Learn how to adapt authentic Mexican cuisine to make it baby friendly & so that the whole family can enjoy these dishes together.
This post is written in collaboration with Miroslava Armas, a Mexican mother who is raising two beautiful daughters in Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada.
I’m Miroslava, and I’m so thrilled to share something that’s close to my heart: traditional Mexican foods that have carried the warmth and soul of my childhood all the way to my new home in Canada. I was born and raised in the vibrant city of Guadalajara, Jalisco, where food isn’t just nourishment—it’s a language of love, culture, and celebration. Some of my earliest and most treasured memories are of the comforting aroma of freshly made tortillas and the rich, earthy scent of ching tinga sizzling in my grandmother’s kitchen.
Now, living in Winnipeg, Manitoba—fondly nicknamed “Winterpeg” for its long, snowy winters—I find myself weaving together the flavours of my upbringing with the reality of raising my own two little girls. I’ve learned that living in Canada means it’s not always easy to find all the ingredients so it’s been fun to try to recreate our favourite recipes, making adjustments in how to make them healthier and sometimes using different ingredients.
These recipes I am about to share are a bridge between generations and a testament to the beauty of sharing culture through food. Each bite is a reminder of where I come from and the flavours I want my children to grow up knowing and cherishing.
I hope your family enjoys these dishes as much as mine does. Let’s bring a taste of Mexico to your table, and show you how you can adapt these recipes to make them baby friendly!
Common Mexican Ingredients
For cooking, the most common seasoning would be bay leaves, thyme, cilantro and rosemary. Also as Mexicans, we tend to add lime to many of our meals. And, here’s a fun fact: you would never find a Mexican house without Valentina hot sauce or Tajin–we just use them way too often!
Without further ado, here are four baby friendly authentic Mexican dishes!
Table of Contents
Watch How to Make Baby Friendly Mexican Dishes
Mexican Beans
Frijoles de la olla, or Mexican beans cooked in a pot, are a simple yet essential dish found in almost every Mexican home, and mine is no exception. As a busy mom, I always keep a batch tucked in my freezer—a time-saving treasure inspired by my grandmother. I can still picture her bustling around the kitchen, reminding me never to let the beans sit in the freezer for more than three months.
Back to the beans, this truly is such an easy and great recipe to know! Frijoles de la olla is always a good option because once you make them you can use them in different ways.
- You can serve as a hot soup with broth and add some cheese on top (my personal favorite).
- Or you can compliment other dishes by using the beans without the broth
Frijoles de la olla are nourishing and comforting – perfect for bringing a taste of Mexico into your home! Plus they are so simple to offer to a baby – all you need to do is mash them. They also offer the baby an important nutrient, iron.
Baby Friendly Mexican Beans Recipe
Ingredients
- 2 cups of dried pinto beans
- ¼ white onion
- 8 cups of water
- 3 cloves of garlic
- salt to taste
Instructions
- Rinse the beans with fresh cool water.
- Add the beans, garlic, onion and water into the pot.
- Turn the heat on to medium-high and allow the water to boil. Once boiling bring the heat down to medium-low, cover the pot, and allow it to cook for around 60 minutes.
- After 60 minutes the beans should be soft. If not continue cooking until they are.
- Once soft add salt to taste* and let it simmer for about 15 minutes.
- We like serving them with a few squares of gouda cheese on top and a corn tortilla on the side.
Notes
Chicken Tinga
This is another Mexican favorite. It’s so tasty and the chicken turns out so juicy and with lots of flavor! We often prepare them using chicken breasts but also opt for chicken thighs as well which tend to be even more tender due to the extra fat. We love eating them with tortilla, sour cream, and avocado! In Mexico, our condiments and sauces are what add flavor–pico de gallo, guacamole, salsa, and lime juice!
One of the best things about this dish? Leftover chicken tinga makes incredible quesadillas, perfect for a quick and tasty meal.
This recipe has been a favourite in my home since my daughters were nine months old, when I first offered it to them. If you’re introducing solids in a baby-led weaning style, you can adjust and start even earlier.
Baby Friendly Tinga de Pollo Recipe
Ingredients
- 4 roma tomatoes
- 1 garlic clove
- ½ white onion sliced thinly or diced
- 6 chicken thighs
- 1 cup chicken broth
Instructions
- In a large pot add enough water to cover the chicken breasts and bring to a boil.
