Home » Feeding Style » Baby Food Purees » Stage One » Carrot Puree Recipe for Baby
by Michele Olivier on July 3, 2020 (updated Sep 23, 2022)
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4.67 stars (124 ratings)This Carrot Baby Food Puree is a great starter puree for your baby! Filled with nutritioussteamed carrots and a pinch of nutmeg, this easy-to-make and fresh-tasting recipe is a greatstarter puree for your baby. Great for Stage One or 4-6+ months.
Medically reviewed byJamie Johnson, Registered Dietitian Nutritionist (RDN), and Lauren Braaten, Pediatric Occupational Therapist (OT).
In this guide, you’ll find: show
This baby food puree is sssoooooo fresh, colorful, and full of essential nutrients for your baby that it’s almost too intense to look at 🧡 seriously, #nofilter!
But believe me, this mouthwatering carrot puree is for real!
This fresh-tasting homemade puree is made with steamed carrots and a pinch of nutmeg that brings out the earthiness of the carrots. Honestly, they’re a flavorful combo made for each other. 😋
If you compare the color, taste, or texture of this homemade recipe to its store-bought counterpart, you would be shocked at the difference🙅♀️… and not in a good way.
The good thing about realizing the difference is that it will get you completely hooked on making your little one their own homemade baby food purees.
After all, we only want the best 🏆 for our babes!
Is it your first time making homemade baby food?Then, I suggest you start this journey by reading my in-depthGuide on how to Make Homemade Baby Food. The detailed guide goes over all the important information such as thebestcooking tools to have on hand,safestorage,how to knowwhen babyis ready for solids,how tointroduce purees,the best first foods for baby,and more! You can also check out my best-sellingcookbook for even more information and recipes.
Carrot Baby Food Video
Watch this video to see how easy it really is to make this homemade Carrot Baby Puree!
Related
10 BEST FIRST FOODS FOR BABY
Reasons to Love this Carrot Puree
- creamy and smooth
- nutrient-dense — good source of fiber, vitamin C, and potassium, high in vitamins A and K, and contains folate and vitamin B6
- baby food for 4-6 months and up — stage 1 baby food puree
- freezer-friendly
- fast to make — done in less than 20 minutes
- great for baby’s first bite
- tastes yummy — your baby will love it
Ingredients
- Carrots: This star ingredient is easy to find and usually very inexpensive. If your budget allows, I recommend going for the organic version as the cost per ounce is only pennies more than the conventional version. You can also use frozen carrots, you will just need to add in a few minutes to the cooking time.
- Nutmeg: We are going to add a pinch of nutmeg to this puree to tone down some of the carrot’s natural sweetness with earthy spice. You can always skip the nutmeg if you prefer.
Tips on Peeling Carrots: It’s totally up to you if you peel the carrots or not. Since we are pureeing the cooked carrots until smooth, there will not be any difference in the taste or texture. However, there will be a little more fiber in the baby food, so if it’s your baby’s first time eating carrot puree, you may peel the carrots just so you don’t overload your baby’s tummy with too much fiber.
Related
15 STAGE ONE BABY PUREES (THAT ACTUALLY TASTE DELICIOUS)
Health Benefits of Carrots
- They contain a tonof beta-carotene, the precursor tovitamin A, which is necessary for protecting eye health and immune function.
- High source of antioxidants to help strengthen immunity
- Good source of fiber, which helps keep the digestive system working properly
- High in vitamin K, which is necessary for blood clotting
- Contains calciumto help strengthen bones
Step-by-Step Instructions
- Peel and Chop: Wash, peel and roughly chop the carrots into pieces the same size.
- Steam: Place the carrots inside a steamer basket and steam for 10-12 minutes or until tender.
- Transfer: Transfer the cooked carrots into a blender, then add nutmeg.
- Blend: Puree until smooth, adding water if needed to thin out the puree.
- Serve: Serve or freeze for later.
