Made with healthy ingredients like broccoli, carrots, and quinoa, these egg and dairy-free vegan vegetable muffins with quinoa are perfect for baby led weaning and school lunchboxes. Enjoy for breakfast, snack time, or as a side dish.
Vegan Muffins (with broccoli and carrots)
While I'm intentional about making sure I offer vegetables in their whole forms, I also like to add them to anything and everything to boost nutrition.
I even add them to sweet things like muffins, oatmeal, waffles, bars, and smoothies.
Join below for SIMPLE, REALISTIC tips and strategies for adding variety of vegetables to your child’s diet. you’ll also receive a super handy Vegetable and Spice Pairing chart!
Now, if you’re looking for a bread-y muffin, this is not it! Think of this as a grain bowl baked into a muffin form ;).
As for the vegetables, feel free to swap with whatever you wish. My son refused to eat broccoli, which I happen to adore, for what felt like an eternity! And so I came up with all kinds of ways to incorporate it into his meals.
Serving Suggestions for Babies
These muffins make for a nutritious finger food for baby led weaning or whenever you're ready to move on from purees. They are moist but the vegetables and quinoa provide texture, which is really important to introduce babies to from early on.
For younger babies with especially destructive hands (you know what I mean..oh the mess!), refrigerating the muffins will make them firmer.
Here are some different ways to serve these muffins:
- as is
- spread yogurt, mashed avocado, nut/seed butter, dips, pesto, etc.
- break it up in a bowl (mix with ingredients mentioned above) and serve with a spoon. Introduce utensils early and often. They will most likely dive right in with their hands and that's ok! Keep offering and role modeling to pique their interest.
Ingredients
- Whole wheat flour - an easy way to add more fiber into your baby and family's diet. You can use any flour of choice.
- Quinoa - If you've ever served this tiny grain to your baby, you know how MESSY it can get! That's why I love adding them to baked goods like these meatballs or something thick like this One Pot pumpkin quinoa or Korean beef and broccoli quinoa.
- Broccoli - Be sure to remove the harder stems and finely chop the florets. I personally love using my mini manual food chopper for small tasks like this. It's easy to clean, portable, and most importantly quiet so I can prepare during baby's nap time.
- Carrots - Squeeze out as much liquid as possible, otherwise you'll end up with wet muffins
- Coconut milk - MUST use unsweetened FULL FAT that comes in a can not carton. Stock up and make this cream of mushroom pasta or microwave egg oatmeals!
- Chia seeds - here are all the reasons why you should always have this nutrient powerhouse at your arsenal.
Related: How to cook Broccoli, How to cook Quinoa
Step by Step Instructions
- In a large bowl, combine all the dry ingredients. In a separate bowl, combine all the wet ingredients.
- Pour wet ingredients into the dry and mix with a spoon until well incorporated. Don’t overmix. The mixture will be thick and lumpy.
- Spoon batter evenly into a greased or lined 12-cup muffin pan. I absolutely love my silicone muffin pan and solely use this for all my muffins. Bake for 15-20 minutes, until inserted toothpick comes out clean.
4. Cool for 5 minutes in the pan before transferring them to a wire rack
Baking Tips
- Be sure to squeeze out the juice from the carrots.
- Grease the muffin pan really well. For best results use silicone muffin molds which ensure the muffins will come out easily.
- Every oven is different so check the doneness by doing a toothpick test. Insert toothpick in the middle and if it comes out clean then it's done. If not, bake for longer.
- Don't take the muffins out of the pan immediately! Leave in the muffin pan for about 5 minutes and then transfer to a wire rack. They will firm up as they cool.
Storage Suggestions
Cool completely before transferring to an air-tight container. Store in the fridge for up to 5 days. Reheat in the microwave for 30 seconds or less.
They also freeze beautifully for up to 3 months. My favorite way is to flash freeze.
Other Baby-Friendly Vegetable Muffins
- Fluffy Vegetable Muffins with Cheese
- Zucchini Carrot avocado muffins
- Mexican lentil muffins
- Southwestern oat muffins
- More from my 2nd ecookbook - BLW Comfort Meals. Below are all the ones included
Is your baby 6 months old and up?
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Vegan vegetable quinoa muffins
Equipment
Ingredients
Dry Ingredients
- 1 cup (150g) whole wheat flour
- 1 cup (130g) cooked quinoa
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- ½ teaspoon baking soda
- 1 teaspoon curry powder
- ½ teaspoon turmeric
Wet ingredients
- 1 cup (120g) grated carrots (see note)
- 1 cup (70g) finely chopped broccoli florets
- ¼ cup olive oil
- 1 ¼ cup full-fat unsweetened coconut milk (from a can not carton)
- 2 tablespoons chia seeds
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit.
- In a large bowl, combine all the dry ingredients. In a separate bowl, combine all the wet ingredients.
