Melty, cheesy, savory homemade quinoa pizza bites. This easy recipe is such a popular appetizer or healthy snack!
Pizza night will never be the same.
Bring a batch of these homemade quinoa pizza bites, and you are pretty much guaranteed to be the hit of any party or family dinner.
The healthy pizza appetizer is simple to make and can be vegan, gluten free, egg free, sugar free, flourless, nut free, soy free, and dairy free.
Also try out this Cauliflower Casserole
Vegetarians and non vegetarians both love the addictively delicious pizza balls, so you know they must be good.
And the bites are easily portable, meaning they’re great for potlucks or game day events. Or serve them as a healthy after school snack.
Kids can’t get enough of the bold pizza flavor and melty cheese filling, while parents appreciate the fiber, protein, iron, and Vitamin C packed into each and every bite.
Pizza Bite Ingredients
The recipe calls for the following eight ingredients: quinoa, beans, tomato paste, dried basil, sweetener, salt, garlic, and onion powder.
Use your favorite brand of shredded mozzarella for the cheese filling. Vegan cheese works too; that’s actually vegan cheese in the photos. The cheese is not required and they’re still yummy if you want to leave it out.
I haven’t tried it yet but would love to know if the recipe also works with rice instead of quinoa. Please be sure to report back if you try!
Quinoa Pizza Bites
Ingredients
- 1 cup cooked quinoa (here's How to cook quinoa)
- 1 cup canned or cooked pinto beans
- 1/2 cup tomato paste
- 2 tsp dried basil
- 1/2 tsp onion powder
- 1/2 tsp garlic
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 1 tsp sweetener of choice
- optional shredded mozzarella cheese (vegan brands work too!)
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 F and grease a baking sheet well, then set aside. In a medium bowl, mash the beans completely. Stir in all remaining ingredients. Taste, then add a little more sweetener only if needed. (Mine didn’t need it.) Roll into balls, then break off a piece of the cheese—if using—and push it into the middle before sealing the ball back up. Place the balls onto the baking tray and cook 30 minutes. For a crispy outer shell, feel free to broil a minute at the end.View Nutrition Facts
Notes
Have you made this recipe?
Tag @chocolatecoveredkatie on Instagram
More Healthy Meatless Recipes
Or this Cauliflower Pizza Crust
Erica { EricaDHouse.com } says
What an interesting idea! I definitely don’t plan to watch the game, but I’m sure I could find the perfect excuse to make these soon.
becauseHeloves! says
Oh wow! These are like the healthy vegan version of those frozen pizza bites I used to eat so much! Hooray!
Simon says
Oh my god, it’s look so good. I have to try this recipe soon. Thank!
Katie @ Peace Love & Oats says
I made a similar recipe during the fall but I love that these have the cheese in the middle, mine was just mixed in. Looks great!
EVA says
They look good! Too bad that even the taste of cheese nauseates me.
Wait a second, you broke the breakfast code!
Saraquill says
Pizza makes a fantastic breakfast. you just have to make sure it’s heated in the toaster oven, so it’s both warm and crispy.
EVA says
Ah! Thanks for catching my one-mindedness. I forget that people enjoy the leftover chop suey or mashed potatoes and gravy for breakfast. I’m not a savory breakfast person, so I completely went blind and assumed everyone enjoyed sweets when they woke up. MY BAD. CARRY ON.
Saraquill says
I’m also a big believer in sweets for breakfast. I alternate between sweet and savory depending on my mood.
Ceara @ Ceara's Kitchen says
WOAH! these look exceptionally good – can’t wait to try your recipe! I love finding new ways to incorporate quinoa into things!
meredith @ The Cookie ChRUNicles says
Making these tonight for dinner – thanks!
Alia says
This looks delicious! I am definitely going to give them a go…but I know what you mean, I like to modify and tweak recipes to my liking too 😉
Abbie @ Needs Salt says
This are amazing! Seriously. I’m like… blown away.
Pinned.
Lena says
When I saw the email for this recipe, I accidentally read it as “chocolate pizza bites” and got oddly excited. Or maybe not so oddly, since I recently ate chocolate pizza at a restaurant… and have been wanting to make my own version ever since… just saying…. 🙂
CookieMonster says
Ha ha – Glad I’m not the only one. I looked at the pic and saw something buttery, gooey and filled with marshmallow!!
