Crush-Worthy Roasted Banana Baby Food
Medically reviewed and cowritten by Jamie Johnson, Registered Dietitian Nutritionist (RDN).
I have been making this Roasted Banana Baby Puree for over 10 years. Yes, 10 years! And it’s still an all-time favorite in my house. It is so delicious and simple to make, this recipe uses only two ingredients to create the BEST banana puree that both you and your baby will love. It’s the perfect stage 1 baby food for babies 6 months and older!
Banana Baby Puree
Looking for a banana baby puree that will make your baby’s taste buds come alive?
Then, I’ve got you!
I know what you will say – “Why, Michele, would I spend the extra 15 minutes roasting bananas when I can mash them for 30 seconds and be done with it?”
It’s simple – it’s when you roast the bananas, that you create pure edible magic. ✨
Overhyper much? Not at all! When we spend a few extra minutes slightly roasting the bananas, we caramelize the natural sugars in them and make them taste better, more like bananas – like a deep, authentic banana flavor. Combined with fresh rosemary (or cinnamon, if you prefer), this puree will literally stop you in your tracks.
The first time I made this, I ate the entire batch straight from the blender. The second time, I split it with my baby;). 10 years later, and I’m still making this for my kids. I now serve it over yogurt or ice cream, depending on the day, and we all roll our eyes in pure happiness after the first taste before we dig in and lick our bowls.
I promise you won’t regret the extra time making this recipe, it is 💯 worth it.
Roasted Banana Puree Video
Ingredients
- Bananas: ripe bananas with a few brown spots work the best.
- Rosemary: While this recipe uses fresh rosemary to give it a nice earthy taste, you can also add a pinch of cinnamon, cloves, nutmeg, fresh chopped mint, or basil to this recipe. I would not recommend using dried rosemary as it is too hard and will not incorporate into the puree as the fresh one does.
Is it your first time making homemade baby food? Then I suggest you start this journey by reading my in-depth Guide on How to Make Homemade Baby Food. You can also check out my best-selling cookbook for even more information and recipes!
Adding Spices
In this recipe, we are adding in a pinch of fresh rosemary, but feel free to use the following spices instead: cinnamon, cloves, nutmeg, mild curry powder, mint, basil, or ginger (see quantity recommendations in the recipe card).
Let’s Get Baking
Other ways to enjoy this puree
- Savory Meal for Baby: Mix this banana puree with a pear and spinach puree for a savory meal.
- Baby Breakfast: Add a spoonful of plain yogurt and homemade quinoa baby cereal as a nutrient-dense start to your baby’s day.
- Toddler Breakfast: Mix it with plain yogurt and a dollop of honey for a yummy, irresistible toddler breakfast.
- Toddler Snack: Top it with toasted shredded coconut and chopped cashews for a crunchy toddler snack.
- For You: Eat by the spoonful after your baby goes to bed and before you pick up the mess they made around the house that day.
Get the recipe: Roasted Banana Baby Puree (Stage 1)
Ingredients
- 4 peeled bananas, cut lengthwise
- 1/8 tsp fresh rosemary finely chopped
Instructions
- Preheat: Heat oven to 350 degrees F. Line baking sheet with parchment paper.
- Roast: Place bananas on a baking sheet and roast for 10-12 minutes or until golden brown. Let cool slightly.
- Blend: Place bananas and rosemary into a blender or food processor and puree for 1-2 minutes or until completely smooth. You may need to add additional water, so start by adding in 1/4 cup increments until you get the desired consistency. You may want to add a squeeze of lemon juice to prevent it from browning.
- Serve: Let cool slightly, and serve to baby or freeze for later.
Notes
Did you make this recipe?
Tag @babyfoode on Instagram and hashtag it #babyfoode!
46 Comments on “Crush-Worthy Roasted Banana Baby Food”
Hi,
I’m following ur page for stage 1 baby foods broccoli puree is a hit. Does steaming work instead of roasting ?
If you want to steam the broccoli, you can follow this recipe: https://babyfoode.com/blog/broccoli-olive-oil-puree/ It also covers other cooking methods. Hope this helps! =)
Do you know approximately how many calories in 4 oz of this puree?
During this stage of feeding a baby, it’s more important to focus on a variety of foods and textures as their main source of nutrients is still coming from breast milk or formula. However, you can use a free online nutrition calculator to determine calories per serving. Hope this helps. xo, Michele
Sooo good!! My daughter seemed to love it and I taste it and it’s so delicious I got myself a bit on the side 😋
Hi Caro! With my girls, I always tried their purees first. If it tastes yummy to me, I have a way better chance of getting my little one to love it too! Thanks so much for sharing your experience. 💜, Michele
So easy and delicious! Thank you!!
My son loves this!! I added cinnamon to it. I’m not a banana person but I tried it and it was delicious. I have tried all of the recipes I have made. My son is 5 months and everything I have made has been from baby foods. ☺️ I can’t wait for stage two. 🥰
So happy to hear that you both loved this recipe! Thank you for following along and making my recipes, I love having you here!
