First foods database
🫘 Borlotti beans for babies: when and how to serve it
Can babies eat borlotti beans? Yes, from about 6 months. Borlotti beans are creamy and slightly nutty, giving plant protein, fibre and iron. Their creamy texture makes them an easy introduction to pulses.
Good source of: Protein, Fibre, Iron, Folate
How to serve borlotti beans by age
6 to 9 months
Rinse no-added-salt tinned beans, then blend or mash into purées. Squash beans flat for finger food. Blend with a drizzle of olive oil and a little vegetable cooking water for a smooth purée, or mash with sweet potato.
9 to 12 months
Offer squashed beans in stews and pasta, or bean mash on toast. Stir mashed borlotti beans through pasta with tomato, or offer them in a soft minestrone-style soup.
12 months and up
Serve borlotti beans in Italian-style soups, stews and pasta. They work well in bean burgers and casseroles too.
Choking safety
Squash whole beans flat for babies and young toddlers. Remove any tough loose skins, and cook dried beans fully until creamy in the middle.
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
- Rinse tinned beans; choose no added salt.
Easy ideas
- Borlotti bean and pasta soup
- Bean and tomato stew
- Borlotti bean mash on toast
Goes well with
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Questions parents ask
Can babies eat borlotti beans?
Can babies eat borlotti beans? Yes, from about 6 months. Borlotti beans are creamy and slightly nutty, giving plant protein, fibre and iron. Their creamy texture makes them an easy introduction to pulses.
Are dried borlotti beans safe?
Yes, soak and cook thoroughly. Never eat dried beans raw or undercooked; soak overnight and boil thoroughly.
Do borlotti beans have to be peeled?
No, cooked skins are soft. Mashing them for young babies makes the skins easier to manage.
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).