I’m really not sure if I should call these margherita quinoa frittatas or caprese quinoa frittatas. Either way it’s not the easiest to say. I probably should just call them cherry tomato, basil, and mozzarella frittatas.
Or maybe I’ll just call them delicious. And easy. And perfect to freeze for quick, healthy, filling future breakfasts.
But if you know the scoop on the difference between margherita and caprese, I would be forever indebted to you if you could enlighten me.
Meanwhile, though. Frittatas. Mini frittatas, made in muffin tins. Some of the easiest (and most addicting) frittatas I’ve ever made. Perfect for summer with its fresh basil – and, of course, the cherry tomato on top – but I’ll be making these (or a variation of them) during all four seasons for probably the rest of my life.
With the one-two punch of protein thanks to both eggs and quinoa, these little guys are really filling. One makes a great snack or light breakfast, two keeps me satiated for hours.
Thanks to a good bit of cooked quinoa mixed right in, they have a bit of a fluffy consistency. And compliments of the cheese, there’s a bit of an ooey-gooey meltiness going on. The basil adds a bit of freshness and the cherry tomato not only makes me smile, but it also kind of reminds me of the middle of the cinnamon roll. The best part is in the center – and I like to save it for last.
I highly recommend using both paper liners AND non-stick spray or an oil mister, otherwise you could be spending days scrubbing egg off your muffin tin.
If you freeze them (and I highly recommend them for freezing!), just place them in a single layer in a gallon size zip bag and plop them in the freezer. Then pull one or two out at a time, microwave for about a minute and a half on high, and, voila! Instant awesome breakfast.
Make it a meal
For an extra super-charged super-healthy breakfast, add this Raspberry Banana Chia Smoothie (Oh My Veggies) or a stunning Tropical Green Smoothie (Averie Cooks) :: Or put that muffin pan back to work and make some Strawberry Rhubarb Muffins or Hearty Spiced Carrot Muffins. :: And if you feel the need for a good jolt of caffeine (and who doesn’t?), how about some vanilla iced coffee?

Mini Margherita Quinoa Frittatas (with Cherry Tomatoes, Fresh Basil, and Mozzarella)
Ingredients
- 2 cups cooked quinoa*
- 5 large eggs
- 1 cup + 1/4 cup shredded mozzarella cheese
- 1/4 cup + 2 tablespoons shredded Parmesan cheese
- 1/2 cup fresh basil leaves (minced)
- 1/2 cup minced onion
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
- 12 cherry tomatoes
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Line a 12-cup, standard-size muffin tin with liners and grease well with non-stick cooking spray or an oil mister.
- In a large bowl, mix together the quinoa, eggs, 1 cup mozzarella cheese, 1/4 cup Parmesan cheese, basil, onion, salt, and pepper until all ingredients are well-incorporated.
- Divide mixture equally between muffin tins (I use an ice cream scoop).
- Sprinkle each with remaining mozzarella and Parmesan cheeses. Push a cherry tomato about halfway into the top of each.
- Bake for about 20 minutes until egg is set and frittatas are golden around the edges.
Oh my goodness, these are too stinkin’ cute!! And they sound delicious. I cannot wait to make these for breakfast and for snacks!
Thanks so much, Hannah. 🙂
Love this — and love that they freeze well!
Yes, it makes for SUCH easy breakfasts! Thanks. 🙂
I was just thinking about this the other day and my conclusion was that caprese must involve the addition of balsamic vinegar. (Right??? Unless I’m mistaken and margherita has balsamic vinegar too.) Frittatas always stick to the skillet when I make them, so I’m loving the idea of making them in muffin tins!
Ooh, yes, I think caprese usually includes vinegar and margherita does not. Good call!
Oh my gosh, I HATE scrubbing egg off of things! But it’s even worse scrubbing them out of muffin tins instead of one pan. Lots of grease and liners all the way. Hmm … someone should make a skillet liner!
These look so so so yummy!!!! Such wonderful delicious little muffins! I will have to make them for breakfast on Sunday. We are doing brunch with a bunch of friends. These will be perfect!
A Margherita can have balsamic it’s then called a Queen. Caprese is basicly referal to the popular salad. Meaning it comes from that part of Italy. (Capri)
Margherita refers to the Queen( Margherita) & is something made with the colors of the Italian flag, red, white, green.
Wendi, thank you for the info! You rock. 🙂
I just made them and they are delicious. Hadvto go to the shop to buy some american measuring tools, because we always work with the weight of the ingredients. Thanks for this great recipe.
I made these last week and they are delicious! I didn’t know quinoa made such a great fritatta.
They did stick a lot to the cupcake liners. I think it was because of the cheese. Next time, I’ll probably just grease the pan really well. (Because I will definitely be making them again!)
Glad you liked them! I’ve been working on another quinoa frittata recipe that involves corn and cheddar; hoping to have it perfected and posted soon! I might try these in silicone baking cups next time; maybe that’s the solution to the stickiness.
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Has anyone tried these in parchment baking cups? I think they would stick less to parchment
Really creative recipe, thanks for posting
These are delicious! Wondering if the nutrition content can be shared, specifically protein, fat and carbs?