Broccoli Puree Recipe

As the mom of 3 girls, I’ve made a lot of purees over the last 8 years, testing cooking methods, trying fresh versus frozen produce. One of my kids favorite vegetables is roasted broccoli and it started with ttheir love of this broccoli puree.

Broccoli puree is a great way to introduce your baby or toddler to the bigger bolder flavors of vegetables.  Roasting vegetables can bring out the sweetness in them especially veggie purees like sweet potato puree or carrot puree and works great in this one too.

This puree is delicious on its own or you can add a few additional ingredients and turn it into a puree that your whole family will love.  For littles that means pairing it with something on the sweeter side like apple puree or pear puree.  For bigger kids or adults, combine it with lemon and arborio rice for a great spin on a classic risotto dish.

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Why choose broccoli for babies

You can often tell how nutrient dense food is by its color, and broccoli is no exception.  It's bright green color is indicative of a vegetable that is good for you and your baby!  

• High in Vitamin C and a great source of iron and calcium
• The vitamin C in broccoli helps people's bodies absorb iron and other nutrients from the broccoli.  It’s what allows our babies to get the most out of every bite. 
• Broccoli is known to support heart and stomach health

Ingredients

• Broccoli: fresh or frozen
• Liquid to thin out the puree:  You can use any liquid you like here.  Water, breast milk, plant based milks, dairy milk.  If you eat meat, you can try a bone broth, chicken or beef stock.

Fresh vs. Frozen Broccoli

This is another puree in which I typically turn to the frozen option.  I, like most families, have a bag of frozen broccoli in my freezer at all times. 

• You can easily roast broccoli from frozen, eliminating the step of cutting and cleaning fresh broccoli. 
• Frozen broccoli is also a great option because it is flash frozen at the peak of freshness, which locks in all the good stuff right when it’s harvested. 
• Easy to find year round in all grocery stores.

If you want to use fresh broccoli, look for bright green heads of broccoli, making sure they are sturdy and none of the “branches” are limp.  You'll also want to look for tightly closed florets and no yellowing on the edges.

Cutting fresh broccoli

Cutting fresh broccoli can be a pain, but if you chose to go that route, here are a few tips:

1. Always using a cutting glove,
2. Then using a knife, start by cutting off one floret at a time.
3. Then work your way around the stem, until you’ve gotten them all off. 
4. At that point, you can cut the florets in half so they have a flat side to place on the pan.
5. It’s the same method I use for prepping cauliflower for roasting and it works like a gem.

How to make broccoli puree

Roasting the broccoli is the key o making this a delicious puree.  The roasting process allows the broccoli to caramelize and brings out the natural sweetness.  Add in a bit of good fat in the form of olive oil and just a pinch of salt to balance the flavors for your baby. I’ve also included a method for steaming the broccoli if that’s what you prefer.

• Preheat the oven to 425 degrees and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
• Spread the broccoli florets (frozen or fresh) on the baking sheet in one layer (the more bits touching the baking sheet, the more caramelization you'll get)

• Drizzle with olive oil making sure all the pieces are coated.  I like to use my hands to massage the oil into the broccoli so every piece is coated evenly.  Then sprinkle the salt over the top.

• Roast the broccoli for 25-30 minutes, (check on the broccoli at about 20 minutes and give the pan a little shake).  You want the broccoli to be getting some browning on the parts touching the pan, and for the tops to be green and fork tender.  Fresh broccoli may cook a bit faster than frozen, so be sure to check on it periodically).

• Remove the roasted broccoli from the oven and let cool for a few minutes.  Then transfer it carefully to a  high speed blender. Add a few tablespoons of water (or your preferred liquid) to help get things going. Puree to desired consistency, adding a bit more liquid, as needed.

How to store and freeze

Once the broccoli puree is at the desired consistency, pour it into either a small mason jar, an airtight container or a silicone ice cube tray and cover with a piece of plastic wrap directly onto the puree.  You can pop the mason jar into the fridge for 3 days or immediately freeze the leftovers. 

If freezing the puree, put the ice cube tray on a flat surface in the freezer until the cubes are solid, then transfer to a zip top bag for easier storage. The cubes are good for up to 2 months in the freezer.

Defrost and Reheat

When you want to serve the broccoli baby food to your little one, either defrost it in the fridge overnight or put the frozen baby food cube into a microwave safe dish and microwave in 10 second intervals until it reaches the desired consistency.

Because it tends to be a thicker puree when defrosted, you’ll want to mix it with a puree that is thinner or be ready to add a liquid of your choosing to help thin it out for younger babies.

Serving Suggestions for Babies

Broccoli puree is great to serve with other fruit or vegetable purees and soft foods. 

• Grains: Oats, Rice Cereal, Quinoa Cereal
• Protein: Silken tofu, White beans, Salmon (cooked and flaked into the puree)
• Fruits: Apple Puree, Banana Puree, Mango Puree
• Vegetables: Sweet Potato Puree, Pea Puree
• Spice it Up: Lemon, fresh mint, chopped cilantro
• Yummy combinations for baby: 
  • Stir the broccoli puree together with a little butter, a little parmesan cheese and some cooked rice.  It’s a complete meal that is reminiscent of risotto.
  • Apple puree, broccoli, rice
  • Broccoli, white bean puree, mint
  • Broccoli, mango puree, cauliflower puree

Serving Suggestions for Big Kids and Adults

Broccoli puree makes a great side dish as an alternative to potatoes or regular roasted veggies.  

• Instead of just steaming or roasting the broccoli, go one step further and puree it with your favorite stock (veggie or chicken) or dairy (think sour cream, greek yogurt, parmesan cheese) and serve it as a side dish to Pesto Salmon, Pink Sauce Pasta or your favorite meal off the grill.
• The frozen cubes of puree can be dropped into soups to boost the nutritional value and cut down on prep time.  You can also use the broccoli puree as a base for a quick broccoli cheddar soup.
• If you are feeling really fancy, spread the puree with shaved parmesan on a small toasted bread for a simple broccoli crostini, sprinkle with Maldon salt, a squeeze of lemon and enjoy!

📖 Recipe