Broccoli rabe (rapini)
- First taste
- 6 months
- Choking risk
- medium
- Common allergen
- no
- Iron
- low
Slightly bitter cruciferous green, rich in vitamin K
When can babies eat broccoli rabe?
Broccoli rabe can start when your baby is about 6 months old and ready for solids. The name suggests broccoli, yet its nearest relatives are turnips and bok choy. It is also called rapini or broccoletti. It is widely used in southern Italian cooking. Portuguese kitchens use it in soups, stews and simple sides. It also appears in other European and East Asian cuisines.
Plant-based omega-3 (ALA), fiber, folate and zinc are all there. Vitamins K, C, B6 and A add to the list. It also gives some iron, calcium, lutein and zeaxanthin. Together they help the nervous system, the brain, eyesight, defenses, clotting and bone strength.
Vitamin K and medicines
Vitamin K can interact with some medicines. If your child takes medication regularly, ask the doctor before serving broccoli rabe often.
How do you prepare broccoli rabe for babies?
Stalk, leaves and skin
The stalk makes a good handle for a baby. Florets and leaves can stay on, but they turn floppy once cooked and are harder to eat. Trimming them off is fine too. Peel thick skins. Thin skin can stay.
To soften the slightly bitter taste, mix it into familiar foods such as mashed potato, eggs, pasta or frittata.
About nitrates
Some vegetables, including broccoli rabe, contain natural nitrates. Very large amounts can affect oxygen in the blood. Babies under 3 months and those with health problems are more sensitive. Pediatric and European food safety bodies (AAP and EFSA) usually do not worry about vegetable nitrates for healthy children. Avoid well water. Do not keep homemade vegetable purée longer than 24 hours. Use opened store-bought purée within 24 hours.
Preparation by age
The same food is served differently at each age. What matters is how your baby sits, grasps and chews, more than the calendar.
6 months
6 months · How to prepare as a stalkstrip
Hand your baby a long stalk cooked until soft. The stalk works like a natural teether and builds chewing skills. To lower the choking risk, you can split it in half lengthwise. If the stalk has a thick skin, peel it before cooking. A thin skin that is easy to pierce can stay on. Cooked leaves turn floppy, so remove them from the stalk if you like. You can also mash soft-cooked broccoli rabe into mashed potato or mix it into egg strips.
9 months
9 months · How to prepare small piecescube
Cut: Bite sized piece
Halve soft-cooked broccoli rabe lengthwise and cut it into bite-sized pieces. Your baby practices picking them up between thumb and forefinger. You can keep offering the long stalk for biting practice. You can also chop it finely into pasta, frittata or casserole dishes.
12 months
12 months · How to prepare with a forkcube
Cut: Bite sized piece
Pre-load a fork with bite-sized cooked pieces. As your child's biting and chewing improve, you can cook it a little less. Serve broccoli rabe the way your family eats it, matched to your child's skills.
Is broccoli rabe a choking hazard for babies?
Choking risk: medium
Raw or undercooked stalks are firm. Cook them well and split the stalk lengthwise. Leaves turn floppy when cooked, so trim them if needed.
Stalks that are raw or undercooked are tough to chew, and that adds to the choking risk. Cook the stalk well and split it lengthwise. Stay with your baby during meals.
Round stalks
A round piece of stalk is riskier if it breaks off in the mouth. Split it in half lengthwise.
Is broccoli rabe a common allergen?
Broccoli rabe rarely causes allergy. Allergy to its close relative, broccoli, has been reported. Sensitivity to other cruciferous vegetables, for example mustard greens and broccoli, may mean a reaction to broccoli rabe. Those sensitive to mugwort pollen can develop oral allergy syndrome. The signs are a short spell of an itchy, tingly or burning mouth, rarely anything dangerous. Cooking may reduce or remove the reaction.
Start with a small amount the first time.
Key nutrients
Frequently asked questions about broccoli rabe
Is broccoli rabe the same as broccoli?
No. Botanically its closest kin are turnips and bok choy, not broccoli. Its taste is more bitter.
Do I need to peel the stalk?
Peel thick-skinned stalks before cooking. A thin skin that is easy to pierce can stay.
Can a child on medication eat it?
Broccoli rabe is high in vitamin K, and this vitamin can interfere with certain medicines. If your child takes medication regularly, ask the doctor before serving it often.
Sources for this page
- Mitra S, Emran TB, Chandran D, Zidan BMRM, Das R, Mamada SS, et al. (2022). Cruciferous vegetables as a treasure of functional foods bioactive compounds: Targeting p53 family in gastrointestinal tract and associated cancers. Frontiers in Nutrition. doi:10.3389/fnut.2022.951935
- Sugita Y, Makino T, Mizawa M, Shimizu T. (2016). Mugwort-Mustard Allergy Syndrome due to Broccoli Consumption. Case Reports in Dermatological Medicine. doi:10.1155/2016/8413767
- Hermanides HK, Laheÿ‐ de Boer AM, Zuidmeer L, Guikers C, van Ree R, Knulst AC. (2006). Brassica oleracea pollen, a new source of occupational allergens. Allergy. doi:10.1111/j.1398-9995.2006.01055.x
- Kashyap RR, Kashyap RS. (2015). Kashyap RR, Kashyap RS. Oral Allergy Syndrome: An Update for Stomatologists. Journal of Allergy. doi:10.1155/2015/543928
Guides on iron, allergen introduction, gagging and drinks. Read the starting solids guides
Medical note
This page is for information only and is not a substitute for medical advice, diagnosis or treatment. Talk to your pediatrician before any feeding decision, especially about allergen introduction and reactions.
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Astro Tasarım Simay Yenice · Türkiye · merhaba@lokmini.com