First foods database

🌿 Basil for babies: when and how to serve it

Can babies eat basil? Yes, from about 6 months. Fresh basil has a sweet, fragrant flavour that brightens tomato sauces, pasta and vegetable purées, and it helps babies get used to herbs without any need for salt.

From 6 monthsLow choking risk when prepared well

Good source of: Vitamin K, Antioxidants, Flavour

How to serve basil by age

6 to 9 months

Finely chop or blend a few basil leaves into tomato, courgette or pea purées, or into a smooth pasta sauce.

9 to 12 months

Stir torn or chopped basil into pasta, risotto, omelettes and soft tomato dishes. Homemade pesto with basil, olive oil and a little ground nut or seed (no salt) is a great sauce.

12 months and up

Use basil in family pasta, pizza, salads and stir fries. Shop-bought pesto is often salty, contains cheese and pine nuts, and is best offered in small amounts.

Choking safety

Whole herb leaves can stick to the roof of the mouth and cause gagging. Chop basil finely or blend it into sauces for babies.

Gagging is common and noisy while babies learn to eat. Choking is usually silent. Always stay with your baby while they eat, sitting upright. How to help a choking baby (NHS).

Good to know

Easy ideas

Goes well with

🍅TomatoFrom 6 months🍝PastaFrom 6 months · Gluten🥒CourgetteFrom 6 months🧀MozzarellaFrom 6 months · Milk

Recipes with basil

🍝Beef and spinach baby lasagneFrom 9 months · Dinner · 70 min🍅Polenta fingers with tomato dipFrom 9 months · Snack · 30 min🥫Sardine and tomato pasta sauceFrom 7 months · Lunch · 20 min🐚Spinach and ricotta stuffed pasta shellsFrom 9 months · Dinner · 50 min🍅Squashed gnocchi with tomato and white bean sauceFrom 10 months · Dinner · 25 min🧆Turkey and courgette baby meatballsFrom 6 months · Dinner · 35 min

Weaning with OBubba

Log first foods in seconds. OBubba spots the allergens for you.

Track every food your baby has tried, see reactions over time, and let OBubba gently pace new allergens one at a time. Free to download.

Download for iPhoneGet it on Android

Questions parents ask

Can babies eat basil?

Can babies eat basil? Yes, from about 6 months. Fresh basil has a sweet, fragrant flavour that brightens tomato sauces, pasta and vegetable purées, and it helps babies get used to herbs without any need for salt.

Can babies have pesto?

Homemade pesto with no added salt is ideal. Shop-bought pesto is salty and usually contains pine nuts and cheese, so offer small amounts and introduce nuts carefully first.

Is dried basil OK for babies?

Yes. Dried basil is fine in cooking. Use about a third of the amount you would use of fresh.

Sources

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).