Broccoli recipes for kids (suitable for weaning and beyond)

I admit it, I’m a lucky mom. Even though my daughter has never been a big eater, I can say with satisfaction that I have never struggled to get her to eat vegetables . I’ll say more: she liked (and still likes) broccoli very much!

It will be funny but I like to think that this “love” of broccoli is due in part to me and to the fact that when I was pregnant I ate a lot of it. Who knows… maybe she got used to the taste.

However, barring lucky cases like mine, kids generally don’t like broccoli. One of the reasons is certainly the rather strong smell and also the mushy texture they have. This can be remedied by cooking the broccoli when the children are away or in another room; the soft consistency, on the other hand, can be “disguised” on the palate by passing the broccoli through a sieve, passing them to the mixer, mixing them with potatoes, small pasta, semolina or meat.

Weaning: when to give broccoli to babies

Although it contains many healthy substances for the health of the little ones, broccoli can only be included in the child’s diet starting from the 9/10th month . In fact, it is necessary to wait a bit compared to the other vegetables introduced in weaning because it is good that the digestive system has reached good efficiency. In fact, broccoli can cause flatulence and discomfort due to gas and for this reason it is not recommended for children under the age of 8/9 months.
They can be introduced gradually by first adding them to all the other vegetables to prepare the vegetable broth or puree, then gradually preparing more substantial dishes such as soups, creams, small pasta, risottos, flans, meatballs.

How to choose broccoli

Broccoli is a typically winter vegetable and therefore when it is in season it can be bought fresh. At the time of purchase, to choose the freshest broccoli you need to check that the color is bright green with very tight and compact flowers, that they are firm to the touch and that they do not have dents or yellowed parts. Broccoli can be stored in the refrigerator and can be kept for 4 or 5 days in the fruit and vegetable compartment. To have them out of season I often froze them so I could have a good supply at home.

Benefits of broccoli for children

To understand how healthy broccoli is, it is enough to know that, in addition to being rich in vitamin K, of group B, iron and zinc, and provide a truly important amount of vitamin C. For this reason, broccoli (among other countless properties):

boost defenses – Broccoli is rich in vitamin C, which is essential for a strong immune system that protects children from disease.
improve eye health – Broccoli has high amounts of vitamin A, along with other nutrients that help develop good eyesight.
they help in iron deficiencies  – Thanks to their high iron content, broccoli is an excellent food for children especially in those with
good dietary fiber – A diet rich in broccoli keeps children’s intestines regular and prevents constipation.

How to prepare broccoli

Broccoli should be cleaned and washed under running water before cooking. To clean them, remove the leaves, separate the buds from each other and wash them well under running water.
Broccoli is usually cooked by boiling or steaming, but it can also be baked.
In boiled water they cook in 10-15 minutes; for steam cooking, just place them in the basket with three or four fingers of water underneath and cover them with a lid, waiting about ten minutes or a little more until the desired softness is reached.
Once boiled or steamed, you can lightly mash the broccoliand season them with a drizzle of oil. In the beginning, however, it is probable that children like them more when mixed with potatoes or pasta or other ingredients.

Broccoli recipes for kids

Now comes the most challenging part: how do we get kids to eat broccoli? Here are some easy recipes that will allow you to transform this very important vegetable into tasty soups and healthy dishes for your little ones’ menu.

Broccoli porridge with the addition of semolina or meat

Here are two really good recipes to prepare a velvety cream based on broccoli and potatoes. One is with the addition of semolina and the other is with the addition of white meat . Both excellent for both lunch and dinner for the little ones.
Recipe → Cream of broccoli and potatoes with semolina
Recipe → Pappa with potatoes and broccoli and turkey

Risotto with broccoli

If children like rice, here’s a nice risotto with broccoli to prepare with good vegetable broth. The recipe is very easy to prepare and is a first course also suitable for children who must eat gluten-free  .
Recipe → Risotto with broccoli.

Pasta with broccoli

Pasta with broccoli is very simple to prepare. Just throw the broccoli on the boiling water after about 4/5 minutes add the pasta. Cook together and drain when the pasta is ready. If you want a pasta that is as simple and genuine as possible, you can mash the broccoli with a fork and season the pasta simply with extra virgin olive oil and a sprinkling of grated Parmesan. If, on the other hand, you want to sweeten the strong taste of broccoli, you can add a creamy cheese such as robiola or ricotta to the pasta (I often did it). When the children become older, you can prepare in this way increasingly larger pasta shapes such as pennette or farfalle.
Recipe →Broccoli pasta

Broccoli Patties (Dinosaur Eggs)

Since children also eat with their eyes and their imagination, you can prepare some nice “dinosaur eggs”…um, I meant excellent broccoli meatballs! 🙂
They are soft and tasty, crunchy on the outside and slightly stringy on the inside thanks to the grated parmesan cheese, these baked broccoli balls will appeal to both children and adults alike. They are only suitable after the egg has also been introduced. Alternatively, here’s how to replace eggs in recipes.
Recipe → Broccoli meatballs cooked in the oven

Another way to offer broccoli to children is to prepare a soft flan with  a delicate flavor. It can be presented on a plate with the classic elongated shape of a flan or even as a pie to be eaten with a good cream cheese.
It is suitable for babies who can eat cow’s milk. Alternatively, here’s how to replace the milk in the recipe .
Recipe → broccoli-flan-with-cream-cheese

Broccoli and potato croquettes

When we are already a little advanced with weaning , broccoli can also be offered in the form of potato croquettes (which children always like a lot). In fact, potatoes are perfect, both in terms of flavor and consistency, to be mixed with broccoli.
Recipe → Potato and broccoli croquettes

Meatloaf with broccoli

Another way not to miss broccoli in the children’s menu, from 10/12 months onwards, it is possible to prepare a nice meatloaf stuffed with broccoli . You can prepare the meatloaf as you usually do and add the broccoli to the mixture, or you can follow this delicious recipe. In this way you will prepare a second course for the children which already includes a healthy side dish.
Recipe →  Meatloaf stuffed with broccoli and provola

Muffin con i broccoli

Finally, here is one of the most delicious recipes for children with broccoli. These are muffins with cornmeal, cheese and boiled broccoli. A winter recipe to try.
Recipe → yellow muffins with broccoli.

---

And if you have children with a particularly “delicate and demanding” palate, I recommend these readings:

• recipes for cooking vegetables for children
• how to get kids to eat meat (recipes)
• how to get kids to eat fish (recipes)