These Quinoa Bites are crispy, chewy bites of sweet potato and quinoa packed with pizza flavors and delicious as high-protein tater tots. They are packed with 11 grams of proteins and 9 grams of fiber per serving to keep you full and energized for hours. Plus they are gluten-free, egg-free, and vegan.
When I make quinoa for dinner, I am often left with a lot of leftovers that I need to reuse. I sometimes make my Quinoa Bread or Quinoa Crackers but today, I needed to make appetizers for an occasion. So I decided to combine quinoa with chickpea flour for the protein and fiber, and include sweet potatoes for the antioxidants.
This made a delicious tater-tot-style appetizer that is gluten-free, nut-free, and full of taste! While the whole recipe is just below, don’t miss all my tips further down, including ingredient swaps, my cooking tips, and step-by-step shots!
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Quinoa Bites
Ingredients
- 1 cup Cooked Quinoa - cooled in the fridge
- ¾ cup Sweet Potato Puree - equivalent to 1 medium orange sweet potato
- 2 tablespoons Tomato Paste
- ⅓ cup Chickpea Flour - (note 1)
- ¼ cup Fresh Parsley - or cilantro, finely chopped
Spices
- 1 teaspoon Italian Herbs
- 1 teaspoon Onion Powder
- ¼ teaspoon Garlic Powder
- ½ teaspoon Salt
Instructions
- Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper. Oil the paper generously with olive oil. Set side.
- Prick the sweet potato with a fork, place on a microwave-safe plate, microwave for 3 minutes, flip, and microwave again for 3 minutes until a knife can go through easily.
- Let the sweet potatoes cool down for 10 minutes at room temperature, slice them in half, scrape out the sweet potato puree, mash with a fork, and measure the amount needed.
- Preheat the oven to 400 °F (200 °C).
- In a mixing bowl, add cooked quinoa, mashed sweet potato puree, tomato paste, chopped Parsley, chickpea flour, and dry spices
- Stir with a rubber spatula, pressing all the ingredients together to form a consistent paste. It should be wet, sticky but not watery. If too liquid, add a bit more chickpea flour.
- Generously oil your hands with olive oil, grab a tablespoon of dough, and roll it into a cylinder. It's messy and sticky, but that's normal. Don't worry about their look now, divide it into even portions, roll them, and set them aside on an oiled plate.
- When all the batter has been divided and shaped, wash and dry your hands. Oil them generously with olive oil again and reroll each bite. This smoothens the edges an covers the bites with a thin layer of oil to crisp in the oven.
- Place each bite on the prepared baking sheet, leaving half a thumb of space between each bite so they don't touch each other.
- Bake the bites for 30-40 minutes at 400 °F (200 °C) flipping them half way, or until the edges are dark brown and crispy. Depending on the size of your bites, it may take more or less time to crisp outside. Keep baking until it reaches your favorite consistency.
- Serve warm with guacamole or tomato passata.
Notes
Nutrition
Ingredients and Substitutions
You only need a handful of ingredients to make the bites and they can be seasoned in many different ways.
- Cooked Quinoa – Provides a protein-rich, chewy texture. Ensure the quinoa is cooled and well-drained to avoid excess moisture.
- Sweet Potato Puree – Adds natural sweetness and moisture while acting as a binder. Make sure to measure precisely for the right dough consistency.
- Tomato Paste – Infuses rich, tangy pizza-like flavors into the bites.
- Chickpea Flour – A gluten-free flour that binds the mixture while boosting protein and fiber content.
- Fresh Parsley (or Cilantro) – Adds freshness and balance to the rich flavors.
- Spices (Italian Herbs, Onion Powder, Garlic Powder, Salt) – Deliver the classic pizza-inspired taste while enhancing overall flavor.
How to Make Quinoa Bites
This recipe is super easy to make. Here’s how in pictures.
Cook the sweet potatoes in the microwave or in boiling water so you can mash its flesh.
Measure the mash and place it in a bowl with the other quinoa bite ingredients.
Stir the batter until it’s sticky and start forming rough bites.
Bake the bites for 30-40 minutes at 400 °F (200 °C).
Carine’s Tips
I have a few more tips for you to make the best bites easily every single time.
- Precision with Sweet Potato and Quinoa – Ensure sweet potato puree is smooth and well-measured. Too much can make the dough overly wet. Cooked quinoa must be cooled and drained to prevent excess liquid in the dough.
- Achieving the Right Dough Texture – The dough should be sticky but firm enough to hold its shape when rolled into a ball or cylinder. If it’s too wet, add chickpea flour gradually (1 tablespoon at a time) until the consistency is correct.
- Shaping and Handling Sticky Dough – Work in two steps: First, divide and roughly shape the dough into cylinders. Then, reoil your hands and smooth the edges for a clean finish. Oiling your hands generously is key to managing the sticky dough effectively.
- Ensure Crispy Bites – Flip the bites halfway through baking to crisp up both sides. For an even crispier texture, bake longer or air-fry at 200 °C (390 °F) for about 20 minutes. Use parchment paper to prevent sticking in the air fryer.
- Customize Flavors – Add nutritional yeast or dairy-free parmesan for a cheesy flavor. Experiment with spices like chili flakes for heat or smoked paprika for depth.
Serving Suggestions
These bites are a great simple and healthy appetizer that you can serve in many ways.
- Classic Dip Pairing: Serve with guacamole, salsa, or a simple marinara sauce for dipping.
- Side Dish: Pair with tempeh, tofu, or a fresh green salad for a complete meal.
- Snack Platter: Include in a finger-food spread alongside veggies, nuts, and other plant-based bites.
Made them, followed the recipe exactly as written, except for parsley (didn’t have any) and they were easy to put together and bake. I’m still not sure if I liked them, but they seemed a little addictive and I and my daughter finished them all off. We experimented a little. Doubled the spices, added pasta sauce and/or mozzarella on top and re-baked. I liked them best with the mozzarella baked on top. The more often we re-baked them, the better they tasted. I’m going to try making them again, this time with rice flour instead of the chickpea flour. I’m guessing it was the chickpea flour that dominated the taste. Maybe it needs that parsley. I’ll try again, because this recipe really works.
Thank you so much for trying my recipes! I like the idea of baking them with cheese on top, yum! Chickpea flour can be slightly bitter, but I provided note for other flour that might suit you more. I definitely like the Parsley flavor in them, it cover the chickpea flour and add a great taste too. Let me know if you try to add it next time.
It the real world, in a small town where you can’t buy chick pea flour, what can you substitute
See Note 1: Or all-purpose flour, or all-purpose gluten-free flour, buckwheat flour or oat flour.
Hey I love your recipes
Thank you!!!
Could almond flour substitute for chickpea?
No sorry, it won’t hold
Yummy. Quite crispy and easy to make