Cheese and Tomato Quinoa Balls
Delicious tomato, cheese and basil quinoa formed into balls.
Servings: 14 Balls
Calories: 60kcal
Equipment
- Baking Tray
- Pan
Ingredients
- 100g (½ cup) Quinoa White or Tri-colour, uncooked
- 1 tablespoon Olive Oil
- ½ Onion Finely chopped
- ¼ teaspoon Garlic Minced
- 120g (½ cup) Canned Chopped Tomatoes
- 120ml (½ cup) Vegetable / Chicken Stock
- 60g (½ cup) Cheddar Cheese Grated (Shredded)
- 1 tablespoon Fresh Basil leaves Chopped
- 1 Egg Beaten
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 180c / 350f / Gas 4
- In a bowl soak the quinoa in water.
- Heat oil, over medium heat, in a pan and gently sauté the onions and garlic until the onions become translucent. Around 5 mins.
- Using a fine-mesh sieve, drain and thoroughly rinse the quinoa.
- To the onions and garlic, add the tomatoes, stock, quinoa and stir. Bring to the boil, reduce the heat to low, cover and allow to simmer for 15 mins.
- Turn the heat off and leave the quinoa to sit covered for a further 5 mins.
- Stir in the cheddar cheese & basil.
- Allow to cool and then stir in the beaten egg.
- Form heaped tablespoon sized balls.
- Bake in the oven for 25 mins or until golden.
Notes
Making for a Baby: Use water or homemade stock to reduce sodium levels.
Forming Balls: The balls will flatten slightly but if you are finding them difficult to form, place the mixture in the refrigerator for a further 10+ mins.
Short on Time? Now my kids are older I often don't bother forming balls (my youngest actually prefers it this way). Skip the egg and serve once you have stirred through the cheese and basil.
Extra cheesy optional step: Break each ball in half, add a small ball of mozzarella and reform the balls making sure the mozzarella is fully covered.
Storage: Refrigerate leftovers in an airtight container for up to two days. Alternatively, freeze on a baking tray until solid and then transfer to an airtight container or freezer bag. Be sure to get as much air out of the bag as possible when sealing, to help prevent freezer burn.
Nutritional information is a ROUGH guide only, calculated using an online nutrition calculator.
Nutrition
Calories: 60kcal | Carbohydrates: 6g | Protein: 3g | Fat: 3g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 16mg | Sodium: 78mg | Potassium: 71mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 1g | Vitamin A: 96IU | Vitamin C: 1mg | Calcium: 40mg | Iron: 1mg