With only 6 ingredients, these puffed quinoa & pistachio bars are an easy choice if you are looking for a quick recipe full of good-for-you ingredients. The puffed quinoa really adds to the nutritional profile (and the crunch!) of these bars.
As always, they are very easy to make. They are a great one if you want to get the kids involved in making their own snacks.
It’s also a great recipe to make ahead. They will last for up to a week in the fridge and are great as an after-school treat.
Why use puffed quinoa?
I’ve used puffed quinoa rather than puffed rice as it’s got a slightly higher nutritional profile. It has more fibre and more protein than rice.
Also, for me, it’s the size – the pieces are smaller so they work really well in bars like this.
I know sometimes that puffed quinoa can be hard to find. Look in health food stores and online as it’s not something I generally see in the supermarket.
You can usually buy in big packs. They will keep in the cupboard for a few months so you can make these treats again and again. They are also great to add to things like homemade granola and cereals.
Do these puffed quinoa & pistachio bars need cooking?
They are a no-bake bar, however, there is an optional step to toast the puffed quinoa in the oven briefly before using. This isn’t an essential step, they will still work well without doing this, but I find it really adds to the crunch of the final product.
The simple ingredients you need for this recipe are:
- Puffed quinoa
- Peanut butter
- Medjool dates
- Pistachios
- Pumpkin seeds
- Dark chocolate
I hope you try them and enjoy them as much as I do – let me know in the comments below.
Recipe Tips
- Which nut butter? You can use peanut or almond. Always try and opt for a peanut butter that just contains peanuts (and maybe a little salt). Try and use quite a smooth and runny one, so it’s easier to combine.
- Which chocolate to use? I have used dark chocolate chips, but any dark chocolate will do. Just try and make sure it is at least 70% cocoa solids and that way it’s more chocolatey and less sugary!
- Can you use puffed rice? They will also work with puffed rice, if you can’t get hold of quinoa. However, you may want to crush the rice slightly so the pieces are smaller.
- Swaps: If you want to swap out the nuts or seeds for others then please do. Sesame seeds work really well as do chopped cashews or almonds. Just chop them up small.
If you enjoyed this recipe, why not try:
Coconut & Raspberry Puffed Quinoa Bars
Puffed Quinoa & Pistachio Bars
Equipment
Ingredients
Ingredients for base:
- 1 cup puffed quinoa (25g)
- 1½ cups soft medjool dates pitted (225g)
- ⅓ cup smooth natural peanut butter (80g)
- ½ cup pistachios (70g) unsalted
- ¼ cup pumpkin seeds (30g)
- ½ tsp sea salt optional
Topping:
- ⅔ cup dark chocolate (85g)
- Handful of pistachios and pumpkin seeds
Instructions
- Optional first step: put the quinoa on a baking tray and put in the oven at 180C/350F for 5-6 mins to lightly toast (it makes the bars extra crunchy).
- Pit the dates and add them and the peanut butter to a food processor and blend until smooth. Add 1-2 tbsp water, if needed, as you blend to make it as smooth as possible. It should be a soft, sticky ball.
- Add the date mixture to a bowl. Roughly chop the pistachios and add those to the bowl with the pumpkin seeds, salt and the quinoa. Mix well. I like to get my hands into the bowl and almost knead the date mixture so that all the dry ingredients are incorporated.
- Place into a lined loaf tin. Press down firmly so that it is fully flat and tightly packed into the tin. Refrigerate whilst you melt the chocolate.
- Melt the chocolate in a bowl over a pan of hot water (or for 20 second bursts in the microwave). Pour on top of the bars and use a spatula to fully cover the base. Sprinkle over a few extra chopped pistachios and pumpkin seeds. Place back in the fridge to set for about an hour.
- Once they are hard you can cut into 10 squares.
Notes
- Store in a sealed tub in the fridge. They will last for 5-6 days.
So quick and easy to make with great texture, nutritious and delicious!
How do you make puffed quinoa?
I buy it already puffed – try online or in a health food store – sometimes called quinoa pops xx
Can’t wait to make these as a mini cupcake. Perfect 1-2 bite afternoon snack when 3:30itis hits.
Enjoy! let me know what you think once you’ve tried them! x
Hi Helen, can you freeze it as well?
Hi Laura, I don’t like to freeze puffed quinoa because I don’t think it keeps its crunch very well.
Love this recipe! Super tasty.
I just made it twice.
I did not chop up the pistachios or pumpkin seeds before adding them to the medjool date/peanut butter mixture. Big Mistake!
The pistachios were too big in the finished product and seemed to cause the squares to ‘fall apart’.
Next time, I will chop up the pistachios and pumpkin seeds prior to adding them to the main mixture.
Perhaps the written recipe could be modified to reflect this. Or am I the only one who has experienced this?
Hi Dale, glad you liked the recipe. I haven’t experienced this myself but I will add it in the notes as an optional step to help others. I’ll also put the grams measurements for the dates (rather than the number) as the amount of dates used can make a big difference to how sticky they are!
I chopped the pistachios and walnuts nut left the pumpkins whole
Just made these using a 24 mini muffin tray and they fit perfectly! Doing a month of zero sugar so skipped the chocolate topping but honestly tastes amazing without it! Baking the puffed quinoa is 100% worth the extra step – will be making again!
So glad you liked them! They are one of my favourites too x
I’ve made this recipe a few times and always hit the spot – crunchy, salty, and sweet! The only thing i struggle with is the mixture of the base. I will try to soak the dates first or put more water next time. Highly recommend for anyone who have sweet tooth. Really satisfying! Thank you for this recipe!
Yes try soaking the dates or using a few more if they seem hard. I use very soft ones. The softer the better! It will make all the difference!
Very tasty, but mine fell apart, despite having pressed them firmly in the pan. Do you have any suggestions for how to get them to bind together better?
Did you use soft medjool dates? They really need to be soft. You can add a little water when blending with the nut butter to help this. That will help it bind together as this mixture should be very soft and sticky.
These look great! Can’t wait to try. Is there a substitution for nut butter, so they can in a school lunch box?
You could try either tahini or sunflower butter.
Soak them in brandy or rum 😋
Can you use chia seeds instead of the quinoa ?
Not really no, sorry. The chia has a very different consistency and will try and soak up any liquid in the bars.