Savory Quinoa Muffins

Savory quinoa muffins are reliable for breakfast, lunch, or dinner. Packed with nutrition and flavor, they are sure to be a huge hit.

At a glance

What stands out: Savory quinoa muffins are a nutritious lunch or dinner idea. Serve them with a hearty salad or soup.

How long it takes: 45 minutes (plus time to cook quinoa)
Equipment you’ll need: saucepan, muffin tins, mixing bowl, grater
Servings: makes 18 muffins

It’s no secret that we love quinoa. We're always trying to think of new things to do with it (be sure to check out our list of 24 straightforward quinoa recipes). We love its nutty flavor, slight crunch, and the versatility. Not to mention that quinoa is gluten-free, high in protein and fiber, and provides just a ton of nutritional benefits.

About These Savory Quinoa Muffins

• Chock-full of nutrition! Not only do these muffins contain 4 cups of nutritious quinoa, they also have lighter veggies: peas, spinach, and shredded zucchini.
• So flavorful. Thanks to feta cheese, black pepper and dill, quinoa muffins also have tons of flavor. There’s nothing boring about these muffins.
• Reliable for breakfast, lunch, or dinner! We like them as part of a “breakfast for dinner” meal but they are great for any meal, or as a hearty side. We're a big fan of savory breakfasts so we love having these in the freezer to warm up for a speedy breakfast on the go.
• Versatile. You can substitute different veggies if you like, use various types of cheese, or add meat.

Be sure to try our quinoa pancakes or breakfast quinoa if you like the idea of quinoa for breakfast.

Make Ahead Ideas

Prep the quinoa ahead. Quinoa freezes well, so it’s reliable for food prepping. We like to make big batches of quinoa and keep it in the freezer, ready to use for recipes like this one. We usually use our Instant Pot to make quinoa.

Make the quinoa muffins ahead. We often make a double batch of the quinoa muffins so we have extra to freeze. They freeze well and thaw quickly so they’re reliable for a speedy meal or lighter snack. Quinoa muffins are reliable for lunchboxes, too.

Keeping leftovers

Refrigerate/Freeze: Cool the muffins completely before storing in an airtight container. They’ll keep in the refrigerator for up to five days or for 3 months in the freezer.

Reheat: Quinoa muffins can be reheated in the microwave for 15 to 30 seconds. If you are reheating several muffins, we recommend reheating them in the oven or your air fryer to crisp them up again.

Quinoa Chickpea Salad with Blackberries & Candied Pepitas

• Yield: 18 muffins
• Prep: 15 minutes
• Cook: 30 minutes
• Total: 45 minutes

Ingredients

• 1 ⅓ cups uncooked quinoa (or 4 cups cooked quinoa)
• 2 large eggs
• ¼ cup canola oil (or any mild-tasting oil)
• ¼ cup milk
• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 ½ teaspoons baking powder
• 1 teaspoon salt
• ½ teaspoon finely ground black pepper
• ½ cup frozen peas, thawed
• 1 cup chopped fresh spinach leaves
• 1 teaspoon chopped fresh dill (or ½ teaspoon dried dill)
• 1 small zucchini, grated (finely grated carrots are good, too)
• ½ cup crumbled feta cheese

Method

1. Cook quinoa according to package instructions. Spread the cooked quinoa on a sheet pan so it cools more quickly. The quinoa can be cooked ahead of time and refrigerated until ready to use.
2. Preheat oven to 350°F. Spray muffin pans with nonstick cooking spray. You may also use cupcake liners if desired.
3. In a large bowl, whisk together eggs, oil, and milk.
4. In another smaller bowl, whisk flour with baking powder, salt and pepper. Stir in cooked and cooled quinoa; quinoa should be coated with flour mixture.
5. Pour flour mixture into the wet ingredients and lightly stir until combined. Do not over-mix. Fold in peas, spinach, dill, zucchini and feta cheese until just combined.
6. Scoop into prepared muffin tins and bake for 30 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into center of muffin comes out clean.

Notes

Storage: Cool completely before refrigerating in an airtight container for up to one week or freeze for up to 3 months. Reheat using microwave or oven.

Variations: Try different vegetables if you like. Different types of cheese can be substituted. Substitute meat such as crumbled cooked sausage, bacon, or diced ham for one or more of the vegetables.