Spinach Artichoke Quinoa Bites

4.7 from 18 votes
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These Spinach Artichoke Bites turn your favorite hot, cheesy dip into a crispy finger food that’s healthy too because they are made with quinoa! Three kinds of cheese make them super tasty gluten free appetizers or an easy snack that’s even better when you dunk them in tomato sauce.

Spinach Artichoke Quinoa Bites piled around a bowl of tomato sauce.

Cheesy Spinach Artichoke Bites – Made with Quinoa!

I like to be honest with all of you. My kids don’t like to eat quinoa unless I sneak it into Apple Cinnamon Quinoa Oatmeal Breakfast Bars. They also try to avoid spinach and artichokes. But once I got them eating Cheesy Quinoa with dinner and snacking on these Cheesy Veggie Quinoa Bites, I knew it might be time to try and get some dark, leafy greens past them.

Heck, if it takes turning their veggies into finger food, I’ll do whatever it takes. And it worked!

But you don’t just have to make these spinach artichoke bites just for the hidden vegetable factor. They make great party appetizers or game day snacks too!

You’ve got the usual suspects in classic spinach artichoke dip – spinach, artichoke hearts, and three kinds of cheese – all mixed up with cooked quinoa and an egg to stick it all together. It is baked into golden, crispy little bites perfect for dipping in tomato sauce and popping right in your mouth. Even the pickiest of eaters won’t be able to resist all the cheesy finger food fun.

Closeup of Spinach Artichoke Quinoa Bites with a bowl of marinara sauce behind them.

Ingredients

Here is a quick overview of what you’ll need. All of the amounts are in the recipe card at the bottom of the post. But keep reading for tips and serving suggestions.

  • Quinoa. Use leftovers or prepare a batch using one of these five ways to cook quinoa, then let it cool.
  • Cheese. Three kinds make it so good – Monterey Jack, mozzarella, and parmesan.
  • Canned artichoke hearts. Chopped and squeezed until dry.
  • Frozen spinach. Thawed and squeezed until dry.
  • Salt.
  • Egg. If you have an egg allergy, some people have left this out. They don’t bind quite as well, but they are still yummy.

How to Make Quinoa Bites

Start by preheating your oven to 350°F and spraying a mini muffin tin well with nonstick cooking spray. A silicone pan is also a great option to make them easier to pop out. Now that the preparations are done, let’s get started.

Make the mixture. Make sure your spinach and artichoke hearts are squeezed really dry and chopped. Then toss them into a mixing bowl with the cooled quinoa, cheeses, salt, and egg. Mix everything together until thoroughly combined.

Bake the bites. Divide the mixture between cups of a mini muffin pan and press down firmly. Bake at 350°F for 20-25 minutes or until crisp and golden. Then let them cool a bit before loosening them with the tip of a butter knife and popping them out of the pan.

A platter of spinach artichoke bites made with quinoa on a plate with a bowl of tomato sauce.

Tips for Success

Let it cool. You want to start with cooled quinoa. First, if it is hot it will melt the cheese and make a sticky mess before you can even get it into the pan. Second, when it cools, it dries out a bit, making the quinoa bites stick together better.

Dry it out. Make sure you’ve squeezed as much of the excess moisture out of both the thawed spinach and canned artichoke hearts as possible before you stir everything together. This will ensure everything sticks together.

Press it down. Once you’ve filled the muffin tins, make sure to press the mixture down really well.

Serving Ideas

These little spinach artichoke bites are the perfect finger food for dipping. Try some of these sauces:

Besides appetizers, you can also serve them as a side dish for Prosciutto-Wrapped Chicken or with a Honey Balsamic Flat Iron Steak.

A platter of mini-muffin sized quinoa bites surrounding a bowl of tomato sauce.
Spinach Artichoke Quinoa Bites piled around a bowl of tomato sauce.
4.7 from 18 votes

Cheesy Spinach Artichoke Quinoa Bites

These Spinach Artichoke Bites turn your favorite hot, cheesy dip into a crispy finger food that's healthy too because they are made with quinoa! Three kinds of cheese make them super tasty gluten free appetizers or an easy snack that's even better when you dunk them in tomato sauce.
Prep: 10 minutes
Cook: 22 minutes
Total: 32 minutes

Ingredients

  • 1 cup cooked quinoa, cooled
  • 2 oz shredded Monterey Jack cheese (about 1/2 cup)
  • 2 oz shredded mozzarella cheese (about 1/2 cup)
  • 2 Tablespoons grated parmesan cheese
  • 14 oz artichoke hearts, chopped and squeezed in a paper towel or kitchen towel until throughly dry
  • 4 oz frozen spinach, thawed and squeezed in a paper towel or kitchen towel until throughly dry
  • ½ teaspoon kosher salt
  • 1 large egg

