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    MJ & Hungryman » Baby/Kid-Friendly Recipes » Dips/Sauces » Iron-rich Baby Pasta

    Iron-rich Baby Pasta

    By Min On November 9, 2021

    This post may contain affiliate links. Please see our disclosure policy for more details.

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    collage showing how to serve the pasta to babies as well as sauce before blending and after

    A baby pasta recipe that is loaded with iron and vegetables! You’ll also find answers to the most commonly asked questions regarding pasta for babies, such as when to introduce and which types are best. 

    a small portion of pasta with blended sauce in a white bowl on the left and pasta with chunky sauce on the right with a toddler's hands grabbing the bowl
    Jump to:
    • Which type of pasta are best for babies?
    • Which pasta shapes are best?
    • What makes this the perfect baby pasta?
    • Ingredients
    • Step-by-Step Instructions
    • Frequently asked questions
    • More baby-friendly pasta ideas
    • Iron-rich baby pasta

    Which type of pasta are best for babies?

    Generally speaking, all pastas are great! They are great sources of carbohydrates, which babies need to support their rapid growth and development.  

    Legume-based pasta (such as chickpea, lentil, edamame) have the added benefit of providing more iron, protein, and fiber compared to rice and wheat-based pasta. However, they are more expensive so rotate through.

    Always focus on offering as much variety of foods as possible from the start. 

    And just like toast and oatmeal, pasta is such a great vehicle for introducing your baby to all kinds of nutritious ingredients. 

    Related post: Best First Foods

    Which pasta shapes are best?

    It may sound counterintuitive, BUT bigger is better and safer for babies who’ve just started solids. Fusili, rigatoni, ziti, penne, egg noodles, and lasagna cut into strips are all great options.

    I personally love fusili for this recipe because the sauce really clings to the grooves.

    If you’re spoon-feeding or encouraging your baby to use a spoon, small pasta like orzo, mini stars, or chopped angel hair/spaghetti will work well.

    Once they develop their pincer grasp (usually around 9-10 months), you can serve smaller shapes, like macaroni, orzo, orecchiette, or cut up large pasta.

    What makes this the perfect baby pasta?

    on the left pasta sauce before blending and blended sauce on the right

    This simple tomato-based pasta sauce is:

    • Made without salt and sugar
    • Rich in iron - an extremely important nutrient for babies
    • A very forgiving recipe - you don’t have to be super exact with the ingredient measurements and can swap out any vegetables you wish
    • Perfect for both baby led weaning and spoon feeding approaches
    • Delicious enough for the whole family to enjoy together. As you can see in the image above, you can set aside a portion for baby and blend while serving the sauce as is (thick and chunky) for everyone else, unless you prefer a smooth sauce.
    • Thick in texture so will be easier for your baby to scoop with their hands

    Related Post: Best Iron-Rich Foods for babies and toddlers

    If you are looking for a tomato-free pasta sauce, try this creamy sweet potato sauce!

    Ingredients

    • Vegetables: you really can use whatever vegetables you have on hand! I do recommend adding some type of sweeter vegetable to help counterbalance the tartness from the tomatoes. Extra bonus if it’s  rich in vitamin C to boost iron absorption
    • Tomato paste: did you know that this is actually a great source of iron? Not only that, it will really help to enrich the flavor to the sauce.
    • Red lentils: I love using this variety, especially if planning to blend as the color stays red. But feel free to use yellow or green lentils if desired.

    Step-by-Step Instructions

    a six image collage showing the cooking process
    1. Chop all the vegetables
    2. Cook onion first and then the rest of the vegetables
    3. Add tomato paste and Italian seasoning
    4. Be sure to stir well until well incorporated
    5. Add tomatoes, water, and lentils
    6. Cook for 25-30 minutes, stirring occasionally. You can enjoy as is or blend.

    Frequently asked questions

    When can babies have pasta?

    It can be introduced as soon as your baby is developmentally ready to start solids, usually around 6 months. 

    If you are unsure, grab this FREE handout. You'll also receive a ton of helpful expert tips to set you on the right path

    Is pasta safe for babies?


    Yes, although it can cause a lot of gagging when first starting solids. Serving it with a sauce, like the one I'm sharing here, helps make pasta more manageable.

    Just note that if you’re introducing pasta that contains wheat and/or egg, they are two of the top most common allergens. It’s recommended to introduce these early AND often, but if it’s your first time, then proceed with caution.

    You can introduce more than one food at a time but make sure there aren’t two major allergens in the same meal. That way, if your baby does have a reaction, you’ll know exactly what was responsible.

