These cheesy zucchini quinoa bites use shredded zucchini and mozzarella cheese it to make a bite-sized, protein-packed healthy snack.
This is the recipe that won over my quinoa-hating sister.
That in itself is a pretty big deal! She has been wary of my quinoa bites since the beginning since she just doesn’t love the texture of quinoa.
I don’t know if it was the fresh shredded zucchini (which actually came from my sister’s garden), the fun little bites, or the cheesy goodness, but whatever it was, she is now a quinoa bite convert!
Which thrills me, because I just can’t say enough good things about quinoa and its health benefits!
It’s gluten-free, rich in antioxidants, a complete protein with all 9 amino acids, contains twice as much fiber as most grains, and contains all kinds of other good-for-you nutrients.
My 6-year-old niece also happens to love these and we have been making batches of them ahead of time, freezing them, and sticking them in her lunchbox.
That has made life so much easier for my sister, because the girl doesn’t like sandwiches, so packing her lunch has been somewhat of a challenge!
Quinoa bites really are such a handy food to keep around. I grab them for quick snacks, for easy lunches, and to add extra vegetables and protein to my dinners.
They are good for you and really good tasting!
And now, since my sister is now an official supporter of quinoa bites, I have promoted her to hand model. She makes an excellent quinoa bite dipper.
How To Make Cheesy Zucchini Quinoa Bites
The best part about quinoa bites is the process to make them is SO simple and easy!
- Gather your ingredients. I love making extra quinoa when I’m using it for another recipe to use to make a batch of these.
- Mix them all together. Mix together all of your ingredients in a bowl.
- Spoon or scoop them out. I prefer using a cookie scoop these days for easier clean-up, but the original method for making quinoa bites used a mini muffin tin, which works well, too!
- Bake. Bake for 15-20 minutes.
Quinoa Bites FAQs
Still have more questions? Check out the Quinoa Bites FAQs page for more answers to the most commonly asked questions.
Cheesy Zucchini Quinoa Bites
These cheesy zucchini quinoa bites use shredded zucchini and mozzarella cheese it to make a bite-sized, protein-packed healthy snack.
Ingredients
- 1 cup cooked quinoa (I cook my quinoa in low sodium chicken broth)
- 1 egg
- 1 cup grated zucchini
- 1 tsp garlic powder
- 1 tsp dried basil
- 1/2 tsp dried thyme
- 1/2 tsp dried oregano
- 1/2 cup finely shredded mozzarella cheese
- 3 Tbs panko breadcrumbs*
- 1/4 tsp seasoning salt
- 1/4 tsp freshly ground pepper
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
- Mix together all ingredients (pro tip - adding the cheese to quinoa while it's still hot melts the cheese and helps to bind it together). Zucchini has a varying amount of water, which will affect the wetness of the recipe. You want the quinoa mixture to be wet enough to stick together but not so wet that it spreads after scooped. Vary the amount of panko as needed!
- Use a cookie scoop to make bites and put on silicone baking sheet 1" apart OR distribute mixture into a greased mini muffin tin, filling each cup to the top (1 heaping Tbs each), pressing gently to compact.
- Bake for 15-20 minutes.
Nutrition Information:
Serving Size: 5 bitesAmount Per Serving: Calories: 236Total Fat: 7gSaturated Fat: 3gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 4gCholesterol: 58mgSodium: 189mgCarbohydrates: 32gFiber: 4gSugar: 1gProtein: 12g
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