Spinach & Pear Purée for Baby
Fresh spinach wilted and blended with ripe pear, so the green taste is gentle. A smooth first vegetable that freezes well.
Ingredients
Makes about 1 cup
Find it in these collections
Method
- 1
Steam the diced pear for 5 minutes, until soft.
- 2
Add the spinach on top and steam 2–3 minutes more, until fully wilted and dark green.
- 3
Blend the pear and spinach with 2 tbsp of the liquid until completely smooth. Add more liquid a spoon at a time if needed.
- 4
For a very young eater, push the purée through a fine sieve to remove any stringy bits.
- 5
Cool to lukewarm and check the temperature before serving.
Serve it by age
6 months
Offer 1–2 spoons of the smooth purée. Mix it into baby cereal if the green taste is new.
7–8 months
Blend for less time so the purée is thicker, or stir it into mashed potato or lentils.
9–12 months
Stir finely chopped cooked spinach into well-cooked scrambled egg (contains egg), pasta (contains wheat) or rice instead of puréeing it.
health_and_safetyAllergens
The purée has none of the top 9 allergens. The 9–12 month serving ideas contain egg (scrambled egg) and wheat (pasta); offer those only after each has been introduced on its own.
sync_altSwaps
- swap_horizUse 1 cup frozen spinach instead of fresh; steam it for 3–4 minutes.
- swap_horizSwap the pear for a ripe banana or ½ cup cooked sweet potato.
kitchenStorage
Fridge up to 24 hours in a covered container. For longer, freeze in ice cube trays the same day you cook it, then bag, up to 3 months. Thaw in the fridge, stir well and do not reheat more than once. For batches you plan to freeze, blend with water or cooking water and stir in breast milk or formula when you serve each portion.
Safety reminders
- No added salt, sugar or honey before 12 months.
- At 6 months, blend until completely smooth with no lumps or skins; move on to thicker, lumpier textures over the next few weeks.
- Stay with your baby and keep them seated upright while eating.
- Home-made spinach purée is fine from 6 months. Spinach is naturally high in nitrates, so cook it fresh and keep it no more than 24 hours in the fridge, or freeze it the same day.
- This recipe is general guidance for healthy, full-term babies and children. Ask your pediatrician first if your child was born early, has a medical condition, allergies or feeding difficulties (medical disclaimer).
