From the YummyYucky team, founded by Nancy Nash
Beans for babies
Beans and lentils are one of the best-value first foods going: cheap, plant-powered protein and iron, soft when cooked, and endlessly versatile. A couple of small safety points, one of them genuinely important, and your baby is set.
When and how
From around 6 months, cooked very soft and mashed. A whole firm bean is a choking risk for a young baby, so mash them, flatten each between your fingers, or blend into a purée or hummus. Every legume we cover:
Adzuki beans, Black beans (mashed), Black-eyed peas, Cannellini beans, Chickpeas (mashed), Cranberry beans, Edamame (mashed), Fava beans, Gigante beans, Great northern beans, Kidney beans (mashed), Lentils, Lima beans, Mung beans, Navy beans, Pinto beans, Refried beans, Split peas, Toor dal, Urad dal, White beans, Bambara beans, Chana dal, Masoor dal, Gungo peas, Cooked pigeon peas, Broad bean, Moong dal, Rajma, Kinako, Soy milk, Silken tofu pudding, Yuba, Ful medames, Shiro wat, Puy lentils, Beluga lentils, Flageolet beans, Lupini beans, Tepary beans, Moth beans, Horse gram, Kala chana, Rice bean, Scarlet runner bean, Marrowfat pea.
The kidney-bean rule (read this one)
Kidney beans are a great food, but only when fully cooked. Raw and undercooked kidney beans contain a natural toxin (phytohaemagglutinin) that causes nausea and vomiting. Two safe routes:
- Canned kidney beans are already fully cooked, just rinse and mash.
- Dried kidney beans: soak at least 5 hours, drain, then boil hard in fresh water for at least 30 minutes before simmering soft (the FDA’s current consumer advice). A slow cooker on its own does not reach a high enough temperature, so boil first.
Never serve raw or undercooked kidney beans to anyone, baby or adult.
Allergens and gas
Most beans are not major allergens, but note that soybeans (see tofu and edamame) are a top-9 allergen, and peanuts, botanically legumes, are their own allergen (see introducing peanut). A little extra gas as your baby adjusts is completely normal.
Rinse canned beans
Canned beans are a brilliant shortcut, but the liquid is salty. Rinse them well under the tap to wash off much of the salt before serving, since babies need very little (see salt for babies).
Related reading
See iron-rich first foods, best finger foods, and how to cut food safely.
This is general information, not medical advice. Cook all beans thoroughly, mash or flatten them for young babies, and talk to your pediatrician about any reaction.
Frequently asked questions
When can babies have beans?
From around 6 months, once solids are underway. Beans and lentils are a fantastic early food: cheap, packed with plant protein, iron, and fiber, and soft enough to mash when well cooked. Cook them until very soft and mash or flatten them, since whole beans can be a choking risk for young babies.
Are kidney beans safe for babies?
Yes, as long as they are fully cooked, and this one matters. Raw and undercooked kidney beans contain a natural toxin (phytohaemagglutinin) that causes stomach upset and vomiting. Canned kidney beans are already fully cooked and safe once rinsed. If you cook dried kidney beans, soak them at least 5 hours, drain, then boil them hard in fresh water for at least 30 minutes (the FDA’s current consumer advice) before any simmering. A slow cooker alone does not get hot enough to destroy the toxin.
Do beans need to be mashed?
For younger babies, yes. A whole, firm bean is a choking hazard, so mash them, flatten each one between your fingers, or blend them into a purée or a spread like hummus. Around 9 months and up, soft flattened beans they can pick up are usually fine.
Are beans an allergen? And will they cause gas?
Most beans (black, kidney, pinto, chickpea, white) are not among the major allergens, though soybeans are a separate top-9 allergen, and peanuts, which are legumes, are their own. A little extra gas is normal as your baby adjusts and is nothing to worry about.
Sources
Log every first bite, and keep it
Look up any food for the safe cut and prep by age, log the first try in a tap, and YummyYucky saves it as a keepsake of firsts you will want years from now. Free.
Log a first bite, freeLast updated September 2026. Next review December 2026. How we write these: built from current published guidance from the AAP, CDC, FDA/EPA, NIAID, WHO, and other pediatric and public-health authorities, with sources cited on the page. See our editorial and medical policy for how we research, source, and update these, and how we double-check the food advice.
This is general information, not medical advice, and is not individualized 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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