    How long to cook pasta for babies?


    Cook several  minutes longer than what the package instructions say so that the pasta will be soft enough for your baby to mash with their gums.

    Again, there’s no need for teeth, but you do want to make sure it’s texturally-appropriate. If your family prefers pasta al dente, like mine, then simply remove portion for family once pasta reaches desired doneness and cook baby’s portion a bit longer.

    Does pasta make babies constipated?


    Before you start suspecting that a specific food is to blame for a lack of bowel movement, I encourage you to consider their diet as a whole.

    Overall, is your baby getting enough fiber-rich foods? If you are serving refined pasta every single day, then perhaps. Here’s yet another reason why you should vary the types of pasta. 

    Can I blend pasta?


    I would highly advise against it. Pasta contains a lot of starch and when you blend it, you’ll end up with a very unappetizing, sticky texture, that can actually become a choking hazard. 

    If you’ve been doing purees, I can understand your anxiety in moving forward with texture. However, it’s really essential that in minimizing texture aversion and picky eating down the road. If you feel like you’re stuck on purees, I’ve got incredible resources for you! 

    Can I freeze the pasta sauce?

    Absolutely! I recommend freezing in single-serving portions. This tray is really great! Once frozen, you can pop the molded sauce out and transfer to a freezer-safe bag or container.

    More baby-friendly pasta ideas

    a six image collage of six baby bowls with different ways to serve pasta to babies

    All of these meals were introduced to my baby during our first 3 months of starting solids. For 150+ veggie-loaded meal ideas and recipes, 80+ cooking videos, 100+ videos walking you through how to serve the meals to baby and the rest of the family, time and money-saving tips, and so much more, check out my Baby Led Feeding Journey Program.

    Do you want to minimize picky eating and set a solid foundation for a lifetime of healthy eating habits?

    Check out this 3 month mastering self-feeding program! It’s the closest thing to me being in your kitchen

    Find out more!

    Did you make this recipe? Leave a rating below and let me know how you liked the recipe! Your feedback means so much to me!

    a small portion of pasta with blended sauce in a white bowl on the left and pasta with chunky sauce on the right with a toddler's hands grabbing the bowl

    Iron-rich baby pasta

    A baby pasta recipe that is loaded with iron and vegetables!
    5 from 38 votes
    Print Pin Rate
    Prep Time: 10 minutes
    Cook Time: 40 minutes
    Total Time: 50 minutes
    Servings: 8
    Author: Min | MJ and Hungryman

    Equipment

    • Dutch Oven
    • Blender
    • Freezer Tray

    Ingredients

    • 1 tablespoon olive oil
    • 1 small yellow onion, diced
    • 2 teaspoons minced garlic
    • 1 medium zucchini, chopped
    • 1 medium carrot, chopped
    • 1 medium red bell pepper, chopped
    • 3 tablespoons tomato paste
    • 2 teaspoons Italian seasoning
    • 28 ounce can no-salt-added crushed tomatoes
    • 2 cups water
    • 1 cup (190g) red lentils

    Instructions

    • Heat oil in a large quart pot over medium heat. Add the onion and cook until translucent, about 2-3 minutes. Add the rest of the vegetables and cook for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally.
    • Add tomato paste and Italian seasoning and stir until well-incorporated.
    • Add the tomatoes, water, and lentils, stir and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to low, cover, and cook for 25-30 minutes, stirring occasionally.
    • In the meanwhile, place a pot of water on the stove, bring to a boil, and cook pasta. Set aside.
    • Once sauce has cooled, transfer to a blender and blend until smooth. You can also keep it chunky depending on your preference.

    Notes

    Serving suggestions
    • For beginner eaters, puree the sauce. It will stick nicely to the pasta and be easier for baby to eat. Serve a small portion at a time as seeing too much food can be overwhelming.
    • For older babies and toddlers, skip the extra step of blending. It will be great texture exposure.
    • For older children and adults, you can season with salt and add some cheese. Small amounts are fine for babies and toddlers. You just want to watch their sodium intake. 
    Storage suggestions
    This recipe makes a lot. I recommend freezing in food storage trays. Once frozen, pop them out and transfer to a freezer-safe bag/container. Will keep for 3 months. 

    Nutrition

    Calories: 149kcal | Carbohydrates: 26g | Protein: 8g | Fat: 2g
    Course Dinner
    Cuisine American
    Tried this Recipe? Tag me Today!Tag me @KidFriendly.Meals today!
    « Lentils for Babies
    Best BLW First Foods »

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    About Min

    Thank you so much for stopping by! I am Min, a Registered Dietitian, a Christ follower, a wife, and a mom to our two miracle babies! Currently, I’m having a ton of fun feeding their tummies and sharing our baby led weaning journey! Follow me on Instagram if interested in seeing daily menu as well as tips and tricks.

