Safe from 6 months. Edamame is high in plant-based protein, iron, calcium, folate, and fiber. It is one of the few plant foods that provides complete protein with all essential amino acids.
Raw edamame is starchy and mildly grassy with a firm texture that is not suitable for babies. Cooked edamame has a mild, clean, slightly nutty flavor with a tender but slightly dense texture that mashes into a grainy rather than smooth consistency. It pairs naturally with lemon, sesame, soy sauce (for older babies), avocado, ginger, and brown rice.
Choking risk: medium
Whole edamame beans are round and firm, making them a choking hazard for young babies. Always remove from pods and flatten or halve for babies under 12 months.
Allergen: soy. Introduce one at a time, 3 days between.
Steam pods and pop out individual beans. Lightly mash each bean before serving - whole soybeans are a choking hazard. A great early allergen introduction.
Whole cooked beans for pincer grip. Can also mash into a spread on toast.
Whole beans as a snack, in stir-fries, rice dishes, or mashed into dips.
Ingredients
Steps
Edamame is soy, a top allergen. If introducing soy for the first time, serve it on its own so you can identify any reaction.
Garden notes
Soy allergen - introduce slowly. Whole beans are a choking risk under 9 months; mash first.
Direct sow after last frost when soil is 60°F+ - same family as soybeans.
Harvest for baby
Shell from pods and steam until very soft. Whole beans are a choking risk for babies under 12 months - mash or halve.
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