I take great joy in discovering fresh ways to prepare satisfying, nourishing food. And now, dear reader, I will share with you my most treasured collection of recipes that are not just compliant with the Whole30—but are, in my book, the very essence of Whole30-ing.
My family and I declare these meals ‘Whole30-worthy,’ and as we gathered around the table to savor each dish, my excited daughters made note of the fact that meals like these could feature in a set of ‘Best Birthday Meals’ (which, it must be said, is kind of a weird category, even for us). Here they are…
The 10 Best whole 30 recipes
1. Whole30 Chicken Zoodle Soup
Whole30 Chicken Zoodle Soup nourishes and satisfies, despite its lightness and gluten-free status. It contains just the right amount of chicken breasts, zucchini noodles, chicken broth, carrots, celery, onion, and garlic to make it a comforting and restorative meal.
Carrots add a small amount of natural sweetness to this savory soup, while the fresh zoodles take on just the right amount of broth during the brief cook time to keep them tender. Delicious (and pretty) croutons made from roasted zucchini and fresh parsley make the perfect garnish.
Ingredients
Chicken breasts (about 1 lb)
Zucchini (2 medium, spiralized into noodles)
Chicken broth (4 cups)
Carrots (2, sliced)
Celery stalks (2, sliced)
Onion (1, diced)
Garlic cloves (2, minced)
Instructions
1. In a big pot, put the broth made with chicken. Toss in the broth’s ingredients: chopped onions, sliced carrots, sliced celery, and minced garlic. Put over medium-high heat and bring to a boil.
2. Place the chicken breasts in the pot and decrease the temperature to a low, steady simmer. Put the lid on and let the chicken cook for 20 minutes. It should be done and cooked through by this time.
3. Eliminate the chicken, shred it utilizing two forks, and send it back to the pot. Add the zucchini nudes and cook for an extra 2-3 minutes until the nudes are tender.
4. To taste, add salt and pepper before serving.
2. Whole30 Cauliflower Fried Rice
Whole30 Cauliflower Fried Rice
Here is a really cool dish that I’m sure you’ve heard of: Whole30 Cauliflower Fried Rice. If you’ve never had fried rice made with cauliflower instead of rice, you’re in for a treat.
This dish has a lot going for it.
Ingredients
1 medium head of cauliflower, riced
1 tablespoon coconut oil
1 small onion, diced
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 cup mixed vegetables (such as peas, carrots, and bell peppers)
2 eggs, lightly beaten
2 tablespoons coconut aminos
Instructions
1. Start with heating light coconut oil in a large frying pan over medium heat. Add to that the diced onion and soft sauté until onion is tender, about 2-3 minutes. Add garlic that has been minced and cook for an additional minute until fragrant.
2. Put the riced cauliflower and blended vegetables to the frying pan. Mix well, and let it be for about 5-7 minutes, or until the vegetables become soft.
3. Cauliflower rice is a dish made by grating cauliflower or processing it in a blender until it resembles grains or rice. The method was first publicized by the low-carb advocate and author of “The South Beach Diet,” Dr. Arthur Agatston. It has since become a staple in paleo and gluten-free cooking.
4. Pour the coconut aminos over the whole medley and stir until everything is mingling nicely. Serve it up nice and hot.
3. Whole30 Buffalo Chicken Casserole
Buffalo Chicken Casserole, Whole30 Edition, is a delectable, nutritious dish. It showcases the following ingredients:
– cooked and shredded chicken (or rotisserie chicken, if you really want to cheat!),
– a sauce that is thick, spicy, and zesty,
– vegetables (like onion, bell pepper, and whatever else I decide to toss in there),
– “riced” cauliflower, served warm, and
– an optional (but flavorful) drizzle of coconut milk.
Ingredients
- 2 cups cooked and shredded chicken
- 1 cup hot sauce (such as Frank’s RedHot)
- 1 cup coconut milk
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 medium onion, diced
- 1 bell pepper, diced
- 2 cups riced cauliflower
Instructions
1. Set your oven to an initial heat of 375 °F (190 °C).
2. In a big frying pan, heat the olive oil over medium heat. Toss in the cubed onion and bell pepper, and cook until they are softened, around 5 minutes.
3. Place the riced cauliflower in the pan, and keep on cooking for 5 minutes longer, stopping every now and then to stir.
4. In a large bowl, combine the shredded chicken, hot sauce, coconut milk, and the sautéed vegetables. Mix well, then transfer to a baking dish and bake for 25-30 minutes, until the casserole is heated through and bubbly.
4. Whole30 Shepherd’s Pie
I present a delicious and Whole30-compliant Shepherd’s Pie recipe. My version features ground beef, onion, carrots, green beans, and thyme.
All that savory goodness is topped with smooth and fluffy, yet Whole30-compliant, mashed cauliflower. Yum!