These tools will make it a lot easier for you to make this healthy Sweet Potato puree. For more of my favorite kitchen tools make sure to check out myshop.
- blenderorfood processor
- saucepans
- knives
- veggie peeler
- spatula
- freezer tray
- storage containers for fridge
- stasher bag
- reusable pouches
Related
The Best Sweet Potato Baby Puree
Other Cooking Methods
While I love the crisp flavor you get when you steam the carrots, there are several ways you can cook carrots for baby food.
Roasting
Peel and roughly chop 2 pounds of carrots before placing them onto a baking sheet. Drizzle with 1-2 teaspoons of high-quality olive oil and sprinkle with spice (if preferred). Roast in a preheated 425-degree F oven for 20 minutes or until tender when pricked with a fork. Puree in a blender as directed below.
Boiling
Place 2 pounds of peeled and roughly chopped carrots into a medium saucepan, fill with water until the carrots are covered, and bring to a boil. Reduce to a simmer and cook for 15 minutes or until tender when pricked with a fork. Puree in a blender as directed below. Note that boiling tends to leave foods less nutritious since much of the nutrients leach into the water while cooking, and then that water is typically discarded. To preserve maximum nutrients, you may want to choose roasting or steaming. If you prefer boiling, save some of the water so you can use it as your liquid for thinning out the puree.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can carrots be baby’s first food?
Carrots can 100% be your baby’s first food if you want it to be. It is recommended to wait to introduce the top eight allergen foods to your baby once a few other well-tolerated foods have been introduced, but otherwise, foods can be introduced in any order so choose whatever you are most excited for your baby to have.
When can babies have carrots?
Babies can have carrots as one of their first foods. When a baby can start on solids is determined by their own rate of development, which generally comes between 4-6 months of age. Some of the developmental milestones babies need to reach in order to start solids include: if your baby has solid control of their head and neck, if your baby has doubled in weight, and if your baby is reaching for or opening their mouth when you eat (see my guide here). Before you start your baby on purees, you should consult with your pediatrician to make sure your child is developmentally ready.
Are carrots a common allergen for baby?
No, carrots are not a common allergen, however, as with any food, start with a small portion and be aware of any signs that might be an allergic reaction after introducing it.
Do carrots cause constipation for babies?
Steamed carrots, though unlikely, may cause constipation in some babies, so avoid giving too much.
Can you add spices/herbs to this puree?
Yes! In this recipe, we are adding a pinch of nutmeg, but feel free to use the following spices instead: cumin, cinnamon, cloves, garlic, thyme, rosemary, or fresh ginger (see quantity recommendations in the recipe card).
Tip on Spices:I always add spices or herbs to my baby food purees, but you can choose to leave them out in all of your baby food. You do you! Either way, this puree will surely taste amazing.
How to Store Carrot Baby Puree
Refrigerator
You can store this puree in anairtight containerin the fridge for up to 4 days.
Freezer
This puree can be frozen for up to 4 months.
- Spoon puree into a freezer storage container – do not overfill.
- Place the lid on the storage container or cover with a piece of saran wrap, and label with the date and recipe name.
- Place the tray into the freezer and let it freeze completely — preferably overnight.
- Pop-out the baby food cubes and place them in a ziplock baggie orstasher bag. Don’t forget to relabel the baggie or stasher bag for future reference.
Need more information on how to store your baby foods? Head over to myBest Baby Food Storage Containers – Plus 6 Tips on Freezing and Thawingpost!
Label Tip:Don’t forget to label your purees before you place them in the fridge or freezer with the name of the puree and the date you made it. Take it from me; by the end of the week, you will completely forget what is in your freezer and how long it’s been there. 😉
Great Carrot Combination Purees
While Carrot Puree is great and satisfying by itself, it’s also super easy to mix and match with other nutrient-dense baby food purees. So give these fun flavor combos a try!
