Health

Zucchini Baby Food Puree | The Picky Eater

Published

4 days ago

June 30, 2024

Anjali Shah

This post may contain affiliate links. As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases. Please read my disclosure.

Perfect for busy parents looking to make their own baby food, my easy zucchini baby food with apples and carrots is a delicious combination your baby will love! Both zucchini and carrots are sweeter veggies, and when paired with apples, it turns a simple zucchini puree into a healthy sweet treat for your little one.

Veggies mixed with fruit are always a hit in my household, and this zucchini carrot and apple puree is a favorite. When my kids were young, I used to mix this zucchini baby food with their oatmeal in the morning and they loved it!

While you can easily take zucchini and make a one ingredient puree, I always loved experimenting with different zucchini combination baby food to see what my baby enjoyed most. I find that mixing it with a couple of other fruits and veggies makes babies love it even more!

So if you haven’t tried making a zucchini carrot puree for your little one, my simple recipe is easy to prepare, nutritious, and delicious. I guarantee you will have one happy baby after giving them this smooth puree!

My zucchini baby food recipe is a great first food! Babies can enjoy zucchini as young as 6 months old when they begin to try other solid foods (source). I gave my kids this courgette baby puree when they were both 6 months old, and they totally loved it!

Baby food recipes with zucchini are packed with vitamins and minerals. Zucchini is a great source of beta-carotene, which converts to vitamin A, supporting the immune system and improving eyesight. Additionally, it’s rich in vitamin C, aiding in iron absorption, which is crucial as babies begin to lose iron around 5 months old. It also contains vitamin B6, essential for brain development (source).

My zucchini and carrot puree for baby is not only healthy but also delicious. It combines the natural sweetness of fresh zucchini, carrots, and apples, creating a flavor that your little one will love with every spoonful.

I’ve also found that using zucchini can be of the best stage 1 baby food recipes because it’s so mild and typically not on the list of common food allergies.

Plus, it’s the most versatile and easiest baby food zucchini recipe ever! You don’t need any fancy equipment or expensive ingredients to make this – just a pot and a blender or potato masher and you’re all set.

My zucchini puree is a simple baby food recipe you can use in a variety of ways – it’s super customizable based on your baby’s needs and preferences.

Not only that, but baby food with zucchini keeps well in the fridge and freezer! My recipe makes 16 servings, so I would often make it in big batches to have on hand, making meal planning for my kids much easier and more efficient!

Latest Recipe Video!

🥘 Ingredients

My homemade baby puree with zucchini is ready in minutes with minimal effort. All you need is a handful of simple ingredients and a good blender! Scroll down to the recipe card at the bottom of the post for more details.

Organic Zucchini: This mild flavored veggie forms the base of my zucchini carrot baby food! I prefer to use the smaller, skinnier zucchini for baby food because they have fewer seeds. You could also make this recipe with yellow squash or summer squash if you don’t have zucchini.

Organic Carrots: They add sweetness and a smooth texture to the puree. You can use either large carrots or baby carrots.

Organic Fuji Apples: I love using Fuji apples for their sweet and crisp flavor. They are excellent for baby food puree as they easily cook down and add natural sweetness.

Water: You need liquid to help the fruits and veggies cook down. I use 12 ounces of water so that the puree ends up with a smooth and easy-to-consume consistency.

🔪 How To Make Zucchini Baby Food

Learning how to puree zucchini for baby food is really easy! It only takes a few simple steps and the blender does all the hard work for you.

Watch my video below to see the step-by-step process of making zucchini puree for baby.

Prep Your Ingredients: To begin I wash all the produce. Then I cut the zucchini in half lengthwise and cut each half into 8 pieces. Next, I peel the carrots, cut them in half lengthwise, and then cut each half into 8 pieces. For the apples, I cut them in half, remove the seeds and stem, and cut each half into 8 pieces.

Cook The Produce: In a large pot, I add the carrots and water. Then I turn the heat to high and cook for 8 minutes, stirring occasionally. Next, I add the zucchini and apples and cook for another 3-5 minutes.

Puree The Mixture: When done I pour the cooked produce and water into a blender. Then I blend everything until smooth or the desired consistency.

Serve or Store: After blending, if I’m not serving the pureeright away or using it all within a week, I pour it into ice cube trays. Then I let it cool, wrap or cover the trays, and put them in the freezer.

Note: Thaw in the fridge the night before use, or thaw by putting the small cubes in a bowl over a bowl of hot water on the counter to defrost.

My #1 Secret Tip or making my zucchini baby food is to use a high-speed blender, not a food processor. A high-speed blender will pulverize all the ingredients into a super smooth consistency. A food processor might leave the puree slightly chunky or grainy.

