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Endive for Babies: When and How to Serve It

Endive is a pale, slightly bitter salad leaf that turns mild and sweet when cooked. Cooked until soft, it is an easy way to broaden your baby's palate from around 6 months.

When to introduce
Around 6 months
Common allergen?
No (not a common allergen)
Texture
Cooked soft, mashed or cut small
Key nutrients
Fiber, folate, vitamin K

When can babies eat endive?

Endive is a pale, slightly bitter salad leaf that turns mild and sweet when cooked. Cooked until soft, it is an easy way to broaden your baby's palate from around 6 months.

How to prepare endive for baby-led weaning (BLW) and purées, by age

6 monthsCook endive until soft, then mash it or blend it into a smooth puree.
9 monthsOffer soft-cooked endive in small pieces or soft strips.
12 months+Serve small, soft pieces of endive as part of meals.

Is endive safe? Choking & prep

Cook endive until soft enough to squish, and cut it to an age-appropriate size, since firm pieces are a choking risk. Skip added salt, and pair it with an iron-rich food to round out the meal.

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Nutrition

Endive provides fiber, folate, vitamin k, part of a varied diet for your growing baby.

Goes well with

Potato · Cheese · Apple

Storage & freezing

Refrigerate cooked endive in a sealed container for up to 3 days, or freeze in portions.

More vegetables to explore

🌿
FennelAround 6 months
🥬
Gai lan (Chinese broccoli)Around 8 months
🧄
GarlicAround 6 months, as a cooked flavoring
🫛
Green beansAround 6 months
🌴
Hearts of palmAround 9 months
🥔
JicamaAround 9 months

Related reading

Frequently asked questions

When can babies eat endive?

From around 6 months, cooked soft and mashed or cut into small, soft pieces.

Is endive a common allergen?

No, it is not a common allergen. Introduce it on its own the first time as you would any new food.

How do I prepare endive for a baby?

Cook it until soft, then puree it for spoon-feeding or cut it into soft pieces for baby-led weaning. Skip the salt.

Sources

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Last updated July 2026. How we write these: grounded in widely published pediatric guidance (the AAP, WHO, the NIAID 2017 allergen guidelines, and the LEAP study), and pending independent review by a pediatric professional. See our editorial and medical policy for how we research, source, and update these.

This is general information, not medical advice, and has not been individually reviewed for your baby. Always talk to your pediatrician about your baby's diet, introducing allergens, and any reaction. In an emergency, contact emergency services.

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