Barbara says
Those look amazing! I wonder has anybody tried to sub something else for the cheese center?
Jean Smith says
I just whipped up a batch of hummus, and was thinking I could fill the bites with that. I will report back!
Lia @ Luscious Living says
Oh my god they’re so simple, quick and they look delicious!!! I have a bunch of quinoa I need to use up, and tend to get boring with my quinoa. This is perfect! Thanks!
Ronda says
These look amazing. Recipe makes 8 to10 – how many pizza bites make 1 serving?
Valerie Calkosz says
depends how much you eat ronda
Emily says
I sure hope that’s vegan cheese! 🙂
Sarah says
Katie is vegan so it stands to reason that she used vegan cheese (she suggests daiya).
Emily says
What happened to the other breakfast recipes for January? I was looking forward to some of those pictures!
Michelle says
me too :/
AdjustedReality says
Wow, those look super good. I used to love pizza rolls!
kelsey says
These look amazing!! Do you of anything I could use to replace the beans? They don’t always agree with me.
Jean Smith says
olives
Kelly @ hidden fruits and veggies says
I definitely never plan on watching football, but I’ll take any excuse to eat a few snacks 😉 These look delicious!
Hollie says
I never would have thought to do anything like this. I’m not doing anything for the Super Bowl this year…I wish the Panthers were in but alas they aren’t.
Elle says
Katie, these are FABULOUS! Having my kids go towards Gluten Free has been a challenge, and I know my son will Love these! He’s been asking for pizza a lot!
Thanks so much!!! 😀
Stephanie @ Whole Health Dork says
These look delicious! And the fact that they’re naturally GF=bonus! Thanks for sharing!
Kait says
YUM this looks awesome, definitely trying it out!
Jenna says
*drool* If only I wasn’t away at school so I could make these!
Katie says
What an interesting appetizer! They look delicious! Eating gluten-free means I don’t get to enjoy pizza as often (or I guess as easily) as I did before, so these would be a good way to satisfy a pizza craving!!
Nancy@SeasonsOfJoy says
Yes, please! Protein and all kinds of good stuff in it and it tastes like pizza? Cannot wait to try these! Probably WILL for Superbowl, too! Thanks so much! I never would have come up with this!
Kristie says
WHA! These look insane! I’m a sucker for ANYTHING pizza so a healthy quinoa-y pizza bite? I am sold!
Ellen says
Yes! Pizza-y! Very important. Not being a football fan, I will be doing my usual improv shows on Sunday, but I don’t think I need the game as an excuse for pizza themed foods;)
Kelli @ healthierbytheweek says
I love this idea! This week my goal is to get the daily recommended amount of fiber per day (see blog for more details) and with the super bowl coming this week I have to plan ahead for sure! quinoa is a great source for fiber, can’t wait to try these this week!
Melissa @ Nourish By Melissa says
When I saw these I expected some long complicated ingredient list and recipe but they are so simple! I think I’ll try them tonight 🙂 Pizza in ball form….can’t go wrong!
B says
I made these as soon as I got home from work! And they are amazing! Such a great alternative to those mozzarella sticks and pizza rolls in one. I could have eaten the quinoa mix by itself! I used cannellini beans because I was out of pinto at home, but maybe they taste more Italian that way. I also doubled the garlic and added cayenne because I like my food spicy. Thanks so much for this recipe!
Emily J. says
Could you post a list of snacks for the game? Thank you!
Steph says
These look so awesome! The cheesy inside stuff looks so… cheesy! Its amazing! I think I have all the ingredients too.. YAY! 🙂
Emilie says
Oh my gosh these look unbelievably fantastic! I can’t wait to try them. I’m doing a Super Bowl potluck at my house this year, and I know there will be a mix of vegan and non-vegan dishes. I’m really trying to educate my family and friends on how delicious and fulfilling vegan food can be (in a totally non-pushy and polite way, hopefully), and I was a little stuck on what to do for Super Bowl. The best I had so far was guacamole and vegan chili. Do you (or anyone else) have any other ideas? Also, would you mind terribly if I reposted this on my own blog (or at least tossed in a link to this)? Thanks for the great idea!
