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Baby Led Weaning Spaghetti Bolognese Recipe

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Baby led weaning spaghetti bolognese is a bit of a staple meal in this house. We enjoy making it with both minced beef and meat free mince such as Quorn, depending on our mood. Like my other recipes, this is simple and straightforward and uses only a few staple ingredients.

Spaghetti Bolognese for Babies

Spaghetti bolognese has to be one of the most fun meals to offer your baby. Not only is it super yummy, but they’ll get themselves covered from head to toe in bolognese which is super funny! Make sure you have your camera at the ready and the bath run for a thorough wipe down later!

Dexter wearing the BIBaDo while sat in his highchair

What are the health benefits of offering your baby beef?

Red meat has had nothing but bad press over the last decade or so. We are repeatedly warned that it is bad for us and we should avoid it, but did you know that red meat eaten as part of a balanced diet is actually good for us? It is packed full of nutrients which are required for healthy development for our babies and toddlers, from iron to zinc, potassium and B vitamins. Getting iron into our baby is the main reason we start solids at six months and red meat is a fantastic source.

Beef contains:

  • Iron – supports neurological development
  • Zinc – supports the immune system
  • Choline – important for brain development
  • B vitamins – important for cell functions
  • Protein – essential for growth. and development

How to make Baby Led Weaning Spaghetti Bolognese

  • Using a 500g pack of beef, I cook it slowly on the hob in a little olive oil or fry-light, just until it starts to brown.
  • Throw in a tin of tomatoes, a few fresh cherry tomatoes, balsamic vinegar, a glug of red wine, tomato purée, basil, pepper, and oregano.
baby led weaning spaghetti bolognese cooking in the pan
  • Next, bring the contents to the boil, adding a little water if necessary and then throw in some chopped veg. My favourites to add are zucchini (courgette), eggplant (aubergine) or grated carrot. I leave the pot to simmer for twenty minutes or longer. I like the sauce to reduce into a nice thick consistency.
  • Serve alongside spaghetti once fully cooled

More baby led weaning pasta recipes:

How do you serve spaghetti bolognese to babies?

I serve the bolognese alongside spaghetti noodles. The dish wouldn’t be complete without a sprinkle of Parmesan cheese. As Dex got a bit older and more adventurous, we gave him a soft piece of garlic bread to munch on too.

This is one of the messiest meals to offer to baby but so much fun at the same time. I strip Dex down to his nappy and have the bath ready. The beef is a great source of iron for baby and the veg is nice and soft after being soaked in the tomato juices for so long.

If you want to avoid mess, try a BIBaDO coverall bib.

Dexter wearing a pink plastic bib, sat in his joie mimzy snacker highchair with food all over the tray

Can adults eat this baby led weaning spaghetti bolognese recipe?

Absolutely! We always eat this meal together as a family, adding sauce and a few chilli flakes to our portions after serving up.

The most important part of baby led weaning is sitting and eating with your little one so that they can see how exactly eating a meal works. That’s why i like to create recipes that’ll not just feed your baby – but feed you too!

Can this recipe be batch made and frozen?

Yes, absolutely! This recipe should serve a family of four easily, but if you have some left over, it can be boxed up in Tupperware and stored in the fridge for five days, or in the freezer for up to a month!

Let me know if you try this baby led weaning spaghetti bolognese with your family!

If you enjoyed making this recipe, please:

  • Leave me a comment or a star rating
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Baby Led Weaning Spaghetti Bolognese

Baby Led Weaning Spaghetti Bolognese

A simple baby led weaning spaghetti bolognese recipe the whole family can enjoy!

Prep Time 5 minutes
Cook Time 20 minutes
Total Time 25 minutes

Ingredients

  • 500g mince beef
  • 1 clove garlic
  • 1 tbsp balsamic vinegar
  • 1 glug of red wine (optional)
  • 1 tin tomatoes
  • beef stock
  • 1 onion
  • 1 tbsp olive oil
  • 175g spaghetti pasta
  • 1 tsp oregano
  • 1 tsp black pepper
  • 1 tbsp tomato puree
  • 1 tsp basil
  • 8 cherry tomatoes
  • choice of veg: grated courgette, carrot or aubergine

Instructions

  1. Heat a tbsp of olive oil in a large pan.
  2. When hot, add beef and brown for 6 minutes.
  3. Add garlic and onion and cook for another 3 minutes.
  4. Pour in tinned tomatoes, beef stock, red wine, tomato puree, balsamic vinegar and bring to the boil.
  5. Once boiling, reduce heat to a simmer and add grated veggies, herbs and chopped cherry tomatoes.
  6. Leave to simmer for 12 minutes.
  7. Meanwhile cook the spaghetti pasta as per the packet instructions.
  8. Once the spaghetti is cooked, drain the water, add it to the bolognese and stir to combine.
  9. Leave to cool fully before offering to your baby.

Nutrition Information:

Yield:

4

Serving Size:

1

Amount Per Serving: Calories: 566Total Fat: 26gSaturated Fat: 9gTrans Fat: 1gUnsaturated Fat: 14gCholesterol: 111mgSodium: 252mgCarbohydrates: 36gFiber: 6gSugar: 10gProtein: 40g
Dexter and Nicola in the park

Author: Nicola Hughes

Nicola has weaned both of her boys using the baby led weaning method. She loves nothing better than creating simple recipes that anyone can recreate, using as few ingredients as possible. All of her recipes have been tried and tested by both Dexter and Felix and have their seal of approval!

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Devon Mama

Friday 23rd of December 2016

Oooh this sounds yummy too. You really should include the after pic of Dex after he's attempted it!

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