Cauliflower for Babies: When to Start and How to Serve It by Age
- From around 6 months
- Not a common allergen
- Cook until very soft
Cauliflower can be offered from around 6 months, once your baby has started solids. Steam or roast it until very soft, so a floret squashes easily. Large florets with a bit of stalk make a good handle at first; later, cut it into small pieces. Raw cauliflower is hard and can break into pieces that are difficult to manage, so always cook it for babies.
📲 20 Bibful recipes with cauliflowerHow to serve it by age
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6–8 months
✋ Finger food (BLW)
Large florets with a stalk to hold, steamed or roasted until very soft.
🥣 Purée or spoon
Blend cooked cauliflower with potato, lentils or a little cheese.
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9–12 months
✋ Finger food (BLW)
Small soft pieces of cooked cauliflower.
🥣 Purée or spoon
Mash cauliflower into potato, or stir it into a mild cheese sauce.
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12+ months
✋ Finger food (BLW)
Soft florets from family meals, cooked without salt.
🥣 Purée or spoon
Cauliflower cheese, mild curries, soups and bakes.
Have cauliflower at home? See what you can cook
Add a second ingredient to see matching Bibful recipes.
20 Bibful recipes with cauliflower
Cauliflower Egg Crêpe14 min · from 6 months
Red Lentil, Cauliflower, Turmeric & Kale16 min · from 6 months
Broccoli & Cauliflower Fritter16 min · from 6 months
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Preparation tips
- Soft, not crunchy. A cooked floret should squash easily between your finger and thumb.
- Keep a handle. At first, leave a bit of stalk on large florets so your baby can grip them.
- Roast for flavour. Roasted cauliflower tastes sweeter than boiled.
Frequently asked questions
When can babies eat cauliflower?
From around 6 months, once your baby has started solids, cooked until very soft.
Can babies eat raw cauliflower?
No: raw cauliflower is hard and can break into pieces that are difficult to manage. Cook it until soft.
Is cauliflower cheese OK for babies?
Yes, made with pasteurised cheese and no added salt. Use a little mild cheese, as cheese is naturally salty.
More first foods
- 🍎 Apple
- 🥑 Avocado
- 🍌 Banana
- 🥩 Beef
- 🫐 Blueberries
- 🍞 Bread
- 🥦 Broccoli
- 🎃 Butternut squash
- 🥕 Carrot
- 🌿 Celery
- 🧀 Cheese
- 🍗 Chicken
- 🫘 Chickpeas
- 🥥 Coconut
- 🥒 Courgette
- 🥚 Egg
- 🫛 Green beans
- 🍖 Lamb
- 🫘 Lentils
- 🥭 Mango
- 🥛 Cow’s milk
- 🥣 Oats
- 🍝 Pasta
- 🥜 Peanut
- 🍐 Pear
- 🫛 Peas
- 🥔 Potato
- 🦐 Prawns
- 🫑 Red pepper
- 🍚 Rice
- 🐟 Salmon
- 🥬 Spinach
- 🍓 Strawberries
- 🍠 Sweet potato
- 🥄 Tahini
- Tofu
- 🍅 Tomato
- 🌰 Walnut
- 🥛 Yogurt
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This page is general information, not medical advice. It follows NHS Start for Life and World Health Organization guidance on introducing solid foods. Always stay with your baby while they eat, and speak to your health visitor or GP if you have concerns about feeding, allergies or choking.