Zucchini for Baby: How to Cook Soft Spears for Self-Feeding

For a baby who is just starting solids, this guide uses one route. Peel the zucchini, cut it lengthwise into finger-sized spears, and steam or simmer them until every piece mashes easily with a fork. Then let them cool before your baby picks one up. If spears don't suit your baby's skills yet, mash the cooked zucchini and offer it on a spoon your baby can hold. The sections below explain each step and the reasons for it.

Zucchini and courgette are the same vegetable

Zucchini is the usual name in the US. In the UK the same vegetable is called courgette. You'll see the UK name in NHS guidance, which includes courgette among the vegetables to soften by cooking for babies from around six months. Everything here applies whichever name is on the label.

A quick word on readiness

US guidance from the CDC puts the start of solids at around six months, together with developmental signs that a baby is ready. Age alone doesn't mean a particular baby is ready, so look at the CDC's readiness signs as well as the calendar. This page is general preparation guidance, not advice for your particular child. Your baby's pediatrician can help if you're unsure about readiness or current skills.

How to prepare zucchini spears

1. Wash. Rinse the whole zucchini before you cut into it.
2. Trim and peel. Cut off both ends and peel away all of the skin. The skin section below explains why this guide peels.
3. Cut into spears. If the zucchini is long, cut it in half crosswise first. Then cut it lengthwise into finger-sized spears, sometimes called batons. Keep the pieces long rather than cutting rounds or small cubes.
4. Cook without salt. Steam the spears or simmer them in plain water. The NHS (UK) describes steaming and simmering as ways to soften firm vegetables, and its weaning advice says not to add salt.
5. Check softness. Test several spears using the method below, and keep cooking any that resist.
6. Cool. Let the spears cool, then make sure the center of a piece isn't still hot before you offer it.

Check the pieces, not the clock

You won't find a set cooking time here. Zucchini varies in thickness, home-cut spears are never quite identical, and steamers and pans heat differently. A timer can't tell you when a particular batch is ready. Appearance isn't reliable either: a spear can look tender on the outside and still be firm in the middle.

The check that matters comes from the CDC: cook food until it mashes easily with a fork. Press a fork into the thickest part of several spears, taking some from the edges of the pan and some from the middle. If any piece pushes back, cook a little longer and test again. Offer only the pieces that pass.

Peeled or skin on?

There are two reasonable views here. The Yummy Bites serving notes for zucchini mention that the skin can make a spear easier to grip. The NHS (UK) suggests removing fruit and vegetable skin so food is easier to swallow, particularly for very young children. For a baby just starting out, this guide takes the more cautious option and peels. That's a starting choice rather than a rule. Zucchini skin isn't always off-limits, it isn't automatically fine for every baby, and you don't have to leave it on.

Spears or mash: follow your baby's current skills

The CDC advises matching texture to your baby's development and watching them while they eat. Soft spears are for a baby who already picks up food and brings it to their mouth. Your baby may not be doing that yet, or the spears may be too soft to hold together. In that case, mash the cooked zucchini with a fork, put a little on a baby spoon and let your baby bring the spoon to their own mouth. Our guide to helping your baby use a spoon at their own pace goes into more detail. The NHS (UK) also describes self-feeding and combined approaches, so you can offer spears and a preloaded spoon at the same meal.

This guide doesn't use raw zucchini, raw shreds, zucchini noodles, round slices or small cubes. NHS (UK) guidance notes that a food's firmness, shape and size all matter. This guide covers only cooked spears and mash.

At mealtime

• Sit your baby upright in a suitable highchair at a time when they're alert. Stay with them and watch for the whole meal.
• Put a spear or two on the tray, or hold one out for your baby to take. Your baby brings the food to their mouth; nobody pushes it in.
• Let your baby set the pace and decide how much to eat. NHS (UK) guidance notes that closing the mouth or turning away can mean they've had enough, and that's reason enough to stop.
• No food or shape is risk-free. The NHS (UK) points out that any food can cause choking. That's why softness, shape and supervision all matter together.

Quick answers

Can I cook zucchini alongside other vegetables?

Yes, but test each vegetable on its own, because they won't necessarily soften at the same rate. Our guides to soft broccoli florets and sweet potato wedges and mash cover the checks for those foods.

What if the spears fall apart when my baby picks them up?

Very soft zucchini can be hard to hold. Mash it and offer it on a preloaded spoon instead.