    Reader Interactions

    Comments

    1. Jessica says

      October 14, 2022 at 10:13 am

      5 stars
      my baby loooooves this sauce!!! She gobbled up her serving with pasta and wanted more, but just the sauce. Hubby and I like it too so the large portion is fab for meal prep.

      Reply
      • Min says

        October 14, 2022 at 6:04 pm

        Aww this makes my heart sing! Thank you for sharing!

        Reply
    2. Kate says

      August 30, 2022 at 10:06 am

      Curious about how much pasta should I cook?
      Also do you reccomnded mixing the pasta and sauce and freezing together or seperate?

      Reply
      • Min says

        August 30, 2022 at 6:13 pm

        However much you want! No freeze the pasta and sauce separately

        Reply
    3. Christine says

      August 04, 2022 at 12:58 am

      5 stars
      This is a life saver. Currently all my 11 month old will eat right now is this besides some yoghurt and strawberries.

      Reply
      • Min says

        August 04, 2022 at 3:40 pm

        So glad to hear that his is providing the nourishment your baby needs!

        Reply
    4. Amber says

      July 18, 2022 at 7:39 pm

      5 stars
      My 9 month old loved this!

      Reply
      • Min says

        July 18, 2022 at 9:56 pm

        Yay!!!

        Reply
    5. BT says

      July 11, 2022 at 5:54 pm

      Excited to try this recipe! Any tips on how to pack pasta for school lunches? Hot pasta in thermos seems to overcook by lunchtime. You think it would work if I cooked the pasta and sauce the night before, mix them the next morning and pack them cold?

      Reply
      • Min says

        July 11, 2022 at 6:22 pm

        Yes! That's what I do all the time!

        Reply
    6. Bonny says

      February 03, 2022 at 9:56 pm

      5 stars
      1 yo loved it!

      Reply
      • Min says

        February 04, 2022 at 3:07 pm

        Woohoo!!

        Reply
    7. Betty says

      November 28, 2021 at 12:57 pm

      Love your recipes! I couldn't find no-salt crushed tomatoes at my local grocery store, would canned dice tomato work? Thanks!

      Reply
      • Min says

        November 28, 2021 at 3:37 pm

        HI! Sure. Just give it a quick pulse before adding

        Reply
    8. Kim says

      November 25, 2021 at 12:18 am

      5 stars
      So good! My 15 month old loved it. I also added some leftover sauce into a quesadilla, and it was delicious. I will definitely be adding this recipe to our meal rotation.

      Reply
      • Min says

        November 28, 2021 at 3:38 pm

        Ooh a great idea to repurpose leftovers!

        Reply
      • Marin says

        August 29, 2022 at 5:06 pm

        Thanks for the recipe! I'm excited to try! Do you recommend storing the pasta and sauce separately, or mixing them together before freezing?

        Reply
        • Min says

          August 30, 2022 at 6:14 pm

          Hi! I would store separately

          Reply
    9. Amaal Aboidan says

      November 12, 2021 at 2:03 pm

      5 stars
      Supper easy and supper yum

      Reply
    10. Jane says

      November 12, 2021 at 9:58 am

      5 stars
      Making this today! Can’t wait to try it. Thank you for all your amazing recipes!

      Reply
    11. Evan says

      November 11, 2021 at 11:31 am

      5 stars
      Healthy and great for freezing!

      Reply
    12. Ioana says

      November 11, 2021 at 5:02 am

      5 stars
      Good idea incorporating lentils.!

      Reply
    13. Holly says

      November 10, 2021 at 9:23 pm

      Can't wait to try this tomorrow! Your recipes are our dietary Bible in our house. I have about 10 of your recipes that I make and prep monthly for my 2 year old and my 7 month old. I've been using them for so long but realized today that I have never taken the time to thank you personally for all of the hard work that you put into making all of this information not only readily available to us all but they're tastier than any other baby recipes I've found, and the easiest to follow as well. You're amazing. Thank you for everything that you do.

      Reply
      • Min says

        November 11, 2021 at 10:20 am

        Dearest Holly...This just melts my heart. I've been feeling quite overwhelmed lately and your words just breathed so much encouragement into me. So thank YOU!!

