Baby and toddler recipes
🍲 Lamb and lentil harira
A thick Moroccan soup of lamb, lentils, chickpeas and tomato, scented with cinnamon, ginger and coriander. Hearty, iron-rich and easy to thicken for spoon feeding.
Makes about 8 baby portions
Ingredients
- 200g lamb neck fillet Lamb (diced small)
- 60g Green lentils (rinsed)
- ½ x 400g tin Chickpeas (drained, skins pinched off for young babies)
- 1 Onion (chopped)
- 1 stick Celery (chopped)
- 1 x 400g tin chopped tomatoes Tomato
- ¼ tsp Cinnamon
- ½ tsp Ginger (ground)
- ¼ tsp Turmeric
- 2 tbsp Coriander (fresh leaves, chopped)
- 1 tsp Olive oil
- Water (about 900ml)
Method
- Brown the lamb in the oil, then add the onion and celery and cook for 6 minutes.
- Stir in the spices.
- Add the lentils, tomatoes and water. Simmer for 40 minutes.
- Add the chickpeas and cook for 10 minutes more until the lamb and lentils are very soft.
- Stir in the coriander.
- Blend or mash baby's portion to a thick, spoonable texture.
Serving it to your baby
At 7 months, blend thick and smooth, or mash with less liquid so it stays on a spoon. From 9 months, offer it chunkier with soft pieces of lamb and squashed chickpeas, and bread for dipping.
For the rest of the family
Season adult bowls with salt, black pepper, lemon juice and a little harissa.
Storing and reheating
Cool quickly (within an hour), then keep covered in the fridge for up to 2 days or freeze in baby portions for up to 3 months. Defrost overnight in the fridge, reheat until steaming hot all the way through, stir well and let it cool before serving. Never reheat 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
Can babies eat soup?
Yes. Make it thick enough to stay on a spoon, or let your baby dip bread or vegetable sticks.
Why add lentils and chickpeas to lamb?
They add fibre, protein and extra iron, and stretch the meat further.
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).