Sweet Potato Baby Food Recipe (Easy Puree)

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My healthy sweet potato baby food recipe is an easy puree made with only sweet potatoes and water that is quick, tasty, and great for 6-month old babies! It is a popular first food for babies, and is packed with vitamins and nutrients.

I served this puree to my kids from 6 months to 1 year old, and they devoured every mouthful like it was their last! I remember baking and blending a bunch of sweet potatoes to have enough portions for the week and making vegan sweet potato pancakes with the leftovers for me and the hubby. Oh, the good old days!

I’ve never seen an infant turn their nose up at sweet potato puree because it has such a delicious, natural sweet flavor that babies just crave. It just so happens to be a nutritional powerhouse ingredient that I use frequently to make my favorite pumpkin and sweet potato soup, which is a great soup when transitioning them to solid foods.

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Latest Recipe Video!

Unlike other baby food purees, which can take a few tries before they start enjoying them, namely green bean or pea puree, this sweet potato puree is easily the number one. I always remember my son’s funny face trying his first mouthful of green bean puree. It makes me laugh every time I watch the video. With sweet potato, though, it was just a mouth wide open, ready and waiting for another spoon. And making purees at home is so easy and way more nutritious for your little ones than the pricey store-bought versions.

To make this super delicious sweet potato puree, I just cut them in half, bake them with a touch of water, and scoop out the caramelized flesh. Then, blend it until smooth. Just 2 pounds of sweet potato provides enough puree for roughly 30 servings, which is enough to last a few weeks if you make other vegetable purees to combine with it. I used to make butternut squash puree and green pea puree and freeze them all in ice cube trays, so I would have enough flavors to last me a month.

You can’t beat homemade purees for your baby! Just one ingredient, plus water, and one hour to bake is all it takes. I love knowing what my kids are eating, and with this easy sweet potato puree, loaded with carotenoids, Vitamin C, potassium, and fiber, it’s exactly what growing babies need. You’ll be surprised how much money you could save, not to mention the journey back and forth from the grocery store.

🥘 Ingredients

A few pounds of sweet potato is all it takes to make this delicious sweet potato puree for your baby.

Organic Sweet Potatoes: I recommend using organic sweet potatoes, which can easily be found at any grocery store for your baby to avoid any pesticides or chemicals.

Water: Adding water helps to soften and roast the sweet potatoes.

🔪 How To Make

Just follow my foolproof method on how to make sweet potato baby food puree.

Preheat oven and prep potatoes: I preheat the oven to 400 F, cutting the potatoes lengthwise, and placing them flesh side down on a sheet tray covered with parchment paper.

Roast Potatoes: I pour 8oz of water onto the sheet tray and roast for 60 minutes until tender. The potatoes should be bubbling and caramelized. I let them cool for 10-15 minutes so I can hold the potatoes without burning myself.

Puree Sweet Potatoes: Then, I just spoon out the flesh, peel off the skin, and put it into a blender with about a cup of water. Puree until smooth, then pour the pureed food into ice cube trays, and allow to cool before wrapping and freezing.

My #1 Secret Tip for this sweet potato baby puree is to add enough water to the blender so that the puree is smooth, but be careful, not too much water that it ends up having a broth-like consistency.

Other Tips To Keep In Mind:

Storage made easy: I use baby food freezer containers so that I can make one batch that will last me and my baby for several months!
Check for softness: I recommend checking the potatoes thoroughly before blending them. You want them to be very soft so that they puree soft and easily.
Cooking options: Roasting sweet potatoes is my favorite method since it brings out their natural sweetness. When I am short on time, I microwave or steam them instead, and they still taste delicious.

📖 Variations

I have tried to make a few variations of this nutrient-rich sweet potato puree. Here are a few of them that worked well with my little ones:

Mashed sweet potatoes: Roast the potatoes based on the directions above, but instead of pureeing them, transfer them to a bowl and use a potato masher to get a chunky texture. This is great for babies who have figured out how to chew and gum foods.

Mashed carrot and sweet potato: I add 2 medium peeled and boiled carrots to the blender with the sweet potato. Carrot also has natural sweetness and lots of vitamins, which work well with sweet potato, and babies love the combination.

Spiced sweet potato puree: I made this variation in the fall when both kids were around 8 months old. Just add half a teaspoon of cinnamon powder to the blender with the sweet potato to give it a lovely warming sweetness.

🍽 Serving Suggestions

I used to give my babies a variety of purees to try when they were infants. From greens to savory and sweet treats, my kids loved them.

For a delicious, complementary puree, I used to make this creamy super-food avocado baby puree. It’s basically guacamole without any additional seasonings or ingredients, just pure avocado. It’s so good for their growing bodies and has tons of healthy fats. Another one of my kids’ favorites is this carrot baby puree that the loved because of the bright color and sweet taste similar to sweet potato.

For dessert, I used to treat them with prune baby puree, packed with essential minerals, fiber, and vitamins, and a lovely sweet taste from apples too. For when babies start teething, my easy recipe for baby teething biscuits made with bananas, oats, coconut oil, and vanilla is the perfect sweet treat.

🧊 Storage Directions

Refrigeration: I let the puree cool, then transfer it to baby airtight containers, and chill them for 3-4 days.

Freezing: Once the sweet potato puree has cooled, I pour the puree into ice cube trays, cover them with plastic wrap so they are airtight, and freeze them for up to 4 months.

Reheating: I let the cubes thaw in the fridge overnight before I intend to warm them up, or I put the small cubes in a bowl over a bowl of hot water on the counter to defrost. You can also defrost them in the microwave on the defrost setting. It’s important to warm the puree to body temperature so it’s not too hot for the baby.

❓Recipe FAQs

When can babies eat sweet potato?

Sweet potatoes are an excellent first food. I started mine around 6 months old, but many baby care experts say to add sweet potatoes and other veggie purees to your baby’s diet as early as 4 months. It is a great first food because it is uncommon for babies to have an allergy to it. It’s also easily digestible, and a very soft and easy-to-swallow food for small babies.

How do I store and keep sweet potato puree?

Follow my helpful tips on how to store homemade baby food like a pro! These recipes make quite a lot of food, which makes it perfect for storing for later.

At what temperature should I serve my baby sweet potato puree?

I recommend serving baby puree at a lukewarm temperature. It shouldn’t be hot at all when dipping your finger in the pure, so that it won’t burn the baby’s mouth.

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