Quinoa Bites (with Veggies)

Quinoa bites on white plate with ketchup.

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With a base of quinoa and cauliflower, these Quinoa Bites are a great finger food for kids. They are a yummy vegetarian main dish, savory snack, or side and they store so well in the fridge or freezer.

Prep Time30

Cook Time22

Total Time52

Course: Dinner

Cuisine: American

Servings: (Makes about 20)

Calories: 253kcal

Author: Amy Palanjian

Equipment

Ingredients

1 cup cauliflower florets
1 cup fully cooked quinoa (slightly cooled)
⅓ cup shredded cheddar cheese
2 tablespoons plain or seasoned breadcrumbs
1 tablespoon all-purpose flour
2 tablespoons shredded or grated Parmesan
1 egg
¼ teaspoon salt
½ teaspoon pizza seasoning or cumin (optional)

US Customary - Metric

Instructions

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
Bring a kettle of pot of water to a boil. Place cauliflower into a heat-safe bowl and pour water over top. Let sit for 5 minutes. Drain and spread onto a clean kitchen towel. Pat dry well.
Place the cauliflower, quinoa, cheeses, egg, breadcrumbs, flour, salt, and spices, if using, into the bowl of a food processor. Grind into a uniform batter.
Form into 1-tablespoon balls using a mini ice cream scoop or measuring spoon. Place onto the prepared baking sheet. (If the batter is too sticky to easily scoop, add a little more breadcrumbs or flour.)
Bake for 22-24 minutes or until lightly golden brown. Serve warm with ketchup, if desired. (Or cook in the air fryer for 12 minutes at 375 degrees F.)

Notes

Storage: Once cooled, store for 3 days in the fridge in an airtight container.
Reheat in the microwave or for about 5 minutes in a 375 degree F oven. Or, let cool fully and store in a zip top freezer bag in the freezer for up to 3 months. To warm from frozen, place onto a parchment-lined baking sheet and bake for about 10 minutes at 375 degrees F.
Gluten-Free: Use gluten-free panko breadcrumbs and a cup-for-cup gluten-free flour blend.
Egg-free: Try a liquid egg replacer.
Cook your quinoa according to package directions so it's completely soft and allow to cool before starting the recipe. You can cook the quinoa up to 3 days ahead and store it in the fridge in an airtight container.

Nutrition