Black bean patties
Soft baked patties of mashed black beans and sweet potato, held together with oats and a little cumin. No egg or flour, and they freeze well. Offer them once your baby has had black beans on their own.
- From
- 6 months
- Time
- 45 min
- Makes
- About 12 finger-shaped patties
No top allergens
Ingredients
- 1 can (400 g / 15 oz)black beansno salt added, drained and rinsed
- 1 mediumsweet potatoabout 250 g (9 oz)
- 4 tbsp (about 25 g)quick or rolled oatsplain, with no added sugar or salt
- ½ tspground cuminoptional; if your child has a peanut allergy, read the cumin page first
- 1 tbspvegetable or olive oilfor the tray
Steps
- 1Wash your hands. Heat the oven to 200°C (400°F) and line a baking tray. Scrub the sweet potato under running water, peel it and cut it into chunks. Steam or boil the chunks for about 12 to 15 minutes, until very soft, then drain well.
- 2Tip the beans into a sieve and rinse them under running water, then shake off the extra water.
- 3Mash the beans and sweet potato together with a potato masher or fork until there are no whole beans left. Stir in the oats and cumin, then let the mixture rest for 10 minutes so the oats soften. Don't add salt. If it's still too wet to shape, stir in another spoonful of oats and rest it for 10 minutes more.
- 4Brush the tray with the oil. Shape the mixture into fingers about 6–8 cm long and 2 cm wide (2½–3 × ¾ in), and check each one for whole beans as you go.
- 5Bake for about 20 to 25 minutes, turning them gently halfway, until lightly golden, firm enough to hold together and hot all the way through.
- 6Let them cool on the tray: they firm up as they cool. Break one open and squash it between your thumb and finger: it should be soft inside, with no dry or chewy oat flakes. Trim off any crisp edges, and check they're only just warm before serving.
How to serve it by age
6 months+
Once your baby has had black beans on their own without a reaction, offer one or two whole finger-shaped patties to hold and gnaw. Every bean should be mashed: whole beans are a choking hazard.
9 months+
Cut patties into pieces no bigger than about 1 cm (just under ½ inch) for pincer-grasp practice, or keep offering whole soft fingers to bite. Serve with soft-cooked vegetables.
12 months+
Serve whole patties or bite-sized pieces about 1 cm (just under ½ inch) with mashed avocado or plain yogurt to dip (once dairy has been introduced), as part of the family meal.
Where US and UK guidance differ on this recipe
United States(AAP and CDC)Your setting
The AAP says fresh baby food should be cooked with no added salt or seasoning. It doesn't mention cumin, and doesn't give an age for spices. If you'd rather follow that line closely, leave the cumin out until 12 months, or ask your pediatrician.
United Kingdom(NHS)Your setting
The NHS says not to add salt, stock cubes or gravy to your baby's food or cooking water. Its own sweet potato patties recipe for babies from 6 months uses garam masala, a spice mix.
We cover US and UK guidance in detail. Elsewhere, check your national health service's advice too.
Leftovers and the rest of the family
Storing it
Cool leftover patties quickly and keep them in a covered container in the fridge for 3 to 4 days, or freeze them for 3 to 4 months (freeze them in a single layer, then pack them together once frozen solid). Reheat from frozen or thawed, only once, until steaming hot, 165°F (74°C), then let them cool before serving. Throw away anything left in your baby's bowl. Don't leave patties at room temperature for more than 2 hours, or 1 hour if it's hotter than 90°F (32°C).
For the grown-ups
Shape larger round patties for the adults from the same mixture and serve them in buns or wraps with salsa. Add salt and chili at the table.
Foods in this recipe
Free printable: The First 100 Foods checklist
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