18 Delicious Whole30 Dinner Recipes (2024)

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Designed to be a month-long reboot for your body, the Whole30 meal plan aims to cleanse and renourish your system by detoxing from packaged and processed foods.

It seems easy enough, but Whole30’s off-limits food groups — like dairy, grains, legumes, and processed sugars — can present challenges. That’s why we’ve gathered our favorite Whole30 dinner recipes that showcase all you can eat on the plan.

Think turkey, chicken, beef, pork, seafood, eggs, and tons of veggies. These recipes transform Whole30-approved ingredients into delicious dinners, using clever swaps like coconut oil, coconut amino acids, nut and seed butters, and vegetable “rices.”

If you missed our Whole30 breakfast recipe roundup, here’s a simple refresher of what the program is all about.

You might likeThese Whole30 Essentials Will Have You Thriving (Not Just Surviving)

1. Thai chicken with spicy “peanut” sauce

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A Thai-inspired stir-fry sounds healthy (veggies! meat! dairy-free!), but it can be a minefield of Whole30 no-no’s, like soy sauce, honey, and peanut butter.

This recipe gets around those roadblocks, by subbing in coconut aminos (we buy a bottle of Bragg) for the soy, a mashed date for honey, and sunflower butter for the legumey stuff.

2. Roasted lemon chicken with potatoes and rosemary

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Classic one-dish roasted chicken and potatoes doesn’t need much tweaking to become Whole30 compliant. Translation: It’s a great way to ease yourself into the plan.

Lemon, garlic, and rosemary, a can’t-be-beat combo that evokes the Mediterranean, turns this into a succulent dinner that’ll make you forget you gave up anything.

3. Chicken balance bowl

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This fresh bowl has all our salad favorites — chicken, sweet potato, and avocado — and a sauce so good you’ll want to make extra and keep it in the fridge for tomorrow’s salad.

Just double-check that jar of tahini has no added sugar, so it’s Whole30 compliant. A delicious dinner whipped up in 30 minutes? We’re sold.

4. Mango chicken with coconut cauliflower rice

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This recipe makes two clever swaps: cauliflower “rice” instead of the real grain, and tapioca flour to bread the chicken. Add ginger and trusty coconut aminos to round out this healthier version of a take-out classic. Genius.

5. Jalapeno turkey burger

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Truth: ground turkey can be blah. But not this recipe. Here, the meat is mixed with jalapeños and spices. Cooke them up, then top with guacamole, a poached egg, and salsa. No need for buns, cheese, and ketchup for these flavor bombs.

6. Grilled salmon with mango salsa

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Grilled salmon topped with mango and red pepper salsa is irresistible. There’s no restrictions on healthy fats on the Whole30 meal plan.

7. White fish fillet with braised fennel

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Thin fillets of flounder or sole work well in this dish. A fiber-rich coleslaw, and yummy slices of naturally sweet fennel make this a meal to share. The veggie components of this elegant dinner can be prepared ahead.

Cook the fish last. It will just take minutes.

8. Shrimp and asparagus stir-fry

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This is one of those great 15-minute meals to have in your back pocket at the end of the day. You can use frozen shrimp and asparagus. (Freezer restock alert.)

This brothy stir-fry uses coconut oil, and the shellfish and spears are simply seasoned with lemon, ginger, and garlic.

9. Blackened Cajun mahi mahi

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Shake up your own Cajun rub from your spice rack, or buy a prepared mix, for this blackened steak. Sear it on the stove (we love our cast iron pan), top it with sliced avocado and you’ve got the perfect entrée for an 80s themed dinner party.

10. Skillet beef fajitas

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This sizzling Tex-Mex favorite is packed with veggies and has a spicy kick. Just throw everything in a hot cast-iron pan. And make sure your veggie broth is Whole30-approved.

11. Sweet potato and pineapple beef bowls

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A hearty salad bowl based on spicy ground meat — paired with sweet, juicy fresh pineapple and mango — sings with flavor. It’s gotta be fresh. Canned fruit can have a lot of sugar.

12. Hearty vegetable soup

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This recipe makes six servings, packed with potatoes, ground beef, and chunky tomato sauce. Filling and nutritious, and ready to freeze. Hello, easy weeknight meal.

13. Pork roast with sweet potatoes, apples, and onion

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This Whole30 makeover of the classic pork and apple combo uses fresh fruit for a naturally sweet side to the roasty protein. Diced sweet potato adds satisfying carbs rich in beta-carotene.

14. Lamb, mint chimichurri, and butternut “rice”

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Cauliflower isn’t the only veggie you can morph into rice-like granules. Butternut squash also makes an awesome substitute for the grain. Here it’s made all buttery and wonderful with ghee.

With tender, grilled lamb, drizzled with a fresh, minty chimichurri, this is dinner party-worthy stuff.

15. Tomato basil beef goulash with eggplant

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Hungarian goulash takes a page out of an Italian cookbook in this blogger’s version. Here the dish’s trademark paprika is swapped out for basil and garlic.

Whisking in the cream from the top of a can of coconut milk makes it extra luscious while keeping to the Whole30’s no-dairy rule.

16. Paleo eggs in hell

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Eating Whole30 doesn’t mean having to splurge on pricey meats and seafood. This eggs for dinner one-pan meal turns a modest ingredients into something heavenly, if your idea of heaven is a little spicy.

Leave out the bread the blogger uses to sop up the sauce. Use a spoon!

17. Zucchini noodles with everything pesto and fried eggs

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When spiralized zucchini is lathered in dairy-free pesto and topped with a fried egg, the zoodles are awesomely delicious. One warning: pine nuts can be expensive. It’s fine to sub in walnuts.

