Extra-Veggie Baby Pasta (with Iron)

Extra-Veggie Baby Pasta (with Iron)

Adding beans and extra veggies helps make this easy baby pasta satisfying, nutritious, and yummy. Serve it more or less saucy as you like. (You can even freeze the sauce for easy future meals.)

Course Baby Food

Cuisine American

Prep Time 10

Cook Time 10

Total Time 20

Servings -8

Calories 234kcal

Author Amy Palanjian

Equipment

Ingredients

8 ounces pasta (such as star, ABC, pastina, or ditalini)
14.5 ounce can crushed tomatoes with basil (or marinara sauce)
1 cup white beans (rinsed and drained)
1/2 cup mashed sweet potato puree (or butternut squash puree or pumpkin puree)
1/2 teaspoon Italian seasoning
1 tablespoon olive oil
salt, onion powder, garlic powder (optional to taste)
grated Parmesan (optional to taste)

US Customary - Metric

Instructions

Add the tomatoes, beans, sweet potato, and Italian seasoning to a blender. Blend smooth.
Add the olive oil to a medium pot over medium heat. Stir in the tomato mixture and warm through, stirring occasionally, for about 5-10 minutes. Season to taste with salt and additional spices for more flavor as you like.
(You can also warm a small amount of sauce in a heat-safe bowl in the microwave If you're just making one serving.)
Cook the pasta according to package directions. Drain.
Return the pasta to the pot. Stir as little or as much of the sauce into the pasta and top with grated Parmesan if desired. (You may have some sauce leftover.)
Serve warm or portion into storage containers to serve throughout the week.

Video

Notes

Store leftovers, either combined or separate, in airtight containers in the fridge for up to 5 days. Or you can freeze the sauce in an ice cube tray, transfer the frozen cubes to a freezer bag, and freeze for up to 6 months.
You can use mashed sweet potato, butternut squash puree, pumpkin puree, or purchased purees. I prefer sweet potato best.
I like this to be pretty saucy for babies, especially if you're serving off of a spoon. But you can add just as much sauce as you like and save the rest for a future meal.
If serving from a spoon, use a very small shape like star pasta or pastina.
If planning to serve this as a finger food, use a small shape that's easy to pick up such as ditalini, mini shells, mini farfalle or elbows. (If you use a larger shape, cut it with kitchen scissors so it's in small pieces that are easy for baby to chew.)
Add extra iron with a side of Chicken Meatballs, Chicken Tenders, or my Fav Toddler Meatballs.
You can use fully cooked lentils in place of the white beans if desired.
You can skip the blending and serve this sauce as a chunky style if preferred to save a step.
To serve this to an older child or an adult, season to taste with salt.
Top with grated Parmesan for additional flavor.
Gluten-free: Use your favorite gluten-free pasta.
Dairy-free: Skip the Parmesan. Some people like to use nutritional yeast in place of grated Parmesan.

Nutrition