Other Tips To Keep In Mind:

Use Organic Produce If You Can: When making your own homemade baby food recipes, I highly recommend using organic produce to reduce pesticide exposure for your baby. No matter how thoroughly you wash your fruits and vegetables, there will still be some pesticide residue (source).
Proper Storage: Before using the zucchini, make sure it’s completely dry. Then place them in a paper bag and store them in the vegetable drawer of your fridge. Don’t put them in a plastic bag – it will cause your courgette to become slimy.
Steaming Option: Instead of boiling, you can also use a steamer basket or slow cooker. To steam zucchini for baby food first dice everything into small chunks. Next, bring 1 inch of water to boil in a pot with a steamer basket, add the produce, cover, and steam for 5 minutes until soft. Then put the steamed zucchini and veggies into a blender with a little water and puree.
Speed Up Cooking: For quicker cooking time, cut the vegetables and fruit into small pieces to help them cook down more quickly.
First-Time Feeding: If this is your first time serving zucchini to your baby, monitor for any allergic reactions over the first 1-3 days. Once you confirm there are no allergies, you can start mixing zucchini with other purees.

✔️ How To Choose Zucchini

Zucchini, also known as courgette in some countries, is the exact same vegetable. When selecting zucchini, you want to look for vibrant, bright green ones that are firm and free of bruises or blemishes.

Size is important too. I prefer smaller, skinnier zucchini for baby food because they have fewer seeds in the center. Choose small to medium-sized zucchini, as they have less water content and more flavor compared to larger ones. Larger zucchinis tend to be watery, less flavorful, and full of seeds.

📖 Variations

One of the best things about this recipe is how customizable it is. When creating your own variations choosing what to mix with zucchini for baby food is fun. Here are some of my favorite zucchini baby food combinations:

Use Different Veggies: This is just a short list of some other vegetables that would taste great with my zucchini puree.

Change The Fruit: Use a different type of apple in this delicious puree, or add one of these other fruits for a fun way to change things up!

Add Spices Or Herbs: All zucchini puree combinations for baby are delicious with the addition of herbs and spices such as basil, thyme, rosemary, parsley, garlic, or lemon. If you want a sweeter flavor, try a pinch of cinnamon or nutmeg. It’s a great way to expose babies to new flavors.

Add Breast Milk or Formula: When considering what to mix zucchini with for baby, it can be as simple as just mixing in some breast milk or organic baby formula to thin out the consistency of the puree right before serving. Do not add breastmilk or formula before freezing the baby food as formula is not meant to be frozen, and breastmilk has a different shelf life in the freezer.

Make A Single Ingredient Puree: If you don’t have everything on hand to make carrot zucchini and apple puree, no problem! You can make plain zucchini puree! Just add the zucchini and a few tablespoons of water to a pot, boil, and then puree. Keep in mind that zucchini has a lot of water, so if you don’t add the carrots and apples, you may need less water.

Make Baby Finger Foods: Turn my courgette puree for baby recipe into finger food instead. For older babies, or babies who are using baby led weaning foods, you can cut the zucchini into match-sized sticks, and roast them in the oven with a little bit of olive oil. They turn into zucchini “fries” and are a great way for your baby to experiment with gumming soft foods.

🧊 Storage Directions

Fridge: If you plan to use the entire batch of zucchini baby puree within a week, I recommend just transferring it to an airtight container and storing it in the refrigerator. Simply scoop out individual servings as needed.

Freezer: For longer storage, pour the cooled puree into ice cube trays, cover, and freeze until solid. Once frozen, I always transfer the cubes to a ziplock freezer bag and label it with the date. The cubes can be stored in the freezer for up to 3 months.

Thawing: To thaw, I normally place the desired number of cubes in the fridge overnight. Alternatively, for quicker thawing, you can place the cubes in a bowl over another bowl of hot water on the counter.

Reheating: Gently warm the thawed puree in a saucepan over low heat or in a microwave-safe dish in the microwave. Stir well and test the temperature before serving to ensure it’s not too hot for your baby.

❓Recipe FAQs

Can babies eat raw zucchini?

No, do not give your baby raw zucchini. They cannot mash it with their gums, and the small pieces can be a choking hazard.

Do I need to remove the seeds? Can babies eat zucchini seeds?

You don’t need to remove the seeds – it is fine for baby to eat zucchini seeds when they are pureed with the rest of the zucchini.

Should I peel zucchini for baby food?

You might be wondering whether you need to peel the zucchini skin before cooking it. The answer is no – you definitely don’t need to peel the zucchini. The zucchini skin has a ton of nutrients and becomes super soft when cooked, which means it’s ideal for pureeing.

Want to Save This Recipe?

Enter your email & I’ll send it to your inbox. Plus, get great new recipes from me every week!

By submitting this form, you consent to receive emails from The Picky Eater.

Love this plant based baby food recipe? Please leave a 5-star rating 🌟 in the recipe below and/or a review in the comments section further down the page!

You can also FOLLOW ME on FACEBOOK, INSTAGRAM, and PINTEREST to see more delicious, healthy, family-friendly food, and if you have any questions, I’m here to help!

📋 Recipe Card