- Apples
- Sweet Potato
- Pears
- Parsnips
- Peach
- Multigrain Baby Cereal
- Chicken
- White Beans
- Soft Tofu
- Pumpkin
- Mango
- Cauliflower
- Yogurt
- Beef
Carrots for Baby-Led Weaning: Carrots are also a great food to serve to your baby whole for baby-led weaning (6+ months) or as a finger food (9+ months). You can always serve baby a combination of purees and finger foods right from the start.
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Iron-Rich Foods for Babies, Toddlers and Kids
Puree Feeding Tips
- Place a small amount of puree on the tray during spoon feeding, so that your baby can dip their fingers or hands in the puree. Allowing baby to explore foods in this way helps them learn to self-feed and can help them be more willing to try new textures and foods in the future.
- Have a spare spoon (or three!) – even very young babies often want to be involved in feeding themselves as much as possible. Giving baby an extra spoon to hold can be helpful in giving her a sense of control and also promotes hand-eye coordination.Allow baby to use spoons as a teether during the meal. There are many great options out there but a few we particularly love include the Olababy 3 Piece Set, the NumNum Pre-Spoon GOOtensils, and the ChooMee FlexiDip Baby Starter Spoons.
- Try adding a little seasoning or spice to purees – babies like flavor! Or consider changing the temperature of purees from time to time, to slightly warmed or slightly chilled. Varying these aspects adds to the sensory experience!
Or watch a shortened version of this videohere.
Get the recipe:Carrot Puree Recipe for Baby (Stage 1)
4.7 stars (124 ratings)
Filled with nutritious steamed carrots and a pinch of nutmeg – this puree will sure to delight your little ones taste buds!
Yield: 24 ounces
Prep: 5 minutes minutes
Cook: 12 minutes minutes
Author: Michele Olivier
Print RecipePin RecipeLeave a Review
Ingredients
- 1 lb carrots, trimmed, peeled and roughly chopped
- pinch nutmeg (optional)
- 1/2-1 cup reserved water, fresh breast milk, formula or fresh water
Instructions
Steam: In a medium saucepan, bring 2″ of water to a boil over medium heat. Place the carrots into a steamer basket, cover and cook for 9-11 minutes or until tender. Reserve steamer water. Let cool slightly.
Transfer: Place the cooked carrots into a blender or food processor and add a pinch of nutmeg, or any spice/herb you are using. Add in 1/2 cup of liquid
Puree: turn on the blender or food processor and puree for 1-2 minutes on medium. If puree is too thick, add in 1/4 cup liquid at a time, until you achieve desired consistency. I had to add in 1 1/4 cup water.
Eat: Serve and enjoy, or freeze some for later.
Notes
Age:4-6 months and up
Yield: roughly 24 ounces
Notes on Nutmeg: adding spices to your baby’s first purees is completely optional but totally safe. Nutmeg rounds out the acidic taste carrots sometimes have and make this puree taste grounded and full-bodied.
Additional Spices: Feel free to substitute in a pinch or two of ginger powder, freshly minced ginger, curry powder, cloves, finely minced fresh chives, or 1/4 minced garlic clove.
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originally published on July 3, 2020 (updated Sep 23, 2022)
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Heather Chapman —Reply
I am going to the pediatrician for the 6mo appt tomorrow and will also talk to him about this as well but wanted to hear your opinion. I have heard a couple of people say that you shouldn’t make your own carrots due to the nitrates in them… have you heard about this or what’s your take on it?
baby foode —Reply
Hello Heather,
This is a really good question that I hadn’t heard of before. I did some research and found that there has only been 1 case of nitrate problems in a young child since 1973, where the child drank too much contaminated carrot juice. So the probability of your child getting nitrate poisoning from homemade baby food is 0%! I also reached out to Sara our nutritionist and she said that carrots are relatively low nitrate containing but like with everything in life, use moderation.
