Sleepless nights. Constant feedings. A whirlwind of unpredictable emotions. As a soon-to-be mom, you’re likely feeling it all. Anticipating the fourth trimester (both its sanctuary and sacrifice) is daunting. Rest assured, you’re in good company. I’m a mom of two—who recently emerged from the newborn haze. Speaking from personal experience, the last thing to fret over is cooking nourishing food. Enter this postpartum meal prep guide. These meals will be your lifeline, providing quick and nutritious options when you need them the most. They’ll help make the transition to motherhood a bit smoother, but the clock’s ticking. Before your bundle arrives, set yourself up for success.
Ultimately, now’s the time to lean on your village. And spoiler alert: your family, friends, and community want to help you. You’ll be so grateful you reached out! In turn, you can focus on what truly matters: bonding with your baby and taking care of yourself. This resource covers it all, including postpartum nutrients, how to organize a meal train, and a roundup of meal-preppable recipes.
Edie is the founder of nutrition coaching business, Wellness with Edie. With her background and expertise, she specializes in women’s health, including fertility, hormone balance, and postpartum wellness.
Why Postpartum Meal Prep Matters
After your baby is born, having nutritious, ready-to-eat meals at your fingertips makes a world of a difference. They’ll provide nourishment and energy, save your sanity, and ease the burden of unnecessary house chores. Envision warming up a bowl of hearty soup or digging into a wholesome slice of lasagna. Sound comforting? Ultimately, having meal prepped dishes will provide a sense of stability. (Just what the doctor ordered.)
What to Know About Postpartum Nutrition
As you start brainstorming postpartum meals, don’t underestimate the importance of nutrition. Certain nutrients play a critical (and game-changing!) role in healing and recovery, energy levels, breastmilk production, and emotional well-being.
Of course, adequate calories are also necessary to fuel the demands of motherhood. This means the requirements for all macronutrients—and the large majority of micronutrients—increase during postpartum. You’ll need starchy carbs for slow-digesting energy, protein for satiation and rebuilding tissue, and healthy fats for blood sugar stability. Last but not least, don’t forget digestion. Cooked veggies and probiotic-rich foods are key for a thriving postpartum gut.
Think: hydrating, easy-to-digest, nutrient-dense meals like soup with rice, a sweet potato with soft-boiled eggs, or steel-cut oats with almond butter and stewed berries. All of the organs in your abdomen are going through a massive shift, and digestion is likely to be compromised. Stock your fridge and pantry with the following ingredients:
Eggs. Packed with choline (to support your mental health and baby’s brain development), pastured eggs are one of the most nutritious and convenient ingredients to have on hand. For plant-forward mamas, opt for non-GMO soy/tofu for a source of choline.
Greens. Asparagus, spinach, kale, and arugula are a versatile source of folate, which supports the production of new cells, aids in tissue repair, and helps prevent anemia.
Avocado. As a postpartum mom, avocados help you—and your baby—absorb fat-soluble vitamins and can benefit your baby’s developing brain. For a quick and satisfying snack, sprinkle half an avocado with nutritional yeast and flake salt. Drizzle with balsamic glaze. Eat with a spoon or seedy crackers.
Berries. Keep bags of organic berries in your freezer to top your granola, oatmeal, or add to smoothies. Their fiber and antioxidants are important for postpartum mamas.
Legumes. Another source of folate, legumes are a nutritious addition to bowls and salads. Keep canned lentils, chickpeas, and black beans in the pantry to bulk up your lunches and dinners.
Bone broth. Rich in minerals and collagen, this superfood aligns with the traditional practice of serving new mothers warm beverages (and soups) to heal her body.
Fermented ingredients. Kimchi, miso, kefir, sauerkraut, and yogurt aid in digestion, nourish breast milk, and help rebuild the microbiome.
Nut butter. Monounsaturated fats, the majority of fat found in nuts, help combat emotional fluctuations by steadying blood sugar. Snack on a handful of walnuts or add nut butter to toast, smoothies, and oatmeal.
Seeds. Chia, flax, and hemp seeds are easy (and nutrient-dense) additions to smoothies, oatmeal, and avocado toast. They’re rich in omega-3 fatty acids for hormone balance and brain health.
