After years of watching my 3 kids try new foods, I know that they eat with their eyes first. We all like to eat things that look good, and the bright orange color of this carrot puree is so enticing. Like my mango puree and blueberry puree, babies, toddlers and even adults are all about this puree!
One of the biggest challenges I've found with carrots for young kids, is that they can be hard to chew. My littlest kiddo still has a hard time with it, which is why my easy steam method for making this puree is still a constant in my house.
Just as easy as roasting produce, like in the broccoli puree and pear puree, steaming vegetables can be done in one pot and makes for a really smooth puree.
Ingredients
Best Carrots for Baby Food
- Regular carrots are the way to go. I like to buy a two or three pound bag of regular orange carrots almost every time I’m at the grocery. They last for a long time in the fridge and are one of the most simple veggies to prep at a moment's notice. You can also buy them loose in the produce section at most regular grocery stores or at your local farmers market.
- Mock Chopped Liver, a Simple Vegetarian DipBaby carrots have their time and place (I see you honey roasted baby carrots), but carrot puree is not either. They are great for crunching on or dipping into veggie chopped liver, but not for pureeing.
- If you can find a bunch of purple carrots, yellow carrots or white carrots, these work the exact same way in this puree. Just try to avoid pureeing multiple colors of carrots together because the color will get muddy and unappetizing. Remember, we eat with our eyes, so vibrant colors are the goal.
⭐Pro Tip
Peel and chop your carrots when you get home from the store. Once peeled, store them in an airtight container with a bit of water in the fridge. This makes cooking with them or snacking on them even easier. Change out the water every 3 days and the carrots will retain their freshness until you need them.
Step by Step directions
First peel the carrots and cut off the very top and very end of each carrot. Then cut them into equal sized chunks (about 2” long).
Once all the carrots are cut up, you’ll add about an inch or two of water to a large pot and put a steamer basket in that pot. To the steamer basket add the cut up carrots.
Cover the pot and put on the stove over medium-high heat until you can pierce the carrots easily with a fork, about 20 minutes.
Once the carrots are cooked, you’ll transfer them to a high speed blender (I love my Vitamix) and add a bit of water (I like to use the water from the steamer pot) to get things going. Then blend and add in additional water until desired consistency is desired. You can also add a little olive oil and salt at this point for additional fat and flavor.
Puree the carrots until they are your desired consistency. Super smooth for younger babies and any consistency you like for older babies, toddlers and adults.
Serving Suggestions for Babies
Carrot puree is great to serve with other purees or soft foods for babies and super easy to add good flavor too. It’s an easy vegetable to pair with anything from green vegetables to many fruits. Pureed carrot pairs really well with the following foods:
- Fruits: Peach Puree, Pear Puree
- Vegetables: Pea Puree, Sweet Potato Puree, Potato Puree
- Grains: Rice Cereal and Oatmeal
- Proteins: Greek Yogurt, Silken Tofu
- Spice Options: Rosemary, Mint, Lemons, Cumin, Cinnamon
- Delicious Combinations: Here are a few combinations of purees that make a great meal for your baby as they get older.
- Spinach Puree & Carrot Puree, with rice cereal
- Chickpea Puree & Carrot Puree with crackers to dip
- Carrot, Black Bean Puree and Mango Puree
Serving Suggestions for Big Kids and Adults
This carrot puree isn't only for little ones! The adults around here really like it too. While sometimes we mix it into our carrot cake overnight oats, most of the time we keep it savory.
I spice up it up and turn it into a side dish with the following flavors. All of these will also work for babies as an introduction to new flavors.
- Ginger: Place a knob of ginger in the steaming water. then add 1 frozen ginger cube (about 1 teaspoon grated) to the blender when pureeing. For a real zing, top with candied ginger crumbs
- Rosemary: Put a few sprigs of rosemary in the steaming water and then chop up fresh rosemary to mix into the puree before serving. Add a sprinkle of course salt and a splash of olive oil on top for a real treat.
- Lemon: Steam the carrots with the slices of a whole lemon placed in the water. Puree with sea salt and the juice of an additional lemon. Once pureed add in a Tablespoon of lemon butter for an extra dose of lemon.
- Garlic: Roast a whole head of garlic in foil at 450 degrees for about 40 minutes. When pureeing the carrots, add a couple splashes of olive oil, the roasted garlic and about ¼ cup Parmesan cheese. It's almost like a carrot pesto.
Variations
Make roasted carrot puree: Follow the method used in these honey roasted baby carrots. You’ll want to roast the carrots until they are quite tender so that they blend easily. Make sure to skip the honey if you are serving kiddos under a year old!
Make it a dip: Serve any of the above flavor combinations with your favorite crackers, matzo during Passover or with your favorite crusty bread. The carrot puree is a great accompaniment to the veggie chopped liver on a veggie board.
Storing and Freezing
This puree will last up to 5 days in an airtight container in the refrigerator. I like to store my purees in these 4 oz containers if I'm not freezing them. The size is perfect for popping into a diaper bag or small cooler when we are on the go.
To freeze the carrot puree into cubes, pour the puree into the silicone ice cube tray and cover with plastic wrap or the lid. Freeze until solid and then pop them out to store in zip top bags.
Defrost the frozen cubes in the fridge overnight or in the microwave at 10 second intervals.
Other Awesome Recipes from the Blender
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📖 Recipe
Delicious Carrot Puree
Equipment
Ingredients
- 1 lb carrots
Instructions
- Wash and peel the carrots, cut off the top and then cut into 2" chunks
- Place a steamer basket in a pot with about 2 inches of water. Add the cut carrots to the basket.
- Cook over medium high heat for about 20 minutes or until carrots are fork tender. Once tender, remove from steamer basket, saving the steaming liquid.
- Put into blender container, add salt and olive oil (if desired) and puree until desired texture. If you need to add liquid to get a smoother puree, stream in the steaming liquid a little bit at a time.
- Serve or store and enjoy!
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