- Recipes
updated May 1, 2019
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So you decided to jump on the bandwagon and try Whole30. Congratulations! Once you’ve read the guidelines to the program and prepped your kitchen, it’s time to get meal planning. You’ll find it very difficult to eat anything at all if you don’t have a plan and some ingredients prepped in the fridge.
The first rule of doing Whole30 is to always check the ingredient list on whatever you’re buying. You might know that Whole30 says you must abstain from eating grains, legumes, dairy, sugar, and alcohol for 30 days, but it gets more complicated when you break it down to the ingredient level. For example, things like bacon and marinara sauce seem innocent enough, but they might not be Whole30-compliant because they have added sugar or other additives.
I’ve gathered a list of Kitchn’s very best Whole30-friendly recipes so you don’t go hungry on your month-long journey. Almost all of these recipes require no substitutions (I’ll let you know when you need to use ghee for example, instead of butter), but you still need to check your ingredients at the grocery store to make sure everything works for Whole30.
1. Lemon Thyme Chicken Thighs
If you’re doing Whole30 for the first time, you’re going to need a bunch of easy chicken dinners that you can rely on. The key to this recipe is the lemon and a hot cast iron skillet.
2. Scrambled Eggs with Lazy Salsa
You can’t have bread or dairy for breakfast when you’re doing Whole30, so eggs will quickly become your go-to. This scrambled edition gets a kick from an easy salsa you can make the night before.
3. Vegan Sweet Potato Chowder
Make a big batch of this vegan soup and eat it all week. This is one of those recipes that only gets better after it sits in the fridge for a day.
4. Sheet Pan Chicken with Red Potatoes and Sage
For a simple dinner after a long day, put some chicken, sage, and potatoes on a sheet pan and pop it into the oven.
5. Pressure-Cooker Hawaiian Kalua Pig
Make a big batch of this pressure-cooker recipe once and put half of it in the freezer for later.
6. Fiona’s Green Chicken
This chicken recipe is all about the marinade. Remember to look for a Whole30-compliant fish sauce if you want to make this recipe.
7.
This crunchy, fresh salad is a little bitter from the grapefruit and a bit salty from the olives. It’s a great thing to pair with a meaty main.
8. Slow-Cooker Korean Short Ribs
Don’t feel like you have time to cook a big dinner tonight? Worried that you’re going to be eating chicken and vegetables yet again? Your slow cooker can help you solve that problem. With a little planning, these delicious ribs can be all yours.
9. 30-Minute Cacciatore Chicken
The pressure cooker ensures that you can have a delicious chicken dish in less than 30 minutes. When buying the ingredients for this recipe, make sure to find stewed tomatoes that don’t include added sugar.
10. Kohlrabi Bistro Salad
This French bistro-style recipe is an inspired way to eat a salad. The bacon and egg don’t hurt, either. When making this recipe, be sure to check for bacon and Dijon mustard that is compliant with the Whole30 program.
11.
Doing Whole30 doesn’t mean you have to give up sushi, but it does mean you need to get creative. These delicious hand rolls will make everyone happy at the dinner table.
12.
You’re going to become good friend with fish on your Whole30 journey. This simple olive oil salmon is an easy show-stopper for dinner.
13. Bryant Terry’s Fresh Herb Roasted Potatoes
Until 2014, white potatoes were not allowed to be consumed during Whole30. You can’t eat them fried or as chips, of course, but these roasted potatoes are totally OK to eat.
14. Asian Cauliflower Fried Rice with Kalua Pork
Of all the Whole30 recipes I’ve seen out there, this might be my favorite. It’s super comforting and full of vegetables (cauliflower, duh). If you decide to use bacon instead of pork, make sure it is Whole30-compliant.
15. Lemon-Herb Fish Fillets on Crispy Potato Rafts
How elegant does this dinner look? If you decide to make this recipe, just make sure to use ghee instead of butter.
16. Snap Peas with Meyer Lemon and Mint
Need something bright and fresh to add to your Whole30 menu? This is it.
17. Sautéed Brussels Sprouts with Red Pepper and Corn
Sautéed veggies get a kick from a few squeezes of grapefruit and a splash of white balsamic vinegar. If you make this recipe, make sure to leave out corn which is not Whole30 compliant.
18. Roast Chicken with Fennel, Carrots, and Gremolata
Another delicious variation on the classic chicken and vegetable dinner. I love that this one gets creative with the fennel fronds.
19. Green Salad with Orange, Avocado, and Red Onion
A fresh, crunchy salad gets a kick with orange slices and creamy avocado. It’s a great thing to pair with hearty meat.
20. Tuna Puttanesca
This bright, bold recipe is all about the sauce. It’s filed with tomatoes, capers, olives, and anchovy.
21. Baked Halibut with Chimichurri
Serve this healthy weeknight dinner with a fresh salad.
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