18. Slow cooker ratatouille soup

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With a whopping eight kinds of veggies, this may as well be called “the one-stop stew for your daily recommended fiber and vitamin intake” (although “ratatouille soup” gets right to the point).

This recipe makes a large batch that will cover dinner for days. Thank you, freezer.

The Whole30 diet plan opts for fresh, unprocessed foods. These 18 Whole30 dinner recipes showcase all the good things you can eat on the plan, like turkey, chicken, beef, pork, seafood, eggs, and lots of veggies.

With the clever swaps in these recipes, you won’t even miss grains, legumes, and sugar.

18 Delicious Whole30 Dinner Recipes (2024)

FAQs

What pasta can you eat on Whole30? ›

No pasta recreations are allowed on the Whole30, per the Pancake Rule. However, single-ingredient veggie “noodles” such as spaghetti squash noodles or spiralized zucchini noodles are compatible and easy!

What are the don'ts on the Whole30 diet? ›

On Whole30, you can eat meat, vegetables, fruit, tree nuts and seeds, and healthy fats. However, you must avoid sugar, grains, legumes, dairy, alcohol, and processed food additives. Although it would be difficult and very restrictive to maintain long term, the Whole30 is designed to be done only for 30 days.

Can you eat cheese on Whole30? ›

On the Whole30 diet, you can't have: dairy (say good-bye to cheese), legumes (so no beans, pea, chickpeas, lentils peanuts or peanut butter, soy sauce, tofu, and anything else soy-related), grains (wheat, corn, rice, oats, barley, and even gluten-free grains like quinoa, buckwheat, and amaranth), added sugars (from ...

Is rice allowed on Whole30? ›

Well, the Whole30 diet requires you to eliminate many common foods in order to maintain a healthier diet. It eliminates grains, dairy, wheat, rice, oats, and corn. Soy, beans, and peanuts are eliminated, too. No alcohol, sugar, or other sweeteners are allowed.

Is popcorn approved on Whole30? ›

IS POPCORN WHOLE30? No — popcorn is made from a whole grain (dried corn AKA popcorn kernels), and grains are eliminated on the Whole30 diet.

Is hummus OK on Whole30? ›

Whole30 bans legumes like chickpeas. Still, you can whip up a tasty chickpea-free hummus using avocados, cooked cauliflower, and a few other healthy ingredients.

What is the one bite rule on Whole30? ›

Here's the rule in a nutshell: If you think your less healthy treat is going to be so delicious, so incredible, so worth it, and then you take your first bite and discover it's not… STOP EATING.

Do you actually lose weight on Whole30? ›

That said, plenty of people who try the Whole30 diet do end up losing some weight. “The benefit of Whole30 is that it encourages eating whole foods, which are foods in their most natural state,” says Sara Haas, RDN, a nutrition expert with formal training in the culinary arts.

What are the hardest days on Whole30? ›

On Days 10 and 11, you are statistically the most likely to quit your Whole30. (That's why they're “the hardest days.”) By this point, the newness of the program has worn off, and though you've made it through most of the unpleasant physical milestones, you've yet to experience significant benefits.

Can you eat bananas on Whole30? ›

What about bananas? Yes, both pickles and bananas are allowed on Whole30. Yet if they are a potential trigger food for you (for instance, the sweetness of bananas sets off a craving for other treats or makes you want to binge on the fruit), then you may consider including them on your “don't eat” list.

Can you have coffee on Whole30? ›

Whole30 and Coffee

Yes, you can have your coffee. You're welcome. You can drink it black, add unsweetened compatible nutpods, coconut milk, almond milk, or add cinnamon or vanilla beans to the brew.

What carbs can you eat on Whole30? ›

While there are no refined sugars in the Whole30 diet, there are plenty of carbs: vegetables, fruit, even nuts have them. For an entire month I happily consumed plants, protein and fat. Breakfast became coconut yogurt layered with blueberries, chia seeds and hemp hearts.

Can I eat oatmeal on Whole30? ›

When you're on Whole30, toast, cereal, and oatmeal won't fly. But that doesn't mean you have to eat a plate of boring scrambled eggs each and every day. These casseroles, egg cups, breakfast stacks, and more will have you looking forward to your morning meal—and full way beyond your morning commute.

Why are there no beans on Whole30? ›

Whole30 doesn't allow beans based on the idea that they contain "anti-nutrients" like phytates. Phytates are compounds found in plants that can potentially block the body's absorption of important minerals like magnesium, iron, and calcium.

Is anything at Chick Fil A Whole30 approved? ›

What Whole30 menu items to order at Chick-fil-A: It's probably best to skip Chick-fil-A altogether during your Whole30, Yawitz says. But, if you find yourself there, you could ask if they could make the grilled nuggets without the marinade on a Cobb Salad with no bacon, cheese, crispy red peppers, or corn.

Are egg noodles Whole30 approved? ›

There aren't any kinds of pasta that are Whole30 compliant except for spiralized veggies. That's right – almond flour pasta, shirataki noodles, and other common pasta alternatives are off-limits during Whole30.

Are rice noodles Whole30? ›

Grains are off limits on Whole30, meaning no rice, quinoa, oats, or pasta of any kind. These seaweed-based noodles are an excellent replacement for the grains we craved. Note: you do need to soften kelp noodles before enjoying in your favorite recipe.

Is marinara Whole30 compliant? ›

This marinara recipe is free of added sugars, additives or vegetable oils. It is paleo, low carb and Whole30 complaint, but also tasty enough to enjoy even if you're not following any specific diet. A good marinara is simple. The flavor profile depends highly on good quality olive oil!

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