First foods database
🥬 Cavolo nero for babies: when and how to serve it
Can babies eat cavolo nero? Yes, from about 6 months, cooked until soft. Also called black kale, it has a deep, earthy flavour and gives calcium, vitamin K and plant iron to early meals.
Good source of: Vitamin K, Vitamin C, Calcium, Iron
How to serve cavolo nero by age
6 to 9 months
Strip leaves from the tough central rib, cook until very soft and blend into soups, mash or pasta sauce. Blending it with butter beans or potato gives a smooth, mild green mash.
9 to 12 months
Chop cooked leaves finely and stir into risotto, eggs, beans or minestrone. It also works well in minestrone with small pasta shapes.
12 months and up
Serve chopped through family pasta, stews and soups, or as baked kale crisps for older toddlers.
Choking safety
Leaves can be fibrous and may stick to the roof of the mouth. Remove the stalk, cook well and chop finely or blend. Crispy kale crisps can shatter, so save them for older children.
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
- Pair with a vitamin C food to help your baby absorb its plant iron.
Easy ideas
- Cavolo nero pesto through pasta
- White bean and cavolo nero stew
- Cavolo nero and potato mash
Goes well with
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Questions parents ask
Can babies eat cavolo nero?
Can babies eat cavolo nero? Yes, from about 6 months, cooked until soft. Also called black kale, it has a deep, earthy flavour and gives calcium, vitamin K and plant iron to early meals.
What is the difference between kale and cavolo nero?
Cavolo nero is a type of kale with long dark leaves and a slightly sweeter, softer texture once cooked.
Can babies eat kale crisps?
Not as young babies. They are brittle and can break into dry shards. Offer soft cooked leaves instead. Cavolo nero also has a slightly sweeter taste than curly kale once cooked.
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).