Here are some helpful links;
http://www.drgreene.com/mythbusting-carrots-nitrates-homemade-baby-food/http://wholesomebabyfood.momtastic.com/nitratearticle.htm#.UufrJnkQEnV
Would love to know what your doctor said.
xo,
Michele
Nicola Bridges —Reply
Can you please let me know if this is fresh or dry nutmeg?
Michele Olivier —Reply
Hello Nicola,
This is dried nutmeg I am using in this recipe 🙂
xoxo,
Michele
Jewel Weeks —Reply
I have heard that carrots are one of the produce items that carry more pesticide residue than others (check out the "dirty dozen" here: http://www.wholeliving.com/134307/fresh-thinking-how-shop-fruits-and-vegetables). For this reason, I try to buy carrots and the other "dirty dozen" produce items organic whenever possible.
Michele Olivier —Reply
Hello Jewel,
Awesome!! Any produce you can buy that is organic is great! It seems that in almost all markets, you can find organic carrots for a reasonable price, so this is a great organic item to buy. The dirty dozen list seems to change from source to source and from year to year. I will probably do an updated list at the beginning of next year so that I can keep it current.
xoxo,
Michele
Marilia Draper —Reply
Hi Michele,
I’m writing to you from New Zealand 🙂 absolutely LOVE this page. My son is 5 month old and I have just started feeding him baby puree. So lucky for having found your blog!!! I have started as you’ve suggested: apples, carrots, pears (which he totally scoffed everything ) and we are off to the market now to buy peas and zucchini (have mint in my veggie garden).
As you said, with these recipes, there is no need to pretend the spoon is an airplane or we need to touch his nose to open the "garage door" lol… After the peas one, I so want to try the peach with cloves… nom nom nom 😀
Just to finish my long comment (oooOOps), because he loves your recipes so much, the hapinness I’m feeling right now I can’t really describe… I feel like a real mum now. Unfortunately, I was unable to breastfeed, so every time he opens his wee mouth wide open to eat my (yours) purees, it’s just like I’ve started to get over of my frustration for not being able to breastfeed him.
Anyway Hun, thank you!!!
Keep up the frecking amazing job!!
MariliaMichele Olivier —Reply
Hello Marilia,
Thank you for the super sweet note!!! It makes me so happy to hear that your little one is devouring the purees!
I also have had troubles breastfeeding both of my daughters and still struggle with it on a daily if not hourly basis with my 5 month old. I am constantly crying to my hubby about how I feel like a bad mom because I can’t exclusively breastfeed, which I know it isn’t true. Why do we do that to ourselves? Let’s give each other a big hug, put the things we can’t do behind us and focus on all the amazing qualities we have as mothers! Deal?
Wow! didn’t think you would get that crazy pep-talk did you? lol!!!
Thanks for reading!Big Hugs!
Michele
Marilia Draper —Reply
Mawww… such a sweet reply. And it’s a done deal!!! Let’s focus on the positive side, we totally rock!!!
Big hugs back!! You’ve made my day x xLiz Braga —Reply
Hi Michele! We’re just starting solids with my (almost) 6 month old dauther and I’m adding this to our list of purees to make! Quick question. If I prepare this with thawed breast milk, and then freeze it, is it ok to defrost it again? And how do you defrost the puree after you’ve frozen it? Thanks!
Michele Olivier —Reply
Hello Liz,
To be safe, I would 1)use only fresh breast milk in the puree before freezing or 2)use frozen breast milk after you thaw the puree. The problem is that bacteria might grow in the breast milk from the freeze-thaw-freeze-thaw process. I just read several places where it says you can and several that say you can’t, so just to be safe. I would avoid that double freeze/thaw.
To defrost the purees you put the cubes you want to serve in a glass or BPA free container and 1)leave in fridge overnight or 2) pop in microwave and heat for 20 seconds at a time, stirring each time, until warm.
Hope that helps!
xoxo, MicheleLiz Braga —Reply
Thank you! I decided to use fresh like you said. Seems to have worked out ok. I love your site!
