First foods database

🧈 Ghee for babies: when and how to serve it

Can babies have ghee? Yes, from about 6 months a little ghee can be used in cooking. It is clarified butter, so it adds rich flavour and energy to dals, khichdi and roasted vegetables.

From 6 monthsAllergen: MilkLow choking risk when prepared well

Good source of: Vitamin A, Vitamin E, Healthy fats

How to serve ghee by age

6 to 9 months

Melt a small amount into dal, khichdi, mashed vegetables or rice. Use it in place of butter or oil when cooking. Just a quarter to half a teaspoon is enough for a baby portion.

9 to 12 months

Continue to use ghee in family dishes like dal, parathas and curries. A little ghee on a soft paratha strip makes an easy finger food.

12 months and up

Use in family cooking as you would butter.

Choking safety

Ghee is a fat, so there is no choking concern itself. Be careful with very hot ghee when cooking. Let food cool, as ghee holds heat well.

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

Ghee is made from milk; the milk proteins are mostly removed, but it may still not suit a baby with a cow's milk allergy.
It is high in saturated fat: a little is plenty.

Introducing it as an allergen

It contains milk, one of the 14 major allergens. How to introduce milk

Easy ideas

Khichdi with a little ghee
Dal with ghee and cumin
Ghee roasted sweet potato

Goes well with

🍲DalFrom 6 months 🍚RiceFrom 6 months 🍠Sweet potatoFrom 6 months 🌿CuminFrom 6 months

Recipes with ghee

🥣Cardamom semolina breakfast porridgeFrom 6 months · Breakfast · 10 min 🥬Chicken and spinach saagFrom 9 months · Dinner · 40 min 🍚Lamb and butternut squash biryaniFrom 10 months · Dinner · 70 min 🧀Mild palak paneer for babiesFrom 7 months · Dinner · 35 min 🫕Moong dal khichdi with courgetteFrom 6 months · Lunch · 40 min 🍛Turkey and red lentil dalFrom 6 months · Lunch · 40 min

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Questions parents ask

Can babies eat ghee?

Can babies have ghee? Yes, from about 6 months a little ghee can be used in cooking. It is clarified butter, so it adds rich flavour and energy to dals, khichdi and roasted vegetables.

Is ghee good for babies?

A small amount is a good source of energy and fat-soluble vitamins in cooking.

Is ghee dairy-free?

No. It is made from butter, so check with your GP if baby has a milk allergy.

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).