Baby bol… baby friendly mince bolognaise 🍝

A simple, hearty family-style, baby-friendly, bolognese! This recipe is designed by a baby nutritionist and packed with veg, gently seasoned, and perfect for batch cooking! A gentle way to offer meat to your baby and to get iron, zinc and protein in- essential nutrients for growing little ones

Can babies eat meat?

One of the foods which many of us wait to offer our babies is meat and chicken! I get it, it’s an intimidating texture- is it even safe? Can babies even digest meat? The answer is yes! Of course! Whether you’re doing baby-led weaning or spoon feeding, meat can be a great source of iron, zinc and protein- especially important nutrients for babies from around 6 months. Choose the right cuts, go for soft, tender options like:

⚡️ Chicken thighs or drumsticks

⚡️ Slow-cooked beef or lamb

⚡️ Pork shoulder

⚡️ Minced meat (beef, lamb, turkey)

This recipe uses minced meat (which you have the option of swapping out for veggie mince). It can also be blended to a smooth puree for those first few tastes, of pulsed in a blender leaving a bit of texture.

You need:

• 350g beef or veggie mince

• 2 carrots, peeled and finely grated (or whizzed in a mini chopper!)

• 1 brown onion, finely chopped (or whizzed in a mini chopper!)

• 250g chestnut mushrooms, finely chopped (or whizzed in a mini chopper!)

• 250g cherry or plum tomatoes, finely chopped (or whizzed in a mini chopper!)

• 1 low salt stock cube (or homemade stock)

• 1 tbsp tomato purée

• 500ml passata

• 2 tsp dried oregano

• 2 tbsp balsamic vinegar

• 2 tsp paprika

• Extra virgin olive oil for cooking

To make:

Heat a generous glug of olive oil in a large pan. Add the onion, grated carrot and mushrooms. Cook gently for 5–10 mins until soft.

Add the mince and cook through until browned (if using veggie mince, follow pack instructions and stir through once veg is soft)

Stir in tomato purée, paprika and oregano

Add cherry tomatoes, balsamic vinegar, crumbled stock cube and passata. Mix well.

Simmer gently for 30–40 minutes until thick and rich. Stir occasionally and add a splash of water if it’s catching.

To serve:

Let it cool slightly, then serve over your chosen pasta shapes!

For babies under 9 months:  

The baby bol can be pulsed in the blender and spoon fed to babies just starting out with weaning. It’s a great high energy and iron option to pair with some soft cooked veggies or other soft finger foods or offer the bol stirred through some orzo and spoon feed!

To babies over 7-8 months (and who can handle some finger foods well):

Offer large well-cooked pieces of pasta such as fusilli or rigatoni tubes or large penne. Or offer with orzo and spoon feed!

Freezer friendly: whack some into little pots and freeze for easy puree meal or an emergency pasta sauce 

Want more support, or need help introducing meat or other iron-rich foods? Book a 1:1 with me to feel confident feeding your baby nutrient dense foods and get practical weaning tips tailored to your baby!