Instructions

  • Preheat your oven to 350°F. Spray a mini muffin tin with cooking spray or oil.
  • Add all of the ingredients to a bowl and mix until thoroughly combined.
  • Divide the mixture evenly between the cups of the mini muffin tin, and press down to pack it in firmly.
  • Bake for 20-25 minutes, or until golden brown and crispy. Let cool for a couple minutes before loosening from the pan with the tip of a butter knife.
Nutrition Facts
Cheesy Spinach Artichoke Quinoa Bites
Amount Per Serving (2 quinoa bites)
Calories 98 Calories from Fat 54
% Daily Value*
Fat 6g9%
Saturated Fat 2g10%
Cholesterol 24mg8%
Sodium 304mg13%
Potassium 72mg2%
Carbohydrates 5g2%
Fiber 1g4%
Protein 4g8%
Vitamin A 1535IU31%
Vitamin C 7.4mg9%
Calcium 92mg9%
Iron 0.8mg4%
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.
Disclaimers: Please discuss your individual dietary needs (i.e. gluten free) with a physician. Even when not specified, be sure to verify all ingredients are gluten free, if needed, by reading labels on all packaging and/or confirming with the manufacturer this varies by brand and can change at any time. Nutrition information shown is an estimate and not guaranteed to be accurate.

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More gluten free appetizers you might enjoy

47 Comments
  1. Monique

    4 stars
    I made half the recipe as is and then added Italian sausage to other half. It was a hit with the carnivores too!

  2. KT

    Please adjust the recipe so it is clear the quinoa is 1 cup cooked, not raw! I didn’t realise and things went downhill from there …!

  3. Barbara

    5 stars
    Made for our weekly distancing cocktail hour. Was a huge hit. I had some sauteed onions & peppers that I added as well as garlic salt. Not one leftover.

  4. Amanda

    5 stars
    Just made these bites and I love them!! I work 12 hour shifts and am always looking for new things I can prep/make/freeze ahead of time for lunches and snacks at work. Thanks for this awesome addition to my recipe book! 🙂

    1. Brianne Cupcakes & Kale Chips

      Absolutely, Sheryl. Just be sure to wrap them when they’re cool. I suggest wrapping them in a layer of plastic wrap with a layer of aluminum foil around that. Put them into the fridge to thaw the night before you want to reheat them and you should be good to go!

  5. Chantal

    Hello

    I was wondering if you think I could bake the whole content in a square or rectangular dish to then cut them into small pieces. If so, what size of dish would you recommend and would you keep the oven temperature the same? Thank you ahead of time for any input you may have

    And happy winter holidays

    Chantal

  6. Lisa

    5 stars
    Hi. I can’t wait to try these! I am making them for my greeting card making club. Thank you so much for the idea!!!

  7. Lauren

    5 stars
    Love the recipe! Added a few seasonings and just a small amount to not over power. SO. FREAKING. GOOD!!!
    Thank you for this !!

    1. Brianne Cupcakes & Kale Chips

      I’m so glad to hear that you love the quinoa bites, Lauren. They’re pretty addictive, aren’t they? 😉

  8. Brenda Pennington

    4 stars
    Made these for dinner tonight. Yummy! I changed the recipe just a little. I added 1/4 red bell pepper, 2 green onions, 1 very small clove of garlic and didn’t add any salt. With all the cheese I felt there would be enough salt in the recipe. I also used fresh spinach. That was what I had on hand. I warmed some marinara sauce but after one I switched to cocktail sauce and salsa to see which we liked the best. My thought is it depends on how I feel at any different time. Next time I may also try guacamole. This was our dinner with a side salad. Thank you for the recipe.

    1. Brianne Cupcakes & Kale Chips

      Brenda, your substitutions and additions to the quinoa bites recipe sound amazing! I’m so glad that you enjoyed the recipe. Thank you for your comment and recipe rating!

  9. Leann

    5 stars
    Do you think these would still be good reheated? I want to make them for an office potluck, but I would need to make them the day before. Thanks!

  10. Dee T

    so sorry, I just commented on the other cheesy bites when I really made this one.. please see that comment, thanks

  11. SHIRLEY

    These deserve 5 *. I added some scallions to them the second time I made them. they are so good. I cant imagine them getting only 2*. This is a keeper, love them.

    1. Brianne Cupcakes & Kale Chips

      I am so happy to hear that you like the quinoa bites, Shirley! Thank you for your 5 star review 🙂

  12. Andrea

    Hello! Can I use fresh spinach for this recipe, or is it important to use thawed frozen? I already have fresh spinach on hand, but I’m wondering if there is something unique about the texture of frozen that makes it better for this. Thanks!!

    1. Brianne Cupcakes & Kale Chips

      Hi Andrea! I used frozen spinach because I wanted to be able to remove the excess moisture so they would hold together, and to ensure no uncooked bits of spinach (which my kids don’t like). If you wilt fresh spinach and squeeze out the moisture it might work, but I haven’t tried it.

  13. I love all the quinoa recipes I’ve been seeing lately! It’s one of my favorites and so versatile! (P.S. Sorry you got hit with negativity – your blog is beautiful, and I love what I’ve seen!) Thanks so much for linking up with us at Funtastic Friday!

  14. S.L.Turner

    The ads are obnoxious & cover content. They move as the screen does. I just wanted to see the recipe to see what ingredients and I had to go through a crud load of pictures (same one again & again of the recipe Cooked) and ads, ads, & more ads! Ugh! Won’t come back to your site. You annoying.

      1. Michelle

        Hi! I love these little bites. I had leftover quinoa and these were SO GOOD! I’m taking them to a party later. What is the best way to reheat them without them getting soggy or drying out? Oven? Air Fryer? Thx so much for this recipe!!

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