🌿

Can Babies Eat Papalo? Yes, as Flavor

A bold Mexican herb, more pungent than cilantro. Use a little, finely chopped, to flavor food from around 9 months, not as a serving on its own.

Log papalo today →

Free, no account needed. Takes about 10 seconds.

When to introduce: Around 9 months
Common allergen?: No (not a top-9 allergen)
Texture: Fresh herb, finely chopped
Key nutrients: Flavor herb; used in tiny amounts

Can babies eat papalo? Yes, from around 9 months, treated as a seasoning rather than a food in its own right. Papalo (also called papaloquelite or quilquina) is a bold Mexican herb, often described as a stronger, more pungent cousin of cilantro. It is usually torn or chopped over cemitas, tacos, and salsas raw. For a baby, use just a small amount, finely chopped, stirred into a dish for flavor. A little goes a long way, and it is a fun way to introduce new tastes early.

Prep School: how to prepare papalo for baby-led weaning (BLW) and purées

🍴 Baby-led weaning

9 monthsStir a little finely chopped papalo into a soft finger food your baby can hold, like a mashed bean strip or avocado spear, so the flavor comes through without a mouthful of loose leaf.

12 months+Tear a small amount of fresh papalo over graspable family food such as soft tacos or beans your baby is picking up.

🥄 Purées

9 monthsBlend or stir a pinch of finely chopped papalo through a smooth mash or mild salsa for flavor. Start with a very small amount, since it is strong.

12 months+Mix a little chopped papalo into thicker mashes and family dishes you are spooning, keeping the amount small.

Is papalo safe? Choking & prep

Papalo is a strong-tasting fresh herb used as a flavoring, not a serving on its own, so add just a small amount finely chopped rather than a pile of leaves. Wash it well first, as you would any raw leafy herb. It is not a top-9 allergen. When you fold it into food, make sure the dish itself is an age-appropriate texture: soft, mashable, and cut into safe shapes with no hard rounds or chunks. As with any new flavor, offer a little at first and watch how your baby takes to the bold taste.

Log papalo the first time your baby tries a dish with it and tag it yummy, meh, or yucky. You will have the date on record and a running picture of how your baby feels about this bold herb.

Log papalo today →

Free, no account needed. Takes about 10 seconds.

Nutrition

Papalo is used in such small amounts that it is best thought of as a flavor rather than a nutrient source. Like other fresh green herbs, it adds aroma and a distinctive taste that can make familiar foods, such as beans, avocado, or mild salsa, more interesting for a curious eater. Its real value early on is exposure: getting your baby comfortable with a wider range of tastes, which supports adventurous eating later. Lean on the rest of the dish, such as beans, vegetables, or grains, for the actual nourishment, and let papalo do the flavoring.

Goes well with

Stirred through mashed or refried beans · A pinch in mild avocado mash · Torn over soft tacos for older babies · Blended into a mild, low-salt salsa · A little in a soft corn or grain bowl · Mixed into a bean and vegetable stew

Storage & freezing

Keep fresh papalo like other tender herbs: wrap the stems in a damp paper towel, store in the fridge, and use within a few days while it is fragrant. You can also stand the stems in a little water like a small bouquet, loosely covered, in the fridge. It does not dry or freeze as well as it keeps fresh, so buy small amounts.

More foods to explore

🌱

Poppy seedsAround 6 months, in the small amounts food normally uses

🧊

PopsicleAbout 12 months, and a homemade lower-sugar version even then

🍠

Pounded yamFrom about 9 months

🍋

Preserved lemonAround 12 months, tiny amounts

🥛

Rice milkNot as a drink under about 5 years; tiny amounts in cooking from 12 months

🌰

Sesame seedsAround 6 months

Common questions

When can babies have papalo?

From around 9 months, used as a small amount of finely chopped fresh herb to flavor a dish, not as a serving on its own. Its strong taste is easier to enjoy stirred through familiar food.

Is papalo the same as cilantro?

No, though it is often compared to it. Papalo is a different plant with a much bolder, more pungent flavor, so you use far less of it than you would cilantro.

Is papalo safe for babies?

Used as intended, a small amount of finely chopped fresh herb for flavor, it is fine from around 9 months. Wash it well and keep the amount small because the taste is strong.

Is papalo an allergen?

It is not one of the top-9 allergens. As with any new food, offer a little at first and watch your baby, but there is no special allergen concern with papalo.

How much papalo can I give my baby?

Just a pinch. Papalo is a flavoring herb, so a small amount finely chopped into a dish is plenty, not a full serving of leaves.

How do I prepare papalo for a baby?

Wash it, then finely chop or tear a small amount and stir it into a soft, age-appropriate dish like beans or avocado so the flavor spreads through without a mouthful of loose leaf.

Is papalo a choking hazard?

A small amount of finely chopped fresh herb stirred into food is not a typical choking shape. The thing to watch is the dish it goes into: keep that soft, mashable, and free of hard rounds or chunks.

What does papalo taste like?

Strong and herby, often described as somewhere between cilantro, arugula, and rue, with a pungent kick. That is why you use only a little, especially for a baby's first taste.

Can I use papalo if I cannot find fresh cilantro?

You can use papalo for its own flavor, but it is much stronger than cilantro, so use far less. It is not a mild one-for-one swap, more of a bolder alternative.

Where is papalo used in cooking?

It is a classic herb in parts of Mexico and South America, torn raw over cemitas, tacos, salsas, and bean dishes. You can introduce your baby to it through those same kinds of soft, mild dishes.

Track it in YummyYucky

Log first tries and reactions, with an automatic allergen watch when a food needs one, all in one place you can share with your pediatrician.

Start tracking for free

Last updated July 2026. Next review January 2027. 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.

Some links in our guides are affiliate links: if you buy through them we may earn a small commission, at no extra cost to you. We only suggest things we'd actually use, and it never changes our guidance.