Name: Asparagus Puree (Passato di Asparagi)
Prep time: 15 min
Cook time: 9 min
Total time: 24 min
Cuisine: Italian
Ingredients: 1 bunch asparagus, woody ends snapped off, tips and tender part only; Water or vegetable broth (recipe 01), unsalted, to loosen; 1 tsp extra virgin olive oil (EVOO)

Ingredients

1 bunch asparagus, woody ends snapped off, tips and tender part only
Water or vegetable broth (recipe 01), unsalted, to loosen
1 tsp extra virgin olive oil (EVOO)

Method

Hold each asparagus spear near the base and bend it gently until it snaps. It will break naturally at the point where the tender part ends and the woody, fibrous stem begins. Discard the woody end.
Steam the tips and tender part of the spears over boiling water for 6-8 minutes, until completely soft.
Blend thoroughly, longer than usual, until fully smooth. Asparagus fibres are stringy and do not break down as easily as a soft root vegetable, so this needs a proper blend, not a quick pulse.
Pass the puree through a sieve to catch any fibres that survived blending, then stir through the EVOO off the heat and cool to a safe serving temperature before offering.

Age adaptations

6 months

Offer a very smooth, single-ingredient puree, loosened with a little cooled cooking water or unsalted broth so it runs slowly off the spoon. Start with a teaspoon once a day and follow your baby's pace. Begin only once your baby shows clear readiness signs (good head and neck control, able to sit with support, showing interest in food, and no longer pushing food out with the tongue). Introduce one new food at a time, a few days apart, so any reaction is easy to spot.

6-8 months

Blend thoroughly and sieve without exception at this age. Any surviving strands from the spear can catch in the mouth or throat, so a lump-free result matters more here than with a starchier vegetable.

9-12 months

A finer mash, checked for any missed fibres, or offer well-cooked whole asparagus tips held by the woody end for supervised gumming, discarding the stem once it's been sucked on.

12+ months

Serve soft-cooked asparagus tips cut into short pieces as part of a mixed plate, rather than as long stringy spears.

Storage

Fridge for 2 days in a sealed container, asparagus loses freshness quickly once cooked. Freeze in ice-cube trays or small pots for up to 2 months; defrost fully in the fridge, reheat until piping hot, then cool before serving.

For the family

Toss extra asparagus tips in olive oil with a pinch of salt, lemon zest and shaved parmesan for a quick adult side, seasoning only once your baby's portion has been set aside.

Safety notes

Asparagus fibres are genuinely stringy, so a puree for early spoon-feeding must be blended thoroughly and sieved, not just roughly mashed. Always snap off and discard the woody stem end before cooking, using only the tips and tender part. Serve seated upright at the table, actively supervised and free of distractions; remember that safe preparation, not supervision, is the primary safeguard. Complementary feeding begins at 6 months, the age recommended by Italian (Ministero della Salute, SIP) and WHO guidance. Start only when your baby is showing clear readiness signs, following official Italian guidance.

Asparagus Puree (Passato di Asparagi)