Pasta with Salmon

Cook carrots until very soft, so a fork slides through with no resistance. Steam, boil, or roast, then serve as a smooth purée or a soft mash. For self-feeding, offer soft-cooked finger-length batons. Raw carrot belongs only as fine shreds. Skip added salt.

Raw bell pepper is firm and the skin is tough, so cook it until very soft for the first months. Roast or steam strips until a fork slides through with no resistance, then peel off the skin. Serve warm as finger-length pieces a hand can hold, or blend into a smooth purée. Remove the seeds and white core.

Onion is usually a flavor base rather than a food on its own at this age. Cook it down until very soft and blend it into purées, mashes, or sauces. Raw onion is sharp and firm, so keep it out for now.

Cook salmon through until it flakes easily and is opaque throughout, never raw or seared. Run your fingers through it to remove every pin bone and the skin, then flake it finely or mash it into a smooth purée. Mix with breast milk, formula, or a vegetable purée to loosen the texture. As a Big-9 allergen, introduce it on its own and wait a few days before adding another new food. Choose salmon (a low-mercury fish) and skip the highest-mercury fish entirely. Add no salt.

Cook pasta until very soft, well past al dente, and serve plain or with a smooth, low-salt sauce. Larger soft shapes like penne or fusilli are easy to grab; you can also mash it. Wheat pasta is a common allergen, so offer it on its own first. Enriched pasta adds iron and folate.

Stir a small drizzle of olive oil into a smooth purée or soft mash to add calories and richness. Use it as a cooking fat for vegetables or grains, or fold a little into the finished food just before serving.