Postpartum Recovery Soup Recipes for the New Mom
Soup is a wonderful expression of love. Handcrafted with the intention of serving up a sprinkle of love, it’s also a nurturing expression of care and kindness. These postpartum soup recipes can be the ideal expression of this kind of care.
After giving birth, a mother’s body requires restorative foods to replenish all that she has lost. Ideally the new mama is lying in with her new baby and taking care of her recovering body naturally.
Giving birth requires an incredible output of a mother’s physical, emotional, and spiritual resources. And what better way to nourish her back to her full glory than with delicious, comforting soup recipes cooked up with her postpartum recovery in mind?
Most Beneficial Postpartum Soup Recipes
The food tree or meal train approach is an excellent means of providing nourishing meals for new parents who are just getting into the groove of caring for a little one. Those sleepless nights and hours of acclimating aren’t always conducive to making their own healthy, home-cooked meals.
These three perfected postpartum soups are unique, delicious, and extra nourishing for the postpartum recovery period. While you may think holding Baby long enough for the Mama to get a shower is the greatest gift (and it is pretty good), by preparing one of these soups, you’ll be helping replenish her body with the nutrients she needs to get onto the business of caring for her baby.
Nurturing Roasted Tomato Soup
“No one with a dust rag or pan of lasagna will be turned away…”
…the wise words of a friend responding to a group email of family members and well wishers asking when they could come see her new baby.
This sentiment has stayed with me as a reminder of how to be helpful to new parents. And as I’ve grown to rely on our Instant Pot, I’ve learned just how easy it is to make a nourishing soup. And there’s always plenty to share.
This recipe isn’t for lasagna, but this hearty tomato soup is perfect for nourishing a postpartum mother… without the starches that might create uncomfortable bloating or gas in a nursing newborn.
Roasted Tomato Basil Soup
Ingredients
- 3 lbs organic tomatoes chunked
- 1 large onion thickly sliced
- 5 cloves garlic peeled and crushed
- 1/4 cup fresh basil roll with your fingers to gently release oils
- 3 tbsp olive oil
- 2 tbsp salt
- 1 tsp pepper
- 2 cups chicken broth, bone broth, or vegetable broth
- coconut milk or heavy cream (optional)
- shredded cheese (optional)
Instructions
- Place tomatoes, garlic, and onions on a baking sheet, drizzle with the olive oil, sprinkle with salt & pepper, and roast at 450 degrees for 25-30 minutes or until the tomatoes look a bit
blistered. Then broil for 5-10 minutes to get a bit of char on the tomatoes. - In a large stock pot, bring the broth to a boil.
- Add the tomatoes and fresh basil.
- Blend until creamy (a hand immersion blender works well). Optional: stir in 1 cup of coconut milk or heavy creamer for creamier soup.
- Top with shredded cheese, croutons, and a swirl of olive oil.
Refreshing Watermelon Soup
This postpartum recovery soup helps restore lost waters and increase the alkaline levels of the postpartum body. Watermelon is also packed with Vitamins A & C and has powerful natural antioxidants to help support a healthy breastfed baby.
Your friend may request this soup long after the postpartum days are over.
Ingredients
- 2 pounds seedless watermelon cubed
- 2 tablespoons fresh mint chopped
- 2 tablespoons fresh squeezed lemon juice
- ¼ teaspoon fresh grated ginger
- ¼ cup crème fraiche
- ¼ cup coconut water
- 1 cup mango puree
Instructions
- Place watermelon, mint, lemon juice, ginger, crème fraiche, and coconut water in a blender, and puree to a soup-like mixture.
- Refrigerate and serve cold with a dollop of mango puree on top and tiny minced fresh mint.
Japanese Miso Soup with Scallions & Mushrooms
Japanese miso soup is a nourishing, mineral-rich broth made from fermented soybeans, seaweed, and often tofu or vegetables. It’s especially beneficial for postpartum mothers because it’s hydrating, easy to digest, and full of probiotics that support gut health and immune recovery. The natural umami flavor can also help stimulate appetite during the early healing phase.
A little protein goes a long way. Miso soup is extremely helpful for a new mother regaining her strength and staying hydrated.
Ingredients
- 3 cups dashi soup stock
- ¾ cup firm organic tofu cubed in small bites
- 3 tablespoons miso paste
- ¼ cup green onions chopped
- ¼ cup shitake mushrooms chopped
- 1 teaspoon dried seaweed minced (optional)
- Splash of low sodium soy sauce or Braggs your choice
Instructions
- Pour the dashi soup stock in a medium size sauce pan on medium heat.
- Add in the tofu, onions, mushrooms, and seaweed if you are using it and let simmer for approximately 5 minutes.
- Take 1 cup of the soup stock and place in a pan with the miso paste and let it dissolve. Add this mixture back into the soup.
- Add a splash of soy sauce or Braggs to taste.
- Serve warm.