Hi, I made this then froze and it turned brown. Do you think it’s still good to serve? Thanks!
Yes, it’s should still be good if it’s in the beige to light brown color range, it’s just oxidized a little bit. If it’s any darker than chocolate I would toss it. Next time you can try adding in a squeeze of lemon juice before freezing and putting it into the freezer right after you make it.
does it have to be roasted?
Nope, you can do a 2-minute banana puree instead.
I am so glad that I found your website a couple of months ago. I started making the meals at the end of January. This is the 5th recipe that I make from your website. I love love love your homemade recipes. For this recipe, I added 1/4 tsp nutmeg, due to the fact that I did not have fresh rosemary. I have added you on Pinterest and YouTube and also selected to be notified by email whenever you post anything. Please keep posting! Love from Canada ❤️
So glad you loved this recipe and I love the addition of nutmeg, a great substitution choice! Glad you are here and thank you for following along!
Thank you Michele for the recipe. My little man is only 4.5 months old and he loved it. I just used cinnamon power and fresh rosemary was not available atm. I have also tried your other recipes and they are all loved by my son.
So glad your little one loved this recipe!
Made this last night for my little guy and he loved it. All in all this is a very good recipe and it made a ton of food for me! Thanks for all your great recipes!
Silly question / do you keep the banana peel on in the oven or do you remove banana peel before placing in oven to roast?
You would remove the peel.
My baby girl loovvees this recipe so much- this is probably her favorite! I’ve been trying most of the recipes and she eats them all. This amazes me!! Thank you so much for these recipes! I would have never thought to add herbs/ spices but it’s a game changer! I made homemade baby food for my son when he was a baby but did plain and he ate it for the most part but he was an extremely picky eater. I’m hoping by introducing foods with additional seasoning enhances her palate and hoping she’s less picky! Thank you again!!
– Jacquelyn
You did not specify how much of rosemary to put. 1/4 cup or tablespoon. Would really appreciate it.
Sorry, just fixed the recipe card – 1/4 teaspoon
Hi Michele! Can I use frozen bananas for this too? If so, should I thaw first then roast or put direct into the oven?
I haven’t tried using frozen bananas for this recipe. I would try thawing them first and then roasting them. Let me know if it works.
xo, Michele
Hi Michele! Can I use frozen bananas for this too? If so, should I thaw first then roast or put direct into the oven?
I haven’t tried using frozen bananas for this recipe. I would try thawing them first and then roasting them. Let me know if it works.
xo, Michele
hi in your recipes with rosemary, should i cook them (roast, boil etc.) or can i puree them raw after chopping finely?
You don’t need to cook the rosemary first if it is fresh (with dried you do or it will be too tough to puree). I just finely chop the rosemary and add it to the puree while blending. Hope this helps.
xo, Michele
hi in your recipes with rosemary, should i cook them (roast, boil etc.) or can i puree them raw after chopping finely?
You don’t need to cook the rosemary first if it is fresh (with dried you do or it will be too tough to puree). I just finely chop the rosemary and add it to the puree while blending. Hope this helps.
xo, Michele
Could you use dried rosemary for this one?
Sorry for the delay, I don’t think so because the dried rosemary would get even more dried out while roasting. But you could sub in cinnamon, cloves or nutmeg to the puree.
xo, Michele
Thanks! Got some fresh and he LOVES it. When thawed how long is it good for?
This keeps around 2 days when thawed in the fridge. If you are heating on the stove or in the microwave, it needs to be tossed after you serve it.
xo, Michele
Could you use dried rosemary for this one?
Sorry for the delay, I don’t think so because the dried rosemary would get even more dried out while roasting. But you could sub in cinnamon, cloves or nutmeg to the puree.
xo, Michele
Thanks! Got some fresh and he LOVES it. When thawed how long is it good for?
This keeps around 2 days when thawed in the fridge. If you are heating on the stove or in the microwave, it needs to be tossed after you serve it.
xo, Michele
My baby went crazy over this this morning. So far he has been a very good eater, even eating all of his zucchini (which was the one I was most worried about), but he lovvvveeeeed this puree. And I admit, after tasting a little when I was checking the temperature, I almost ate it myself…
Hello Ashley,
So glad you both liked this puree!!! It is one of my favorites and I am toying with the idea of making this into ice cream!… be on the lookout:)
xo, Michele
My baby went crazy over this this morning. So far he has been a very good eater, even eating all of his zucchini (which was the one I was most worried about), but he lovvvveeeeed this puree. And I admit, after tasting a little when I was checking the temperature, I almost ate it myself…
Hello Ashley,
So glad you both liked this puree!!! It is one of my favorites and I am toying with the idea of making this into ice cream!… be on the lookout:)
xo, Michele
Would it be ok to substitute fresh herbs for dried herbs? Would the ratio be the same? Thanks!
I think for this recipe dried rosemary wouldn’t work as it would be super crunchy in the puree, but this puree is super amazing without the added in herbs.
I used dried rosemary and it worked out perfect. Wonderfully smooth!