Meet one of the all-time MVPs of baby’s first foods: Carrot Baby Puree! It’s smooth, naturally sweet, and made with just two simple ingredients—fresh carrots and a hint of nutmeg to boost the flavor. Along with my go-to favorite purees – Apple Puree, Broccoli Puree, and Pea Puree – this Carrot Puree definitely deserves a spot on your baby’s first foods list.

Medically reviewed and cowritten by Jamie Johnson, Registered Dietitian Nutritionist (RDN), and Lauren Braaten, Pediatric Occupational Therapist (OT).

Blue plate with a gray bowl and a hand steering carrot purée.
4.66 stars (123 ratings)
“Gave this as baby’s first food today, and she kicked her legs in delight/kept opening her mouth for more!! ” -Natalie D.
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This Carrot Baby Food Puree is so fresh, vibrant, and packed with nutrients, it practically glows—seriously, #nofilter needed. And yes, it’s just as tasty as it looks!

This was one of the very first purees I made for both of my girls, and I swear it turned them into lifelong carrot fans (no scientific proof, just strong mom intuition 😉). With naturally sweet steamed carrots and a pinch of nutmeg to deepen the flavor, this puree is comforting, earthy, and somehow tastes even better than it sounds.

The best part? It takes less than 20 minutes to make and tastes nothing like store-bought versions (you know the ones—dull in color, a little bland, and sometimes questionably thick 😬). Parents love it, babies love it, and with over a hundred 5-star reviews, it’s safe to say this puree is a fan favorite!

#momhack—This carrot puree freezes beautifully. So I love making a double batch, storing a few ounces in the fridge for the week, and then freezing the rest for future meals. You’ll thank me later!

Carrot Baby Food Video

Ingredients

Wood cutting board with whole carrots in a pile and a blue spoon with nutmeg in it.

Tips on Peeling Carrots: It’s totally up to you if you peel the carrots or not. Since we are pureeing the cooked carrots until smooth, there will not be any difference in the taste or texture. However, there will be a little more fiber in the baby food, so if it’s your baby’s first time eating carrot puree, you may peel the carrots so that you don’t overload your baby’s tummy with too much fiber.

Let’s Get Pureeing

A wooden cutting board with a hole and sliced carrots.
Peel and Chop: Wash, peel and roughly chop the carrots into pieces the same size.
A silver steamer basket with cooked sliced carrots.
Steam: Place the carrots inside a steamer basket and steam for 10-12 minutes or until tender.
A blender with cooked carrots and a pinch of nutmeg.
Transfer: Transfer the cooked carrots into a blender, then add nutmeg.
A blender with puréed cooked carrots.
Blend: Puree until smooth, adding water if needed to thin out the puree.
A blue baby plate with a gray baby bowl filled with a carrot purée with gray spoon resting on top.
Serve: Serve or freeze for later.

More Cooking Methods

While I love the crisp flavor of steamed carrots, there are several ways to cook carrots for baby food. 

Roasting

Peel and roughly chop 2 pounds of carrots before placing them onto a baking sheet. Drizzle with 1-2 teaspoons of high-quality olive oil and sprinkle with spice (if preferred). Roast in a preheated 425-degree F oven for 20 minutes or until tender when pricked with a fork. Puree in a blender as directed below. 

Boiling

Place 2 pounds of peeled and roughly chopped carrots into a medium saucepan, fill with water until the carrots are covered, and bring to a boil. Reduce to a simmer and cook for 15 minutes or until tender when pricked with a fork. Puree in a blender as directed below. Note that boiling tends to leave foods less nutritious since much of the nutrients leach into the water while cooking, and then that water is typically discarded. To preserve maximum nutrients, you may want to choose roasting or steaming. If you prefer boiling, save some of the water so you can use it as your liquid for thinning out the puree. 

Carrots for Baby-Led Weaning: Carrots are also a great food to serve to your baby whole for baby-led weaning (6+ months) or as a finger food (9+ months). You can always serve baby a combination of purees and finger foods right from the start.

Blue plate with reusable black and white baby food pouches filled with orange carrot puree.

Great Carrot Combination Purees

While Carrot Puree is great and satisfying by itself, it’s also super easy to mix and match with other nutrient-dense baby food purees. So give these fun flavor combos a try!

Hands holding a gray baby food storage tray filled with carrot puree over my white kitchen counter.

Get the recipe: Ridiculously Good Carrot Baby Food Puree (stage one)

4.7 stars (123 ratings)
Filled with nutritious steamed carrots and a pinch of nutmeg – this puree will sure to delight your little ones taste buds!
Yield: 24 ounces
Prep: 5 minutes
Cook: 12 minutes
Author: Michele Olivier
Course: Main Course
Cuisine: Baby Food
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Ingredients 

  • 1 lb carrots, trimmed, peeled and roughly chopped
  • pinch nutmeg (optional)
  • 1/2-1 cup reserved water, fresh breast milk, or formula

Instructions 

  • Steam: In a medium saucepan, bring 2″ of water to a boil over medium heat. Place the carrots into a steamer basket, cover and cook for 9-11 minutes or until tender. Reserve steamer water. Let cool slightly.
  • Transfer: Place the cooked carrots into a blender or food processor and add a pinch of nutmeg, or any spice/herb you are using. Add in 1/2 cup of liquid
  • Puree: turn on the blender or food processor and puree for 1-2 minutes on medium. If puree is too thick, add in 1/4 cup liquid at a time, until you achieve desired consistency. I had to add in 1 1/4 cup water.
  • Eat: Serve and enjoy, or freeze some for later.

Notes

Age: 6 months and up
Yield: roughly 24 ounces
Notes on Nutmeg: adding spices to your baby’s first purees is completely optional but totally safe. Nutmeg rounds out the acidic taste carrots sometimes have and make this puree taste grounded and full-bodied. 
Additional Spices: Feel free to substitute in a pinch or two of ginger powder, freshly minced ginger, curry powder, cloves, finely minced fresh chives, or 1/4 minced garlic clove.
How to Store: You can store this puree in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days or in the freezer for up to 4 months. 
 
 
 

Equipment

Freezer Tray
Blender
Tripp Trapp High Chair
Saucepan
Bumkins Baby Bowl

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