Sweet Potato Quinoa Balls Recipe
These Quinoa Balls are a delicious and nutritious snack or appetizer featuring a blend of cooked quinoa and mashed sweet potatoes combined with spices and nutritional yeast for a cheesy flavor. Baked until crisp on the outside and tender inside, these gluten-free, vegetarian balls are perfect for a healthy bite or party platter.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes (including peeling and boiling sweet potatoes)
- Cook Time: 20 minutes
- Total Time: 35 minutes
- Yield: Approximately 18-20 quinoa balls (1 tablespoon size each) 1x
- Category: Snack
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: Vegetarian, Healthy
- Diet: Gluten Free
Ingredients
Scale
Main Ingredients
- 1 cup Cooked Quinoa (cooled or at room temperature)
- 1 large Sweet Potato (450g/16oz unpeeled), peeled, boiled, mashed (equivalent to 1 cup mash)
- 1 cup Panko Crumb (gluten free if needed)
- 2 tablespoons Nutritional Yeast (or grated parmesan)
- 1/4 teaspoon Garlic Powder
- 1/4 teaspoon Salt
- 1/4 teaspoon Ground Paprika
- 1/4 teaspoon Ground Cumin
Instructions
- Cook Sweet Potatoes: Peel and cut the sweet potatoes into cubes. Place them in a small saucepan, cover with cold water, put on the lid, and bring to a boil. Boil until the sweet potatoes are fork-tender, then drain in a sieve and let steam out for 10 minutes.
- Prepare Baking Sheet: Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and lightly oil it with coconut oil. Set aside.
- Mash Sweet Potato: Using a potato masher or fork, mash the cooked sweet potatoes until smooth. Measure out 1 cup of mashed sweet potato and place it in a mixing bowl.
- Add Remaining Ingredients: To the mashed sweet potato, add the cooked quinoa, panko crumbs, nutritional yeast or parmesan, garlic powder, paprika, cumin, and salt.
- Form Dough: Stir the mixture with a spatula until it thickens and becomes hard to stir. Then, use your hands to squeeze the ingredients together, forming a sticky dough.
- Shape Balls: Slightly oil your hands and roll the mixture into balls about 1 tablespoon each. Place the balls on the prepared baking sheet. Lightly spray or brush olive oil on top of each ball to promote extra crispiness when baking.
- Bake: Bake the quinoa balls in the center rack of a preheated oven at 400°F (200°C) for 20 minutes, flipping them halfway through to ensure even crisping. Alternatively, you can air fry the balls using air fryer instructions.
- Storage: Store cooked quinoa balls in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days. They can also be frozen either cooked or uncooked and baked or air fried directly from frozen without thawing.
Notes
- Use gluten-free panko crumbs if you require a gluten-free version.
- Nutritional yeast provides a cheesy flavor but can be substituted with grated parmesan if preferred.
- Ensure your sweet potato mash is well-drained and not watery to help the balls hold together better.
- Spraying or brushing with olive oil before baking enhances crispiness.
- Quinoa balls can be air-fried as an alternative to baking for a quicker, crispier finish.
- Freeze uncooked balls for an easy-to-bake snack anytime.
Keywords: quinoa balls, sweet potato quinoa bites, healthy snacks, gluten free snacks, baked quinoa balls, vegetarian appetizers
Find it online: https://leofoster.com/sweet-potato-quinoa-balls-recipe/