Vivian says
So…this reply is a little late (just look up the pizza bites for a possible 4th of July recipe), but what I did for vegan friends during football season was to make vegan chickpea cutlets from Vegonomicon (http://www.chow.com/recipes/11364-chickpea-cutlets) in nugget shapes, then toss in wing sauce (I used a vegetable spread instead of butter).
Michelle says
These look so good I want to make them tomorrow! I just don’t have pinto beans. Do you think chick peas, black beans, brown rice, or lentils could work?
Chocolate Covered Katie says
I’ve not tried, so you’ll have to experiment :).
Saraquill says
The optional cheese reminds me, is there a link someone could point me to for making vegan cheese? I know how to make a cheesy sauce to go with macaroni, but that’s it. It’s easier for me to go homemade than to experiment with store bought brands.
Jessica says
Is the nutritional value based on eating 10 of them to make 420 calories or 42 calories for 10? lol i’m so sorry its late and I clearly can’t comprehend!
Michelle says
It’s 42 calories per bite based on 10, so if you get 10 bites out of the recipe then each one will have 42 calories. It would be 420 calories for all 10.
Priyanka says
Looking delicious…
Can’t wait, Just wanna try as soon as possible..
Lisa @bitesforbabies says
Did you realize you just made “arancini?!” lol! I made quinoa arancini a while back…I’m not unfamiliar with making arancini but always wanted to try it with quinoa…#1 because I eat gf, and #2 because I love quinoa! Well, I had my ENTIRE ITALIAN family (i.e., in ITALY) scarfing these down! Success! Your recipe is a bit different but regardless, I KNOW these taste AWESOME! Great pics! Btw, here’s the link my recipe:
http://www.bitesforbabies.com/recipes/pesto-prosciutto-and-mozzarella-stuffed-quinoa-arancini/
laura says
awesome! I love that this recipe is GF and will definitely be making at some point. I’m a Canuck and I feel like people in Canada watch the Super Bowl as an excuse to pig out on bad foods. I don’t have any plans but generally it’s not enjoyable because everything is deep fried!
Hannah Elizabeth says
I don’t care if pizza-y is a word or not, but it was begging to be made into one! 🙂
Oh, yum, both of your options for Super Bowl dessert recipes sounds *SO* good!!!! Are you planning on posting them? Please, please, please….? *puppy dog eyes* 🙂
Chocolate Covered Katie says
Yes 🙂
Hannah Elizabeth says
YAY!! Thank you!!! Looking forward to it!
Kelly says
These look seriously delicious!! I can’t wait to try them!
Kristen says
I love this idea for quinoa, I am in the middle of making them right now… in love with the flavor but mine don’t seem to roll… so I plopped them on the sheet in hope they would bake… they are in the oven right now… what do you think could have went wrong?
Chocolate Covered Katie says
How’d they turn out?
Kim says
Hey, I wonder what I could substitute for the beans? I’m not a fan of them :/
Jess says
These…look amazing. I need to make these soon.
Michelle says
I made these today and they were absolutely amazing!! Just varied it a little:
Instead of pinto beans I used kidney beans.
I multiplied it by 1.5 so that I used the whole can of beans.
I got 21 balls out of it, and analyzed my nutrition, but somehow got 100 calories per ball 🙁
I added just a bit of marinara to it.
My picky water husband couldn’t get enough! Yummy!
Michelle says
Should say picky eater – not water!
Chocolate Covered Katie says
If you used an online calculator, it probably just did dry beans instead of canned by mistake. Online calculators seem to have trouble calculating canned beans. Cooked quinoa as well.
Michelle says
You’re right! I went back and realized that that is exactly what happened! By the way, I absolutely love your blog and all of your recipes. I have never tried so many recipes from one site before. I love how you show people how delicious vegan food can be. I am sure you inspire a lot of people to go veg 🙂
Maura-Leigh says
These are delicious! My 4yr old loves them!
Melissa says
Hi Katie! I’ve tried to find a way to do this privately, but you’re a fortress! 😀 Just wanted to make sure that I had your blessing to totally plug this fantastic site on my own blog (which I won’t plug on yours!) Please email me privately for the link and you can take a look at it. If any issues, I will be happy to comply. (Totally just giving you props on the page though as I use your site to keep my clean-eating sweet tooth happy). Keep up the great work! Love this site!
Chocolate Covered Katie says
Aw Melissa I’m honored. THANK YOU :).
