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High in protein and fiber, these easy quinoa spinach breakfast bars are the savory, grab and go breakfast you have been seeking. They are vegan, oil-free, gluten-free and only 122 calories each.
Portable High Protein Savory Breakfast Bars
I am typically a happy camper with my bowl of yogurt and fruit, muffin, or cereal, but every few days I turn into a ravenous beast who can only be satisfied by something more substantial and savory.
It’s not an easily solved problem because as much as I love to cook, I do not enjoy cooking at the break of dawn. Adding to the complication, I don’t like starting the day feeling overly full. Satisfied, yes; stuffed, no.
Quinoa to the rescue.
In addition to its great taste and superstar nutrition profile (the only vegetable-source of complete protein), it makes me feel wonderful: satisfied for hours, yet not too full. Once you meal prep the full batch, it can be cut into handy, on-the-go breakfast bars.
Recipe Benefits
- Vegan (egg-free, dairy-free)
- High fiber
- High protein
- Oil-free
- Make-ahead (for a grab-and-go morning meal)
- Gluten-free
- Savory breakfast option
Ingredients
The exact amounts of each ingredient are indicated in the recipe card at the end of the post. Toggle between US Customary (volume) and Metric (weights) for preferred measurement option.
- Quinoa
- Chickpea flour
- Fresh spinach (chopped, by hand or in a food processor)
- Nutritional yeast
- Salt (regular, or black salt, which has an egg-y flavor)
- Black pepper
- Optional: garlic powder, onion powder, dried mixed herbs (e.g., herbes de Provence)
Step by Step Instructions
Note that the complete directions are also in the recipe card below.
- Cook quinoa: Combine the quinoa with 2 cups (473 mL) water in a medium saucepan. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Reduce heat to medium-low, cover, and cook 14 to 16 minutes until water has been absorbed.
- Meanwhile, preheat the oven to 350F (180C). Line a 9-inch (22.5 cm) square baking dish with parchment paper (alternatively use a nonstick ceramic baking pan, or, if you eat some oil, spray with nonstick cooking spray).
- In a large mixing bowl or other large bowl, whisk the remaining 1.25 cups water with the chickpea flour, nutritional yeast, salt, pepper, and any or all of the optional seasonings. Add the spinach and quinoa, stirring to combine.
- Spread quinoa mixture in prepared pan, smoothing the top.
- Bake 35 to 40 minutes until set and light golden brown on top. Transfer pan to cooling rack.
- Cool completely in pan. Cut into 9 squares or the shapes you prefer. Remove from pan. The bars can be served warm or cold.
FAQ
- How should I store the quinoa spinach breakfast bars? Store the cooled bars in an airtight container in refrigerator for up to 5 days or the freezer for up to 6 months (thaw in the refrigerator or microwave). Serve cold or re-warm for 15 to30 seconds in the microwave.
- Is there an alternative to using chickpea flour? No, this recipes needs to be made with chickpea flour to work.The chickpea flour is a vegan egg replacement.
- Can I use other greens or vegetables, in place of the spinach? Yes! Swap an equal amount of other chopped greens (e.g., Swiss chard, kale) or finely chopped or shredded veggies (e.g., 1 to 1.5 cups carrots, bell peppers (e.g., red pepper, green pepper), green onions, tomatoes, broccoli or cauliflower) in place of the spinach.
I like these bars exactly as they are, which is in itself a rarity, as my recipe-tinkering is a constant. But these lovely bars can be accessorized in countless ways to your liking. Oh, and you could definitely have this as a side at dinner or lunch, too. Enjoy!
Related Recipes
Quinoa Spinach Breakfast Bars (Vegan, Oil-Free, GF)
Ingredients
- 1 cup quinoa
- 3.25 cups water, divided use
- 3/4 cup chickpea flour
- 3 tablespoons nutritional yeast
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- 6 ounces pre-washed fresh spinach leaves, chopped
- Optional: 1 teaspoon each of garlic powder, onion powder, dried mixed herbs (e.g., herbes de Provence)
Instructions
- Meanwhile, preheat the oven to 350F (180C). Line a 9-inch (22.5 cm) square baking dish with parchment paper (alternatively use a nonstick ceramic baking pan, or, if you eat some oil, spray with nonstick cooking spray).
