Learn how to make broccoli for baby as a puree, BLW-style broccoli, and broccoli finger foods. Because broccoli is a nutritional powerhouse that is easy to prepare for babies…and so yummy!
Broccoli for Baby
I love a veggie that’s easy to prepare and broccoli is so versatile, no matter how you start feeding your baby. I’m going to share a super simple method for making broccoli puree, steaming broccoli for baby led weaning, and tips for serving broccoli as a finger food to little kids of all ages. This is meant to give you easy ideas for how to serve broccoli to baby starting at age 6 months and on up into the toddler years.
You can use fresh or frozen broccoli for any of these methods, so you can use what you have or prefer to buy. And each can be stored, so you can be sure to use up what you prepare.
Use these ideas as part of easy baby meals and find my baby feeding schedules to help get into a routine, too.
If you’re just starting to explore baby led weaning, or BLW, be sure to check out this guide to baby-led weaning foods.
(You may also like Broccoli Fritters, Broccoli Pasta Sauce, and my favorite Baby-Led Weaning Recipes.)
Table of Contents
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Benefits to Broccoli
Broccoli is rich in potassium, Vitamin C, and fiber. Plus, it’s super versatile and has an interesting texture that can be great for babies to explore. You can buy it fresh or frozen, in a whole head or as florets.
TIP: If you buy precut florets, which can be a nice time saver, you may want to trim off the stems as they can turn a little brown while in the bag at the store.
Ingredients You Need
To make this baby food recipe, you’ll need to have the following ingredients on hand and ready to go.
- Broccoli: You can use fresh broccoli florets or frozen broccoli in this recipe. They both work similarly and have similarly nutrition.
- Olive oil: I typically keep extra virgin olive oil in my kitchen, so that’s what I’m using in this recipe to add beneficial fats.
- Broth: You need a liquid to make this broccoli recipe for babies, but you can use water, no-added-salt chicken or Vegetable Broth.
Step-by-Step Instructions
This is a super simple method to steam broccoli for baby, then puree it with added healthy fats. Here’s a look at the basic process. Scroll down to the bottom of the recipe for the full info.
- Wash your broccoli either in a colander in the sink or by simply running the head of broccoli under the faucet to let the water rinse it off.
- Add the florets to a steamer basket fitted over a pot with an inch or two of water. Cover and cook until tender when poked with a fork or knife.
- Add to a blender with liquid of choice.
- Blend smooth, then serve.
TIP: This turns into a fluffy Broccoli Baby Food puree that can be stored in the fridge for a few days or you can freeze baby food for future use. Or you can stop before the final step and offer the steamed florets to baby to eat BLW-style.
Optional Flavor Additions
You can add in another food to make a broccoli baby food combination that has additional flavor and nutrients if you’d like. This is a great option for baby food stages on Stage 2 or 3 purees. I like to add these to this recipe:
TIP: You can also add a little of the puree to a Green Smoothie for Kids.
How to Store Broccoli Puree
This broccoli baby food puree stores really well and has no noticeable separation or discoloring, which is great! You can store it in the fridge for 3-5 days or you can freeze it for future weeks. I like to freeze baby food in an ice cube tray, then once the cubes are frozen, pop them out and store for up to 3 months in a zip top freezer bag.
TIP: Find my full guide to Baby Food Storage.
You can puree frozen broccoli for baby using this same steaming method. It works well with either fresh or frozen florets.
You can give baby broccoli after they are 6 months, which is the age that the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) recommends we start solids.
Many pediatricians still recommend starting solids at 4 months, though the official guidance from the AAP recommends that we wait until 6 months or when baby meets certain developmental milestones including sitting up independently and solid head control.
Broccoli Finger Food
Broccoli, when cooked until soft, is a great finger food. You can see above some sample sizes for how to serve broccoli as baby grows. At 6 months, baby can have BLW-style larger pieces (outlined below) or can be offered Broccoli Puree (scroll down for the recipe) or Mashed Potatoes with Broccoli.
Then, at close to 9 months, when baby has developed the pincer grasp and the ability to pick up small pieces of food between his fingers, they can have small pieces of soft-cooked broccoli.
You can start to gradually increase the size of the pieces, aiming for normal sizes by about 18 months, which is usually about the time that kids can take bites. You can of course adjust this as is needed for your own unique child.
TIP: Find my guide to Early Finger Foods for Baby.
Broccoli for Baby Led Weaning
Broccoli is a perfect Baby Led Weaning food since it’s easy to hold and when cooked until tender, the tops of the florets are a perfect texture for new eaters. Typically, baby eats/sucks on the tops of the floret and then will discard the stem. You can trade out pieces for new ones when one has been eaten well or is getting small in size.
You can steam broccoli for baby to be served this way, which is outlined below in the recipe. You can also serve Roasted Broccoli to BLW babies. Just skip adding any salt.
TIP: BLW foods are typically meant to be about the size of your finger, but broccoli florets may not be that long. Simply choose the biggest pieces you have, aiming for pieces that are too big to be put entirely into baby’s mouth at once.
Best Tips for Success
- Once cooled, store in small airtight containers in the fridge for up to 3 days or freeze for future use.
- If serving BLW-style, be sure to use florets that are large so they are too big for baby to completely stuff into their mouths. If a piece gets eaten down and is smaller, trade it out for a larger piece.
- BLW-style Roasted Broccoli is another great option for babies 6+ months.
- Add flavor and nutrients to the puree by adding ¼ cup avocado, ¼ cup peas, ¼ cup Sweet Potato Baby Food, or ¼ cup Apple Puree or Pear Puree to the blender during Step 6.
- Serve broccoli as finger foods to babies 9+ months by dicing into small pieces.
- Find my Favorite Broccoli Recipes for Kids for more ideas.
Related Recipes
I’d love to hear your feedback if you try this recipe, so please leave a rating and a comment!
Best Broccoli for Babies (Puree and BLW-Style)
Ingredients
- 8 ounces broccoli florets
- 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
- 1/2-1 cup no-salt-added chicken or vegetable broth or the cooking water
Instructions
- Wash the broccoli.
- Get out a steamer basket and a pot that it fits into. Add the broccoli to the basket and set aside. Add 4 inches of water to the pot and set over high heat. Bring to a boil.
- When boiling, reduce heat to medium-high and add the steamer basket with the broccoli. Cover.
- Cook for 8-10 minutes, or until the broccoli is soft when poked with a fork. Remove from heat.
- Once cooled, you can brush lightly with olive oil (or leave plain) and serve BLW-style.
Equipment
Notes
- Once cooled, store in small airtight containers in the fridge for up to 3 days or freeze for future use.
- If serving BLW-style, be sure to use florets that are large so they are too big for baby to completely stuff into their mouths. If a piece gets eaten down and is smaller, trade it out for a larger piece.
- To make with frozen broccoli, reduce the cooking time to 6-8 minutes in Step 4.
- BLW-style Roasted Broccoli is another great option for babies 6+ months.
- Add flavor and nutrients to the puree by adding ¼ cup avocado, ¼ cup peas, ¼ cup Sweet Potato Puree, or ¼ cup Apple Puree or Pear Puree to the blender during Step 6.
- Serve broccoli as finger foods to babies 9+ months by dicing into small pieces.
Nutrition
This post was first published March 2021.
If using frozen broccoli (or any frozen vegetables) can you refreeze it after you make it?
Yes, the guidance on that is as long as you cook frozen food according to basic food safety rules, you can refreeze it. I would let it cool first to help avoid ice crystals from forming. And know it may soften more as it is frozen and warmed up again.
Thank you!!