Lindsey @ DishingUpHope says
YUM! Love this idea and I wonder if they could freeze well…hrmm
Andrea says
Yum! Just made these with black beans and cheese cheese, grated & mixed in. So tasty!
Andrea says
Cheddar cheese, I meant!
Michelle @ Feed Your Skull says
I know I tweeted about it already but just wanted to let everyone here know they were delicious! I used chickpeas and they were absolutely wonderful! Thanks Katie 🙂
Robin says
Hi Katie! I want to thank you for helping all of us out here on Doug Kaufmann’s anti-fungal diet. Your recipes are inspirational and especially helpful in this case because of our limited use of ingredients. I have a question about coconut butter. I have been desperately trying to find coconut milk without guar gum and other preservatives in all the health food stores in my area to no avail:-( It is one of the anti fungal diets friendly foods, I have been so excited to try to make ice cream and whipped cream. You can imagine my disappointment:-( I found Artisana coconut butter and was pleasantly surprised to see that you can make coconut milk from it so I got excited and gave the company a call to ask about whipping it or using it to make ice cream. Guess what they suggested? That I contact you! What a compliment huh? I’m not surprised but just had to share that with you! They said that if anyone would know or could figure out how to make it happen it would be you. Pretty awesome coming straight from the manufacturer! So my question would be is it is possible to make whipped cream, ice cream or other recipes that call for coconut milk from coconut butter? Again, thanks for everything you do because it is truly a gift and I just wanted you to know how much you are helping the people who are out here struggling to get well. God bless you and your kitchen! Robin
cathy taylor says
there is also a lady with a site all about coconut oil, she might be able to help…I think coconutoil.com lol
Patricia says
love love loving your blog. just thought i’d share. thanks for the great fantastic delicious ideas.
Kristin says
Couldn’t make balls out of mine. Followed the recipe exactly and ended up with a soup! Not asking for advice to fix it, and I love a lot of the recipes Katie gives, but I’m not sure what was wrong with this one (at least for me).
Cristina says
I’m having the same issue here! Not exactly a soup but it’s not firm enough to make balls. What could be wrong here?
Unofficial CCK Helper says
It sounds like you just need to cook your quinoa longer.
Cristina says
As far as I know there’s only one way to cook the quinoa and it’s not the first time I’ve cooked it so I’m thinking it must be something else.
Autumn says
This is a great appetizer that takes only minutes to make (not including the baking time)!
Thanks again CCK!
Anna @ On Anna's Plate says
Thanks for the shout-out! Those quinoa pizza bites are definitely one of the most popular items to ever have come out of my little blog. 🙂 Your twist on them looks delicious!
Kelli says
These were amazing! I am not vegan so I did use regular mozzarella and it worked perfectly! My daughter hates when I serve quinoa at dinner but, she loved these!! I’ve actually made several items from your blog and they’ve all been amazing!!! Thank you 🙂
cathy taylor says
let’s face it, I am lazy, so when I had put a can of pinto beans into cooked quinoa in the rice cooker, and then found this recipe, a light bulb went off. So I added the recipe’s spices, vegan mozzarella cheese and tomato sauce, (as I had no paste,) to the mixture in the cooker. I just ate a “bowl”. Next time I will have toast too. yummy Katie, ty!!!
steph says
These look delicious! Can I freeze theese?
Becca says
Made these today for the Super Bowl! One of my favorite recipes of yours…everyone loved them (and I did too!) I couldn’t believe how satisfying they were! Thanks for another amazing recipe, Katie. 🙂
Kayla says
You had me at pizza! Looks sooo yummy, can’t wait to give this recipe a try!
Esther says
I just made these for dinner tonight and they were so delicious!! I used regular mild cheddar cheese for most of them and Daiya Jack for some as my brother is allergic to dairy. I also used Great Northern beans because I didn’t have any pinto beans. I will certainly be making these again, all 6 of my family members loved these! Thank you so much for another healthy meal idea, Katie!
Tress Rabne says
I’ve read all of the comments, and it seems no one has the same question as I do: in your ingredients list, is it “1 cup of quinoa, cooked”, or “1 cup of cooked quinoa”. When I make 1 cup of raw quinoa it becomes larger than the 1 cup. Do I use just one of those cooked cups, or do I use all of it? Thanks.
