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Well guys it has been a whole month since that last buffalo recipe…..and I think you’ll really like this Crispy Buffalo Quinoa Bites Salad!
This means I am due to share another.
I think all Mondays should have at least a little buffalo sauce. Well buffalo sauce or margarita chicken and guacamole quesadilla’s. Yeah, one or better yet both of these things should happen every Monday.
That would make for a good Monday don’t cha think?
You know what would also make for a good Monday?
SLEEP!
This is something I do not get enough of and with summer right around the corner the days are getting longer and longer. More light equals more working time and more working time equals less sleep. But you know what I am OK with this. I love the long day’s and I am jumping out of my skin excited for summer to hit around here.
Ah wait. I am getting way ahead of myself here! How am I talking about summer? How is it that Memorial Day is exactly TWO weeks from today? This is crazy.
Oh and since we are talking about Memorial Day I feel I should tell you to prepare yourselves for some good food in the coming weeks. Lots of grilling, lots of fruit, marshmallows and lots of ice cream.
Oh and of course some random stuff scattered throughout. Oh and did I mention ice cream?
It’s gonna be good.
Let’s talk salad today though.
So I am all about quinoa. I mean for one, it is healthy and that’s just awesome. But I really love it cause it is amazing with pretty much anything. It can also be made into cute little balls that are crunchy, moist and… the perfect solution for when you open the fridge only to find that the chicken you thought you had was actually stolen by an older brother the day before!
Yes, this can be a life saver (my older brother’s life that is).
So speaking of buffalo sauce, I think my dad is growing more and more insane as the days roll on.
Remember when I made these buffalo shrimp sandwiches and I told you guys how my dad wanted to start a buffalo restaurant? Yeah, well these quinoa bites sealed the deal for him. He actually said he likes them better than buffalo chicken.
He is dead serious about the buffalo restaurant. He REALLY wants to open one. It’s starting to scare me.
Anyway, the base of the balls is mostly quinoa and then a about a cup of white beans and an egg to help the balls stick together. Then just crisp them up in a skillet and douse them in buffalo sauce.
Oh my gosh the dressing!! It’s a combo of homemade buttermilk ranch and blue cheese dressing and the only reason it’s a combo is because I could not decide between the two (yeah you know me and decisions). I think I spent twenty minutes of my hike going back and forth on which dressing to use until I finally decided to just combine the two. My brain just will not give me a break, it’s always going back and forth.
Then obviously, you NEED to cover the whole thing with extra buffalo sauce and blue cheese, or cheddar cheese if you’re not into the blue. We love the moldy stuff around here though.
Crispy Buffalo Quinoa Bites Salad with Cheesy Ranch
Ingredients
Buffalo Sauce and Quinoa Bites
- 2 tablespoons butter, melted
- 2 tablespoon olive oil
- 1/4 cup hot sauce, I use Franks
- 1/2 teaspoon seasoned salt
- 2 cups cooked quinoa
- 1 cup cannellini beans, mashed
- 1/2 cup panko bread crumbs
- 1 large egg, lightly beaten
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon peper
- 3 tablespoons olive oil
Dressing:
- 1/2 cup greek yogurt
- 1/2 cup butter milk
- 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 tablespoon fresh parsley, chopped
- 2 teaspoons dried chives
- 1 clove garlic, grated
- 1 teaspoon seasoned salt
- 1 teaspoon pepper
- 2 ounces blue cheese
Salad
- 1-2 cups leftover [baked french fries |https://www.halfbakedharvest.com/double-baked-fries-with-garlic-cheese-sauce-and-bacon/], optional
- 8 cups of butter lettuce, chopped
- 2 carrots, sliced or chopped
- 4 green onions, sliced
- 24 ounces gorgonzola or blue cheese, crumbled
Instructions
- Make the dressing. Combine all ingredients except the blue cheese in a bowl and mix well. Stir in the blue cheese and place in the fridge while you make the salads.
