We have examined the effect of early enteral nutrition on postoperative recovery as well as the incidence of complications in patients undergoing laparoscopic rectal cancer surgery. The control group received traditional nursing care for postoperative nutrition, whereas the treatment group received early postoperative enteral nutrition. Relative to the control group, the postoperative anal exhaust time, first defecation time, first eating of solid food time, bowel sound recovery time, and hospital stay in the treatment group were shorter (P < 0.05), nutrition-related indexes including serum total protein, albumin, and prealbumin were elevated (P < 0.05), levels of serum inflammatory factors C-reactive protein, interleukin-6, and tumor necrosis factor-alpha were lower (P < 0.05), peripheral blood CD3+, CD4+, and CD4+/CD8+ cells were elevated, while CD8+ cells were decreased (P < 0.05). The incidence of postoperative complications in the treatment groups was lower relative to the control group (P < 0.05). To sum up, early postoperative enteral nutrition can not only promote the immune function and nutritional status of patients undergoing laparoscopic rectal cancer surgery but also help reduce the postoperative inflammatory response and promote recovery.