Coconut. Another healthy fat to incorporate, it’s known to nourish breast milk.
Sardines. These are packed with a variety of nutrients that new mothers need—DHA, calcium, and vitamin D3. They’re also one of the richest sources of choline! Available tinned, keep them in your pantry for an easy addition to savory meals.
Root veggies. These comfort foods (beets, acorn squash, butternut squash, etc.) are easy to roast and pair well with any protein. Plus, they keep well in the fridge. Pair them with a healthy fat to help keep blood sugar stable—like tahini or avocado—and increase the absorption of nutrients like beta-carotene.
Grass-fed liver. Liver is rich in vitamin A, which helps replete blood loss after birth. If eating liver makes you squeamish, you can opt for a grass-fed liver supplement (or add liver to your food processor along with ground beef to make these meatballs!).
Greek yogurt. If you tolerate lactose, organic/pasture-raised Greek yogurt is a convenient source of protein and probiotics. Cottage cheese is another dairy source worth stocking up on!
Benefits of Meal Prepping Before Your Baby Arrives
You’ll be so relieved you carved out the time! This is why:
Better Planning
Newborn care. Newborns require a lot of attention, and while their needs are simple, they’re often unpredictable. Having meals prepped means you spend less time cooking and more time attending to your baby.
Sleep deprivation. Prepped food eases the burden of having to cook when you’re exhausted.
Optimal Nutrition
Balanced diet. Prepping meals in advance is the best way to maintain a balanced diet, which is crucial for recovery post-delivery and—if breastfeeding—for milk production.
Healthy choices. Rather than reach for ultra-processed foods when you’re hangry, you’ll have healthier choices to nosh on (for better satiation and stable energy).
Stress Reduction
Ease and convenience. This goes without saying, but knowing your meals are taken care of reduces daily stress.
Lessens decision fatigue. With meals/snacks already prepped, you eliminate the need to make extra decisions.
Economic Benefits
Cost savings. If you have the fridge/freezer space, preparing meals in bulk is more economical than buying one-off ingredients or ordering frequent takeout.
Waste reduction. Preplanned meals help in minimizing food waste as you buy and use exactly what you need.
Flexibility
Adaptability. Prepped meals—particularly those that are pre-portioned— provide flexibility at meal times and reduce the pressure to cook fresh meals daily.
Quick meals. Having ready-to-eat/easy-to-prepare meals are lifesavers during unexpected busy or challenging days.
The Best Types of Postpartum Foods to Freeze
Based on your food preferences and dietary preferences, consider the following foods to make ahead and freeze!
Soups and stews
Casseroles
Curries and chili
Lentil curry. Full of spices and plant protein, this coconut curry is delicious with rice or naan.
Vegetarian chili. Beans and veggies provide fiber and protein in this vegetarian chili. (It’s a house fave!)
Baked goods
Grain Bowls
Quinoa or rice bowls. Follow this guide for making your own SweetGreen at home.
Pre-portioned smoothie ingredients. Freeze bags with fruits, veggies, and nuts/seeds for quick, nutritious smoothies.
Tips for Freezing Your Postpartum Meals
Now that you have your meals made and prepped, here are a few tips you can follow to ensure they keep well and are ready in a pinch. Work smarter, not harder.
Label and date each container before freezing. Ideally, with the name of the dish and the date it was frozen, as most need to be consumed within three months of freezing.
Pack properly. Use airtight containers or freezer bags to prevent freezer burn.
Make reheating a breeze. Freezing meals in individual or family-sized portions ensures you have exactly as much as you need, whenever you need it.
Include instructions. Write out how to reheat each meal on a label attached to each container.
What is a meal train?
A meal train is an organized initiative that brings your village together. Family, friends, colleagues, and members of your community band together to support you with meals during a joyous life event (a new baby!) or an extremely challenging loss. This thoughtful gesture is two-fold: it provides much-needed nutritional support and delivers a powerful message of love and support.
Ultimately, a meal train shows how small acts of kindness can make a significant impact during life’s most profound—and transitional—moments. As a postpartum mama, a meal train is worth gold.