Chocolate Covered Katie says
1 cup cooked, so 1/4 cup raw.
Katey says
So people. Don’t sub kidney beans or oregano. I didn’t have pintos or basil so I did….They do not compare to the flavors that come with marrying basil and pinto! My heart, it aches.
Fiona says
Hi. I’m very keen to make these. Wondering if it will work if I make the balls ready the night before, keep them in the fridge and pop in the oven when ready for them? Can you foresee any issues if I did this or will it be a disaster? Cheers.
zuzana says
I just tried it..and they didnt hold together at all.. :/ they look more like pancakes. any suggestions? i added flower as a last hope but it ruined the taste and still they still didnt hold together…
Jody says
I added more quinoa and beans on my first try – about a few tablespoons more
Unofficial CCK Helper says
See Katie’s troubeshooting link in the Recipe FAQ section for help, as these ought to hold together perfectly. They did for me, anyway.
Shirin says
Love your recipes Katie 🙂 Just wondering if you’re aware that some of your advertising is showing up down the bottom of your recipes in the format of your links to other recipes on your site…but the recipes are like buffalo chicken lasagne and BLT pasta salad, clearly not vegan. When I click it and it goes to another site. Maybe this isn’t your advertising, maybe I have really sneaky adware but it just seems strange that you’d have links to meaty dishes and they deceive you cos they look like they link to more of your recipes!!
Jody says
I’ve been eyeing this recipe for weeks until I finally made them this evening. I mixed Daiya shredded cheese instead because mama’s lazy. I thoroughly enjoyed these and practically ate most of it. I doubled up on the ingredients so I have more mixture to make for tomorrow. Thanks!
Alandra says
Just made…def taste the tomato sauce and pinto beans. Not sure if I would make again but glad I did. Thanks for the recipe.
Kristy Creamer says
Another hit by the skinnyminichocolatecoveredKatie! I did two things different, and really only slightly different. I used my stick blender on everything but the quinoa and cheese. Then mixed in the quinoa, that came out perfectly for the first time, I MUST ADD! Followed our Katie’s instructions found elsewhere on the site. I used daiya provolone and broke the slice in to pieces for the simple fact that it was what I had in the fridge. They reheat well, 1 minute 30 seconds in the microwave. I will definitely be making these again, and again and again. Only difference I think I will make is simple. Smaller. I wanted so badly to be able to pick it up! It kind of smooshed in my hand. Also, doubling the recipe. I NEED more than one meal out of these. I work evening, so anything I can make ahead that reheats well, is a bonus in my book! As always, Thanks Katie! Do you have a blog you follow for the necessary meals that do not contain chocolate? Trying to reduce the amount of meat in my diet as much as possible. This will definitely help!
Unofficial CCK Helper says
Try findingvegan.com
Miranda says
I have a batch of these in the oven right now! The smell reminds me of the pizza that was made at the local skating rink, when I was a kid. So good! Two things I did differently: I used cooked brown rice instead of quinoa so I increased the amount by a 1/2 cup, I also used shredded cheese instead of block; more difficult but if you’re patient it works out nicely! Can’t wait to try these.
Miranda says
Just popped these out of the oven. They look, feel and taste beautiful; sturdy too. The only thing that I would do differently next time is use the block cheese; shreds caused a few to buckle and split, oozing cheese. I don’t mind though because I am one of those weirdos who loves burnt cheese bits. Letting these cool down a bit to room temp for tea time!
Rebecca says
Love these! As a new mother with no help whatsoever, it’s really hard to make sure the fridge is always stocked with food. This recipe was soooo easy and quick to make, but best of all, the hubby loves it and didn’t know he was eating something healthy. And the fun part was licking my hands like a little kid after I was done rolling everything! I’ve been studying your recipes so I could make them whenever bub gives me a chance to cook.
Kathy says
Are the pinto beans needed for holding it together? Or just for flavor? The reason I ask is because my daughters are both allergic to legumes. If it’s just for flavor, I will def try making without the beans. But, if it needs the beans to keep it together, I’ll have to try something else. Thanks!
Unofficial CCK Helper says
You need the beans.
Kristie says
I wonder if my kids would eat these! Maybe I’ll tell them they’re cheesy tater tots 😉 LOL
Katie says
Serving size is 1 or 10? I was confused reading the nutrition label. Made these and they were SOOOOO good!!!! 🙂
Kerri says
Although I love the idea, the batter was WAYYY to soft, and would NOT shape into balls at all!!! What do you think happened?
