Pasta for Babies: When to Start and How to Serve It by Age

• From around 6 months
• Common allergen (wheat)
• Cook soft, no salt

Pasta can be offered from around 6 months. Most pasta is made from wheat, a common allergen, so start with a small amount and watch for a reaction. Cook it a little past the packet time so it’s soft, and leave the salt out of the water. Large shapes like fusilli and penne are easiest to grip at first; small shapes suit a spoon. Fresh pasta often contains egg, also a common allergen, so check the label.

📲 64 Bibful recipes with pasta

How to serve it by age

1. 6–8 months

   ✋ Finger food (BLW)

   Large soft-cooked shapes like fusilli, penne or rigatoni to grab and gnaw.

   🥣 Purée or spoon

   Tiny shapes such as stars or orzo, stirred into a smooth purée.

3. 9–12 months

   ✋ Finger food (BLW)

   Small soft shapes, or larger shapes cut in half, with a little sauce so they’re easier to pick up.

   🥣 Purée or spoon

   Small pasta with vegetable, lentil or tomato sauce.

5. 12+ months

   ✋ Finger food (BLW)

   Pasta shapes and short spaghetti from family meals, cooked without salt.

   🥣 Purée or spoon

   Pasta with homemade sauces, pasta bakes and soups.

Have pasta at home? See what you can cook

Add a second ingredient to see matching Bibful recipes.

✓ 🍝 Pasta+ 🍅 Tomato+ 🧀 Cheese+ 🥕 Carrot+ 🫑 Red Pepper+ 🥒 Courgette

64 Bibful recipes with pasta

• 
  Cheesy Squash Pasta13 min · from 6 months
• 
  Spinach & Pea Pasta14 min · from 6 months
• 
  Avocado Pasta15 min · from 6 months

See the recipes in Bibful

Free to start, with 50+ recipes free · iPhone & Android · no account needed

Preparation tips

• Soft, not al dente. Cook pasta a few minutes past the packet time so it squashes easily between your fingers.
• No salt in the water. Cook the family’s pasta without salt and season the grown-ups’ portions at the table.
• Check fresh pasta for egg. Fresh pasta and some dried pasta contain egg, also a common allergen; the label tells you.

• How to introduce allergens safely
• Choking vs gagging

Frequently asked questions

When can babies eat pasta?

From around 6 months, cooked until soft. Pasta usually contains wheat, so start with a small amount and watch for a reaction.

Which pasta shapes are best for babies?

Large shapes like fusilli, penne or rigatoni are easiest to hold at first. Tiny shapes such as stars or orzo suit a spoon. Spaghetti is fine too; cutting it shorter makes it easier.

What are the signs of an allergic reaction?

Signs can include hives or a rash, swelling of the lips or face, vomiting, or coughing and wheezing, usually soon after eating. If your baby has trouble breathing or swallowing, call emergency services straight away. For milder signs, stop giving pasta and speak to your GP.

More first foods

• 🍎 Apple
• 🥑 Avocado
• 🍌 Banana
• 🥩 Beef
• 🫐 Blueberries
• 🍞 Bread
• 🥦 Broccoli
• 🎃 Butternut squash
• 🥕 Carrot
• 🥦 Cauliflower
• 🌿 Celery
• 🧀 Cheese
• 🍗 Chicken
• 🫘 Chickpeas
• 🥥 Coconut
• 🥒 Courgette
• 🥚 Egg
• 🫛 Green beans
• 🍖 Lamb
• 🫘 Lentils
• 🥭 Mango
• 🥛 Cow’s milk
• 🥣 Oats
• 🥜 Peanut
• 🍐 Pear
• 🫛 Peas
• 🥔 Potato
• 🦐 Prawns
• 🫑 Red pepper
• 🍚 Rice
• 🐟 Salmon
• 🥬 Spinach
• 🍓 Strawberries
• 🍠 Sweet potato
• 🥄 Tahini
• Tofu
• 🍅 Tomato
• 🌰 Walnut
• 🥛 Yogurt

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.