Basil may be introduced as soon as your baby is ready for solids, which is generally around 6 months old. Contrary to popular belief, babies do not need to start with bland foods, and you may introduce most spices and herbs right away. Basil is a member of the mint family, and its fresh leaves will add a bright flavor and smell to your baby’s meal.
While basil offers scant amounts of vitamin C, calcium, and iron, it’s an incredible source of vitamin K, which is important for growth, bone formation, and blood clotting. Additionally, basil contains beta-carotene, an antioxidant that converts to vitamin A, which is necessary for your baby’s eye health and vision. But the best reason, in our opinion, to introduce this tasty herb is its bright green color. Introducing leafy greens and herbs early on will broaden your baby’s palette and help stave off picky eating later on.
Basil stems, while edible, can be bitter and woody, especially if they were harvested toward the end of the plant’s growing season. When introducing basil to your baby, just use the leaves and chop them finely. Save yourself time and hassle by rolling the leaves together into one big roll, then slicing thinly to julienne the leaves. A mezzaluna (a half-moon shaped herb cutter) also works well with leafy herbs and greens like basil.
If served as a whole leaf, yes—basil can pose a choking risk. So, as long as it is chopped up, basil is safe for your baby to eat.
For more information, visit our section on gagging and choking and familiarize yourself with common choking hazards.
Yes, though basil allergies are uncommon. If your baby is sensitive to mint, however, then be careful because basil is a member of the mint family.
Every baby develops on their own timeline, and the suggestions on how to cut or prepare particular foods are generalizations for a broad audience. Your child is an individual and may have needs or considerations beyond generally accepted practices. In determining the recommendations for size and shape of foods, we use the best available scientific information regarding gross, fine, and oral motor development to minimize choking risk. The preparation suggestions we offer are for informational purposes only and are not a substitute for child-specific, one-on-one advice from your pediatric medical or health professional or provider. It is impossible to fully eliminate all risk of a baby or child choking on any liquid, puree, or food. We advise you to follow all safety protocols we suggest to create a safe eating environment and to make educated choices for your child regarding their specific needs. Never disregard professional medical advice or delay in seeking it because of something you have read or seen here.
Pesto is probably your best bet! At this age, flat, wide egg noodles are easy for babies to self-feed. You may also spread pesto on a baby cracker, thin rice cake, or toast.
This is a great age to introduce fresh basil. While there’s no one right way to introduce basil, you may find that mixing it into other foods, such as ricotta, goat cheese, or a tomato salad may help your baby take interest in the taste and prevent little leafy parts from getting stuck to the back of the throat. And by all means, continue with pesto, spreading it on chicken, fish, and pasta dishes.
Use basil liberally in your dishes and when you have it fresh, offer some thinly sliced basil in a little bowl for your toddler to sprinkle on their own meal.
Mix up your kitchen routine with ideas from our guide, 100 Dinners for Babies & Toddlers.
Yield
1 c (240 ml)
Cooking time
20 minutes
Age suggestion
6 months+
2 c (48 grams) basil leaves
1 garlic clove (optional)
¾ c (180 ml) olive oil
1 lemon
Wash and dry the basil leaves. Pat with a towel to make sure they are thoroughly dry.
Pulse the greens and garlic (peeled) in a food processor.
With the motor running, slowly pour in the oil. Blend until the mixture is creamy.
Season the basil sauce with lemon juice to taste before serving.
Set aside some basil sauce for your child, then season the rest with salt to taste for yourself. At this point, the sauce may be chilled or frozen. See storage instructions.
Serve the Sauce
Offer basil sauce with beans, grains, pasta, or roasted vegetables, then let the child self-feed.
If help is needed, mash basil sauce into grains or vegetables for your child, then pass a pre-loaded spoon in the air for the child to grab from you.
Eat basil sauce alongside the child to model how it’s done.
To Store: Basil sauce keeps in airtight containers in the refrigerator for 3 days or in the freezer for 2 months. When freezing, portion basil sauce into ½- or 1-c (120-ml or 240-ml) airtight containers and be sure to leave a bit of space to allow the basil sauce to expand as it freezes. Mark the containers with the date, and transfer them to the freezer. This way, only a small portion needs to be defrosted, rather than a whole batch. Defrost frozen basil sauce in the refrigerator the day before you plan to serve it.
Basil tastes terrific with chicken, coconut, eggs, garlic, goat cheese, pine nuts, pumpkin seeds, raspberries, shellfish, tomato, and walnuts.
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