How To Cook Cauliflower For Babies With Recipes

When can babies eat cauliflower?

This nutritious, super versatile vegetable can be offered to babies as soon as they’re ready to start solids, usually around 6 months. It’s important to remember that your baby is unique and that rather than going by the calendar, you need to make sure your baby is DEVELOPMENTALLY ready to start solids. If you’re unsure, be sure to grab my FREE handout!

Health benefits

Cauliflower is a cruciferous vegetable that belongs to the Brassicaceae family, along with broccoli, kale, and cabbage. It contains many nutrients, like iron, calcium, zinc, and B vitamins, but it is particularly high in fiber, vitamin C and K. Vitamin C helps enhance the absorption of plant-based iron considerably! While the most common variety is white, it comes in several other colors – Green purple, and orange. They contain similar vitamin and mineral content and are are all wonderful to introduce to your baby. They have a similar mild flavor. Where they differ is their antioxidant profile. The orange-fleshed ones are rich in carotenoids whereas the purple varieties are rich in anthocyanins. The green cauliflower, also known as broccoflower or romanesco, contains chlorophyll.

Cooking Methods

Here are the two best cooking methods for babies. It’s VERY important that the vegetable is cooked until soft enough to be easily pierced with a fork. I personally don’t recommend roasting for this age as the exterior of the vegetable can get too crispy or even burnt before it softens. You can boil, but I don’t recommend it as most of the nutrients will leach into the water. In regards to size, cut into large florets. If they are especially large, you can slice in half vertically. Once cooked, you can cut into smaller pieces depending on your baby’s age. This way you can serve both big and small pieces as suggested below.

Steamed Cauliflower

Place water in a pot, add steamer basket, and bring to a boil. Add cauliflower, cover, reduce heat to medium, and cook for 8-10 minutes. It should be easily pierce-able with a fork.

Steam Roasted Cauliflower

This method is my personal favorite! If you are new to this cooking method, you will be amazed by how easy it is and how flavorful your cauliflower (or any vegetable) turns out! How it works: The hot oven and moisture from the veggies create steam (once covered) making them soft, but because they’re roasted, the flavors become more concentrated. Learn more about steam roasting as well as cooking times for ALL other vegetables

Cauliflower Rice

Due to its neutral flavor, cauliflower rice can be enjoyed in so many ways! You can serve the “rice” as is or fold into foods like:

Sauces/dips Homemade baby oatmeal Baked Quinoa – a great alternative to oatmeal Lentils Overnight oats/quinoa Yogurt Vegetable omelette

Cauliflower Puree Combinations

If you desire a completely smooth texture, add the cooked cauliflower (using any of the methods above) to a food processor or blender along with breastmilk/formula, water, or broth. Blend until desired consistency is reached. Here are some other foods to combine with:

Homemade unsweetened applesauce Avocado Banana Beans Beets Butternut Squash Carrots Chicken Sweet Potato Tofu Zucchini

How to cut for baby led weaning

For 6-8 months old:

Bigger is better and safer at this age so they can easily grab the food with their palm and bring to mouth. If you are feeling nervous, you can absolutely start with puree or soft-cooked cauliflower rice. Always do what feels right to you!

9+ months old:

As your baby develops their pincer grasp and is able to pick up small pieces of food using their thumb and finger, you can cut into small, bite-sized pieces. I still suggest continuing to offer larger pieces so they can practice taking bites. This is a good time to introduce utensils. Your baby will most likely just play around or toss it. But it’s still great for exposure! Continue role modeling too.

12+ Months old:

Depending on your child’s chewing skills and your comfort level, you can start to offer slightly firmer, but still soft-textured foods. Try shortening the cooking time by several minutes and see how your baby does. Continue offering utensils and your child will likely surprise you one day!