How to Set Up a Meal Train
It’s easy! First, decide what process you want to use to communicate to your village. This is also how you’ll compile signups. A basic Google Sheet does the job, or you can use a platform like Meal Train or Take Them A Meal. These are helpful for providing a schedule and avoiding duplicates.
Ask one person to be the “leader”—they’ll make sure your meal train runs smoothly. Next, share the meal train link via email (or social media). In your message, thank your community for their generosity and support. Emphasize how their nourishing meals will help you focus on rest, recovery, and your newborn. Gently encourage your friends and family to participate! Last but not least (and this goes without saying), make your meal/snack preferences very clear. That way, you aren’t receiving food you don’t want.
Meal Train Tips
Beyond listing specific postpartum meal prep meals, make sure to include things like:
Allergies, intolerances, or dietary preferences (i.e., No dairy, please!)
Ideal drop-off windows and where to leave the food (i.e., Leave on the front porch, but text before you come—hopefully it’s a good time for you to meet our newest bundle!)
Restaurants you love and what you typically order (for those who feel more comfortable getting you takeout)
Your leader’s contact info
6 Postpartum Meal Prep Ideas
To bring this full circle: as a soon-to-be mama, don’t underestimate the energy and strength you’ll need during the early postpartum weeks! Ideally, extended family and friends will bring you food, but you can also prepare healthy, pre-cooked freezer meals and snacks before your little one arrives. These are some of our faves.
This soup is hearty, satisfying, and packed with anti-inflammatory ingredients. Make a batch of this nourishing recipe for (multiple) healing lunches or dinners.
Keep these in your freezer and pop one or two into the microwave for a wholesome yet decadent boost of energy. Pair a muffin with a cup of Greek yogurt for a satisfying breastfeeding snack.
You heard it here first: outsource this healthy chicken tikka masala recipe to a friend, and voilà, you’ll think twice about ordering takeout. Keep a bag of microwavable rice in the freezer—or better yet, naan!—and dinner is served.
Prep these meatballs in advance, pop them in the freezer, and eat them reheated on a bed of pasta, quinoa, or couscous. With cannelini beans as the base, you’re getting a substantial amount of fiber and protein in these flavorful, versatile meatballs.
This soup packs a major nutritional punch. Plus, it’s a convenient way to pack an inordinate amount of green veggies into one very wholesome meal. Have it with a slice of toasted sourdough (or a simple grilled cheese) for a plant-forward lunch.
You’ll want to eat this grain-free granola by the handful. For added staying power, enjoy over a bowl of yogurt and top your granola with berries for fiber and antioxidants. It’s a quick breakfast—or hearty snack—when breastfeeding hunger strikes.
Whenever I’m at the beach, I can feel my entire system reset. Our family’s schedule is cleared of most commitments, so the time allows us to downshift into a more relaxed state of mind. When we’re in Malibu, my favorite time of day is just before sunset, when everything’s dipped in golden light and you can find us gathered around the grill prepping ingredients from the farm stand, cold drink in hand. And this summer, our MVPs have been these grilled shrimp tacos with grapefruit-avocado salsa, also know as the best shrimp tacos on the planet. Call us obsessed.
Now, when I’m back in Austin, I’m committed to bringing that relaxed Cali vibe home. (Yes, even as I’m juggling the realities of a busy work schedule combined with carpooling our kids from one activity to another.) For me, the best way to lean into the summer spirit is to cook (and eat!) as many meals outside as possible. This shrimp taco recipe is the perfect excuse to enjoy an al fresco meal any night of the week. Let’s dive in—I’ll show you how easily they come together.
Join the Club
Grilled Shrimp Tacos with Grapefruit-Avocado Salsa:
Camille’s Cooking Club July Recipe
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Ingredients for Grilled Shrimp Tacos
This is a short and sweet ingredient list—which I consider to be a baseline requirement for any great summer recipe. Here’s what to grab at the grocery:
limes
grapefruit
honey
garlic
chili Powder
mayo
shrimp (peeled and deveined)
cabbage
corn Tortillas
avocados
cilantro
jalapeños
How to Make the Best Shrimp Taco Recipe
Marinate the shrimp
The key to keeping this recipe simple is letting our ingredients do double duty. The marinade is also used as the base for the creamy sauce, and the grapefruit salsa uses several of the ingredients in the marinade. Because again—I like a short grocery list.
