Baby and toddler recipes

🧀 Mild palak paneer for babies

Name: Mild palak paneer for babies
Prep time: 15 min
Cook time: 20 min
Total time: 35 min
Yield: 4 baby portions plus 2 adult portions
Ingredients: 300g Spinach; 200g Paneer; 1 Onion; 2 Tomato; 2 cloves Garlic; 1 tsp grated Ginger; 1/2 tsp ground Cumin; 1/2 tsp Garam masala; 1 tbsp Ghee; 2 tbsp plain Yoghurt; to serve Rice

A mild, creamy spinach curry with soft cubes of paneer, gently spiced for little ones. Spinach adds iron and folate, paneer adds protein and calcium, and tomato brings vitamin C.

From 7 monthsPrep 15 minCook 20 minFreezes wellContains: Milk

Makes 4 baby portions plus 2 adult portions

Ingredients

300g Spinach (washed)
200g Paneer (pasteurised, cubed)
1 Onion (finely chopped)
2 Tomato (chopped)
2 cloves Garlic (crushed)
1 tsp grated Ginger
1/2 tsp ground Cumin
1/2 tsp Garam masala
1 tbsp Ghee (or rapeseed oil)
2 tbsp plain Yoghurt (full fat)
to serve Rice

Method

Wilt the spinach in a large pan with a splash of water, then blend until smooth.
Melt the ghee and gently fry the onion for 8 minutes.
Add the garlic, ginger, cumin and garam masala for a minute, then the tomatoes and cook for 5 minutes.
Stir in the spinach purée and simmer for 5 minutes.
Add the paneer and warm through for 3 minutes, then stir in the yoghurt off the heat.
For baby, mash the paneer into the sauce or cut into fingers.

Serving it to your baby

At 7 months mash the paneer into the spinach sauce and serve on soft rice. From 9 months cut paneer into thin fingers or small cubes. Paneer is fairly low in salt, which makes it a good cheese for babies.

For the rest of the family

Add salt, chilli and a squeeze of lemon to the adults' curry, and serve with naan.

Storing and reheating

Cool quickly (within an hour), then keep covered in the fridge for up to 2 days. Freeze in small portions for up to 2 months and defrost overnight in the fridge. Reheat until steaming hot all the way through, stir, then let it cool before serving. Never reheat more than once. Freeze without rice. Cooked rice keeps 1 day in the fridge and should be reheated only once.

How to introduce milk

Weaning with OBubba

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Questions parents ask

Can babies eat paneer?

Yes, pasteurised paneer is fine from 6 months. It is soft, mild and naturally lower in salt than many cheeses.

Is spinach good for babies?

Yes, it gives iron and folate. Pairing it with vitamin C foods like tomato helps baby absorb more of that iron.

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).