These Savoury & Sweet Quinoa Egg Bites are an easy, make-ahead option that works great for toddler lunches and lunchboxes. Made with whole grain quinoa for fibre and plant-based protein, sharp cheddar cheese, and grated apple for natural sweetness, they’re soft, filling, and easy for little ones to manage. With a savoury-sweet flavour kids love, this recipe is a great option for lunches or snacks.
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As a dietitian and a mom, I’m always trying to come up with easy meal ideas that go great in a lunchbox for my kids. These quinoa egg muffins are perfect for that! My kids love the sweet and savoury flavour, and I love that I can batch prep them on a Sunday and pull them out of the freezer and add to a lunchbox as needed throughout the week! If you’re also on the hunt for easy lunch ideas, I’ve got an awesome post with lunch ideas that work great for school (no heating necessary), as well as my Ultimate Lunch Guide for Toddlers.
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Ingredients for Savoury & Sweet Quinoa Egg Bites
Here is what you will need to make these quinoa egg bites!
- cooked quinoa
- cheddar cheese (not pre packaged)
- egg
- apple
- carrot
- shallot
- raisins
- garlic powder
- sage
See recipe card for quantities.
How to Make Quinoa Egg Muffins for Toddlers
First prep the ingredients. Cook the quinoa, wash, peel and grate the carrot and apple. Dice the shallot, grate the cheese. Add everything to a large bowl.
Stir together until everything is mixed.
Scoop the mixture and gently form into small balls. Place them on a parchment-lined baking sheet, spacing them slightly apart.
Bake at 400°F for 18-22 minutes, or until the bites are set and lightly golden on the bottom.
Hint: Squeeze out a bit of moisture from the apple if it is pretty juicy, this helps the quinoa egg bites stick together better. I also recommend using a cookie scoop if you have one! It definitely makes it easier for forming these into balls on the sheet. And if they seem a bit crumbly, don’t worry, they will stick together while they cook.
Substitutions
- Veggies – you could swap in other veggies like grated zucchini or grated sweet potato
Equipment
- Large bowl
- Baking sheet
Storage
Store the quinoa egg bites in an airtight container in the fridge for 3 days. If you want to freeze them, let them cool completely, then place them on a baking sheet to freeze individually before transferring to a freezer-safe container; they’ll keep well for 1-2 months. To reheat, warm them in the microwave for 15-20 seconds or in a 350°F oven for about 10-15 minutes until heated through.
Toddler Tip
If this feels a bit new to your child, offer it alongside an already accepted food and a simple dip like plain yogurt or unsweetened applesauce. You can even model dipping the quinoa bites yourself, kids love to copy what they see!
In the image below is an example of how I served the Quinoa Egg Bites for my 18 month daughter. I paired them with a few raspberries and steamed carrots. She was a bit hesitant at first, so I added some yogurt for dipping the egg bites into and she loved that!
FAQ
Absolutely. Just grease the tin well or use mini parchment muffin liners, spoon the mixture in, and bake for about 15-18 minutes, until they are starting to get golden.
These quinoa egg bites pair well with a familiar fruit and an easy veggie like cucumbers or steamed green beans. You can also add a simple dip such as plain yogurt or unsweetened applesauce for dipping.
Recipe
Savoury & Sweet Quinoa Egg Bites
Equipment
- 1 baking sheet
Ingredients
- 1½ cup quinoa (cooked) cooled (about ½ cup dry quinoa)
- 1 carrot peeled, grated
- 1 apple medium, peeled, grated
- 1 shallot 1 small, or ½ a large
- 1 cup cheddar cheese don't use pre grated
- 2 tablespoon raisins minced
- 1 egg
- ½ teaspoon garlic powder
- ½ teaspoon sage
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 400℉ and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
- If you haven't yet done so, cook the quinoa according to package instructions and let cool.
- While quinoa is cooking, Wash, peel, and grate the carrot. Wash, peel, and grate the apple. Squeeze out excess moisture from the apple. Grate the cheese, finely dice the shallot and dice the raisins.
- Add the cooked and cooled quinoa, grated carrot, grated apple, cheese, diced shallot, diced raisins and all remaining ingredients to a large bowl. Stir well to combine.
- Scoop the mixture and gently form into small balls. Place them on a parchment-lined baking sheet, spacing them slightly apart.
- Bake at 400°F for 18-22 minutes, or until the bites are set and lightly golden on the bottom.
- Let them cool for a few minutes, they firm up as they rest. Serve warm or let them cool and add to a lunchbox.
Nutrition
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