Cauliflower Baby Food (puree & baby-led weaning)
Cauliflower for baby? Absolutely! While it may not be the very first veggie you think to serve, this humble little floret can shine with the right flavors. Pair it with a sprinkle of paprika, cumin, or even garam masala, and suddenly cauliflower baby food goes from “meh” to yum! It’s a great option for babies 6+ months -whether you’re serving it as a puree or as part of baby-led weaning.
Medically reviewed and cowritten by Jamie Johnson, Registered Dietitian Nutritionist (RDN), and Lauren Braaten, Pediatric Occupational Therapist (OT).
Cauliflower for Babies
Ready to go beyond the usual baby food picks? Cauliflower might not be the first veggie that comes to mind, but it’s naturally mild, easy to prepare, and surprisingly baby-friendly.
Once your baby has tried some of the classics like apple, sweet potato, or broccoli, cauliflower is a great next step for expanding their palate. It has a creamy texture when cooked and blends beautifully with some of the bolder spices.
In this recipe, we’re steaming cauliflower florets to keep things simple, then adding just a pinch of paprika for a subtle flavor boost. You can puree it until silky smooth for babies just starting solids, or serve the soft florets as finger food for baby-led weaning. As your little one develops their pincer grasp, you can also cut the cauliflower into smaller chunks for easy self-feeding.
Cauliflower for Baby Video
Ingredients Needed
- Cauliflower: you can either use pre-cut florets or cut a head of cauliflower into florets. If you are planning on steaming the cauliflower to make your baby food, you can also use frozen cauliflower.
- Olive Oil or Avocado Oil: feel free to toss the cauliflower with a healthy oil before roasting or before serving as a finger food.
- Spices: I’m adding a pinch of paprika to my caulfilower, but you can easily add in a pinch of your favorite seasoning to kick up the flavor.
First time making homemade baby food? Then, make sure to start by reading our very in-depth guides – Guide on how to Make Homemade Baby Food and/or Complete Guide to Baby-Led Weaning. And be sure to check out my best-selling cookbook, Little Foodie: Baby Food Recipes for Babies and Toddlers with Taste, for even more information and recipes!
Cauliflower Baby Food Puree
More Ways to Cook Cauliflower
Roasted
Place cauliflower florets on a baking sheet and toss with a drizzle of olive oil and a pinch of seasoning. Place the sheet in the oven and bake at 425 degrees F for 30-45 minutes or until fork tender. in a steamer basket in a pot. Add enough water to cover the bottom 1/2 inch of the pot. Cover with a lid and cook on medium heat for 8-10 minutes or until tender when pierced with a fork.
Sauteed
If you prefer to speed up the cooking process, place cauliflower in a microwave-safe bowl for 3-4 minutes to steam it quickly. After steaming, place the cauliflower in a skillet on the stove. Season with olive or avocado oil and saute over medium-high heat for 5 minutes.
Blanching
Bring a medium saucepan filled with water to a boil, add in the cauliflower and cook for 10 minutes or when tender with pricked with a fork. Drain the water, and let cool slightly. For a puree – place cauliflower in a blender and puree as directed below. For Baby-Led Weaning – place age-appropriate sizes of cauliflower on your baby’s high chair tray or plate.
Cauliflower Baby-Led Weaning
Cauliflower is a great food for your baby to self-feed, whether for baby-led weaning, which happens around 6 months of age, or during the finger foods stage at 9 months.
Big Florets (cooked) – 6+ months: great for babies 6+ months or just starting on solid foods. It’s best to start your baby with a bigger piece of cooked cauliflower florets so your baby can chew, gnaw and take bites without them being a choking hazard. Make sure it is cooked until is can be easily pierced with a fork.
Small Florets (cooked) or Chopped – 9+ months: Small florets and chopped cauliflower will allow your baby to practice using their pincer grasp, which is developing at this age. Continue to cook cauliflower until it is soft.
Cauliflower Feeding Tips
- Cauliflower is in the cruciferous vegetable family, which is known for causing gas. If your baby seems extra gassy since introducing cauliflower, you may want to cut back.
- Avoid boiling cauliflower (and most other veggies), as many of the nutrients leach out into the water and then get tossed down the drain. Other cooking methods like roasting and steaming will leave more nutrients intact.
- For toddlers 18-24 months, you can also start to offer cauliflower that has been cooked slightly less, for a texture with a little more of a bite. This will gradually help your toddler get used to chewing textures of lightly cooked and raw veggies.
Get the recipe: Cauliflower Baby Food: Puree & Baby-Led Weaning
Ingredients
- 2 cups cauliflower florets
- 1/8 tsp paprika (see notes)
Instructions
- Steam: In a medium saucepan, bring 2″ of water to a boil over medium heat. Place the cauliflower into a steamer basket, cover, and cook for 8-10 minutes or until tender. Reserve steamer water. Let cool slightly.
- For Baby Puree: Place the cooked cauliflower into a blender or food processor and add a pinch of paprika, or any spice/herb you are using. Turn on the blender or food processor and puree for 1-2 minutes on medium. If the puree is too thick, add 1/4 cup of the reserved liquid at a time, until you achieve desired consistency.
- For Baby-Led Weaning: serve to your baby in an age-appropriate way – either in bigger florets or chopped into smaller pieces. You can also puree or mash the cauliflower and serve to your baby on a self-feeding spoon.
Notes
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