- Once the water is boiling, add the chicken and let it cook for 15-20 minutes. When the chicken is cooked, set aside. Important - we are going to use that remaining water in the pot, so don't get rid of it just yet.
- In a blender place the tomatoes, garlic, onion and the chicken broth, once it has cooled down.
- After blending all those ingredients, place the sauce in a large pan, turn the heat medium-high. Cook until you notice the sauce is getting thicker.
- Using 2 forks, shred the chicken and add it to the pan with the sauce and let it simmer for a few minutes. We like serving the chicken tinga with corn tortillas, sour cream and avocado.
Notes
Mexican Lentils (caldo de lentejas)
This recipe is super easy, cozy, and healthy! I love making enough to have for 2-3 days! Caldo de lentejas can be made exclusively with lentils, but some families add meat as well. Personally, we keep it simple!
In my house, everyone loves a steaming bowl of these hearty lentils, and it’s no wonder that people often go back for seconds (or even thirds!). I always make a generous batch- enough to enjoy for 2-3 days- and just like our beloved beans, this lentil soup freezes beautifully. It’s a lifesaver on busy nights and a warm hug in a bowl, full of Mexican flavour.
This is something I started serving my babies when they were 7 months old – you can purée it to a consistency that works for you.
Baby Friendly Caldo de Lentejas Recipe with Instant Pot Instructions
Ingredients
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- 1 large garlic clove
- ½ white onion
- 4-5 celery sticks diced
- 2-3 carrots depending on the size, diced
- 2 yellow potatoes optional
- 2 cups of dried green lentils
- 8 cups of water
Instructions
- Rinse the lentils with fresh cool water.
- Add olive oil into the pot and sauté the garlic and onion on medium for a few minutes and then lower the heat to medium-low and add all the celery, carrots, and potatoes (if using). Sauté for a few minutes.
- Add the lentils and water. Then turn the heat on to medium-high and allow the water to come to a boil. Once boiling bring the heat down to medium-low, cover the pot, and let it cook for around 45-50 minutes.
- After 45-50 minutes the lentils should be soft. If not continue cooking until they are.
- Once soft add salt* to taste and let it simmer for about 15 minutes
Notes
Mexican Vegetable Soup and Pasta
Also known as sopita de verduras, this is a nostalgic dish that brings generations together and warms the heart of every Mexican kitchen. This simple yet flavorful vegetable soup with tender pasta is the meal that grandmas lovingly prepare when they know their grandkids are visiting. It’s also the go-to comfort food that moms whip up when someone in the family is feeling under the weather.
For many, this dish becomes a delicious way to get kids to enjoy their vegetables. We always serve it with a squeeze of lime, hot sauce, and tortillas on the side—perfect for scooping up every last drop!
Baby Friendly Sopita de Verduras Recipe
Ingredients
- 3-4 roma tomatoes
- ½ white onion
- 2 garlic cloves
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- 1 package alphabet pasta or your kids favorite
- 2 carrots
- 2 zucchinis
- 6 cups of sodium free vegetable broth
- you can add more vegetables, if you’d like
Instructions
- In a pan on medium-low heat you will place the tomatoes, onion and garlic cloves.sing tongs you will until every side has a roasted look. This is a very important step to have a soup with a Mexican flavor.
- Add the vegetable broth along with the tomatoes, onion, and garlic to the blender. Blend until smooth set aside.
- In a large pot add olive oil and add the dry pasta and toast by stirring constantly for about 3 minutes, then add the carrots. Cook until soft.
- Add the blended ingredients and bring the soup to a boil. Reduce the heat to medium-low for the last 7 minutes when you’ll add the zucchini and cover with a lid.
- Season with salt* and pepper to taste
Notes
And there you have it, four Mexican recipes from my kitchen to yours. You might not think to eat these foods daily, but living in Canada, we still eat Mexican recipes every day. I believe that the fact that both my husband and I were born and raised in Mexico makes us feel closer or connected to our family/roots when we enjoy our traditional foods. Plus we now get to share that with our daughters.
From Jess and Nita:
A huge thank you to Miroslava for lending her expertise on Mexican foods you can adapt to serve your baby!
If you want to expand your baby’s palate to include other international dishes, check out these posts too:
