These quinoa muffins are made with cooked quinoa and lots of sweet, juicy blueberries. They are moist, with a soft texture, moderately sweet and delicious, perfect as nutritious breakfast on-the-go or snack anytime.
See also quinoa egg muffins!
These quinoa muffins are light and fluffy, fruity and moist. Quinoa is high in fibre and protein, perfect to use with a breakfast recipe (both sweet and savoury), including these nutritious muffins.
These muffins with quinoa are naturally sweetened with blueberries and a moderate amount of sugar. They are also quick and easy to make if you prepare the quinoa ahead (which I recommend you do). Just combine all the ingredients and bake the muffins! Healthy, delicious, easy to make, the perfect recipe to start your morning!
Quinoa muffins ingredients and substitutions
- Quinoa: you can either cook the quinoa from raw (see instructions below) or use ready-cooked quinoa.
- Blueberries: use either fresh or frozen.
- Flour: you can use all-purpose/plain flour or white wholewheat flour instead (or in combination with all-purpose flour).
- Raising agents: bicarbonate of soda and baking powder.
- Sugar.
- Milk: use any.
- Lemon: use both the juice and zest (for fluffier muffins and added flavour).
- Oil: use either vegetable oil or another neutral tasting oil.
Preparing quinoa for muffins
Quinoa cooks quickly and is easy to prepare. You do not need to pre-soak it - this is sometimes recommended to prevent potential bitterness, but is not necessary to do in this recipe. All you need to do is rinse the raw quinoa before cooking (see Instructions below).
- TIP: Alternatively use ready-cooked quinoa.
Step-by-step recipe instructions
1. Cook quinoa: Rinse the quinoa and combine with twice the amount of water, then cover, bring to the boil and simmer gently for 15 minutes. Remove from the heat, drain off the water if there is any left, and set the quinoa aside to cool.
- TIP: To save time you can cook the quinoa ahead, cool, cover and refrigerate it for up to 3 days.
2. Preheat the oven to 400 F/200 C/ gas mark 6. Line a 12-hole muffin pan with paper cases and set aside.
3. Combine dry ingredients: Whisk together the flour, baking powder, bicarbonate of soda and pinch of salt.
4. Combine wet ingredients: In another bowl whisk together the egg, oil, milk and sugar until thoroughly combined.
5. Add quinoa: Whisk in the cooked quinoa, lemon juice and zest.
6. Add blueberries: Gently fold the blueberries into the flour mixture.
7. Assemble: Combine both mixtures and stir only until the dry ingredients are no longer visible.
8. Bake muffins: Spoon the quinoa muffin batter into the pan and bake in the centre of the oven for 25 minutes.
8. Serve: Remove from the oven and set aside for 5 minutes, then place the muffins on a rack to cool. Enjoy!
Serving suggestions
These fluffy muffins with quinoa are delicious just as they are, perfect with coffee, tea or a glass of milk or smoothie. However, they are also fantastic with a little lemon curd and cream cheese (either together and separately).
They are equally delicious served cold (perfect in lunchboxes) as well as a little warm.
Top tips
- Quinoa: To save time I recommend cooking the quinoa ahead. Once cooled, refrigerate it, covered, for up to 3 days. Leftover quinoa can be used to make quinoa smoothie or quinoa energy balls.
- Fruit: Use either fresh or frozen blueberries. Raspberries and strawberries will work in this recipe too. I often make these quinoa muffins with mixed berries.
- Do not overstir the batter. Stop stirring when all the ingredients have been incorporated.
- Best served the day they are made. The following day place leftover muffins in an airtight container (to help them stay moist) and use within 3 days. Microwave for a few seconds before serving, if possible (on the second or third day).
- Freeze for up to 3 months.
More quinoa breakfast recipes to try next
- Quinoa Pancakes (Vegan, GF)
- Moist Banana Bread with Quinoa
- Overnight Quinoa with Banana
- How to Cook Quinoa Porridge
See also these other healthy, delicious breakfast recipes!
