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Baby food recipes

Zucchini and Mashed Potatoes for Babies: A Simple Recipe

Zucchini and Potato Puree for Your Baby: A recipe for 2 servings based on BLV guidelines, without salt, including a video and tips on bitter zucchini, freezing, and on-the-go meals.

By the LIINI editorial teamUpdated 5 min read10 sources

Zucchini with potato mash recipe
Contents

In short

To make zucchini and potato purée, cook zucchini and peeled potatoes until tender—about 15 minutes—then purée them until smooth and stir in canola oil, without adding any salt. It’s suitable starting when you begin introducing solid foods—that is, no earlier than the beginning of the 5th month. Try the zucchini raw first: if it tastes bitter, throw it away. The second serving will keep in the refrigerator for up to 24 hours and in the freezer for up to 2 months.

This zucchini and potato mash is mild, creamy, and ready in 25 minutes. Cook two servings according to the quantities recommended by the Federal Office for Food Safety and Veterinary Affairs (BLV): one for now, and one for tomorrow or the freezer.

Recipe: Zucchini and Potato Puree

  • Age: starting with the introduction of solid foods
  • Servings: 2
  • Prep time: 10 minutes
  • Cooking time: 15 minutes
  • Freezing: suitable

Ingredients for 2 servings

  • 200 g zucchini, about 1 small one
  • 100 g potatoes, about 1 medium-sized, floury variety
  • 150 ml water
  • 2–4 teaspoons of canola oil (1–2 teaspoons per serving)

Preparation

  1. Prepare the potatoes: Wash and peel them, cut away any green spots and eyes generously, and dice them into small cubes, about 1 cm in size.
  2. Taste the zucchini. Wash the zucchini, cut off the ends, and taste a small piece of it raw. If it tastes bitter, throw the whole zucchini away. Otherwise, cut them, with the peel still on, into pieces about 2 cm in size.
  3. Bring the potatoes to a boil in water in a small pan (saucepan) and let them simmer, covered, for 5 minutes. Add the zucchini and cook for another 10 minutes, until the potatoes are very tender.
  4. Puree: Drain off the remaining cooking water and puree the vegetables until smooth. If the porridge is too thick, stir in a little fresh water. Leave out the salt, pepper, and bouillon.
  5. Stir in the oil: Stir in 1–2 teaspoons of canola oil per serving.
  6. Let it cool, then divide the porridge into two portions. Let it cool to eating temperature, stir it, and taste it with your own spoon. Cool the second one immediately and put it in the refrigerator or freezer.
The video shows how it is made. The amounts and steps in the recipe above follow the recommendations of expert bodies. Playing the video loads it from YouTube, which sets its own cookies.

At what age can a baby start eating zucchini and potato puree? Age and Consistency

According to the BLV, zucchini is one of the vegetables recommended for a baby’s first purees, along with carrots, parsnips, squash, and broccoli. In Switzerland, the introduction of solid foods begins no earlier than the start of the 5th month and no later than the start of the 7th month. To find out how to tell if your baby is ready, see the section on solid foods: when to start and how.

  • First spoonfuls: Start by cooking the zucchini on its own and pureeing it until smooth. After a few days, add the potatoes.
  • Coarser as they get older: According to the BLV, the porridge can be coarser as children get older. Then mash it with a fork.
  • Finger foods: Starting no earlier than the 7th month, you can offer soft pieces of zucchini and potatoes for your baby to eat on their own; see Baby-Led Weaning.

Tips: bitter zucchini, potatoes, and no salt

Attention

A bitter zucchini belongs in the trash. The bitter taste comes from cucurbitacins, which, according to the Federal Institute for Risk Assessment (BfR), can cause vomiting, diarrhea, and abdominal pain. According to the Federal Center for Nutrition (BZfE), cooking does not destroy them, and children are particularly at risk. Zucchini grown from home-saved seeds tend to become particularly bitter if ornamental squash were growing nearby. If you suspect poisoning: Tox Info Suisse, call 145.

  • Always peel potatoes: According to the BfR, young children in particular should eat only peeled potatoes. Do not use green or sprouting potatoes, and according to the BfR, do not reuse the water used to boil potatoes.
  • No salt, no spices: The BLV recommends cooking for babies without salt, bouillon, spices, sugar, or honey. Don’t add a pinch of salt or pepper either.

