Hamdi Saidani This Michela’s Baby Bolognese Recipe is a healthy and easy recipe, which is made with quality minced beef and beetroot. It’s a great first food for babies, ready in about 1 hour and 45 minutes.
Michela’s Baby Bolognese Recipe Ingredients
- 1 stick of celery
- 1 carrot
- 1 raw beetroot
- 1 red onion
- Olive oil
- 1 clove of garlic
- 500g quality minced beef
- 1 x 400g tin chopped tomatoes
How To Make Michela’s Baby Bolognese Recipe
- Roast the Vegetables: Preheat the oven to 180ºC/350ºF/gas 5. Trim the celery and carrot. Scrub and trim the beetroot. Peel and halve the onion. Place all the vegetables on a baking tray, drizzle lightly with olive oil, and roast for 45 minutes to an hour, until soft.
- Brown the Meat: Place a large pan on medium heat and add a drizzle of oil. Peel the garlic clove and fry it whole until golden. Add the minced beef and cook for about 3 minutes, breaking it up with a spoon, until browned.
- Simmer the Sauce: Add the tinned tomatoes and 500ml (about 2 cups) of water to the pan and stir. Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat to low and let it simmer for 1 hour, or until the sauce has reduced and thickened. Remove and discard the whole garlic clove.
- Combine and Serve: Once the vegetables are roasted and soft, transfer them to a blender. Blend to a smooth puree for younger babies, or pulse/mash for older babies who are ready for more texture. Stir the vegetable puree into the meat sauce and serve.
Recipe Tips
- How to adapt for different baby stages? The texture of this sauce is easily adjustable. For early stages of weaning (around 6 months), blend the roasted vegetables into a completely smooth puree. For older babies (9+ months), you can simply mash the soft vegetables with a fork or finely chop them to introduce more texture.
- Can I use different vegetables? Yes, this recipe is very adaptable. Sweet potato, parsnip, or a small courgette (zucchini) would be great additions or substitutions. Roast them along with the other vegetables.
- How do I store baby bolognese? This recipe is perfect for batch cooking. Once cooled, you can freeze the bolognese in small, individual portions using an ice cube tray or small freezer-safe pots. They will last for up to 3 months.
- Why roast the vegetables first? Roasting brings out the natural sweetness in the vegetables, especially the carrot and beetroot, making the sauce more appealing to a baby’s palate without needing to add any sugar.
What To Serve With Baby Bolognese
This versatile sauce can be served in a few different ways, depending on your baby’s age and preferences.
- With soft-cooked, small pasta shapes like ditalini or anellini
- Spooned over soft polenta or mashed potatoes
- Mixed with cooked quinoa or couscous
- Served on its own as a savory puree
How To Store Baby Bolognese
- Refrigerate: Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 2 days.
- Freeze: This is an ideal recipe for freezing. Pour the cooled sauce into an ice cube tray for perfect baby-sized portions. Once frozen solid, transfer the cubes to a freezer-safe bag. It can be frozen for up to 3 months.
Baby Bolognese Nutrition Facts
- Calories: 250 kcal (per serving, makes approx. 6 baby servings)
- Carbohydrates: 10g
- Protein: 20g
- Fat: 14g
- Saturated Fat: 5g
- Sodium: 150mg
- Sugar: 8g
Nutrition information is estimated and may vary based on ingredients and cooking methods used.
FAQs
Is this recipe suitable for baby-led weaning?
Yes. For baby-led weaning, you can serve the thick sauce on its own for the baby to scoop up, or toss it with larger, easy-to-grip pasta shapes.
Can I make this recipe without beetroot?
Absolutely. If you don’t have beetroot, you can substitute it with a small sweet potato or another carrot to maintain the quantity of vegetables.
At what age can my baby eat this?
This recipe is suitable for babies from 6 months onwards, once they have started on solid foods. Just be sure to adjust the texture of the vegetables to the appropriate stage for your baby.
Try More Recipes:
Michela’s Baby Bolognese Recipe
Course: DinnerCuisine: Italian-InspiredDifficulty: Easy6
15
minutes1
30
minutes250
kcalA nutritious and flavorful bolognese sauce packed with hidden roasted vegetables, perfect for babies and toddlers at any weaning stage.
Ingredients
1 stick of celery
1 carrot
1 raw beetroot
1 red onion
Olive oil
1 clove of garlic
500g quality minced beef
1 x 400g tin chopped tomatoes
Directions
- Roast the chopped celery, carrot, beetroot, and onion at 180ºC/350ºF for 45-60 minutes until soft.
- Meanwhile, fry a whole garlic clove in oil, then add and brown the minced beef.
- Stir in the tinned tomatoes and 500ml of water. Bring to a boil, then simmer for 1 hour until thickened.
- Remove the garlic clove from the sauce.
- Blend, mash, or chop the roasted vegetables to your baby’s preferred consistency.
- Stir the vegetable puree into the meat sauce and serve.
Notes
- Adjust the texture of the roasted vegetables (pureed, mashed, or chopped) to suit your baby’s developmental stage.
- This recipe freezes beautifully. Use an ice cube tray for easy, single-serving portions.
- Roasting the vegetables makes them naturally sweet and more appealing to little ones.
- Ensure the sauce is completely cooled before serving to your baby.