Baby and toddler recipes
🍅 Baby-friendly West African jollof rice
A mild, salt-free jollof rice cooked in a rich tomato and red pepper sauce, ready for baby to share. The family can add heat and seasoning at the table.
Makes family of 4 plus baby
Ingredients
- 300g Basmati rice (rinsed)
- 400g tin Tomato (no added salt)
- 2 Red pepper (deseeded and chopped)
- 1 large Onion (chopped)
- 1 tbsp Tomato purée
- 1 tsp Thyme (dried)
- half a teaspoon Curry powder (mild)
- 1 Bay leaf
- 2 tbsp Rapeseed oil
- 500ml water
Method
- Blend the tomatoes, pepper and half the onion until smooth.
- Fry the remaining onion in oil, then add the tomato puree and the blended sauce. Cook for 15 minutes until reduced.
- Add thyme, curry powder, bay leaf, rice and water. Cover and cook gently for 20 to 25 minutes until the rice is soft.
- Remove the bay leaf and take baby's portion.
- Mash or blend baby's rice for a softer texture.
Serving it to your baby
At 7 months mash baby's rice with a fork or pulse it briefly so it is soft and sticky, and add a spoonful of flaked fish or mashed beans for protein and iron. From 9 months, press the rice into small balls that baby can pick up and squash.
For the rest of the family
Add scotch bonnet, stock cubes and salt to the family pot after removing baby's portion.
Storing and reheating
Cool rice quickly, within an hour. Keep in the fridge for up to 1 day, or freeze in portions for up to 1 month. Reheat until steaming hot all the way through, then cool. Never reheat rice more than once.
Weaning with OBubba
Plan meals and log what your baby loved.
OBubba keeps a record of every food your baby has tried and spots the allergens for you, so you always know what is next. Free to download.
Questions parents ask
Is leftover rice safe for babies?
Yes, as long as it is cooled quickly (within an hour), kept in the fridge for no more than a day and reheated only once until steaming hot. Rice can carry bacteria spores that survive cooking, so careful storage matters.
Can babies have curry powder and thyme?
Yes. Small amounts of mild curry powder, dried thyme and other gentle spices are fine from around 6 months and help baby enjoy the same flavours as the family. Leave the chilli out of baby's portion.
OBubba gives general information based on UK guidance. It is not medical advice and does not diagnose anything. Every baby is different. If your baby has a known allergy, severe eczema or a medical condition, speak to your doctor or health visitor before starting solids. Learn baby first aid, and in an emergency call your local emergency number (999 in the UK).