Quinoa Kale Bites Appetizer

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One of our favorite things about the holidays is reconnecting with friends. Recently we had a couple of friends over for dinner where we served these appetizer bites. They were a huge hit and are so tasty!
We made them about 2-3 inches in diameter and got about 10-12 bites. We topped them with tzatziki sauce and a fresh tomato salsa on the others. They were the perfect vehicle for the toppings.

Both Quinoa and kale are superfoods and they are packed with nutrients. Our guest gobbled them up.


The bites themselves are a little bland so make sure your toppings have some flavor. You can get as creative as you like with the toppings because just about anything will work great with these bites. My favorite was the tzatziki sauce.

The Quinoa Kale Bites worked great as an appetizer but could also be made smaller for snacking or larger for a meal. I'm not a huge kale fan so I try to slip this extremely healthy food in where I can't taste it too much. This recipe totally fit that profile.

Your kids will even love these and they would make a healthy super bowl or football appetizer!

Quinoa Kale Bites Appetizer
Recipe modified from Yummy Supper

Yields: 10-12 / 2-in patties

1/2 cup quinoa
1 cups water
2 eggs, whisked
3 tbsp Parmesan cheese
2 spring onions, sliced thin
2 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 teaspoon sea salt
1/2 cup steamed kale, chopped
1/2 cup breadcrumbs
1 teaspoon olive oil
optional toppings: salsa, tzatziki, avocado, cilantro, lemon juice, salsa verde, garlic oil

Rinse 1/2 cup of quinoa thoroughly and place the grains in a medium sauce pan with 1 cups of water. Allow quinoa to soak for 15 minutes. Then, with the lid on the pan, bring the water to a boil and reduce to a simmer. Cook until quinoa is tender and has absorbed the liquid - about 20 minutes. Let cool to room temp.

In a large bowl, mix together cooked quinoa, eggs, Parm, spring onions, garlic, salt, steamed kale, and breadcrumbs. Let everything sit for a few minutes to absorb the liquid. You want the batter to be moist, but not runny. Form patties and get your pan ready for cookin'.

Heat 1 teaspoon olive oil in a large skillet over medium-low heat. Cook up to 6 patties at at time (don't overcrowd the pan). Cover the pan and let the cuties cook for 3-4 minutes until the underbellies are a deep rich brown. Flip and cook the other side for another 3-4 minutes until both sides are nice and brown. Let patties rest on a cooling rack while you finish the next batch.

NOTE: We served these at room temp. So they could also be made ahead of time and brought up to temp in an oven on low heat. You could also freeze these bites for a quick appetizer on hand at any time!