Unofficial CCK Helper says
Read previous comments. This was resolved: You need to cook the quinoa longer prior to using so it is drier.
Tess Willard says
These look really good and would make great appetizers. My Dad is gluten free which has changed our menu at home. It is surprising how good gluten free food can be. One of the foods we have discovered is quinoa and I love it!! It is healthy and filling. I feel healthier when I eat it compared to pasta. One of our favorite quinoa recipes is tabouli (http://localfoods.about.com/od/salads/r/Classic-Tabouli-Salad.htm). Tabouli is normally made with cracked wheat. We just substitute the quinoa for the wheat and add lots more lemon and garlic and it is the best tabouli ever.
Charlotte says
does this recipe make a single serving?
Thanks
SV says
Love!! Made these today, and my husband – who is a pizza freak – inhaled them. I followed the recipe exactly, except I used regular mozzarella (I’m vegetarian but not vegan). For those who had trouble with the consistency, my ‘batter’ was really soft too but you have to persevere when shaping them into balls, as it does work eventually. Just do it gently and don’t roll them in your palms cause then they just smoosh in your hands. I just patted them here and there to shape them, stuffed a cube of cheese in each one and patted some more. They crisped up so nicely in the oven. Thank you!!
Melissa says
Katie,
How well do these freeze? I’m looking for recipes to make for my baby and want to be able to freeze for future meals.
Thanks,
Melissa
Shannon says
These look so yummy! Do you think I could replace the beans with chickpeas?
Karen Tumblin says
I substituted garbanzo beans for the pinto beans. This is an amazing dish. My husband and I were thinking of variations we could put in here. This was delicious!!!! I love it.
madlene says
hi! I want to try these this week but I have a problem with pinto beans 😀 so I was wondering if i could use smthing instead of them 🙂
Robyn says
I just made these for my toddler twin boys and they were a hit! I wasn’t sure if I should drain the beans so I did…would they be better not rinsed? Also I used Daiya shreds and just mixed them in with everything, worked great! Thanks!!
Unofficial CCK Helper says
Drained is good.
Laurie says
Lord have mercy, these sound soooo good. I’m going to make these very soon. I appreciate these recipes.
Erin says
i made these with kidney beans because it were the only beans i had at hand and they turned out pretty good. will surely do them again
Gloria says
I made these last night. Fantastic! Loved them. I used black beans as that’s what I had on hand. I also added a bit of parmesan cheese in the bean/quinoa mixture. I’ll definitely be making them again. Thanks Katie …. love all your recipes!
Malin says
Making these right now!!!
Lydia says
Do you think these could be made a day or two ahead and refrigerated before baking? Or maybe freeze before baking? I want to make them ahead to bring to a get-together this weekend but I’m not sure how they’ll hold up if made in advance.
Emily says
Whoa. I just put these in the oven and they were MESSY! Super sticky and definitely not in perfect little balls. But I hope that they come out solid… if they don’t, no big deal, because I’ve been licking my fingers and eating fresh mozz this whole time and I can’t complain. I’d eat it with a spoon.
Krysta says
I apologize if someone already asked (or I just missed it in the post): what brand of tomato paste do you use? Do you have a favorite canned tomato brand?
Thanks!
Unofficial CCK Helper says
Muir Glen is good, or Whole Foods brand.
tried em says
I think next time I try them I’ll toss an egg in there. Very tasty though!
Jessica says
I just made these and OMG, they are soooooo good! I used garbanzo beans instead of pinto beans and these little babies tasted amazing! I got 14 out of mine! Thank you for sharing this recipe Katie!
Lily says
Thanks for saying this. I’ve made them twice with pinto beans and love them, but I just saw the recipe on facebook and want to make them again, but I only have garbanzo beans right now. I’m going to try it!
Charlotte says
I have been on a CCK bender lately! I just can’t stop making these recipes, and I have yet to be disappointed. This one came out INCREDIBLE–I can’t stop eating them! Instead of straight pinto beans, I used canned fat-free refried beans and scaled back the salt a bit and it worked great and saved me a bit of elbow grease. As I am not fully vegan (YET!) I also added some grated parmesan to the mix, which made it even more pizza-y and scrumptious. I bet nutritional yeast would work well too. I also added some red pepper flakes and hot smoked paprika for a bit of kick, and stuffed the balls with low-fat swiss and cheddar cheeses. I will definitely be making these again and again!