- Make the buffalo sauce. Combine the melted butter, olive oil, hot sauce and seasoned salt in a medium size bowl. Whisk to combine and set aside
- In another bowl combine the quinoa, mashed cannellini beans, bread crumbs, egg, salt, pepper and 4 tablespoons of the buffalo sauce. Mix well to moisten the ingredients and then form into 30-35 equal size balls (about 1/2 tablespoon to 1 tablespoon of the quinoa mixture). Squeeze the balls together tightly with your hands, being careful.
- Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat and add olive oil. Add half the balls to skillet and cook until golden and crisp on all sides, about five minutes. Gently (very gently) toss about 10 balls at a time with the buffalo sauce or you can dip each ball in the sauce as well if you are afraid the balls will crumble.
- To assemble the salads, combine lettuce and carrots in bowls or on plates. Season lightly with salt and pepper, then toss. Top with an equal amount of green onions and fries, then add the buffalo quinoa bites on top. Cover in blue cheese, then drizzle with the dressing and add any remaining buffalo sauce. Go to town!
Nutrition
Nutritional information is only an estimate. The accuracy of the nutritional information for any recipe on this site is not guaranteed.
Did you make this recipe? Please rate & comment below.
Now, someone please tell my dad this restaurant trailer a bad idea.
So fun. This is a definite winner!
Thanks Cassie!! Hope you had a great first day back at work!!
What! I totally thought those scrumptious looking bites were chicken or something more sinful than quinoa! Amazing salad recipe, Tieghan. You’re totally knocking my socks off lately with your creative recipes and stellar photos!
aw!! Thank you so much Georgia! That means so much to me. Seriously, thank you!
I am all about buffalo sauce mondays! 🙂 These look so good Tieghan – I love they are made from quinoa, beans, and egg. Easy and pretty darn healthy in my eyes. I’m craving buffalo for dinner now!
Thank you Sally! Buffalo is maybe one of the best flavors around! Well, I guess chocolate and peanut butter might beat it, but thats dessert!
Um, okay, so I’m thinking these quinoa bites are going to be my newest favorite thing EVER. And I’m pretty sure I want your dad to open a buffalo restaurant because that sounds so awesome!
Haha! NO!! Don’t say that! It would be so much work!! LOL Thanks Hayley!
NEEEEEED!! I don’t even know where to begin. I want to lick this plate clean!
Ha! I know, right?
Thanks Lauren!
I have never wanted anything more in my entire life.
Ha! Yes! Thanks Claire! I am so excited to see your comment!
I can’t get over the quinoa-covered chicken! We’re having this for dinner soon!!!
No chicken in those cute little balls, but quinoa cover buffalo chicken bites would be delicious too!!
Thanks Heather!!
I was trying to think of what my salads have been missing!! Quinoa bites! Killer Tiegs!
Ha!! Thanks Megan!!
Oh and how did you know everyone calls me Tiegs?? My little sister started that!! Haha!
SO much flavaaaaa! ahhhh it looks so great! I could use any buffalo recipe you’ve got up your sleeve, so keep em coming! I think I get less sleep in the summer too for the very same reason. As long as it’s light outside, I like to be doing things..definitely makes recipe assemblage and photo shoots a lot more convenient!
Oh for sure!! Gotta work when the suns out, you know!!
Thanks so much Julia!
Wowza girl! Love this fun salad!!! I seriously need to buy some quinoa!!!
You do!! Thanks Jocelyn!
Oh my gosh! This looks amazing. Can’t wait to try it!
Thank you, Heather!!
Ok, this is totally happening at my house. Those quinoa bites look amazing
Yes!! Thanks Carrian!!
Great take on buffalo quinoa bites and I like that you served them in a salad!
Thanks Kevin!! They go really great with the salad!
these look fab! perfect summer food
Thank you so much Brandi!!
These look fab! Gotta love quinoa!
Thanks Nessa!!