• Facebook
  • Google+
  • Instagram
  • Pinterest
  • Twitter
  • YouTube
  • Home
  • About
  • Recipe Index

She Likes Food

Easy Vegetarian and Vegan Recipes

Never Miss a Bite! Subscribe Now!

  • Facebook
  • Google+
  • Instagram
  • Pinterest
  • Twitter
  • YouTube
  • Contact
  • Work With Me
  • Shop

Protein Packed Broccoli Cheese Bites

August 23, 2018 12 Comments Appetizers, Gluten Free, Kid Friendly, Refined Sugar Free, Snacks, Vegetarian

Jump to Recipe·Print Recipe
Pinterest long pin for Protein Packed Broccoli Cheese Bites

These Protein Packed Broccoli Cheese Bites are packed with quinoa and chickpeas to give them even extra protein!  They’re easy to make and healthy too!  Toddler approved 🙂

A big plate of Protein Packed Broccoli Cheese Bites with ketchup

Sometimes I cruise through the frozen food section and impulsively throw things into my cart that I think Eli would enjoy.  Most of the time I feel like they don’t have much flavor and that I could make a much better version myself.

These Broccoli Cheese Bites would be one of those foods!  Sometimes you don’t realize how easy homemade is until you give it a try!

A close up of a plate of Protein Packed Broccoli Cheese Bites with ketchup

These Protein Packed Broccoli Cheese Bites are my new favorite easy snack to make at home.  You only need a few ingredients and they can easily be made vegan using vegan cheese instead of regular.

I call these Protein Packed because there’s four sources of protein in these bites: Cheese, Broccoli, Quinoa and Chickpeas.  The quinoa and chickpeas also really help to hold everything together so you don’t even need eggs or breadcrumbs in this recipe.

A hand dipping a Protein Packed Broccoli Cheese Bite into ketchup

These Protein Packed Broccoli Cheese Bites are really great to have around for healthy snacking!  They’re freezer friendly and stay good in the refrigerator for up to 4 days.  You can easily re-heat them in the oven, stovetop or microwave for a quick and easy snack or toddler lunch.

A big plate of Protein Packed Broccoli Cheese Bites with ketchup

They’re also a great way to hide the veggies if you have picky kids!  The quinoa and chickpea help to mask the green color from the broccoli and they have such a great cheesy flavor that goes perfectly with the broccoli.  I hope you and your kids enjoy these as much as we do!

Print

Protein Packed Broccoli Cheese Bites


★★★★★ 5 from 1 reviews
  • Author: She Likes Food
  • Prep Time: 15 mins
  • Cook Time: 25 mins
  • Total Time: 40 minutes
  • Yield: 30 1x
  • Category: Side, Snack
  • Cuisine: American
Print Recipe
Pin Recipe

Description

These Protein Packed Broccoli Cheese Bites are perfect for a quick and healthy snack!  They’re freezer friendly so you can have them on hand all the time!


Ingredients

  • 1 (15 ounce) can chickpeas, or 1 1/2 cups
  • 1 1/2 cups cooked quinoa
  • 1 1/2 cups chopped cooked broccoli
  • 1 cup sharp cheddar cheese
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 1 1/2 teaspoons onion powder
  • 1 1/2 teaspoons garlic powder
  • 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
  • Cooking spray or olive oil for baking

Instructions

  1. Pre-heat oven to 350 degrees F.  Add all ingredients to a food processor and blend until completely combined and ingredients are broken down.  Feel free to add more seasonings if you wish.
  2. Line a baking sheet with a non-stick baking mat or parchment paper.  Spray with cooking spray and use a 1 tablespoon scoop to scoop the mixture onto the baking sheet.
  3. Use your hand to pat down the tops a little bit and either brush the tops with olive oil or spray with cooking spray.
  4. Bake broccoli cheese bites until golden brown on the top and bottom, 20-25 minutes.  Remove from the oven and let cool on the baking sheet for 5-7 minutes before eating.  They can be a little soft when warm because of the cheese but should firm up nicely once cooled a little bit.
  5. Enjoy with your favorite dipping sauce, if desired.

Notes

Broccoli cheddar bites can be refrigerated in an airtight container for 3-4 days and frozen in a freezer safe container for up to 3 months.

12 Comments

« Loaded Summer Vegetable Salad with Black Beans
Healthy Vegetarian Meal Plan – Week 112 »

Comments

  1. SaraJ says

    August 23, 2018 at 12:42 pm

    Hi Izzy. These sound wonderful! I wonder if you have any thoughts on making them without a food processor? Thanks!

    Reply
    • She Likes Food says

      August 23, 2018 at 4:14 pm

      Thank you! I think if you mashed everything really well it might hold together! I think the blending helps it all bind but you could probably also use a masher and if it doesn’t seem like it’s holding together super well maybe bake it in a muffin tin instead of trying to scoop it onto a baking sheet. I hope that helps!

      Reply
  2. Megan H. says

    September 16, 2018 at 1:16 pm

    Hi there! Wanted to ask you what you would recommend subbing for the cheese to make these guys vegan. My daughter has a dairy allergy and is the pickiest eater ever, so I would love to try them with her!

    Reply
    • She Likes Food says

      September 16, 2018 at 2:06 pm

      Hi! I’d either add a few tablespoons nutritional yeast, some dairy free cheese or just leave it out all together. The other ingredients should bind enough without the cheese 🙂

      Reply
  3. Jennifer Crabtree says

    September 24, 2018 at 2:16 am

    I used parmesan instead of cheddar cheese and they were delicious! Adding these into my rotation of easy go-to meals.

    ★★★★★

    Reply
    • She Likes Food says

      September 26, 2018 at 6:02 pm

      Awesome! I’m so glad you enjoyed them!

      Reply
  4. Aidan says

    January 6, 2019 at 10:29 am

    Would you recommend freezing before or after baking?

    Reply
    • She Likes Food says

      January 6, 2019 at 9:57 pm

      I would probably freeze before baking just so they don’t dry out.

      Reply
  5. Jenna says

    November 5, 2019 at 12:36 pm

    I was wondering if this recipe would work with amaranth instead of quinoa.

    Reply
    • She Likes Food says

      November 18, 2019 at 4:47 pm

      I’ve never actually cooked with amaranth before but I would think it would work!

      Reply
  6. Brandi says

    January 5, 2020 at 11:41 am

    Hi! Do you drain the can of chickpeas before using? Or do you use the chickpea water as well? Thanks! 🙂 Excited to try these!

    Reply
    • She Likes Food says

      January 7, 2020 at 6:03 pm

      drain the chickpeas and just use the water! I hope you enjoy 🙂

      Reply

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Recipe rating ★☆ ★☆ ★☆ ★☆ ★☆

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

I love coming up with quick, easy and healthy recipes that will make your life much easier! They also happen to be gluten free and vegetarian with tons of vegan options too!

Get to know me!

Privacy Policy



Copyright © 2021 She Likes Food
Web Design by Viva la Violet