63+ Whole30 Dinner Recipes (& the difference between whole30 and paleo)

Over 63 Whole30 Dinner Recipes with options for salads, chicken, pork, fish, and more! These paleo-friendly meals are low-carb, nutrient-dense, high in protein, and are healthful.

Recipe roundup updated: 2/11/2017

Happy New Year!

First things first…

Are you cleansing?

It goes without saying that many of us make health and fitness-related goals at the beginning of the year, and start the year with a cleanse. When it comes to food-related goals, falling off the wagon is easy. When you tell people you’re about to do a Whole30 or Paleo stint, you’re typically met with, “what can you eat?” Weeeeell, as it turns out, you can (and should) eat a lot. I’muh ’bout to answer some FAQs regarding Whole 30 (versus Paleo) and also provide you with a barrage of dinner recipes that you can pick and choose from to keep you on track.

What is Whole30? It’s an actual program, people. Simply put, Whole30 is a 30-day challenge where you clean up what you eat, eliminating sugar, grains, dairy, alcohol, and legumes. The purpose of this 30-day cleanse is to reset and cleanse your digestive system, as well as fill your body with essential nutrients. This should result in you feeling like a trillion bucks with higher energy and all-around light-on-your-feet-edness.

Why do we do this? A number of reasons. In my opinion, the most important reasons are…

1.) Being mindful about what you eat. Thinking about what is on your fork (or in your hands) is a valuable part of being human. It’s easy being on constant autopilot and choosing convenience over health, but being aware of how your food is sourced and what each ingredient means for your body is – for lack of a better term – badass.

2.) Discovering your own food intolerances (if you have any). Many people are sensitive to at least one food group and doing an elimination diet and slowly adding foods back in is the best way of figuring that out on your own.

3.) Letting food be thy medicine. Our gut-mind connection is strong. Happy gut = happy body = happy brain = happy life. The physical and emotional issues we go through on a daily basis are complicated, stressful, and overwhelming. Keeping your food intake natural and simple gives your body power it needs to help sort through mind-body-soul connectiveness issues and allows it to heal from environmental (external) and consumed (internal) pollutants.

Additionally, when you eat clean, your immune system is healthy, and your ability to fight short term illness and long-term disease is strengthened. I said this in my cookbook, Let Them Eat Kale, but I’ll say it again: eating superfoods is the cheapest health insurance policy you can buy. The best preventative measure you can take in order to ward off sickness from everything from the common cold to cancer, is to ensure your immune system is in primo functioning order.

4.) Sustainability. Processed foods are a dirty business, and often times the whole process – from sourcing the food from 3rd parties, to transporting it, to processing it, to distributing it – is inefficient from an environmental standpoint. The beauty of consuming real food is you’re cutting out many of the environmental inefficiencies, thereby helping reduce your own personal carbon footprint. When available, I recommend sourcing your food from local farms, and purchasing humanely-raised grass-fed meats.

5.) Breaking the Habit. For some, this is the number one reason to do a detox or cleanse. Food addictions are real, and can be just as dangerous as other addictions if we let them spiral out of control. Studies have shown refined sugar creates such a strong effect in your brain that it should be labeled a drug (some scientists have gone so far as to call sugar a poison). Over time, the more sugar we consume, the more defenseless we are toward it, the higher the risk of becoming insulin resistant. Dairy and fat create a similar effect, to the extent that our cravings for certain foods become warped by our own addictions.

Diets rich in processed foods, sugars, and saturated fat cause your brain’s wires to be crossed such that you think your cravings for unhealthful foods are real, when really those cravings are likely a symptom of your body fiending for more sugar, more unhealthy fat, more processed dairy. When you do a system re-set, you are able to re-train your brain and body to crave healthful, clean foods. When done correctly, over time, you will only crave the sugar your body needs (ideally you will provide it with un-processed sugars), and your cravings for clean meals will overshadow your cravings for indulgent, debaucherous meals.

None of this is to say that all people need to cleanse. The all-things in moderation mantra works famously for those who don’t allow their food addictions to get out of control. Keeping a well-balanced diet eliminates the need to throw out everything in your pantry and start fresh.

What is the difference between Whole30 and Paleo?  From a birds-eye view, the two approaches to food are nearly indistinguishable, but there are some key minor differences. In addition to grains, legumes, dairy, sugar, and alcohol, the Paleo lifestyle restricts potatoes (high glycemic), peanuts (techinically a legume), cashews (causes inflammation and allergies in many people), and refined oils (even olive oil). On the flipside, Whole30 takes the no refined sugar thing to the next level by discouraging the use of any added sugar, including making your favorite grain-free brownies with honey or maple syrup. So basically, don’t just take Whole30-approved foods and make your sweet, indulgent, blissful treats on the healthier.