To make the marinade, you’ll whisk together the zest and juice from your citrus with honey, garlic, chili powder and olive oil. Then you place the shrimp in a bowl and pour half the marinade over it. You only want this shrimp to marinate for 30 minutes to an hour at most—longer than that, and you’ll risk starting to “cook” the shrimp in the citrus. (We’re not making ceviche here.)
Make the quick crema
This sauce plays a major role in giving this shrimp taco recipe tons of flavor. All you need for the creamy sauce is your reserved marinade that gets combined with either mayo or sour cream. You’ll toss a bit of it with our shredded cabbage for a five-second slaw, then reserve the rest to drizzle over the top of the finished tacos.
Toss together your salsa
I made grapefruit the star ingredient in this addictive salsa. It’s incredibly easy and takes these tacos to the next level. Simply toss together chunks of avocado and grapefruit, then add cilantro and adjust the jalapeño to add as much heat as you like. Double the recipe and serve it as an appetizer alongside tortilla chips.
How to cook shrimp for tacos
Trust me on this: the key to the most delicious shrimp is getting that char, which means that a quick cooking method is the way to go. I like to cook shrimp on high heat in a cast-iron skillet set over the grill grates. It allows you to get that quick sear, while also ensuring that your shrimp don’t fall through the grates.
Once you’ve placed the shrimp into the pan and heard that sizzle, resist the temptation to move or flip the shrimp until the first side is nice and caramelized.
Assemble your tacos
To serve, top a charred corn tortilla with some of your cabbage slaw, grapefruit salsa, and then the grilled shrimp. Garnish with cilantro and a drizzle of crema, and serve with lime wedges. Voila—the best shrimp tacos you’ve ever had.
Tips for Shrimp Taco Success
Change up the toppings
If you want to skip the salsa, just add slices of creamy avocado, bits of fresh cilantro and a few squeezes of fresh lime. Pico de gallo is always welcome!
Switch up the protein
You could turn these into fish tacos, using the same marinade, sauce, and salsa. Cod or halibut filets work great for this recipe.
Make it easy
I rely on a few key shortcuts when I make this shrimp taco recipe:
Use a bag of pre-shredded cabbage.
Buy raw shrimp that’s already peeled and deveined.
Char the corn tortillas right on the grill, so you can keep all the cooking outdoors (with minimal clean-up!).
These shrimp tacos are simply the best. With a citrus-honey marinade and zesty grapefruit salsa, it’s a quick summer dinner that’s prepared almost entirely on the grill—and perfect for entertaining.
Zest of 1 lime and 1 grapefruit
1/4 cup lime juice
1/4 cup grapefruit juice
1/2 cup honey
3 cloves garlic, peeled and minced
1 tablespoon chili powder
1 tablespoon olive oil, plus more for pan
1/4 cup mayo or sour cream
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 1/2 pounds large or jumbo shrimp, peeled, deveined
2 cups shredded green cabbage
Corn tortillas, charred over grill
For serving: cilantro leaves and lime wedges
For the grapefruit salsa:
1 grapefruit, peel and pith removed, and cut into segments
1 avocado, cut into chunks
1/4 cup chopped cilantro
1 jalapeño, seeds and ribs removed, chopped
Kosher salt, to taste
Make the marinade: whisk together zest, juice, honey, garlic, chili powder, and olive oil.
Place shrimp in a bowl, then pour half the marinade over it. Cover and refrigerate for 30 minutes.
Meanwhile, mix ¼ cup of the reserved marinade with ¼ cup of mayo or sour cream. This is your quick & creamy sauce. Refrigerate until ready to serve.
Make the grapefruit salsa: gently toss all ingredients in a bowl. Refrigerate until ready to serve.
Preheat grill to medium heat (375 F), and place a cast-iron skillet directly on the grates to preheat.
Drizzle olive oil on the bottom of the skillet, then place shrimp in the skillet and cook for 2 minutes. Baste the shrimp with the reserved marinade, then turn and cook for another two minutes, until opaque.
Remove from grill.