Variants

  • With meat or fish: According to the BLV, meat should be included regularly by the 7th month at the latest. Cook 20 g of lean meat (10 g per serving), cut into small pieces, from the start until it is cooked through. Boneless salmon works just as well.
  • Oatmeal instead of meat: After draining, stir in 10 g of tender whole-grain oatmeal per serving and puree with 3½ tablespoons of fruit puree or fruit juice. According to “Gesund ins Leben,” this improves iron absorption.
  • With carrots or squash: Replace half of the zucchini with carrots or squash, which, according to the BLV, are also low in nitrates. Add the carrots right from the start.
  • Rice instead of potatoes: According to the BLV, 10–15 g of rice, pasta, or semolina per serving (dry weight) can be used as a substitute for potatoes, as in the case of pumpkin purée with rice. The sweet potato and parsnip puree has a sweeter taste.

Storage, Freezing, and On the Go

Unlike spinach or fennel, zucchini are considered low-nitrate vegetables, according to the BLV. That’s why it’s a good idea to cook this porridge ahead of time.

  • Refrigerator: Cool quickly; will keep for up to 24 hours.
  • Freezer: Up to 2 months at −18 °C, in individual serving cups or an ice cube tray labeled with the date.
  • Reheating: Just before eating, reheat in a water bath, in a pan, or in the microwave—only once. Stir well, check the temperature, and throw away any leftovers.
  • On the go: Keep it cool using an ice pack and reheat it once you arrive. The LIINI® 2.0 PRO baby food warmer holds up to 350 g, requires no temperature adjustment, and charges via USB-C.

From LIINI

LIINI® 2.0 PRO Baby Food Warmer, Beige, IP66LIINI® 2.0 PRO Baby Food Warmer, Beige, IP6699.99€incl. VATView product

For more information on storage and hygiene, see “Making Your Own Baby Food”; for tips on outings, see “Keeping Baby Food Warm on the Go.”

Frequently Asked Questions

When can my baby start eating zucchini?

Starting when you begin introducing solid foods—that is, no earlier than the beginning of the 5th month and no later than the beginning of the 7th month. The BLV specifically lists zucchini as a vegetable suitable for a baby’s first puree. Start with a few spoonfuls, finely pureed.

Do I need to peel zucchini for baby food?

No, you should use young zucchini—well-washed and with the skin on. For an especially smooth first baby food, you can peel them. On the other hand, you should always peel potatoes; that’s what the BfR recommends for young children.

Can I freeze zucchini and potato mash?

Yes. Cool it quickly and freeze it in portions at −18 °C; it will keep for up to 2 months. Reheat each serving only once.

Are bitter zucchini dangerous?

Yes. A bitter taste indicates the presence of cucurbitacins, which, according to the BfR, can cause vomiting, diarrhea, and abdominal pain, and cooking does not destroy them. Throw away any bitter zucchini. If your child has any symptoms, call Tox Info Suisse at 145 or contact your pediatrician.

Can I add salt to the zucchini and potato mash?

No. The BLV recommends cooking for babies without salt, bouillon, spices, sugar, or honey. You should still stir in some canola oil—according to the BLV, it provides valuable fatty acids.

Sources

  1. Nutrition for Infants and Toddlers: Complementary Foods, Federal Office for Food Safety and Veterinary Affairs (BLV)
  2. Nutrition for Infants and Toddlers: Recipes, Federal Office for Food Safety and Veterinary Affairs (BLV)
  3. Nutrition for Infants and Toddlers: Frequently Asked Questions, Federal Office for Food Safety and Veterinary Affairs (BLV)
  4. Caution When Eating Bitter Zucchini (PDF), Federal Institute for Risk Assessment (BfR)
  5. Do not eat bitter pumpkins and zucchini, Federal Center for Nutrition (BZfE)
  6. The bitter aftertaste of “poisonous pumpkins” and “killer zucchini,” Tox Info Suisse
  7. Questions and Answers About Solanine in Potatoes (PDF), Federal Institute for Risk Assessment (BfR)
  8. Vegetable, Potato, and Grain Porridge, “Healthy Start to Life” Network
  9. Hygiene Related to Infant Nutrition, kindergesundheit-info.de, Federal Institute for Public Health (BIÖG)
  10. Storing and Reheating Food, NHS Best Start in Life
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