Easy-Peasy Zucchini Baby Food (puree & baby-led weaning)
Learn how to prepare zucchini for your baby! As a mild and versatile vegetable (okay, technically, it’s a fruit), zucchini can be served to babies 6 months and up. Serve them as a baby food puree, as a solid for the finger food stage, or for baby-led weaning.
Looking for easy and delicious ways to serve zucchini to your baby?
Then, I’ve got you!
While I served both of my baby’s zucchini steamed and pureed zucchini with just a pinch of fresh cilantro for their first introduction to zucchini, you can also serve your baby steamed or roasted zucchini as a finger food for baby-led weaning. Because of it’s mild taste, zucchini is usually a hit with the little one’s growning palate.
Zucchini is a versatile and mild-tasting member of the squash family. It’s also a great first food to offer to babies as soon as they’re ready to start solids, usually around 6 months. Whether you are feeding your baby using traditional (spoon) weaning, baby-led weaning, or a combination of both, zucchini definitely deserves a place as one of your baby’s first foods.
Zucchini for Baby Video
How to Serve Zucchini to Baby
There are several different ways to prepare zucchini for your baby! You can make it into a smooth puree, a combination puree, a chunky puree for stage three, mashed and spread on toast or whole for baby-led weaning or a finger food. Here are some of our favorite ways to serve them:
Stage One Puree
- Easy Zucchini Puree
Stage Two Puree
- Roasted Zucchini Cauliflower Baby Puree
Stage Three Purees
- Chunky Zucchini Pea and Broccoli Puree with Pasta
Baby-Led Weaning or Finger Foods
- Zucchini for Baby-Led Weaning or Finger Foods: thick strips, cut into small pieces or in a small wedge.
- Zucchini Pancakes
- Roasted Zucchini Cauliflower – do not puree, serve roasted and whole
- Chunky Zucchini Pea and Broccoli Puree with Pasta
Steamed Zucchini Puree
Zucchini puree is quick to make and its high water content makes it a naturally thin and easy puree to swallow. Zucchini puree’s mild flavor also makes it a great option to mix in with other thicker vegetable purees or meat puree.
How to Serve: you can serve this puree as-is, mixed with an apple, pear, or broccoli puree, swirled into oatmeal, yogurt, or ricotta.
Zucchini for Self Feeding: Baby-Led Weaning or Finger Foods
Zucchini 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.
Thick Spears (cooked): great for babies 6+ months or just starting on solid foods. It’s best to start your baby with a bigger piece of cooked zucchini so your baby can chew, gnaw and take bites without them being a choking hazard.
Grated, Small Chunks (cooked) or Spiralized: you can serve baby grated, small chunks or spiralized zucchini 9 months and older.
Sticks or Small Chunks (raw): Once your baby reaches 12 months, you can serve them raw uncooked sticks or small chunks of zucchini. Great served along with your toddler’s favorite dip.
More Zucchini Recipes for Baby
Roasted Zucchini Cauliflower Baby Puree
This nutrient-dense puree introduces your baby to the delicious flavors of both zucchini and cauliflower. You can serve it as is or add the leftover puree to soup or pasta.
Chunky Zucchini Pea and Broccoli Puree with Pasta
Zucchini, Pea and Broccoli puree with pasta is a versatile dish, perfect for both babies and toddlers. You can easily adjust the thickness of the puree to your liking.
Get the recipe: Easy-Peasy Zucchini Baby Food: Puree & Baby-Led Weaning
Ingredients
Zucchini Baby Puree
- 2 medium zucchini, roughly chopped
- 2-3 sprigs cilantro (optional)
Zucchini for Baby-Led Weaning
- 1 medium zucchini
Roasted Zucchini Cauliflower Puree
- 1 medium zucchini, roughly chopped
- 2 cups caulilfower, roughly chopped
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- 1/8 tsp dried oregano (optional)
Zucchini Broccoli & Pea Pasta
- 1 medium zucchini, roughly chopped
- 2 cups broccoli florets
- 1/2 cup peas
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- 2 tbsp parmesan (optional)
- 1 tbsp roasted unsalted sesame seeds (optional)
- 2 cups cooked pasta
Instructions
Zucchini Baby Puree
- In a medium saucepan, bring 2″ of water to a boil over medium heat. Place the zucchini into a steamer basket, cover and cook for 8-10 minutes or until tender. Reserve steamer water. Let cool slightly.
- Place the cooked zucchini into a blender or food processor and add a pinch of dried oregano, 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 in 1/4 cup of liquid at a time, until you achieve desired consistency.
- Serve and enjoy, or store some for later.
Zucchini for Baby-Led Weaning
- Steamed: In a medium saucepan, bring 2" of water to a boil over high heat. Add a steamer basket and add the large spears of zucchini into the basket in a single layer. Cover and cook for 3-5 minutes or until just tender when pricked with a fork. Remove from heat and let cool.
- Roasted: Preheat oven to 425°F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper, silicon mat or spray with cooking spray. Place the zucchini spears onto the baking sheet and cook for 15-20 minutes or until just tender. Let cool.
- Slice or chop the carrots to be age-appropriate for your baby. Serve and enjoy.
Roasted Zucchini Cauliflower Puree
- Preheat the oven to 425°F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper, silicon mat or spray with cooking spray. Place the zucchini and cauliflower onto the baking sheet and toss with the olive oil and oregano.
- Place the baking sheet in the oven and roast for 25-30 minutes or until tender when pricked with a fork. Let cool.
- Place the cooked zucchini and cauliflower into a blender or food processor and puree on high for 1-2 minutes, adding in liquid (fresh breastmilk, formula or water) if needed.
- Serve and enjoy, or freeze some for later.
Zucchini Broccoli & Pea Pasta
- In a medium saucepan, bring 2″ of water to a boil over medium heat. Place the zucchini and broccoli into a steamer basket, cover and cook for 8-10 minutes or until just tender. Add in the peas, and cook for an additional 2 minutes. Reserve steamer water. Let cool slightly.
- Place the cooked zucchini, broccoli and peas into a blender or food processor and add in the olive, parmesan (if using), sesame seeds (if using) and pulse for a chunky puree or run for 1-2 minutes for a smooth puree. If the puree is too thick, add in 1/4 cup of the reserved liquid at a time, until you achieve desired consistency.
- Toss with the pasta and add an optional pinch of parmesan cheese.
Notes
Did you make this recipe?
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Medically reviewed and cowritten by Jamie Johnson, Registered Dietitian Nutritionist (RDN), and Lauren Braaten, Pediatric Occupational Therapist (OT).
