Can Babies Eat Parsley?
By Sarah, founder of SowAndSpoon · Reviewed April 2026
Yes, safe from 6 months
Choking risk: low
Parsley leaves are soft and thin. Chopped or mixed into food, they pose very low choking risk.
Not a common allergen
Babies can eat parsley from 6 months. Parsley is surprisingly nutritious: high in vitamins K, C, and A, plus iron and folate. The small amounts used in cooking make it best viewed as a nutritional bonus rather than a primary vitamin source.
This guide covers fresh parsley. Dried herbs have a more concentrated flavor; if using dried, start with a very small pinch mixed into food for babies under 12 months.
Flavor guide
Fresh parsley has a clean, bright, grassy flavor with a mild bitterness and a faint peppery finish that fades almost completely when cooked. Curly parsley is milder and slightly watery; flat-leaf (Italian) parsley is more aromatic and flavorful, with a richer savory note. It pairs naturally with lemon, olive oil, garlic, potato, white beans, carrot, and eggs.
How to Prepare Parsley by Age
Finely minced and added to eggs, pasta, or soft vegetables. A great herb for flavor introduction.
Serving ideas:
- -Stir very finely chopped flat-leaf parsley into mashed potato or avocado. Parsley is surprisingly high in iron, and pairing it with a fat-rich food helps absorption.
- -Blend a handful of flat-leaf parsley leaves into a white bean or lentil puree with olive oil for a vivid green, iron-rich first food.
- -Mix finely chopped parsley into mashed sweet potato with a squeeze of lemon to boost iron absorption.
Continue as a flavor ingredient.
Serving ideas:
- -Mix chopped parsley into scrambled eggs, pasta, or rice.
- -Stir into mild tabbouleh with very soft couscous and diced cucumber.
- -Blend into a simple herb yogurt sauce and serve alongside soft chicken or fish.
Anywhere parsley is used - tabbouleh, gremolata, sauces, soups.
Serving ideas:
- -Add to any savory dish as a flavor and nutrition boost
- -Make chimichurri (parsley, olive oil, garlic, vinegar)
- -Blend into green smoothies
Can You Freeze Parsley for Baby?
Chop finely and freeze in ice cube trays with a little water. Pop out cubes and bag them. Ready to drop straight into soups or soft foods.
Parsley and Lentil Soup
From 6 monthsIngredients
- -1/4 cup red lentils, rinsed
- -1 small carrot, peeled and diced
- -1 small garlic clove, minced
- -1 1/2 cups low-sodium vegetable broth or water
- -2 tbsp fresh flat-leaf parsley, finely chopped
- -1 tsp olive oil
Steps
- Heat olive oil in a small saucepan over medium heat. Add garlic and carrot and cook for 2 minutes, stirring.
- Add lentils and broth. Bring to a boil, then reduce to a simmer.
- Cook uncovered for 15 to 18 minutes until lentils are completely soft and beginning to fall apart.
- Stir in parsley and cook for 1 minute more.
- Blend smooth for 6-8 months. For 9 months and older, serve as a textured soup.
Red lentils are iron-rich for babies. The parsley adds vitamin C to boost that iron absorption.
Growing Parsley at Home
Biennial but usually grown as annual. Slow to germinate - start early. Both flat-leaf and curly work.
Ready in ~70-90 days from planting.
Flat-leaf (Italian) parsley has stronger flavor than curly. Both are easy to grow in a pot on a windowsill and give you months of harvests from a single planting.
Per AAP and WHO guidelines, most fruits, vegetables, and herbs can be introduced from 6 months as part of complementary feeding. Always consult your pediatrician before introducing new foods, especially allergens.