- In a large mixing bowl, whisk the remaining 1.25 cups water with the chickpea flour, nutritional yeast, salt, pepper, and any or all of the optional seasonings. Add the spinach and quinoa, stirring to combine.
- Spread quinoa mixture in prepared pan, smoothing the top.
- Bake 35 to 40 minutes until set and light golden brown on top. Transfer pan to cooling rack.
- Cool completely in pan. Cut into 9 squares or the shapes you prefer. Remove from pan. The bars can be served warm or cold.
Hi…oooooh!!! They came out perfectly beautiful… yummy will do them again and again. Thank you for sharing ♥️ 😊
That’s great, Tlale! So glad they were successful!
absolutely amazing!
Oh, I am delighted you love the bars, Maureen! The recipe is an oldie, but a goody 🙂
I loved this!
I made it with a full package of thawed and drained frozen spinach. We doubled (in a 9×13) it and had it for dinner, with yummy leftovers for lunch.
Thank you for sharing your lovely recipe!
Yay, that’s great, Helena!
For others to know: my toddler ADORED this. I am going to make many combinations with different veggies. She was able to eat it with her fingers.
That’s Wonderful Marissa, thank you for sharing!
Blown away. So many bars like this have products I cannot eat (eggs, cottage cheese, etc). This was my first time using chickpea flour and I love it. I used the suggested black salt and added an extra tablespoon of notch (nutritional yeast) because I love the cheesy flavor. Thanks for this innovations!
I am so glad this spurred you to give chickpea flour a try, Demi! Delighted that you like it, and the recipe 🙂
Found this looking for savory energy bars that I can carry on a long run or bike ride. I made them first, to see if I like them (I do!). I’m questioning whether you think these would hold up for a long bike ride?
Hi Sharon,
I am not sure if they would hold together (as is) if wrapped up for a long bike ride. But I think you could add some chia seeds (2 tablespoons?) flaxseed meal (3 tablespoons?) or whole psyllium husks (perhaps 1.5 tablespoons?) to the mix to make firmer bars.
This was great! Can you add more veggies?
Absolutely!
Even my “I hate health food” boyfriend loved this (he has gotten into quinoa, because of the protein).Thank you!
Nina: So glad you liked them! yes, as mentioned at the end of the recipe, you can freeze for up to 6 months
These were great! Do you think they would freeze well?
I do not eggs, but I can drink A2 milk. I used the milk in place of the water to up the protein and nutrition. Great recipe, thank you!
yum, that sounds amazing! Love mushrooms…..brilliant!
Found the recipe today and made it tonight! i added:Sauteed oniongarlicfresh mushroomsdiced tomatoand smoked dairy-free provolone(i put half the quinoa mixture in the dish and then the fresh mushrooms and a layer of nondairy Cheddar cheese, then spooned the rest of the mixture on top. It is beyond! Thank you!
I used Bab’s Red Mill Garbanzo-Fava flour (Ive had success using it in place of straight chickpea flour). Wonderful. BTW, I made this for dinner, but I have leftovers that I will cut into bars for breakfast or lunch.
Oh yes, this is perfect! I only had kale and it is wonderful. I added all of the suggested “extras.”
Nimrodiel & Sanako: I am so glad you both enjoyed the recipe!
I used a mix of leftover cooked quinoa and cooked leftover millet (totaling 3 cups) in place of cooking the quinoa. Turned out great. I can see myself making this a lot with different combinations of vegetables and grains. Thanks a lot!
There are few posts that inspire me to run out and buy ingredients to make it right away. This was one.As a savory breakfast lover who can’t eat much in the mornings, but reall need to these are an amazing alternative to oatmeal.They are very yummy. Thanks so much for sharing.
we are sympatico re: ingredients, Nicole 🙂 Hope you enjoy these!
Quinoa and spinach are one of my favorite combos so I made this immediately. LOVE IT!! Thanks for the delish recipe.