Creamy Butter Bean Mash with Carrots
Smooth butter bean and potato mash, served with tender cooked carrot pieces. No added salt.
- prep
- 10 min
- cook
- 20 min
- total
- 30 min
- serves
- 4
- level
- easy
Butter beans mashed together with potato make a creamier, slightly more interesting version of a familiar mashed side, and it is an easy way to work in some extra plant protein without anyone noticing.
Cooked carrot pieces alongside give some texture contrast, and the simplest test for whether they are soft enough is whether you can squash one easily between two fingers.
If your little one is still earlier in the journey, start with our Baby's First Foods guide.
Part of our 40 toddler meal ideas list.
method
Boil the potato cubes until completely soft, about 12 minutes.
Add the butter beans to the pot for the last 3 minutes of cooking, just to warm through.
Drain the potato and beans well, and mash together with the milk and butter until smooth and creamy.
Meanwhile, steam or boil the carrot pieces separately until very soft, about 10 to 12 minutes.
Let both the mash and carrots cool to just warm, then serve the carrot pieces alongside or stirred through the mash.
chef's tips
- Mash this thoroughly, checking for any firmer bean skins that did not fully break down, since the texture should be smooth rather than lumpy.
- Cook the carrot pieces until genuinely soft enough to squash easily between two fingers, which is the simplest test for whether they are toddler-ready.
- No added salt is needed. The butter and milk already give this a rich, mild flavor.
- This is an easy side to pair with almost any protein on this list, from the chicken patties to the fish pie.