This roasted cauliflower and butternut squash puree tastes amazing even to adults, with a smooth texture and a hint of sage. This homemade baby food is the ideal first taste of cauliflower for your baby, from 6 months plus.
Chances are you clicked on this recipe because you’re looking for a way to introduce your baby to cauliflower. Hi there!
Allow me to explain my views on cauliflower.
You need to roast it. There is no other way. Every recipe on this site that includes cauliflower requires it to be roasted so I make no exceptions for baby food. Why should Veggie Junior get second class cauli?
When roasted, cauliflower takes on a savory and nutty flavour and is nothing like the watery steamed / boiled version.
This recipe combines roasted cauliflower and butternut with a little hint of sage, one of my favourite herbs and one that pairs beautifully with cauliflower and squash.
The roasted cauliflower flavor is dominant, which is how I wanted it, but the butternut squash adds some sweetness and, crucially, brings a more silky texture where the cauliflower on its own could be too gritty for a younger baby.
I thoroughly enjoyed this flavor combo and could have eaten a bowl of it myself, but I let my 7 month old have at it, because I am generous like that.
Now let me answer some of your questions.
This Recipe is Suitable from 6 months +
You can introduce this to your baby from 6 months old.
It’s freezer friendly
These ingredients can freeze for up to 6 months. You will get 6-12 servings depending on your containers.
You can vary the texture for different ages and stages
The recipe is for a thick puree with a fairly smooth texture, but can be made chunky too for babies who are moving beyond smooth purees. Just use your food processor to pulse it more slowly and carefully until you get the desired texture.
If you want something more silky and creamy for a younger or texture averse baby, reduce the cauliflower by about a half. The butternut squash will then be a more dominant texture.
Roasted Cauliflower, Butternut & Sage Baby Food Puree
Ingredients
- ¼ of a small butternut squash, peeled and sliced into chunks (this is about 1.5 cups of cubed squash)
- â…“ head of cauliflower's florets, 10-12 florets
- 1-2 sage leaves*
Instructions
- Heat the oven to 180C / 360F. Spread the butternut squash on a baking tray lined with parchment paper, and lightly spritz with oil.
- Roast butternut squash for 20 minutes.
- Remove from the oven, flip the cubes over and add the cauliflower florets to the tray. Spritz the cauliflower florets with a little more oil.
- Replace in the oven for another 20 minutes, until the squash is tender and the cauliflower is starting to brown.
- Puree the squash and cauliflower with sage leaves. You will need to add liquid to thin it out to your desired texture. Use water or the baby’s usual milk, one tablespoon at a time.
Hi, what can I use instead of the sage?
You don’t really need to replace it with anything if you leave it out, but a little thyme would work great.