First foods database

🍚 Orzo for babies: when and how to serve it

Can babies eat orzo? Yes, from about 6 months. Orzo is a small, rice-shaped pasta made from wheat that cooks soft in minutes, and its tiny size makes it a brilliant step from smooth purées towards lumpier textures.

From 6 monthsAllergen: GlutenLow choking risk when prepared well

Good source of: Carbohydrate, B vitamins, Iron

How to serve orzo by age

6 to 9 months

Cook orzo a couple of minutes longer than the packet says so every piece is very soft, then stir into vegetable purée, smooth tomato sauce or mashed lentils. It clumps nicely, so preload a spoon or let your baby grab sticky handfuls.

9 to 12 months

Make a soft orzo risotto with peas and cheese, mix it with flaked fish and courgette, or bind cooked orzo with egg and cheese into small baked fritters for finger food.

12 months and up

Serve orzo in family soups, pasta salads and one-pot bakes. Toddlers can practise using a spoon with it, as it is easy to scoop.

Choking safety

Soft orzo is low choking risk. Dry or undercooked orzo can be harder to swallow and may cause gagging, so keep it well cooked and saucy. Gagging on new lumpy textures is normal and noisy; stay calm and let your baby work it forward.

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

Orzo is made from wheat and contains gluten, so introduce it in small amounts at first.
Cook in water or homemade unsalted stock rather than stock cubes.

Introducing it as an allergen

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

Easy ideas

Cheesy orzo with peas and butter
Tomato and courgette orzo
Chicken, carrot and orzo soup

Goes well with

🫛PeaFrom 6 months 🥒CourgetteFrom 6 months 🍗ChickenFrom 6 months 🧀ParmesanFrom 6 months · Milk

Recipes with orzo

🍋Creamy cannellini, kale and lemon orzoFrom 7 months · Dinner · 25 min 🇬🇷Greek lamb and orzo bakeFrom 12 months · Dinner · 60 min

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Questions parents ask

Can babies eat orzo?

Is orzo pasta or rice?

Orzo is pasta made from durum wheat, cut into a shape that looks like rice. It is not gluten-free.

Is orzo good for weaning?

Yes. Its small size helps babies get used to texture, and it holds sauce well, which makes it easy to eat from a spoon or by hand.

Is there a gluten-free orzo?

Yes, some brands make orzo from rice or corn. Check the label, and cook it soft in the same way.

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).