Best Lentil Soup for Postpartum Recovery
BY: REBECCA BELENKY OF LOS ANGELES BIRTH
A warm, nourishing bowl for those early postpartum days, this lentil soup is simple to make, easy to reheat, and deeply satisfying. It’s made with garam masala, carrots, and fresh herbs for a cozy, grounding meal that works beautifully for meal trains—especially for Los Angeles and Pasadena families who want something hearty, practical, and genuinely delicious.
Perfect Postpartum Lentil Soup
There’s a very specific kind of hunger that shows up postpartum—especially in those first couple of weeks when the days run together, you’re running on broken sleep, and your body is doing the invisible work of healing from the inside out. I see nutritious food as what often gives parents the energy to get through the really challenging days. Snacks and teas, soups, coffee, and Energy Balls. In my Los Angeles postpartum doula sessions, I see it all the time: parents want food that’s warm, filling, and genuinely easy to reheat with one hand, and lots of it.
This lentil soup is one of my favorite “new baby” recipes because it’s cozy and savory (the spice bloom makes it taste like you know what you are doing!), and it’s packed with fiber and protein. It’s easy to make in a big batch for the fridge or freezer, and it’s simple to drop off for your postpartum friends if you’re organizing a meal train.
Why lentil soup works so well postpartum
Postpartum food doesn’t need to be perfect. It just needs to be THERE. Ready to go.
This is a great postpartum meal because it is warm (your nervous system is already working hard), steadying (protein, carbs, and fat together), flexible (you can swap herbs, add greens, and stretch it with more broth), and supportive of digestion!
Postpartum Lentil Soup Recipe
Ingredients
2–4 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil
1 yellow onion, finely diced
4 garlic cloves, roughly chopped
1 Tbsp Garam Masala
1/8 tsp cayenne (optional, or alter to taste)
Kosher salt, to taste
3 Tbsp tomato paste
1 cup French lentils, pre-soaked and rinsed
4 carrots, sliced
3 ribs of celery, sliced
1 russet potato, cut into chunks
1 quart broth
A handful of fresh herbs for finishing (basil, dill, cilantro, chives—any or all)
Directions
Heat the olive oil in a soup pot over medium heat. Once the oil moves quickly, add the onion and cook until translucent. Clear the onions from the center of the pot and add another drizzle of olive oil. Add the garlic and the dry spices to the hot oil and cook until fragrant.
Add the tomato paste and warm it with the spices to develop a toasty, roasty bloom. Add the pre-soaked, rinsed black lentils to the pot and stir to coat. Pour in the broth and add salt as needed.
Cover and simmer over medium heat for about 10 minutes. Add the celery, carrot, and potato, and continue cooking until tender, about 20 minutes more. Serve hot with fresh herbs on top and enjoy.
Easy postpartum-friendly tips
If you’re delivering this to new parents in Los Angeles or Pasadena, I’d recommend putting the soup into two smaller containers—one for the fridge now, one for the freezer later.
If you have greens on hand, a handful of spinach or chopped kale stirred in at the end is an easy upgrade, but totally optional. If you want to spice it up and make another variation with the same soup, serve it over brown rice or quinoa, or pair it with a whole-wheat grilled cheese on the side.
Storage + reheating
This keeps well in the fridge for several days and freezes beautifully. Let it cool completely before freezing, ideally in portions. I recommend freezing in smaller portions with these silicone trays, or even in small mason jars, for easy grab-and-warm meals.
A postpartum doula note
If you’re newly postpartum and reading this in survival mode, you may be finding yourself questioning, “Why is feeding myself so hard right now?” I remember that feeling so vividly, and I also remember how strange it felt to ask for help for such a basic thing that I had never struggled with before having a child. For many families, meal planning in the postpartum period looks like a few solid recipes you can make with your eyes closed, some quick options in the freezer, some takeout, and a postpartum meal train. Ask for help from your community. The people who love you REALLY want to do something helpful. Share this recipe with a loved one and ask for their support with some easy-to-warm meals. Or maybe you would like to try this recipe for the smooth Carrot Soup for Postpartum.
If you’re in the Pasadena area and building your postpartum support team, postpartum doula care can include meal support, feeding guidance, newborn care, emotional processing, and having someone calm in the room who knows what’s normal—and what needs extra attention. You can explore more about my postpartum doula services or contact me for a consultation.
Continue Exploring Birth, Labor, and Doula Support in Los Angeles
✨ Here are a few related posts you might like to read:
What Does a Postpartum Doula Do?
A clear, grounded look at what postpartum support can include day to day.
Muffins with fiber and protein, a perfect postpartum treat.
Newborn Sleep Guide: Gentle Support
A realistic, caring approach to newborn sleep and family rhythms.
No-bake, protein and fiber-rich snacks to make for labor and postpartum.
Rebecca Belenky is a Los Angeles–based doula, childbirth educator, and lactation educator who has been supporting families since 2014. Through her practice, Los Angeles Birth, she offers compassionate, trauma-informed care that helps parents feel informed, grounded, and confident through pregnancy, birth, and postpartum.
