Melty, cheesy, savory homemade quinoa pizza bites are such a crowd pleasing easy appetizer or healthy snack recipe!
Why you’ll love these quinoa pizza bites
- Pretty much a guaranteed hit at any game day or brunch party, holiday event, or casual weeknight family dinner. Your next pizza night will never be the same.
- Tastes like cheese pizza in the form of a nutritious, protein packed bite.
- Quick to prepare using basic ingredients, and very easily adaptable to egg free, dairy free, sugar free, low carb, gluten free, oil free, and vegan diets.
- The bites are easily portable, meaning they are a great vegetarian option for potlucks or sports tailgating. (Think, football playoffs, Super Bowl, or March Madness.) Or serve them as a low calorie snack after work or school.
- Their soft, chewy texture delights guests of all ages, and parents appreciate the fiber, iron, and Vitamin C in each quinoa ball. Leftovers? Highly doubtful!
Also try these nutritious Sweet Potato Brownies
Step by step recipe video
Quinoa pizza bite ingredients
The recipe calls for just eight ingredients: quinoa, cooked beans, tomato paste, dried basil, sweetener, salt, garlic, and onion powder.
Quinoa – This can be red, black, or white quinoa, or a combination. Raw quinoa contains a bitter natural coating called saponin, so it is important to always rinse quinoa before cooking.
These bites remind me of a healthier, oil free and baked version of arancini, but I have never tried substituting rice or another grain. If you try it before I do, be sure to report back.
Beans – Use either cooked or canned beans. I like pinto beans or white beans here. While garbanzo beans (chickpeas) technically work, the quinoa balls will be a bit more gritty.
Tomato paste – For best concentrated taste and texture, do not substitute tomato puree or sauce or ketchup for the paste.
Spices – Minced garlic, onion powder, dried basil, and a pinch of salt give these healthy savory snack balls their bold pizza flavor.
Sweetener – Just a teaspoon of your favorite sweetener balances the acidity of the tomatoes. Feel free to use unrefined sugar, brown sugar, stevia, honey or pure maple syrup.
Optional cheese – The recipe is completely delicious whether or not you choose to stuff it with cheese. I’ve found that string cheese works best, and Daiya vegan mozzarella sticks work well for a dairy free option.
While the oven is hot, bake Buffalo Cauliflower Wings
How to make the healthy snack bites
- Begin by rinsing the quinoa in a fine mesh strainer to remove saponins.
- In a small saucepan, bring the water, quinoa, and 1/8 teaspoon of the salt to a boil.
- Once boiling, cover and lower to a simmer for about fifteen minutes, or until water is absorbed and the grains are light and fluffy.
- Preheat the oven to 350° Fahrenheit or 176° Celsius.
- Drain and rinse the beans, then mash well in a large mixing bowl, using a fork.
- Add the cooked quinoa, tomato paste, spices, remaining salt, and sweetener to the mashed beans. Stir evenly incorporate all ingredients.
- Use clean hands to roll the dough into balls similar in size to meatballs. Place on a nonstick or parchment lined baking sheet, leaving space between the balls.
- If desired, break off a small piece of string cheese and press it into the middle of each quinoa pizza bite before cooking.
- Place the pan on the center rack of the oven, and bake for twenty five minutes or until fully cooked and slightly crispy on the outside.
- Enjoy hot or cold. Once cooled, refrigerate any leftovers in a covered container for up to five days. Or freeze for up to two moths and reheat before serving.
Leftover quinoa? Make Breakfast Quinoa or Broccoli Cheddar Quinoa Bites
I recently made them for a baby shower this past month.
Can confirm, the recipe is a big hit with both vegans and non vegans, alike.
The recipe was inspired by these Vegan Meatballs.
Quinoa Pizza Bites
Ingredients
- 1/3 cup raw quinoa (50g)
- 3/4 cup water (180g)
- 1 cup canned or cooked pinto beans (240g)
- 1/2 cup tomato paste (120g)
- 1 tsp sweetener of choice (5g)
- 1/2 tsp onion powder
- 1/2 tsp minced garlic
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 2 tsp dried basil (optional)
- 3 sticks string cheese or vegan mozzarella (optional)
Instructions
- 1. To make the quinoa pizza bites, first rinse quinoa in a fine mesh strainer to remove saponins.
- 2. Bring the water, quinoa, and 1/8 tsp of the salt to a boil in a small saucepan.
- 3. As soon as it begins to boil, cover the pot and lower to a simmer for 15 minutes or until water is absorbed and quinoa is fluffy.
- 4. Preheat the oven to 350° Fahrenheit (176° Celsius).
- 5. Drain and rinse the beans. In a large mixing bowl, mash beans well with a fork, then stir in the cooked quinoa, tomato paste, spices, remaining salt, and sweetener until evenly mixed.
- 6. Roll the dough into balls. If desired, break off a small piece of cheese and press into the center of each quinoa ball.
- 7. Place on a nonstick or parchment lined baking sheet, and bake on the center rack of the oven for 20 minutes or until slightly crispy on the outside.
- 8. Enjoy these savory healthy snacks hot or cold. Store leftovers covered in the refrigerator for up to five days, or freeze for longer storage.