Additionally, the major obvious difference between Whole30 and Paleo is length of time. Paleo is a long-term lifestyle, where you essentially leave inflammation-causing foods (again: sugar, grains, dairy, alcohol, legumes, peanuts, refined oils) out of your life entirely. Effectively, the goal with Whole30 is to short-circuit your body to help you rid yourself of cravings for unhealthful processed foods and help heal your digestive system, whereas the goal with Paleo is continued gut health, high energy, and an efficient digestive system in the long-term. From my own point of view, Whole30 is something you do when you just want to clean house for a bit, whereas Paleo is something you do when you want a squeaky clean lifestyle and/or are potentially avoiding allergenic foods (particularly gluten and sugar) that cause your body to do funky things. For many people who have inflammatory gut disorders, paleo or some form thereof, is a natural remedy to help easy digestive pain/discomfort.

A quick side note about rice and the Paleo diet: Within the last year or two, some die-hard Paleo gurus have come to embrace rice (interestingly enough, white rice specifically) as being an okay food to consume. Whether or not rice is Paleo-approved is a tricky one. For a while, some Paleo folks said no rice was okay, while some said just wild rice was fine. Now there is a split between folks who say rice of any kind is dandy, and those who says certain types (or no types) are okay.  All of this debate stems back to how your digestive system reacts to certain foods. Since I’m not a nutritionist, I won’t pretend to understand how a human body processes rice, but I will say mine processes it just fine.

My take on Whole30/Paleo: If there’s one thing I hate in this world, it’s rules. I also don’t love labels, so you can probably imagine I’m not a huge fan of fad diets, BUT I do see the value in clean eating. I eat what one could consider to be a modified paleo diet on the daily. Or, put simply: real food. I do this for a number of reasons – the most important being digestive health, followed closely by increased blood circulation (I have super poor blood circulation, remedied only by regular exercise and – for lack of a better phrase – high circulatory foods). For my own health and happiness, I find eating a very clean diet helps keep my digestive system happy and my blood flowing better than when I don’t.

So to get down to it, here is your set of Whole30 guidelines –

Yes Foods: lean meats, seafood, eggs, vegetables, limited fruit, healthy fats, clarified butter or ghee

No Foods: grains, legumes, dairy, alcohol, sugar {{For Paleo, add processed oils, peanuts, and cashews to this list}}

When I tell people I did paleo for over a year, the number one question is “what did you eat?” I find this super comical, because when I did my huge paleo stint, I ate more variety and enjoyed food more than any other time in my life. So the answer to the “What do you eat?” question is “Real.” You eat real.

Many folks who start a fad diet have a difficult time sticking to it. Not eating cheese sucks. Duh…Which is precisely why I have rounded up recipes from around the internet that can help you stay interested in your Whole30/Paleo adventure. You guys, I even have Whole30 and Paleo-approved vegan and vegetarian recipes here. For the freaking win.

I will continue adding links to this page as I come across badass recipes to help keep you healthy, so feel free to visit and re-visit again for more inspiration.

For more information about Whole30 and/or the Paleo Lifestyle, check out these resources below (affiliate links):

• The Whole30: The 30-Day Guide to Total Health and Food Freedom
• The Primal Blueprint by Mark Sisson
• The Paleo Solution by Robb Wolf

As always, eat well, eat often, and Happy New Year!

Salads

• Shredded Brussel Sprout and Kale Salad with Maple Pecan Parmesan from Making Thyme for Health (pictured above)
• Strawberry Avocado Bacon Spinach Salad from A Latte Food
• Grilled Shrimp and Asparagus Salad with Lemon-Pesto Dressing from The Roasted Root
• Roasted Acorn Squash Salad from Making Life Sweet
• Fall Quinoa Salad with Sweet Potato, Kale, and Maple Tahini Dressing from She Likes Food
• The Ultimate Detox Salad from The Roasted Root
• Blueberry Pecan Salad with Quinoa and Goat Cheese from Hummusapien
• Chili Chicken Kale Salad with Cinnamon Dijon Vinaigrette from The Roasted Root
• Shrimp Quinoa Salad from Primavera Kitchen
• Avocado Egg Salad (Mayo-Free) from The Roasted Root

Poultry:

• Middle Eastern Roast Chicken with Vegetables from A Beautiful Plate (pictured above)
• Sriracha Lime Chicken Skillet from Running to the Kitchen
• Crock Pot Chicken Teriyaki with Broccoli Rabe from The Roasted Root
• Mediterranean Stuffed Chicken from Plaid and Paleo
• Slow Cooker Balsamic Chicken Sausage from Popular Paleo
• Easy Thai Coconut Chicken from Popular Paleo
• Pulled Tandoori Chicken from The Big Man’s World
• Grilled Chimichurri Chicken from The Roasted Root
• Moroccan Chicken Skillet from Food, Faith, Fitness
• Paleo Chicken Tikka Masala from Healthy Nibbles and Bits
• Quinoa, Chicken and Kale Pesto Bowl from Heather Christo Cooks
• 30 Minute Chicken Cacciatore from Alatte Food
• Braised Turmeric Chicken with Apricots and Olives from A Clean Bake
• Citrus Herb Roasted Chicken Thighs from Nutmeg Nanny
• Mango Chicken with Coconut Cauliflower Rice from Food, Faith, Fitness
• Hawaiian Style Green Curry Chicken from Big Bear’s Wife
• Slow Cooker Chicken and Sweet Potato Dinner from The Magic Slow Cooker
• Turkey Sweet Potato Meatballs from The Lean Green Bean
• Paleo Roast Chicken Ratatouille from An Edible Mosaic
• Harissa Roasted Chicken from Busy in Brooklyn

