Quinoa Pizza Muffins

Pizza; the stuff dream are made of.


I love pizza and all its variants; dessert pizza, pizza pie, deep-dish pizza, thin crust pizza…As long as it even slightly resembles pizza I’m a happy girl. Even better is if its less calorific than a standard pizza usually is.  These little bite-size cups of happiness have all the pizza-ness you could want (herbs, tomato, cheese) with stacks of nutrients and none of the guilt – introducing Quinoa Pizza Muffins.

Now that school is well and truly back I’m always trying to find small, satisfying, nutrient-dense meals my little love can take in her lunchbox, but can also double as husband-friendly snack material. Quinoa makes these a wonderful gluten-free, high-protein alternative to mini-pizzas and maybe it’s just me but I think anything baked into a bite-sized snack is a winner.

I made them toddler/child friendly by making them in a regular-sized muffin tin but you can just as easily make them in a mini-muffin tin or, if you’re really adventurous, a Texas muffin tin (cooking times adjusted accordingly). A Texas-sized Quinoa Pizza Muffin would make a wonderful stand-alone dinner served with some salad, the smaller sizes work beautifully as snacks and even canapes. You can also fill them with as many or as little vegetables as you like (or your family will tolerate) and vary the ingredients to suit. Better yet – get the kids involved by dividing up the base mixture and letting people choose their own add-ins. Olives, anchovies and spicy pepperoni for the husband, roasted capsicum and extra cheese for the little one and mushrooms, grilled zucchini and eggplant for me.


If you don’t care for catering to specific, ever-changing whims of tiny dictators then this is a great one-bowl recipe that kids of all ages will love. This recipe is my pizza-themed gift to all my really-want-to-eat-healthy-but-really-can’t be-bothered-most-of-the-time kindred spirits. May the Quinoa Pizza Muffins bring you much joy.

Quinoa Pizza Muffins
(makes 10 medium-sized muffins)


2 cups cooked quinoa
1&1/2 cups grated cheese
1 medium zucchini, finely diced (0.5cm)
1 medium capsicum, finely diced
1/2 cup olives, finely chopped
1/3 cup tomato paste
2 tbsp Italian mixed herbs
3 eggs, lightly beaten


1) Preheat oven to 180 degrees Celsius. Grease a 12-hole muffin pan.
2) Combine all ingredients in a large mixing bowl and stir until well combined.
3) Divide mixture among muffin pans and bake for 30 minutes, or until golden brown and firm to the touch.
4) Allow to cool in muffin pan.