were able to make these your own. Thank you so much for your feedback and recipe rating!
Hi! Love your recipes! Do you know if any egg substitute would work with any of your quinoa cups? My girl is allergic to eggs and a picky eater but I think she’d like these. Thanks!
Hi Cali!! Have you seen the Just Egg egg replacer? https://www.ju.st/plant-based-eggs They didn’t agree with my daughter’s stomach, who is allergic to eggs, but it might be worth a try for your daughter. They seriously cook up and scramble just like regular eggs – it’s wild!
Just made these this morning for my gluten-free daughter who has a 2 year old and a 4 week old baby. She asked for something nutritious that she could eat with one hand, especially while nursing. These are perfect! With the pepperoni and olives, and a little cup of dipping sauce (pizza sauce), I’m sure her toddler will love them. It made more than 24 mini cups so I took the extra and spread it out on a flat baking pan and cooked it like a pizza. Cut into squares, it worked really well. I must admit, I kept those for myself!
Oooo, I love the idea of spreading out the mixture and baking it into an actual pizza shape – how fun! I hope your daughter and her 2 year old loved the cups!
Hi there, I often make your ham and cheese quinoa bites and I love them! Do you know if this recipe will work without putting them in the oven and possibly microwave them instead. I’m staying somewhere where the oven doesn’t work
I *think* it could work – I make microwave eggs for my youngest sometimes – but unfortunately I don’t even know where I’d start with time/power. Let me know if you end up giving it a go!
These were fantastic. I had to leave out the cheese in half of them (so I could enjoy), and they held together very well without. I made them before school started and gave my 9 year old a bite – and then she requested the quinoa cups in her lunch vs the already made tuna sandwich. Yum! Such a hit! For our toppings, I included black olives, fire roasted red pepper, pepperoni.
So good to know they work without cheese – will have to give that a go ASAP for my little guy! So glad you guys loved them!
I made the ham and cheese quinoa cups the other day and thought they were tasty, but these are gorgeous!!!!! I used ham, pineapple, red bell pepper, and red onions. I fried up the ham, pineapple and onion first- maybe I didn’t need too but just decided I would. A little tip I picked up from another site is to line each muffin dip with a strip of parchment paper. When they are cooked and cooled down a little loosen the sides and then use the strips to carefully take out the pizza cups. Highly recommend these lovely treats.
Thank you so much for the review, Mary, it is much appreciated!
I’ll bet BBQ beef would be good in this recipe. Some shredded beef, finely diced onions and bell peppers. Dip them in BBQ sauce. These bites cause you to create.
I made these on Sunday in regular muffin pans. I used 3 whole eggs and they turned out great! I’m having some for lunch today. Thank you for this recipe. I will definitely be making these again!
I have been in a slump with my early pre-baseball game suppers lately. I fed these (cold) to my three elementary aged boys last week while on the run and they LOVED THEM!!! Even my picky 5 year old ate them and liked. Thanks IGE! Keep ’em coming!! By the way I am now hooked on Gino’s Marinara.
I have lost track of the times I have made these. Thanks goodness the Iowa Girl Eats!