Toss the shredded cabbage with a couple tablespoons of the creamy sauce, and a pinch of salt and pepper. Set aside.
Assemble tacos: top a charred corn tortilla with slaw, salsa, and then shrimp. Garnish with cilantro and a drizzle of sauce, and serve with lime wedges. Enjoy!
July marks the middle of the year—a time when we’re reminded to reflect on all the past months have brought. It’s an opportunity to check in on our vision boards and intentions, making note of our progress and releasing what no longer resonates. Alongside this self-work, the sunshine seekers among us are out making the most of the longer days. We’re diving head-first into any body of water we can find and hiking our hearts out. When it comes to building a bucket list full of things to do in July, the month has so much fun and excitement in store.
31 Things to Do in July to Make Every Day Count
Some of us are beach bums, others are adventurers, and plenty of us simply enjoy a refreshing beverage poolside. Hiking, biking, and lazing about—however you choose to unwind, summer’s the season for it. And July’s the time to set the tone for the rest of the year to come.
So take this month day by day with the bucket list below. I have a feeling that by the time August comes around, we’ll all have long been riding our summertime groove.
July 1-8
1. Check in with your goals. We’re six months in and have six months left of 2024—there’s never a better time to reflect on the goals you set at the beginning of the year. What still resonates? Are there intentions you can let go of? Reframe and reset—and take this second half by storm.
2. Try a new hairstyle.Summer is a great time to experiment with new looks. Steal Camille’s secrets to perfect her breezy, beachy waves.
3. Cook a meal entirely outside.Even if you’re not a grill master, you can still cook a delicious dinner outside with picnic-friendly foods. If you can stand the heat and mosquitos long enough, set a pretty table and enjoy the al fresco vibes.
4. Celebrate the Fourth of July. Hit up your town’s parade, have friends over for a casual (but celebratory) meal, or spend the day on the lake. Kick back, relax, and enjoy your day off.
5. Commit to rest. Use the month of July to get in a good rest routine before the summer is over. Try taking naps, shoot for eight hours of sleep, and follow these tips for a good night’s snooze.
6. Invite friends over for a blind taste test.Y’all know we love a good blind taste test. We’ve tried everything from the best vanilla ice creams to pizza crusts to pancake mix. Now it’s your turn. Have some friends over, bake a few of your favorite sweets, and have everyone vote on their favorites. You can also do a blind taste test with something store-bought and something homemade to see if you can really taste a difference.
7. Have an intentional date night. While we love putting on a show and having a cozy night in with our S.O., 2024 is all about experiencing more novelty. These questions are designed to help you switch up your conversations and learn more about your partner.
8. Plan your outdoor space. Camille’s Mediterranean-inspired landscaping has motivated us all to make our backyards and patios an outdoor haven. Make your Pinterest dreams come true with these backyard landscaping ideas full of tips to fit any space.
July 9-15
9. Re-start your favorite book.While I’m all about picking up the best new read, there’s nothing more comforting than rereading your favorite books. There’s no pressure to focus too hard, no big commitments to make—just pure pleasure. Whatever book you can picture yourself laying out on the beach with for hours without pause, that’s the one to read. Head to the library, a bookstore, or your Libby app and make it happen.
10. Go night swimming. Some of my favorite childhood memories involve family night swims at the lake. Take the leap (literally) and discover the joy of it yourself this July.
11. Get your steps in. During the pandemic, my daily walks during the workday were my saving grace. Now that I know the simple beauty of a couple of daily walks, I can’t get enough. Prioritize at least a stroll around your neighborhood. Who knows, when the weather’s nice, you’ll likely be tempted to keep going.
12. Plan a road trip.The best part about road trips is that they require little planning, especially if you’re only taking a day trip. You have no excuse not to! Follow these expert tips on taking the ultimate road trip.
14. Spruce up your garden (or start one).Gardening is a great way to spend some time in the sun. Plant something new if you already have a garden going, or finally start one if you haven’t yet. Camille’s building her green thumb and can’t get enough. Steal her gardening tips and get growing!
15. Go strawberry picking.Take advantage of strawberry season! There’s nothing better than getting up early, beating the crowds, and heading home with baskets of fresh fruit. And of course, you have to make a sweet strawberry treat with your pickings.