Jackie says
Very delicious and so easy to prepare!
Maria says
These look sooooooo good! But I have just one question, would a tomato free sauce work okay in replace of the paste? My boyfriend is allergic to tomatoes (and plenty of other things may I add).
Speaking of which, I’d love to see you tackle a “nomato” sauce alternative if you could! Your food is always super tasty.
Unofficial CCK Helper says
You can always experiment! Be sure to report back if you do!
LiveAloha says
Question: as anyone tried this using marinara or pizza sauce instead of the paste? Too watery??
lisa says
i see pinto beans & am thinking about trying with taco seasoning! MMMM!!!
Bethany Jones says
These are DIVINE! In the same way it’s hard not to eat your cookie dough before it’s baked, it’s hard not to chow down on these pizza bites before they’re baked. So delicious! Thank you!!
kathleen says
I just got my hands on a surplus of quinuoa and wanted to experiment so I made this and it is divine! I’ve made it twice in three days- it is that good. The first time I made it and formed the balls with a bit of cheese but it was too sweet and the cheese didn’t add as much flavor as i wanted. So the next time i made it, i omitted the additional sugar and threw all the ingredients into the same pan that the quinuoa had just finished cooking in. So fast and really, really delicious!
Aryasmum says
I made them, but my mixture was really soft. Maybe because I used a food processor for mashing the beans. They taste pretty good though!!
Lily says
Just cook your quinoa longer next time. The first time I made them they were a little soft, so I used drier cooked quinoa the next time and they were perfect!
Alyssa @ RenaissanceRunnerGirl says
Can’t wait to try making these…didn’t have a Super Bowl party this year, but they seem great for entertaining because they’re already GF (but don’t seem GF) which is good for my GF-fearing guests.
melissa says
Made these for dinner tonight. I used treeline cashew cheese in the middle( not melty but delicious) . These turned out great! Will definitely make again. Thanks for the recipe!
Dana says
I love finding great recipes in the archives… BUT, people might not be reading the comments anymore… Does anyone know if these freeze well? I need to make something ahead of time and then cook it later. I was planning on freezing the little balls to pop in the oven after a 7 hour drive. Experience? Anyone?
Savannah R says
These look amazing! I’m interested in making them en mass to use up some beans I have, but am curious to know if folks here have had success with storing them in the freezer and reheating them, and if so, how they suggest reheating them?
At present, I’m thinking the oven would be the best option after a partial thaw on the counter or in the microwave in order to get a good texture, as opposed to microwaving them entirely.I guess I’ll comment again next week once I’ve made them and tested out the reheating process to report my personal experience.
Thoughts? Experiences?
Melissa says
Making these tonight. Just double checking is it 1/2 tsp of fresh garlic or 1/2 tsp garlic powder?
Sara says
These are delicious! Tried them out on my roommate’s friends a few weeks back. They were going for these over the regular pizza! I added extra basil and parsley when I made them. Word of advice – use string cheese! I tried with shredded and it was super messy and hard to get the cheese in place. Not impossible, but I imagine it would be a million times easier with string cheese.
Lynett says
How do you feel about a different bean, like maybe Great Northern or cannellini, instead of pinto?
Kathy says
Do you think they would travel camping? I don’t see why not, but I defer to your thoughts…
Beet Juice says
This is one of my favorite recipes! I probably made it dozens and dozens of times.
Daniela says
Hi, what could i use as a bean alternative? It looks great. But we do not gave this bean in beazil. Thanks
Julie Dove says
You can use any beans – black beans, white beans, etc.
noor says
This receipr are 2 good
kajj88 says
Revelation I love reading your statements. At such a high level.
Sophie says
These are great: kid-friendly and a good way to get extra protein into a vegetarian or vegan meal. I make them with dried oregano because I prefer it to basil, and as a resident of the U.K. I find it easier to get hold of cannellini than pinto beans, but they work just fine.
Thanks for sharing this recipe!
Sophie says
Hi Katie, do you know if it’s ok to freeze these?
CCK Media Team says
You can!