Baby and toddler recipes
🥢 Baked sesame tofu fingers
Soft-centred, lightly crisp tofu fingers rolled in ground sesame and baked. A simple vegan finger food that offers protein, iron and calcium, and gently introduces sesame.
Makes about 16 fingers
Ingredients
- 200g firm Tofu (pressed for 10 minutes)
- 1 tbsp Sesame seeds (finely ground)
- 1 tsp Tahini
- 1/4 small clove Garlic (grated)
- 1 tsp Rapeseed oil
- 1 Red pepper (cut into strips and roasted, to serve)
Method
- Heat the oven to 200C (180C fan) and line a tray with baking paper.
- Cut the pressed tofu into fingers about the size of an adult finger.
- Mix the tahini, oil and garlic and brush lightly over the tofu.
- Roll the fingers in the ground sesame and lay them on the tray with the pepper strips.
- Bake for 20 to 25 minutes, turning once, until golden on the outside.
- Cool before serving; the centre should stay soft.
Serving it to your baby
At 6 months offer whole fingers that baby can grip and gnaw, with soft roasted pepper strips alongside for vitamin C. From 9 months cut into smaller cubes for the pincer grip. Use firm, not extra-firm, tofu so it squashes easily between your fingers.
For the rest of the family
Make a bigger tray and toss the adult portions in a dressing of soy sauce, rice vinegar and chilli, then serve with noodles or rice.
Storing and reheating
Cool quickly and keep covered in the fridge for up to 2 days. Reheat in the oven until hot through, then cool before serving. Freezing makes tofu chewy, so these are best fresh.
Weaning with OBubba
Plan meals and log what your baby loved.
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Questions parents ask
Is tofu good for babies?
Yes. Tofu is soft, mild and a useful source of protein, iron and calcium (if set with calcium sulphate). Tofu is a soya food, so introduce it as you would other allergens.
Why grind the sesame seeds?
Ground seeds are easier to digest and safer for babies than lots of whole seeds, and this is a gentle way to keep sesame in baby's diet.
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).