Fiona Galey —Reply
Your nutrition section on carrots says to wait till 6 months old but you have this listed in your 4+ section. We just started with our daughter at 4 months and we’re hoping to find out which is the better recommendation?
Thanks!
FionaMichele Olivier —Reply
Good catch! I hate to be too prescriptive with rules for introducing baby to different foods, so if you are concerned with nitrate poising (doesn’t happen all that often but is linked to contaminated well water in some communities) then I would wait until 6 months. If you just want baby to taste some carrot puree, then you can introduce beforehand. I introduced Parker to carrots around 5 1/2 months and she had maybe 4 ounces a week for the first couple of months.
Hope that helps.
xo, Michele
Andrea —Reply
Had this for the past 2 nights. This morning LO (6.5 months) woke up crying then puked. Possible reaction to nutmeg? I doubt it was carrots.
Michele Olivier —Reply
Not sure. Nutmeg doesn’t have a high allergy point and usually allergic reactions are usually pretty immediate. But just in case I would save the rest of the puree for another time and feed them something simple (apple puree) to help with their upset tummy.
xo, Michele
Sharon Rausch —Reply
I learn so much from you as well! Thank you so much for sharing your helpful information. Keep it up.
Eddee —Reply
Thank you so much for the recipes! I can’t wait to try them but I’m wondering if there is nutritional info available? Thx!
Michele Olivier —Reply
I am adding the nutritional information as we speak, but it will take me some time. You can always use a nutritional calculator to find the information in the meantime.
Shanna —Reply
I just started making my little ones food and this was a great starter recipe. She loves carrots!
KL —Reply
Can you use frozen carrots?
Michele Olivier —Reply
Yes, you can use frozen carrots in this recipe. I just added that info to the recipe card.
Leslie —Reply
Is it safe to freeze formula? Or should I purée the carrots, freeze then add in formula when ready to eat?
Michele Olivier —Reply
Great question! I have never had any problems freezing formula (especially in these small quantities) but you can always puree the carrots using water and then when reheating the puree you can thin it out a little more with formula.
Deasy Phillips —Reply
Hi, I’m new to your blog. Was looking for recipes to make my baby first food, she will start her solid in about a week. How many times a day of solid do you recommend? And how much should I give each time? Fyi, she’s exclusively breastfeeding and haven’t had anything but breastmilk. Thank you in advance.
Michele Olivier —Reply
Welcome! Have your checked out my Ultimate Guide on How to Make Homemade Baby Food? This guide should answer all of your questions but if not let me know.
Danielle —Reply
I read the guide and for the sample schedule it starts at 6-7 months. My
sons doctor gave the go ahead to start solids at his 4 month appointment. He’s 5 months in 2 days so it’s been almost a month. Should I be giving him 2 purées a day or just 1? I’ve been using your recipes since I started and he’s LOVED every single food we’ve made! So thank you so much for all your hard work!!Michele Olivier —Reply
I’m so happy to hear that your little one loves the purees you made! Yay! Around a month into the feeding journey, you can start introducing two different foods a day and then you can introduce combination purees or multiple solid foods. I hope that helps!
Jahnavi Jaanu —Reply
It was just yummy and mouth-watering to look at the preparation of the puree. Thank you for the helpful post to help moms.
Steza —Reply
When you say to try these flavour combos, do you do a 1:1 ratio? My LO isn’t a big fan of potatoes, carrots, broccoli or apples. I want to try to mix them with some of the food I know he likes but was wondering how to handle the ratios?
Michele Olivier —Reply
Good question – You can do 1:1 or up to a 1:4 if he really isn’t into a certain food. No need to be super precise, just mix and match as you see fit based on what quantities you have on hand and what your little one prefers.
Mary —Reply
Hi
Why do you recommend popping out baby food from silicone container and placing in stasher bags ?
