Easy Lentil Soup For Baby and Toddlers Weaning Recipe
Table of Contents
Can You Give Lentil Soup To Babies
Red lentil soup for baby can be a nutritious and suitable option for practising baby-led weaning as a complete meal, provided it is prepared appropriately using simple ingredients.
The baby lentil recipe should be cooked until the lentils are very soft and the texture smooth to prevent any choking hazards.
Avoid adding salt or strong spices, using mild flavourings such as a bit of onion or grated carrot for natural sweetness instead.
Serve this easy recipe slightly cooled and offer it in a way that babies can easily scoop it up, perhaps with a small spoon or in a thick consistency that allows them to explore self-feeding safely.
Always supervise your baby while eating and introduce new foods gradually to monitor for any allergies.
Are Red Lentils Good For Babies
Red lentils are an excellent food choice for babies, particularly when starting on solids.
They are rich in protein, fibre, and essential nutrients such as iron and folate, which support healthy growth and development.
Their soft texture when cooked makes them easy for babies to mash or self-feed, fitting well with baby led weaning practices.
Red lentils are naturally low in allergens and can be introduced early, around six months of age, provided they are cooked thoroughly to ensure digestibility and safety.
Incorporating red lentils into homemade meals helps provide a nutritious, wholesome option for little ones.
Ingredient information
Olive oil - I have used an extra virgin olive oil, but usual olive oil is great for this recipe. You can also an unsalted butter or a vegan unsalted butter if you like to keep things dairy free.
Onion - I have used a red onion, but you can use a white onion or yellow onions or even shallots.
Red lentils - Red lentils are a great ingredient for weaning, so versatile in many sweet and savoury dishes such as a moussaka recipe, One-pot creamy orzo pasta or Cottage pie with lentils. A great plant-based protein for baby and toddlers.
Tomato - I have used fresh tomatoes for added flavour, veggies and texture. You can use a small can of tomatoes 227g instead if you like.
Stock cube - I have used a zero salt veggie stock cube for this recipe. A great ingredient for weaning with the no added salt but a great way to add flavour.
Cumin and coriander - These two spices are a great combination and mild enough for baby led weaning and toddlers. If you did not have these spices you could add a teaspoon of curry powder instead.
Garlic - I have used garlic granules for this recipe but you could use 1 clove clove of fresh garlic grated or crushed.
Serving suggestion
The lentil soup would be great served with a couple of slices of wholemeal bread or a slice of bread of your choice buttered, which is great for babies to dip and explore. Cut the bread into strips for easy pick up by baby. A great finger food option to go with the soup, perfect for little tummies.
You can also serve the kid-friendly lentil recipe with a drizzle of cream or plain Greek yogurt (or plant based if you are keeping things dairy free/vegan) and a sprinkling of fresh coriander, this is a great addition if you are serving this soup to the rest of the family or guests.
Other recipes you may like: Red lentil dal, Carrot and lentil soup or Easy dal in a slow cooker.
Storage instructions
This is a great make ahead vegetarian lentil soup that is perfect for lunch or dinner.
You can store in the fridge for up to 3 days in a freezer-safe container, or if you wanted to freeze in the freezer, you can either freeze in the large airtight containers, store in small airtight containers or alternatively you can store in large silicone ice cube trays, this way you can pop them out as and when you need across 3 months.
Just make sure the soup has cooled to room temperature before transferring to your chosen storage container.
The best way to defrost the red lentil soup recipe, is to thaw in the fridge overnight, and then reheat on the hob in a saucepan for 10 minutes or so until piping hot, and then leave to cool.
Equipment used to help with this recipe
Recipe | Easy Lentil Soup For Baby and Toddlers Weaning Recipe
Easy Lentil Soup For Baby and Toddlers Weaning Recipe
This is a great baby-led weaning lunch or dinner recipe for baby and toddler. It is a great nutritious complete meal for the whole family too.
Ingredients
Instructions
- Start by adding the olive oil to a large pot and heat for a minute or so. Add in the diced onions and cook on a medium heat for 15 minutes or so until soft and starting to brown.
- Next add in the diced tomato, cumin, coriander, black pepper and garlic granules and mix until combined. Cook on a low heat for 2-3 minutes until the tomatoes have broken down a little bit.
- Add the lentils and stock cube to the onion and tomatoes along with 500ml hot water.
- Bring the lentils to the boil on a medium-high heat, the cooking time for the lentil soup will be 20-25 minutes or so on a low heat. The lentil soup will be a thick yummy consistency. If the soup is too thick you can add a splash of hot water for a thinner consistency.
- Leave to cool before serving to your baby.
Notes
This is a great versatile soup baby food recipe perfect for baby’s diet. You can add in some more veggies to mix things up or purely if you need to use up some veggies.
You can use veggies such as sweet potatoes cut into cubes, butternut squash cubes or white potato cubes.
Hope you and your whole family enjoy!
©The Petit Spoon
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This is a great recipe for baby-led weaning. Perfect for teething gums. A great recipe for the entire family too if you make them into a bigger ice lolly.