When my youngest daughter began her vegan Baby Led Weaning journey, I wanted to introduce red kidney beans differently than I did with my first daughter.

Offering legumes smashed is typically a safe choice for introducing these nutrient-dense legumes (the way I introduced them to my oldest daughter) but I wanted to switch things up this time around.

Can babies eat kidney beans?

Sometimes parents are unsure about what plant foods are safe for babies to eat. Whether it’s for fear of choking or gagging, it’s a natural thought that sparks at the beginning of starting solids with our baby. 

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Gagging is a normal reflex for babies to experience. In fact, it’s a natural response that your baby will have to keep themselves safe from choking. It may be hard or uncomfortable for us as the parent to see but it keeps any large pieces of food from getting stuck. We talk more about how to approach these situations inside the Vegan Baby Led Weaning course so that you know what to look for as your baby learns to handle food. 

In short, babies can have kidney beans when starting their BLW journey (I share a kidney bean patty recipe for baby below). The beans just have to be modified to make them safe for your vegan baby to eat. 

Offering foods finger-shaped or about the size of two adult fingers is a great way to introduce most plant foods to a baby just starting solids. So, I thought about turning red kidney beans into a pattie. At the time, she was 9 months old and I served it as whole pattie but in hindsight, I should’ve cut the kidney bean patty into finger-shapes as an easier way for her to hold and chew on.

Nutritional and economical benefits of canned red kidney beans

Red kidney beans pack great nutritional benefits and they’re a fantastic addition to your vegan baby’s first food journey. They are an iron-rich plant food, are a great source of plant protein, and provide some calcium—a nutrient that many vegan parents are often concerned about meeting for their growing children. 

And perhaps one of the most convenient things about red kidney beans is that you can easily find them canned. I sometimes don’t have the time or desire to cook beans from scratch. And finding certain legumes canned makes it an easy way to incorporate them into your vegan family’s meals. 

If you have canned kidney beans at home and are wondering what to do with them besides adding them into a pot of chili, this red kidney bean recipe is perfect for your entire vegan family. Making patties are great for all ages and chewing skills, saving you time in having to make different dishes or meals for everyone in the family.

Red Kidney Bean Baby Led Weaning Patties

Makes: 10 small patties
Total Time: 25 - 30 minutes

Ingredients

• 1 - 15.5oz can (195gm)  red kidney beans, drained and rinsed

• 1 tablespoon (30ml) olive oil (or other neutral oil you have available), divided

• 1 roma tomato (100gm), diced

• 2 garlic cloves (4gm), finely chopped

• ⅓ cup (25gm) baby spinach, finely chopped and packed

• ¼ cup (30gm) all-purpose flour (or chickpea flour to make gluten-free)

Directions

1. Prepare tomato, garlic, and baby spinach by cutting appropriately. 

2. In a medium pan, heat ½ tablespoon of oil on medium-heat and add garlic. Cook for about 1 minute or until fragrant. 

3. Add diced tomato and baby spinach and cook for about 2-3 minutes, stirring occasionally, or until spinach is well cooked. 

4. In a food processor, add tomato mixture, red kidney beans, and flour. Process until everything comes together (if it’s too wet, you may add ½ tablespoon at a time of additional flour or a handful of oats for additional binding). 

5. Using the same pan as in Step 2, heat remaining ½ tablespoon of oil. Using 1 tablespoon as measuring spoon, scoop mixture and form into flattened discs/patties. Cook patties for about 2 minutes on each side (you can make bigger patties for older children or adults. total yield may vary depending on how big you make them).

Notes

• To ensure patties are safe and appropriate for baby starting solids, ensure that veggies are finely chopped and cooked thoroughly. Once patties are cooked, cut into strips for 6 - 9 month olds and small bite size pieces for 10+ months. 

• For gluten-free families, you may use chickpea flour, oat flour, or another all-purpose flour alternative. Note, I did not test the recipe with any other gluten-free flour. It shouldn’t change the final product too much, may potentially just taste slightly different. 

• You may season the patties for additional flavor with any dried herb (dried parsley can work well with this recipe).

• Store any leftover patties in the refrigerator in an airtight container for about 1 week or freeze for 1 month for freshness. 

• You may also use the same recipe, add iodized salt if desired, and make patties a bit bigger for a burger that can be served to older children and adults.