- Pour wet ingredients into the dry and mix with a spoon until well incorporated. Don’t over mix. Spoon batter evenly into a greased or lined 12-cup muffin pan.
- Bake for 15-20 minutes, until inserted toothpick comes out clean. Cool for 5 minutes in the pan before transferring them to a wire rack.
Notes
- Be sure to squeeze out the juice from the carrots.
- Grease the muffin pan really well. For best results use silicone muffin molds which ensure the muffins will come out easily.
- Every oven is different so check the doneness by doing a toothpick test. Insert toothpick in the middle and if it comes out clean then it's done. If not, bake for longer.
- Don't take the muffins out of the pan immediately! Leave in the muffin pan for about 5 minutes and then transfer to a wire rack. They will firm up as they cool.
- Cool completely before transferring to an air-tight container. Store in the fridge for up to 5 days. Reheat in the microwave for 30 seconds or less.
- They also freeze beautifully for up to 3 months.
Laura says
Was looking for ways to use quinoa and tried out this recipe. It was a hit! My 9mo son gobbled it down. I fed him in small chunks since he's developed his pincer grasp and luckily it was not as messy as other times I've served him quinoa.
Just including my notes here for others.
- I subbed mushrooms for the broccoli because that's what I had on hand
- I used a food processor to chop the veg and didn't have to squeeze out liquid; the muffins seemed fine, soft and moist but not mushy
- I accidentally used a whole can of coconut milk (400 mL) instead of 1-1/4 cup so I left out the olive oil
- overall, this recipe seemed pretty forgiving because I wasn't measuring super carefully and it turned out fine. I actually had enough for almost 18 muffins. I baked in batches of 6 in my toaster oven so could adjust the last one by adding some more quinoa.
Min says
Hi mama! Thank you so much for sharing your tips!! I'm sure it will be super helpful to anyone reading this. And I'm so glad these muffins were a hit ;).
Ashley says
Thanks for helping me step out of my comfort zone of “sweet” muffins. Love expanding baby’s palate in this simple way! The flavoring of these muffins is fantastic!
Min says
I'm so glad!!! You should try my vegetable muffins next 😉
Charlie says
Hi Min, do I need to cook the carrot and broccoli first ?
Min says
No need!
Ele says
I made these muffins abit weary of what they'd taste like but they are delicious. My son absolutely loves them and he can be pretty fussy with new foods 🙂 the coconut milk adds a really nice flavour to the muffin.
Min says
It really does, right? I'm so glad you guys enjoyed these muffins!
Kristen says
Hmm, I am curious as to how these come in at 61 grams sodium. The values I have for a tsp of BP is 487g and 1/2tsp BS is 629g. That's 1116g divided by 12..roughly 93.3.
Min says
Sorry about that! Just ran the nutrition calculator again and it should be pretty accurate now.
DD says
I’m prepping to make these tmw and noticed in the comments that you said we can add an egg. If we add an egg, would the cooking time change? Would I add it into the wet ingredients? I love all your recipes and am excited to try this one!
Min says
HI! no same temp and yes add along with the wet ingredients 😉
Tatevik says
Does the inside have to stay a little bit moist? Mines are being baked already 40 minutes but the inside is still moist.
Thank you!
Min says
HI! it's moist but shouldn't be mushy
Rom says
Do you know how much 130g cooked quinoa is as uncooked? That would help to prepare
Min says
quinoa increases in volume about 3 times once cooked so about 1/3 cup. Since you're cooking it already anyway, I recommend cooking more and reserving extra to enjoy throughout the week! Hope this helps
Romy Mayer says
Thanks so much! We love them!!!
Emma says
Are the chia seeds necessary? I don’t have any on hand.
Jo says
Can I use whole milk in lieu of coconut milk?
Min says
Sure! The flavor of coconut milk is really lovely in this though so if you're able to, I highly recommend trying the recipe as is also!
Min says
I personally haven't tried but one mom did let me know that she tried it with flax eggs and it worked!
Kate says
I made these tonight and my son really enjoyed them! He's allergic to egg, so happy to have found this recipe!
Min says
I'm so glad these muffins were a hit!!
Elina says
Hi! Can I use oat flour instead of whole-wheat flour?
Min says
I haven't tried but I imagine it'd work!
Laurie says
Such a great break from the classic sweet muffin! Doubled the curry powder and no regrets : )
Min says
Soo great to hear!!
Kat says
Is it okay to add an egg?
Min says
Sure!
Wendy says
Can’t wait to try this! Can I sub coconut milk for cows milk or breast milk?
Min says
I'm pretty sure it will work with cows milk. Not sure about breast milk
Belinda Tan says
Hi Min, can I use wholewheat pastry flour instead of whole-wheat flour? Looking forward to rying this put for my grandson!
Thank you, Belinda
Min says
HI! I haven't tried but I imagine it would work! Hope your grandson enjoys this!