Baby & Family Recipe - Yellow Corn & Summer Squash Soup

This recipe is from professional chef and restaurateur Natalia Bushyager who believes you can make 1 dish for the entire family including baby. She is equal parts Mother, Chef and Entrepreneur and guided by the philosophy that often the best way to prepare a meal is to let the ingredients speak for themselves. She is owner of Picnic on Third cafe in San Francisco and her culinary style takes inspiration from meals cooked by grandmothers around the world. 

With summer around the corner, sweet corn and squash make a perfect pairing, and the recipe uses the whole vegetable (including the cob!) to make a quick stock. The end result is a light but creamy puréed soup that's delicious for the whole family -- including baby friendly by itself and adult chic with the help of a few strategic garnishes.

Ingredients

• 4 ears of yellow corn, kernels removed from cobs and cobs reserved
• 4 yellow summer squash, diced
• 1 yellow onion, cut in half
• 1 stalk of celery, cut into three big pieces
• A few sprigs of thyme
• Bay leaf
• 2 tbsp. butter
• 1 clove of garlic, minced
• ½ tsp. turmeric
• ½ cup heavy cream (optional)
• Green onions, black pepper & nice olive oil to garnish

Instructions

1. Start by making a quick stock. Combine the corn cobs, half of the yellow onion (no need to cut it), celery stalk, bay leaf, and thyme sprigs. Bring to a boil then reduce to a simmer and cook for approximately 20 minutes while the rest of the soup is being prepared.

2. Meanwhile, heat a soup pot over medium heat. Melt the butter then sauté the onion, squash, and corn with a pinch of salt until the vegetables are just tender and the onions are translucent, 10-12 minutes. Add the garlic and turmeric and cook until fragrant, about another minute.

3. Reserve ½ a cup of the cooked vegetable mixture to garnish the soup.

4. Strain the stock and pour over the remaining sautéed vegetables. Simmer until everything is tender, approximately 15 minutes. Add the cream if using.

5. Puree the soup and season to taste with salt and serve as is for younger diners, or garnish with reserved vegetables, sliced green onions, cracked black pepper, and olive oil for the adults. Enjoy!

FAQs

Is corn healthy for babies?

Yes! Once your baby is ready for solids, feeding them corn can be a healthy source of nutrients that are important for development. Not only is corn rich in carbohydrates and fiber for natural energy and digestive health, but corn is also chock-full of zinc, B vitamins, vitamin C, and phosphorus– which can each benefit baby’s growth, from immune health to wound healing. What better way to get baby strong and healthy than with this tasty corn and squash recipe!

Is squash healthy for babies?

Absolutely. Yellow summer squash specifically is full of zeaxanthin and lutein, both of which are carotenoids that assist in vision and eye health. When you combine squash for the baby with the benefits of corn listed above into one delicious corn and squash recipe, parents are filling baby’s diet with a meal that provides an amazing handful of nutrients to make baby as healthy as possible. The added benefit of tasting so good means that parents can experience all of these flavors and nutrients, too!

Why is turmeric considered a superfood?

Parents may be surprised to learn of the health benefits of turmeric, especially if they haven’t cooked with it before; luckily, this recipe for corn and squash soup for baby makes it easy and delicious to work with, allowing parents and babies alike to experience all of turmeric’s benefits. Turmeric works great for digestive health, bone health, and respiratory function and can even improve mood by curbing depression! With all of these benefits and more, this corn squash soup is a no-brainer for any parent looking to make baby’s– and their own– diet a little healthier across the board.

What temperature should soup be served to babies?

Soup is an excellent starter food for babies around 6-9 months; once parents and baby alike are ready to move beyond the breastfeeding stage, soup is a great option to start serving. Parents can pack it full of healthy veggies, blend it completely into a liquid before introducing fully solid foods, and find easy recipes like this squash & corn soup for baby that make cooking simple and delicious. We recommend letting the soup cool down to a “slightly warm” degree rather than hot or even warm. This takes away any burn risk and still provides the comfort of a nice, warm, flavorful soup that baby can try! Parents should taste test the soup before letting baby try in order to ensure that the temp is safe and ready for baby to eat.