First foods database
🫘 Cannellini beans for babies: when and how to serve it
Can babies eat cannellini beans? Yes, from about 6 months. These soft, creamy white beans are a handy source of plant protein, fibre, iron and folate, and they mash easily into a smooth purée or squash into a simple finger food.
Good source of: Protein, Fibre, Iron, Folate
How to serve cannellini beans by age
6 to 9 months
Use tinned beans in water with no added salt, rinse well, then warm through. Mash or blend with a little olive oil or water into a smooth purée, or spread onto toast fingers. You can also flatten each bean between your fingers so it is safe to pick up.
9 to 12 months
Offer whole soft beans flattened slightly, or stir them into tomato sauces, soups and pasta. Cannellini and tuna or cannellini and spinach make quick, iron-rich meals.
12 months and up
Serve beans whole in stews, salads and bakes, or make homemade baked beans with tomatoes and no added sugar. A white bean dip with lemon goes well with soft vegetable sticks.
Choking safety
Whole beans are round and can be slippery. For younger babies, mash them or squash each bean flat. Make sure dried beans are cooked until very soft.
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
- Pick tins with no added salt and rinse well.
- Dried beans must be soaked and boiled thoroughly until soft.
Easy ideas
- White bean, basil and olive oil mash on toast
- Cannellini and tomato pasta sauce
- Homemade cannellini baked beans
Goes well with
Recipes with cannellini beans
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Questions parents ask
Can babies eat cannellini beans?
Can babies eat cannellini beans? Yes, from about 6 months. These soft, creamy white beans are a handy source of plant protein, fibre, iron and folate, and they mash easily into a smooth purée or squash into a simple finger food.
Do I need to cook tinned beans?
Tinned beans are already cooked, so they are safe to use after rinsing. Warming them softens them further for babies.
Do beans cause wind?
Beans can cause some wind as your baby's tummy gets used to fibre. Start with small amounts and build up.
Are cannellini beans a good source of iron?
Yes, they contain a useful amount of plant iron. Offer them with foods rich in vitamin C, such as tomatoes or peppers, to help your baby absorb it.
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).