Quinoa Pizza Bites
Use up leftover quinoa with these fun and easy quinoa pizza bites. Kid friendly and they make a great snack or appetizer!
It’s 2015 and I realize that I do not have one single recipe with quinoa on my blog. Whaaat? Honestly I really don’t eat quinoa very often, but lately, I’ve been trying to find ways to use it more. It’s not that I don’t like quinoa, it’s actually pretty good. But sometimes I’m not really sure what to make when it comes to cooking with it, so I’ve been trying to find more creative ways to use it lately.
Well, friends, I found a fun way to cook with it. Just make it into pizza! Weird? Maybe. But if you love quinoa and pizza then these are a real treat.
These quinoa pizza bites are actually a great way to use up any leftover quinoa that you might have on hand. You’ll need 1 and 1/2 cups of cooked quinoa to make these. I prefer to cook my quinoa in chicken broth for a little extra flavor, but water will work as well.
I kept these kind of simple, with a little parmesan, mozzarella, and mini pepperonis. These are easily customizable, so you can feel free to add your favorite pizza toppings as well. These would be fun to make with kids because they’re easy to throw together and they’re mini, which automatically makes them cuter.
Serve these up with a side of marinara sauce for a quick and easy snack or appetizer! Enjoy!
Quinoa Pizza Bites
Ingredients
- 1 and 1/2 cups cooked quinoa
- 1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese
- 1 cup mini pepperonis
- 1/4 cup grated parmesan cheese
- 1 large egg
- 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
- 1/2 teaspoon onion powder
- 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit. Spray a mini muffin pan well with non stick cooking spray and set aside.
- Add all of the ingredients to a large bowl and mix until fully combined.
- Evenly distribute the mixture between the mini muffin cavities (you should end up with about 18-20) and gently press it down.
- Bake at 400 degrees Fahrenheit for 15-20 minutes.
- Remove from the oven and allow to cool in the pan for about 5 minutes. Remove from the pan and serve with marinara sauce.
Notes
This is such a great way to bake with quinoa! I’ve only used it in salads before so I definitely need to try it in more recipes like this. Pizza and quinoa are two of my favorites, so this sounds like the perfect combo! Love quick and easy snacks like this!
Thanks, Gayle! I think you would definitely like these 🙂
Oh, man. These little bites look dangerously addicting! I absolutely love quinoa and combining it with pizza flavors is just plain awesome!
These are so fun, Danielle! I think they would be great to make with my kids! I like how they are so customizable with the toppings, too. I can’t wait to try them!
Thanks, Kristine! I think your kids would love these too!
Yeah, you know this is my kind of dish! Pizza and quinoa in one, will be trying these soon! Love the idea!
Your quinoa dishes always inspire me to cook more with it, Mira! Thank you 🙂
Such a creative use of quinoa here! Now that’s a healthy way to do pizza!
I really love quinoa! These pizza bites are so delicious! I know my family would adore these! 😀
Oooh these look so delicious!! Pizza flavored anything has to be delicious. Pinned!
These are adorable and what a great way to use of those leftovers. I could make these for the kids lunch! Perfect and pinned!! 😉
Thanks, Cyndi!
You know I really wasn’t that crazy about quinoa either, it doesn’t really taste like anything, does it?! I love this idea! Super clever!
I know, I always have to add something else to it! Thanks, Annie.
Danielle! This is such a great idea! I’m always make too much quinoa. I figure it’s better to have too much than not enough. What a great way to use it up! And a fun gluten free way to enjoy pizza!
Hi Danielle! This is my first time stopping by and I love how inventive this dish is! I tend to love pizza a little too much, and this would be a great way to get my fill (without overdoing the calories). I have no limit with pizza! Great recipe, can’t wait to try it!
Thanks, Heather! I have no limit when it comes to pizza either. So glad you stopped by!
Oh my gosh, I love these little bites! Such a great way to use up leftover quinoa! I am always trying to find creative ways to get my husband to love quinoa and I can’t wait to try these! They look delicious!
Thanks, Kelly. These may be a great way to get your husband to eat quinoa 😉
Any idea on how to make it dairy free? Other topings ?
You can leave out the parmesan and mozzarella cheese, or use a vegan/dairy free version. You can use any toppings you like on these too!
Adding quinoa to these pizza bites was a brilliant idea! The perfect way to get more protein! Pinned!
This is such a great idea!! I always seem to have quinoa left over and this would be such a fun way to use up any extra!!
I love quinoa, and when it’s baked with cheese (and now pepperoni!) it’s even better! These look delicious, Danielle, and might actually get my kids to eat quinoa. 🙂
Cheese and pepperoni make everything better, right? Thanks, Marcie!
Confession: I’ve never cooked with quinoa before! I’ve eaten it, but I always forget to buy it. With a recipe like this though, I’m going to have to put it on the grocery list! These look so good!
You have to to give it a try at least once now! Thanks, Michelle!
I’m not that much farther ahead — I think I only have 2 quinoa recipes! These would be so perfect for my 3 year old!
Haha, at least you’re ahead of me though! I bet she would love these too.
Haha, same here Senika! Hope you enjoy them 🙂
what a great idea! make you feel less guilty knowing it’s made with quinoa 🙂
These look so good, Danielle! The look like the perfect sneaky way to get your kids to eat something healthy….totally keeping this one in mind for my little picky eater!
Aww, mini pepperonis are like my favorite thing ever! These sound so yummy… I’ve made all kinds of baked quinoa things, but never a pizza version. I’ll have to try these!
I haven’t found a dish of quinoa that I love yet, but these may be what changes my mind about it! They look delicious Danielle!
What a creative way to use quinoa! These pizza bites look delicious!
These look soooo good! Have you tried freezing them?
Hi Sheryl! I have tried freezing them and it works well! I put them on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper to freeze them first, once they’re frozen just transfer them to a freezer bag.
When you take them out of freezer do you put them in the microwave to warm or put in oven for a few minutes? Would the microwave make them mushy?
I just warm them up in the microwave, the oven would probably be okay too for a few minutes. They are soft from the microwave, but since these are made with quinoa the texture is a little softer to begin with 🙂
Thanks, Mary Frances!
Thank You!
My family LOVED these tonight. Of course, I had to vary the pizza flavors for what I had on hand but I loved using leftover quinoa! These will be made over and over again!
It’s always great to hear when someone’s family enjoys a recipe! I love how customizable these are too, they’re perfect for using what you have on hand. Thanks for sharing, Cassidy!
The pizza bites are delicious!!! A great idea to bring to a party.
Glad you enjoyed them, Linda! They’re definitely perfect for a party too 🙂
My kiddos loved these. I used uncured pepperoni and just cut it up small. I’m going to make them again with chicken Italian sausage instead. Thanks for sharing!
I’m so happy to hear that your kids loved them, Kat! I love the chicken sausage idea, I’m definitely giving that a try next time I make a batch. Thanks for sharing 🙂
Can I replace egg with something else? Don’t get egg replacer where I live either ☺️
Hi Sanjana! I haven’t tried replacing the egg in this recipe yet, so I’m not quite sure. You could try a flax egg (1 tbsp ground flax mixed with 3 tbsp water and let it sit for a few minutes) in place of the egg. But since I haven’t tried it, I can’t say for sure if it will work or not. If you do give it a try or try something else, I’d love to hear how it turns out!