Napa cabbage

How to serve napa cabbage by age

6 months+

Cooked and finely chopped into soft foods

Steam or simmer shredded napa cabbage until the white ribs are very soft, then chop it finely or blend it. Stir it into mashed potato, sweet potato, rice or lentils and serve on a pre-loaded spoon.

Size

Cooked, then finely chopped or blended and mixed into a mash, with no whole leaves or long strands left.

Check before serving

Squash a bit of cooked rib between your thumb and finger. It should flatten easily. Then check the spoonful for whole leaves or long strands.

US and UK advice differ here. The AAP suggests mashed food or soft pieces no larger than ½ inch; the NHS suggests soft finger-sized pieces your baby can hold in their fist. Both agree the food must squash easily.

9 months+

Small soft pieces in dishes

Chop soft-cooked napa cabbage into small pieces and mix it into rice, soft noodles cut short, scrambled egg or mashed tofu, once wheat, egg and soy have each been introduced on their own.

Size

Pieces no bigger than about 1 cm (just under ½ inch), mixed into soft foods.

Check before serving

Each piece, rib included, should squash flat between your thumb and finger. Check for long strands.

12 months+

Chopped cooked napa cabbage in family meals

Serve chopped, soft-cooked napa cabbage in soups, dumpling fillings, noodle dishes or stir-fries cooked until soft all the way through. Take your child's portion out before adding soy sauce or other salty sauces.

Size

Small soft pieces about 1 cm (just under ½ inch).

Check before serving

Still do the squash test on the rib pieces: soft enough to flatten with gentle pressure.

18 months+

Soft-cooked, chopped in dishes

Keep serving napa cabbage cooked until tender and chopped. Raw napa cabbage, as in slaw, has crunchy ribs: see the guidance note below. Kimchi is salty and often spicy: our kimchi page shows how to offer a small taste of a mild one from 12 months.

Size

Bite-sized pieces about 1 cm (just under ½ inch), or chopped into dishes.

Check before serving

Check for firm rib pieces and long strands before serving.

Always have your child sit upright in a high chair or at the table, and stay with them the whole time they eat. Keep to the size and texture for their stage. Every baby develops on their own timeline.

How to prepare napa cabbage

1. 1

   Remove the outermost leaves, then rinse each leaf under running water, rubbing it gently with your fingers. Don't use soap or produce wash.

2. 2

   Cut off the hard base, then shred or chop the leaves. The thick white ribs take longer to cook, so start them first.

3. 3

   Steam or simmer for about 5 to 8 minutes, until the ribs are very soft. Don't add salt to the cooking water.

4. 4

   Let it cool, then chop finely or blend (6 months), or chop into small pieces (9 months+). Do the squash test before serving.

How much to offer

Start with a teaspoon or so of cooked napa cabbage mixed into a familiar food. Your baby decides how much to eat: stop when they turn away or close their mouth. Lots of picking out and dropping is normal at first.

Common mistakes

Questions parents ask

If your baby refuses napa cabbage

• Vegetables that aren't sweet often take 10 or more tries. Keep offering a little, alongside foods your baby already likes.
• Try it chopped into rice, noodles or egg instead of on its own.
• Eat some yourself at the same meal. Babies copy what they see.
• Funny faces don't mean they dislike it. They're getting used to a new taste and texture.

Never force or pressure your baby to eat. Some days they'll eat more, some days less, and that's normal.

Buying and storing napa cabbage

• Keep raw napa cabbage in the fridge, at or below 40°F (4°C).
• Cooked napa cabbage keeps for 3 to 4 days in a covered container in the fridge. Rice dishes are the exception: cool them within 1 hour, keep them in the fridge for no more than 1 day, and reheat them only once.
• Cooked, chopped napa cabbage can be frozen and used within 3 months. Thaw it in the fridge, use it within 24 hours of thawing, and reheat it only once, to 165°F (74°C), until steaming hot, then let it cool before serving.
• Throw away any food left out at room temperature for more than 2 hours (1 hour if it's hotter than 90°F / 32°C).