Recipe
Quinoa Blueberry Muffins
Equipment
- 12-hole muffin pan
Ingredients
- 10 tablespoons (120 g) cooked quinoa 4.23oz
- 1½ cups (180 g) blueberries fresh or frozen
- 2 cups less 2tsp (240 g) all-purpose/plain flour
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- ½ teaspoon bicarbonate of soda
- Pinch of salt
- ½ cup less 1tbsp (90 g) sugar
- 1 large egg
- ⅓ cup+2tsp (90 ml) vegetable oil
- 1 cup+1tbsp (250 ml) milk
- 2 tablespoons lemon juice plus zest of 2 lemons
Instructions
- Cook quinoa: Rinse the quinoa and combine with twice the amount of water, then cover, bring to the boil and simmer gently for 15 minutes. Remove from the heat, drain off the water if there is any left, and set the quinoa aside to cool.
- Preheat the oven to 400 F/ 200 C/ gas mark 6. Lightly grease or line a muffin pan with 12 muffin cases.
- Combine dry ingredients: Whisk together the flour, baking powder, bicarbonate of soda and salt. Set aside.
- Combine wet ingredients: In another large bowl whisk together the egg, sugar, oil, quinoa, milk, lemon juice and zest until thoroughly combined.
- Assemble: Gently fold the blueberries into the dry mixture. Combine both mixtures and stir gently until the dry ingredients are no longer visible. Do not overmix.
- Bake: Spoon equal amounts of the batter into the muffin cases and bake in the centre of the oven for 25 minutes.
- Serve: Remove from the oven and leave in the pan for 5 minutes then transfer the muffins onto a cooling rack.
Notes
- Quinoa: To save time I recommend cooking the quinoa ahead. Once cooled, refrigerate it, covered, for up to 3 days.
- Fruit: Use either fresh or frozen blueberries. Raspberries and strawberries will work in this recipe too.
- Do NOT overstir the batter. Stop stirring when all the ingredients have been incorporated.
- Best served the day they are made. The following day place leftover muffins in an airtight container (to help them stay moist) and use within 3 days. Microwave for a few seconds before serving, if possible (on the second or third day).
- Freeze for up to 3 months.
Nutrition
*Nutritional information is automatically generated and should be considered as an estimate.
**A note about baking: If using a fan-assisted oven refer to your appliance's instructions and adjust the temperature accordingly.
Keep in touch!
If you make these simple quinoa muffins with blueberries I'd love to know how they turn out for you. Let me know in the comments below, thanks!
Follow me on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter for regular recipe updates! Or you could subscribe to this blog and receive all my latest recipes right into your mailbox!
amy says
i made these muffins exactly as per the instructions. they came out great!!
i will definitely make these again 🙂
thank you for sharing
Monika says
You are welcome! Thank you for your feedback:)
Valerie says
My first time baking with quinoa and I really like these muffins. I did find, however, that the muffins stick to the cupcake liners. Did anyone else experience that or did I just get very cheap liners? They are a new brand to me and have not used them before.
Monika says
I don't know what type of cupcake liners you used but I do now that as a general rule if you let muffins cool in a muffin paper case (rather than try to eat them while still hot) they will not stick to the case as much. You can also run a knife around the muffins before removing from the case. Hope this helps:)
Amber says
Great recipe! I will swap out the vegetable oil for avocado oil though. Vegetable oil is highly inflammatory.
Monika says
Thank you!
Eve says
These came out great. Recipe made a perfect dozen standard size muffins. Made it vegan with one flax egg. Used zest of just half of one large lemon with the 2 Tbsp lemon juice and I was still able to taste the lemon.
They were lightly sweet which I like- didn’t taste like a cheap boxed mix. Used frozen blueberries. I like the texture the quinoa added (like a moist cornbread) I baked an extra 4 minutes in a conventional oven.
Monika says
Glad you liked these. Thank you for taking the time to share your feedback:)
gohealthy says
Love this recipe! Quite a healthy one, and using frozen berries is a great tip. Thanks for sharing 🙂
Monika says
Thank you!
Sue says
I would love to make this if it was in cups and tops rather then trying to figure out the ozs.
Ginger says
I love your healthy recipes, Monika, and these muffins are no exception! What a wonderful combination of ingredients - thank you so much for sharing!
Angela / Only Crumbs Remain says
Ooh these sounds fabulous Monika, I love the pop of colour from the blueberries. I too love using frozen berries in my bakes they tend to hold their shape and not spoil during the mixing.
Angela x
[email protected] says
Thank you so much, that's exactly why I use frozen berries in my bakes too:)