Thanks
Michele Olivier —Reply
Great question – I always pop my frozen purees out and store them in stasher bags (or ziplock baggies) so I can reuse the tray for more purees. But you can store the purees in the trays if you have extra.
Whitney —Reply
Hi! How many carrots do I need if I used frozen?
Michele Olivier —Reply
You would use a pound of frozen carrots.
Perri —Reply
Hey there! Any reason why mine is not that baby food consistency? I roasted and followed directions to a T (opted to not use nutmeg). Wish I could load a photo. Its like gritty/very fine choppy and mushy at the same time and not baby food consistency. Using a blender.
Michele Olivier —Reply
So sorry they didn’t turn out. How long did you blend it for? Did you add enough water? Usually, I blend my carrots for a full 2 minutes on high and have to add 1 to 1 1/2 cups of liquid to really get them blended and smooth.
Danielle —Reply
What water level would you use on Beaba babycook to make this recipe?
Natsai —Reply
I have a 7 month old baby and we tried this recipe. He absolutely loved it, and so did I. 🙂
Michele Olivier —Reply
I am so happy to hear you both loved this puree!!
Cyn Turski —Reply
Hi – my LO is almost 5 months and we’re sooo excited to try some of your recipes! How long can this carrot puree be stored in the fridge/freezer?
Michele Olivier —Reply
The carrot puree can be stored for up to 4 days in the fridge or 4 months in the freezer. Let me know how your little one likes this recipe!
Jill Stockwell —Reply
Hello! Thank you so much for posting a wide variety of recipes that my baby has loved so far. You make making baby food easy! I also just wanted to add that you spelled “refrigerator” as “regriderator” 🙂
Michele Olivier —Reply
So glad you are here and loving the baby recipes! haha thanks for catching that! Just fixed it:)
Janae —Reply
I don’t have a steamer basket – is there an alternative? Can I just boil the carrots?
Michele Olivier —Reply
Yes, you can boil the carrots. Place chopped carrots in a medium saucepan and cover completely with water, bring to a boil, cover and cook for 15-20 minutes or until fork tender. Hope this helps:)
Lilian —Reply
I love this.
Devin —Reply
I made this tonight (without nutmeg because I ran out) with fresh breast milk I pumped today. It’s still good in the fridge in an airtight container for 4 days right?
Michele Olivier —Reply
Yes, this recipe will last for up to 4 days in the fridge, even when you add breast milk. Enjoy!
Laura Koprek —Reply
How long can it stay in the fridge for? My son loves it! I ended up using baby carrots
Michele Olivier —Reply
You can store this carrot baby puree in the fridge for up to 4 days or freeze it for up to 4 months. Thank you!
Laura Koprek —Reply
Thank you so much my son absolutely loves the carrots!
Cassidy Richards —Reply
Hello! I want to personally thank you for posting these recipes. My 5 m/o just tried the carrots this week! His first time having baby food ever. He loved the recipe. Ever since I found out I was pregnant, I knew I wanted to breast feed. With my little one being a NICU baby, I ended up loosing my milk supply from traveling and being unable to pump regularly. I knew when it was time for him to eat baby food, I wanted to make it so I knew what was going into his little body. Not only that, but I wanted to go the extra mile for him. It is also very cost efficient.
I just made the banana purée recipe. Added the cinnamon to it. I’m excited to see him try it tomorrow. Thank you again!!
Michele Olivier —Reply
Such a great momma! You two have been through a lot. Thank you so much for sharing! So happy you both are enjoying my recipes! 💕
Natalie D —Reply
Gave this as baby’s first food today, and she kicked her legs in delight/kept opening her mouth for more!! She is 5 months 6 days, and prior to this, had 2.5 weeks of rice cereal. I followed the recipe exactly but with breast milk and didn’t add any extra other than the 1/2 cup as is written. I tasted it and personally wanted more haha!
Michele Olivier —Reply
Awww! That’s so awesome! Glad she enjoyed it so much! xo