Video
Notes
More healthy meatless recipes
I just tried it..and they didnt hold together at all.. :/ they look more like pancakes. any suggestions? i added flower as a last hope but it ruined the taste and still they still didnt hold together…
I added more quinoa and beans on my first try – about a few tablespoons more
See Katie’s troubeshooting link in the Recipe FAQ section for help, as these ought to hold together perfectly. They did for me, anyway.
Love your recipes Katie 🙂 Just wondering if you’re aware that some of your advertising is showing up down the bottom of your recipes in the format of your links to other recipes on your site…but the recipes are like buffalo chicken lasagne and BLT pasta salad, clearly not vegan. When I click it and it goes to another site. Maybe this isn’t your advertising, maybe I have really sneaky adware but it just seems strange that you’d have links to meaty dishes and they deceive you cos they look like they link to more of your recipes!!
I’ve been eyeing this recipe for weeks until I finally made them this evening. I mixed Daiya shredded cheese instead because mama’s lazy. I thoroughly enjoyed these and practically ate most of it. I doubled up on the ingredients so I have more mixture to make for tomorrow. Thanks!
Just made…def taste the tomato sauce and pinto beans. Not sure if I would make again but glad I did. Thanks for the recipe.
Another hit by the skinnyminichocolatecoveredKatie! I did two things different, and really only slightly different. I used my stick blender on everything but the quinoa and cheese. Then mixed in the quinoa, that came out perfectly for the first time, I MUST ADD! Followed our Katie’s instructions found elsewhere on the site. I used daiya provolone and broke the slice in to pieces for the simple fact that it was what I had in the fridge. They reheat well, 1 minute 30 seconds in the microwave. I will definitely be making these again, and again and again. Only difference I think I will make is simple. Smaller. I wanted so badly to be able to pick it up! It kind of smooshed in my hand. Also, doubling the recipe. I NEED more than one meal out of these. I work evening, so anything I can make ahead that reheats well, is a bonus in my book! As always, Thanks Katie! Do you have a blog you follow for the necessary meals that do not contain chocolate? Trying to reduce the amount of meat in my diet as much as possible. This will definitely help!
Try findingvegan.com
I have a batch of these in the oven right now! The smell reminds me of the pizza that was made at the local skating rink, when I was a kid. So good! Two things I did differently: I used cooked brown rice instead of quinoa so I increased the amount by a 1/2 cup, I also used shredded cheese instead of block; more difficult but if you’re patient it works out nicely! Can’t wait to try these.
Just popped these out of the oven. They look, feel and taste beautiful; sturdy too. The only thing that I would do differently next time is use the block cheese; shreds caused a few to buckle and split, oozing cheese. I don’t mind though because I am one of those weirdos who loves burnt cheese bits. Letting these cool down a bit to room temp for tea time!
Love these! As a new mother with no help whatsoever, it’s really hard to make sure the fridge is always stocked with food. This recipe was soooo easy and quick to make, but best of all, the hubby loves it and didn’t know he was eating something healthy. And the fun part was licking my hands like a little kid after I was done rolling everything! I’ve been studying your recipes so I could make them whenever bub gives me a chance to cook.
Are the pinto beans needed for holding it together? Or just for flavor? The reason I ask is because my daughters are both allergic to legumes. If it’s just for flavor, I will def try making without the beans. But, if it needs the beans to keep it together, I’ll have to try something else. Thanks!
You need the beans.
I wonder if my kids would eat these! Maybe I’ll tell them they’re cheesy tater tots 😉 LOL
Serving size is 1 or 10? I was confused reading the nutrition label. Made these and they were SOOOOO good!!!! 🙂
Although I love the idea, the batter was WAYYY to soft, and would NOT shape into balls at all!!! What do you think happened?
Read previous comments. This was resolved: You need to cook the quinoa longer prior to using so it is drier.
These look really good and would make great appetizers. My Dad is gluten free which has changed our menu at home. It is surprising how good gluten free food can be. One of the foods we have discovered is quinoa and I love it!! It is healthy and filling. I feel healthier when I eat it compared to pasta. One of our favorite quinoa recipes is tabouli (http://localfoods.about.com/od/salads/r/Classic-Tabouli-Salad.htm). Tabouli is normally made with cracked wheat. We just substitute the quinoa for the wheat and add lots more lemon and garlic and it is the best tabouli ever.
does this recipe make a single serving?
Thanks
Love!! Made these today, and my husband – who is a pizza freak – inhaled them. I followed the recipe exactly, except I used regular mozzarella (I’m vegetarian but not vegan). For those who had trouble with the consistency, my ‘batter’ was really soft too but you have to persevere when shaping them into balls, as it does work eventually. Just do it gently and don’t roll them in your palms cause then they just smoosh in your hands. I just patted them here and there to shape them, stuffed a cube of cheese in each one and patted some more. They crisped up so nicely in the oven. Thank you!!
Katie,
How well do these freeze? I’m looking for recipes to make for my baby and want to be able to freeze for future meals.
Thanks,
Melissa
These look so yummy! Do you think I could replace the beans with chickpeas?