        Reply
      • Hye Jin says

        September 02, 2022 at 11:28 am

        DITTO to everything!! I would be so lost and overwhelmed with what and HOW to cook for my 7 month old. I usually just jump straight to the recipe on other blogs, but I read every single word on here because it’s all relevant and informative! Love the detailed instructions, pictures, tips, alternative options. Thank you thank you thank you! I just bought red lentils so gonna give this a go soon (after I make your meatballs first 😄)

        Reply
        • Min says

          September 02, 2022 at 9:34 pm

          Oh I'm so glad to hear that my posts have been helpful! A lot of times I wonder if I write too much and whether or not people are reading all the details so this is very reassuring! Thank you for sharing and for being here!

          Reply
    14. Maybelline says

      November 10, 2021 at 9:08 pm

      Can we use fresh tomatoes instead of canned tomatoes?

      Reply
      • Min says

        November 11, 2021 at 10:19 am

        I haven't tried but I want to say yes..will be a lot of extra work though to get it smooth...

        Reply
    15. Farah says

      November 10, 2021 at 9:08 pm

      5 stars
      Love all your recipes! Thanks for all the hard work you put in!
      Can’t wait to try this one!

      Reply
      • Min says

        November 10, 2021 at 9:14 pm

        Hope it's a hit!

        Reply
      • Swati says

        November 10, 2021 at 9:17 pm

        5 stars
        Love this recipe !
        Thank you for sharing

        Reply
        • Min says

          November 11, 2021 at 10:19 am

          My pleasure!

          Reply
    16. Falgooni Patel says

      November 10, 2021 at 8:23 pm

      5 stars
      Amazing !!

      Reply
    17. Dora Bozga says

      November 10, 2021 at 3:11 pm

      5 stars
      Just tried it and toddler and husband devoured it! Another great recipe! Thank you so much!

      Reply
      • Min says

        November 10, 2021 at 7:33 pm

        Woohoo!! Makes me so happy to hear! Thanks for sharing 😉

        Reply
    18. Aanchal Chopra says

      November 10, 2021 at 2:51 pm

      5 stars
      Excellent

      Reply
    19. Ernest says

      November 10, 2021 at 2:40 pm

      Can’t wait to try this! Love lentils for baby, so I appreciate recipes that have this ingredient.

      Reply
      • Min says

        November 10, 2021 at 7:33 pm

        Hope you guys enjoy!

        Reply
    20. Tina says

      November 10, 2021 at 12:34 pm

      This is great for my kids who only devour pasta!

      Reply
    21. Kim says

      November 10, 2021 at 11:03 am

      5 stars
      I love this! You have the best recipe ideas and I look forward to keep trying them all. God bless!

      Reply
      • Min says

        November 10, 2021 at 7:24 pm

        aww thank you!

        Reply
    22. Lizzy says

      November 10, 2021 at 10:36 am

      5 stars
      So excited to try this one!

      Reply
      • Min says

        November 10, 2021 at 10:39 am

        Hope it will be a huge success!

        Reply
    23. Suveha says

      November 10, 2021 at 10:04 am

      5 stars
      What a great idea to integrate lentils into the sauce. I loved the taste and so did baby boy.

      Reply
      • Min says

        November 10, 2021 at 10:32 am

        Yay!! Thank you for sharing!!

        Reply
    24. Tessa Tang says

      November 09, 2021 at 7:39 pm

      Do we have to soak or rehydrate the lentils before hand? Or just throw the dry hard lentils in to cook and simmer?

      Reply
      • Min says

        November 09, 2021 at 7:51 pm

        There's no need. Just add to the pot

        Reply
      • Betty says

        November 10, 2021 at 12:26 pm

        5 stars
        I was looking for an iron-riched recipe for my little one! Thank you for posting one! Will try tomorrow!

        Reply
        • Min says

          November 10, 2021 at 3:14 pm

          Ooh!! Let me know what your LO thinks of it!

          Reply
    25. Christina says

      November 09, 2021 at 3:35 pm

      Can you substitute with green lentils?

      Reply
      • Min says

        November 09, 2021 at 4:28 pm

        You can but the texture of the red lentils will work better

        Reply
        • Ayumi says

          March 23, 2022 at 5:48 pm

          5 stars
          Looks yummy and nutritious!
          Can I use split red lentil instead or does it get too mushy?? I have a lot of them and don’t know what I can make for my baby as it gets too mushy when I try making small balls or something 🙁

          Reply
          • Min says

            March 24, 2022 at 5:58 pm

            Yes it will get mushy but should be find in this sauce

            Reply

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    HI!

    I am MJ, a registered dietitian and a mom of 2. I truly hope you’ll enjoy all the recipes and tips that I share on what and how to feed your child!

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