July 16-22
16. Go to an outdoor concert. Most cities and larger towns host outdoor music events throughout the summer. Do a little research and come out to support local bands. Don’t forget the snacks!
17. Stargaze.Go stargazing on vacation, while camping out, or in your backyard. Download a free app like SkyView Lite to identify all of the stars and constellations you find. Keep your eyes peeled for shooting stars, too.
19. Visit an aquarium. When the weather’s hot, I’m either in a lake or staying cool somewhere that has AC. In the latter case, a museum or an aquarium will always win out. If there isn’t one in your area, explore the deep sea with this scrollable illustration. It’s seriously addicting.
20. Have a picnic. Prep and pack your favorite picnic recipes, whip up a pitcher of iced tea, and find the perfect spot to set out your blanket. Is there any better way to spend a summer evening?
21. Celebrate National Ice Cream Day.What better way to cool down than with ice cream? Pick up a few pints of thebest vanilla ice creams, try out one of these healthy ice cream recipes, or just grab a spoon and a bowl and celebrate by yourself.
22. Attend a block party. Bring some food and stop by. There’s no better way to get to know your neighbors.
July 23-31
23. Clean out your closet.If you’re looking for productive things to do in July, try cleaning out your closet. You probably feel like you just finished spring cleaning, but now is the perfect time to sell or donate the summer clothes from last season you never ended up wearing. And you can always reorganize to make room for the upcoming summer sales.
24. Take a family bike ride. My family just bought two electric bikes and I could not be more excited to go home and try them out. Pack a picnic and stop somewhere scenic for lunch along the way. (Yes, everything is just an excuse for a picnic.)
25. Make a seasonal bouquet. Whether you’re headed to Trader Joe’s or visit your favorite local florist, pick a few different blooms and craft an arrangement that’ll brighten up your home. Bonus points if you make an extra one to share with a friend.
26. Find a local farmer’s market and cook dinner with what you buy.Wondering what to do in July with all of summer’s finest foods? Check out our guide to what’s in season. Support local vendors by visiting your nearest farmer’s market and making a meal with what you find.
27. Have a 90s movie marathon when it’s too hot outside.Let’s face it: even though summers should be spent outside, sometimes it’s just too hot. Invite your friends over or cozy up in bed and have a 90s movie marathon to escape the heat.
28. Go wine tasting. It’s the ultimate Sunday girls’ day. Gather a few friends or invite other couples if you’d like to go with your partner. And if there are no wineries nearby, visit a wine bar or local brewery and keep your tasting close to home.
29. Go to a baseball game. Nothing screams summer quite like baseball and hot dogs. I just went to a Cubs game and while I wouldn’t call myself the biggest baseball fan, I had the best time getting outside and connecting with the energy of the game.
30. Get on the water. Grab a paddle board, take a surfing lesson, or head out on a boat. However, you enjoy the water, don’t be afraid to get your hair wet.
31. Reflect on the month and make new goals for August. Look back on all that this month brought into your life. Did you meet new people? Experience new opportunities? Learn new things? In your journal, write what went well and what you would have liked to happen differently this month. Then, take that positive energy and channel it into an amazing August ahead.
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At Camille Styles, our love of delicious, nourishing food runs deep. In-person and on Slack, our conversations inevitably gravitate to what we’re currently cooking in our kitchens across the country. From our best taco recipes to soups when the cozy season calls for it to our enduring passion for sweet potatoes—food is endless fodder for conversation. And the dish that’s in constant rotation in my kitchen right now? Sara Forte’s blackened salmon recipe with tropical pico from her new cookbook, Around Our Table: Wholesome Recipes to Feed Your Family and Friends.
As the creator behind the healthy cooking site Sprouted Kitchen, Sara is an expert at making fresh, delicious dishes accessible to an ever-expanding audience. Her recipes pair creativity with honesty—acknowledging that as much as we’d wish otherwise, our time in the kitchen is limited. Sara understands food as a core tenet of the larger pursuit of wellness. And though that translates to nutrition, nourishment also takes into account what’s possible with the resources we have.