Beef:

• Slow-Cooked Bolognese Sauce with Sweet Potato Spaghetti from A Calculated Whisk (pictured above)
• Grilled BBQ Short Ribs from Running to the Kitchen
• Flank Steak with Chimichurri from A Clean Bake
• Steak and Sweet Pepper Salad from The Speckled Palate
• Beef Stew with Root Vegetables from The Roasted Root
• Paleo Orange Beef Stir Fry with Kale from Food Faith Fitness
• Paleo Beef Stew from Confessions of an Over-Worked Mom
• Mexican Steak Cobb Salad with Cilantro Vinaigrette from Heather Christo Cooks
• Slow Cooker Green Chile Shredded Beef from Kayln’s Kitchen
• Paleo Shredded Slow Cooker Roast Beef with Pumpkin and Salsa from Food Faith Fitness

Pork:

• Whole30 Breakfast Nachos from A Calculated Whisk (Pictured Above)
• Crock Pot Pork Chops with Apples and Onions from A Clean Bake
• Apricot Ginger Glazed Pork Chops from Allergy Awesomeness
• Moroccan-Style Paleo Pork Chops with Spiralized Apple Noodles from Food Faith Fitness
• Cider-Chai Crock Pot Pulled Pork from The Roasted Root
• Grilled Pork Chops with Balsamic Blackberry Sauce from Ari’s Menu
• Pork Ragu from Heather Christo Cooks
• Roasted Pork Chops with Cider-Spiced Apples and Bacon from The Roasted Root

Fish & Seafood:

• Mahi Mahi en Papillote from Nutmeg Nanny (pictured above)
• Salmon & Root Vegetable Sheet Pan Dinner from The Roasted Root
• Easy Honey Glazed Salmon from Two Healthy Kitchens
• Paleo Clam Chowder Recipe in 30 Minutes from Confessions of an Over-Worked Mom
• Crispy Jamaican Jerk Salmon with Mango Basil Vinaigrette from The Roasted Root
• Easy Paleo Salmon Cake from Cotter Crunch
• Smoky Broiled Sockeye Salmon with Peach Avocado Salsa from The Roasted Root
• Shrimp & Sausage Gumbo from A Calculated Whisk
• Sweet Potato Kale Shrimp Skillet from Primavera Kitchen
• Roasted Salmon with Blistered Tomatoes from The Roasted Root
• Lemon Garlic Pan-Seared Salmon and Asparagus from The Roasted Root
• Pesto Salmon with Mediterranean Rice from Running to the Kitchen
• Seared Sockeye Salmon with Green Chili Adobo Sauce from A Beautiful Plate
• Salmon with Avocado from The Cookie Rookie
• Pesto Cauliflower Rice with Shrimp from Everday Maven
• Easy Shrimp Scampi from Popular Paleo
• Garlic Scallops from Ciao Florentina

Soup/Stew/Chili:

• Carrot Soup with Tangled Greens and Dukkah from Joanne Eats Well with Others (pictured above)
• Coconut Curry Vegetable Soup from The Roasted Root
• Instant Pot Creamy Chicken Vegetable Soup from Tasty Yummies
• Creamy Eggplant Tomato Soup from Making Thyme for Health
• Vegan Butternut Squash Bisque with Crispy Sage from The Roasted Root
• Vegan Creamy Mushroom Soup from The Pretty Bee
• Lean Mean Veggie Soup from Inside Brucrew Life

Vegetarian/Vegan:

• Crunchy Qunioa Power Bowl with Almond-Ginger Dressing from Making Thyme for Health
• Zucchini Noodles with Simple Basil Pesto from Well and Full
• Butternut Squash Noodles with Spinach and Mushrooms from Tasting Page
• Roasted Zucchini and Quinoa Bowls with Pepita Pesto from Joanne Eats Well with Others
• Mixed Vegetable Spaghetti Squash from The Roasted Root
• Spaghetti Squash with Vegan tomato Sauce from Hummusapien
• Sweet Potato Home Fries from The Roasted Root
• Quick Vegetarian Pho with Zucchini Noodles from Healthy Nibbles and Bits
• Farmer’s Market Forbidden Rice Bowls from The Roasted Root
• Roasted Root Vegetable Buddha Bowls with Maple Cinnamon Tahini Dressing from The Roasted Root
• Quinoa Ratatouille from Making Thyme for Health