Lentil Puree is a yummy, nourishing first food for when baby starts solids. Lentils are an amazing first food! They’re soft and creamy once cooked, and as a vegetarian baby food contain plant-based iron [1]. Combined with the range of vegetables in this recipe, it makes for a yummy lentil puree that tastes just like vegetable soup.
➡️ JUST BEGINNING SOLIDS? See my guide to starting solids for when to start, what foods to begin with and how to make baby purees, as well as safety tips.
➡️ LOOKING FOR BABY FOOD RECIPES WITH IRON? For a haem iron option, try this Beef Puree as baby’s first beef meal. Or for another nourishing first food, try this Avocado and Egg Puree.
Ingredients in Lentil Puree
This homemade lentil baby food recipe is full of simple wholefood ingredients:
Red split lentils – Split red lentils work best in this recipe. If you use whole lentils instead of split, you’ll need to adjust your cooking time.
Carrots – I peel my carrots, but if using unpeeled then be sure to wash them thoroughly.
Red capsicum/bell pepper – Red capsicums are generally sweeter than green, and have more Vitamin C to help plant-based iron absorption [2].
Brown shallots – Shallots have a milder, sweeter flavour than brow/yellow onions. You can substitute in equal amounts if you’d like.
Zucchini – I don’t peel the zucchini in this recipe. Just wash it thoroughly, remove the ends and then chop.
Sweet potato – I use orange sweet potato, a family favourite! And another source of Vitamin C.
Olive oil – For sautéing the vegetables.
Water – For cooking.
How to make Lentil Puree
This is a simple recipe to make on the stovetop. Then you’ll just need a blender or food processor to puree.
Scroll down to the recipe card below, to find exact ingredient amounts and full detailed steps for both regular and thermo cooker methods.
Step 1: First, roughly chop the vegetables into small pieces.
Step 2: In a saucepan over medium-high heat on the stovetop, sauté the chopped vegetables for 5 minutes until shallots are translucent.
Step 3: Add the sweet potatoes, lentils and water. Bring to the boil, then reduce the heat and simmer until the lentils are cooked.
Step 4: Remove from the heat, and allow it to cool slightly for safe handling. With either a stick blender, blender or food processor, carefully blend the mixture to a puree.
THERMOMIX LENTIL PUREE:
Thermomixer? This is a really straightforward baby puree recipe to make in a thermo cooker/all-in-one appliance. I simply weigh all ingredients into my Thermomix, cook and blend to a smooth puree.
Turn pureed lentils into baby’s first soup
This Lentil Puree tastes like delicious homemade vegetable soup. For baby, add salt-free vegetable stock if you’d like to thin it a little to soup consistency.
Or, as a soup base for the whole family, add extra veggies, salt-free stock and noodles or pasta for a really hearty meal on a cold winter’s day. Remove baby’s portion if they’re having the more chunky variety (making sure pieces are chopped appropriately), and then season the rest to taste for older family.
Read more about making soups for baby!
Serving
You can serve this Lentil Puree:
- As a runny puree when baby starts solids
- More mashed for introducing texture
- As a pasta sauce when baby is learning to self-feed
- As a comforting soup for baby and the family
This red lentil puree recipe is really versatile and it’s texture is easy to adapt as your baby progresses with solids. Adjust the thickness by either adding small amounts of cooled boiled water, breastmilk or formula to thin the puree, or leave it chunkier when blending for older babies.
Storing
You can store Lentil Puree in the fridge in an airtight container for up to 2 days or freezer for up to 1 month. Using ice cube trays is a great way to portion single servings for freezing. Once frozen, transfer the cubes to a labelled airtight container or bag.
LOOKING FOR MORE BABY PUREE IDEAS?
Try this Carrot Puree for a simple vegetable puree. You can pair it with iron-rich foods for flavour variations.
If you try this Lentil Puree, please leave a 🌟 star rating and let me know how you go in the 📝 comments below. I love hearing from you! Don’t forget to follow me on Facebook, Instagram and Pinterest too for more baby food recipes.
Happy pureeing,
Chloe x
Lentil Puree
Category: PuréeIngredients
- 2 brown shallots peeled (50g/1.8oz) (Thermomixers: halved)
- 1 carrot peeled (Thermomixers: roughly chopped)
- 1 small zucchini ends removed (100g/3.5oz) (Thermomixers: roughly chopped)
- 1/2 red capsicum/bell pepper (90g/3oz) (Thermomixers: roughly chopped)
- 1 tbs olive oil
- 175 g sweet potato peeled and roughly chopped
- 40 g split red lentils rinsed well
- 150 ml water
Instructions
- Chop 2 brown shallots, 1 carrot, 1 small zucchini and 1/2 red capsicum/bell pepper into small pieces.
- Heat 1 tbs olive oil in a saucepan over medium-high heat. Add the chopped shallots, carrot, zucchini and capsicum and sauté for 5 minutes.
- Add 175 g sweet potato, 40 g split red lentils and 150 ml water. Bring to the boil, reduce the heat and and then let simmer for 15 minutes until lentils and sweet potatoes are cooked. Remove from the heat and allow to cool for safe handling/blending.
- Using a stick/immersion blender, blender or food processor, carefully blend until you are happy with the consistency (Note 1).
Thermomix Instructions
- Put 2 brown shallots, 1 carrot, 1 small zucchini and 1/2 red capsicum/bell pepper into the mixing bowl. Chop for 4 seconds, speed 6, MC on. Scrape down the mixing bowl.
- Add 1 tbs olive oil. Cook for 4 minutes, 100°C, speed 1, MC off.
- Add 175 g sweet potato, 40 g split red lentils and 150 ml water. Cook for 15 minutes, 100°C, speed 2, MC off. Put the simmering basket on the lid to prevent splatter.
- To puree, chop for 10 seconds, speed 6, MC on. Scrape down the mixing bowl, and repeat until you are happy with the consistency (Note1).
Recipe Notes
Nutrition Information
References
[1] Healthline Media LLC. (2023). Lentils: Nutrition, Benefits, and How to Cook Them. Retrieved 23 March 2026.
[2] Australian Red Cross Lifeblood. (2026). Iron physiology and metabolism. Retrieved 23 March 2026.
One Response
Made this for my little girl, she absolutely loved it, it went down a treat! I froze portions for later use and each time she’s had it so far she’s demolished the lot. Really easy to make. I have to say I tried some and it is delicious. Thank you for the recipe!