What’s more, food is also a means of connection. It’s the foundation for intimate moments spent in the company of family and friends. Sara’s latest cookbook, Around Our Table, creates space for this comprehensive understanding of food. It’s the sort of cookbook that evolves alongside of you. Instead of being steeped in shifting food trends, it serves as a guide for how food can support your life—no matter the season.
We sat down with Sara to talk about the intention behind her latest release. As she reflects, Sara’s passion for incorporating food into a full life is evident. Her recipes are on-the-fly friendly, bringing color and creativity to the table while keeping things simple and streamlined.
Blackened Salmon With Tropical Pico
“This is your salmon for a crowd,” Sara writes in her cookbook. Whereas other salmon recipes forgo flavor for simplicity, Sara leans on fresh, heavy-hitting ingredients to streamline the prep and deliver a delicious meal, every time.
We also love that this salmon—and its accompanying pico—can be served in endless ways. Sara tops fish tacos with the pico or adds a little heft to the salsa with avocado for a standout, standalone appetizer. (With crunchy, salty chips, of course.)
Serving tips for your salmon abound. She enjoys it best “[…] generously seasoned and served with some punchy pineapple pico and avocado.” (I.e., the exact recipe you’re getting below.) “I serve it with coconut rice, but it could just as easily be wrapped into a burrito or even served over greens. This dish makes for excellent lunch leftovers, so don’t overthink the suggested serving number.”
And contrary to popular belief, salmon isn’t a year-round dish. Sara notes that you’ll find the freshest fish between May and September. And while frozen fillets work in a pinch, she advises staying away from “thin, flimsy tail-end pieces.”
With those expert tips in mind, read on for Sara’s blackened salmon recipe with tropical pico. And be sure to pick up Around Our Table for more recipes to keep in your everyday arsenal.
Excerpted with permission from Around Our Table by Sara Forte published by Hardie Grant Publishing, April 2024, RRP $40.00 Hardcover.
A crowd-pleasing dish you can make in a pinch, this Blackened Salmon With Tropical Pico is the standout recipe of the summer.
For the Tropical Pico:
2 cups / 330 g chopped fresh pineapple
1 ripe mango, diced small
1 Roma tomato, seeded and chopped
1 bundle cilantro, chopped
1/4 of a red onion, minced
1 serrano, seeded to taste and minced
1 lime, zest and juice
1/2 teaspoon sea salt
A few grinds of freshly ground pepper
Pinch of sugar
For the Salmon:
2 tablespoons olive oil + more for the pan
2pounds / 900g center-cut slab of salmon
For the Blackened Seasoning:
1 teaspoon paprika
1 teaspoon onion powder
1 teaspoon garlic powder
1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
Pinch of cayenne pepper
1 teaspoon sea salt
1 tablespoon light brown sugar
1 teaspoon finely ground coffee
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground pepper
For the Coconut Rice:
1 cup / 200 g short-grain white rice, well rinsed
1cup / 240ml water
1cup / 240ml coconut milk
Pinch of sugar
Zest of 1 lime
Sea Salt
2 large avocados, cubed
Fresh cilantro and microgreens
For the Tropical Pico:
Put all the ingredients in a bowl and mix to combine. Keep covered in the fridge until ready to use.
For the Blackened Salmon:
Preheat the oven to 300°F / 150°C. Line a rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper. Spray or rub it with oil. Dry the salmon with a paper towel and place it on the oiled parchment sheet.
Mix all the blackened seasoning ingredients together. Mix in the oil and gently rub it all over the flesh of the salmon.
Start the rice. Combine the rinsed rice, water, coconut milk, sugar, lime zest, and salt together. Stir to mix. Bring the rice to a boil, then down to a simmer. Cover and cook for 18 to 20 minutes until cooked and tender. Set aside.
While the rice cooks, roast the salmon. Bake for 15 minutes, then turn the heat up to broil and cook another few minutes until the top starts to char. Timing will vary by oven, but assume somewhere in the 2-minute ballpark. The salmon should be cooked to about medium in that time; add 5 minutes to that first bake if you prefer it well done. Remove to rest.
Serve the slab of salmon over the rice on a platter, flaking it apart with a fork, with the avocado and pico over the top. Garnish with cilantro and microgreens.