Ingredients
- 1 pound ground beef
- 1 onion, diced
- 2 carrots, diced
- 1 cup green beans, chopped
- 1 tablespoon tomato paste
- 1 teaspoon dried thyme
- 3 cups mashed cauliflower
Instructions
1. In a big frying pan over a medium flame, brown the ground beef. Drain the fat.
2. Put the onion, carrots, green beans, tomato paste, and dried thyme into the skillet. Cook until the vegetables reach tenderness.
3. Move the beef and vegetable concoction to a baking dish and distribute uniformly.
4. Cover with mashed cauliflower and bake at 400°F (200°C) for 25 minutes or until the top is golden.
5. Whole30 Egg Roll in a Bowl
Egg Roll in a Bowl is a fast and wholesome meal. It features ground pork, diced onion, coleslaw mix, garlic, and ginger.
The Whole30 version is seasoned with coconut aminos and rice vinegar, making for a low-carb, flavorful dish.
Ingredients
- 1 lb ground pork
- 1 small onion, diced
- 3 cups coleslaw mix
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 tablespoon ginger, minced
- 2 tablespoons coconut aminos
- 2 teaspoons rice vinegar
Instructions
1. In a large skillet over medium heat, brown the ground pork. If necessary, drain excess fat from the skillet.
2. Toss in the diced onion, minced garlic, and minced ginger into the skillet. Sauté them in there for about 2-3 minutes until they become fragrant.
3. Combine the coleslaw mix, coconut aminos, and rice vinegar in the bowl. Cook them altogether in a pan for 5-7 minutes until the coleslaw mix is softened.
6. Whole30 Greek Stuffed Peppers
Whole30 Greek Stuffed Peppers makes a satisfying meal with ground beef or turkey, bell peppers, onion, garlic, cherry tomatoes, and oregano. That makes a dish with a lot of wholesome, good-for-you ingredients, and it’s mostly even in line with the Whole30 program.
Ingredients
1 pound ground beef or ground turkey
4 large bell peppers, halved and seeded
1 medium onion, diced
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 cup cherry tomatoes, halved
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 teaspoon dried oregano
Instructions
1. Set your oven to 375°F (190°C) to preheat. Take a large skillet and put it over a medium heat. Into it, pour enough olive oil to coat its bottom. Then, add the onion and the garlic, and let them cook until they are completely translucent.
2. Incorporate the ground beef (or turkey) into the skillet and cook until it is nicely browned. Mix in the cherry tomatoes and oregano, allowing the combination to simmer for about 5 additional minutes.
3. Arrange the halved bell peppers in a baking dish, cut side up, and fill them with the meat mixture.
4. Encase the meal in aluminum and place in the oven. Set the timer for 30 minutes. When the time is up, remove the aluminum (be careful: it will be hot), and return the meal to the oven. Set the timer again, this time for 10 minutes.
7. Whole30 Chimichurri Shrimp Skewers
Whole30 Chimichurri Shrimp Skewers pair juicy shrimp with a bright chimichurri sauce made of fresh cilantro, parsley, olive oil, red wine vinegar, and garlic. It’s a straightforward, delightful, and nutritious grilling recipe.
Ingredients
- 1 pound large shrimp, peeled and deveined
- ½ cup fresh cilantro, chopped
- ½ cup fresh parsley, chopped
- 3 tablespoons olive oil
- 3 tablespoons red wine vinegar
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
Instructions
1. Combine the cilantro, parsley, olive oil, red wine vinegar, garlic, and crushed red pepper flakes in a blender or food processor. Blend until smooth to make the chimichurri sauce.
2. Soak the shrimp in half of the chimichurri sauce, half of the shrimp, for at least 30 minutes, in the refrigerator.
3. Skewered marinated shrimp grilled over medium-high heat take several minutes to cook and are done when they look opaque all the way through, with no clear pink or shiny surfaces. So the first thing to do is to skewer the shrimp, and the best way to do that is to thread them onto the skewers. The best way to grill them is on a grill with skewers that fit a little better at the ends than the middle so that the shrimp hang down in the heat.
4. Drizzle the remaining chimichurri sauce over the skewers before serving.
8. Whole30 Sweet Potato Toast with Avocado
Whole30 Sweet Potato Toast with Avocado has sliced, baked sweet potatoes for the toasts and creamy avocado, either mixed with lemon or lime juice, salt, and pepper, or just as the basic toast topping. This creative open-faced sandwich is great with the optional add-ins of chopped cherry tomatoes, a healthy dash of red pepper flakes, or some fresh herbs.
It’s also quite tasty with no add-ons at all.
Ingredients
Sweet potatoes (medium-sized)
Avocado
Lemon or lime juice
Salt
Pepper
Optional toppings: cherry tomatoes, red pepper flakes, fresh herbs
Instructions
1. The oven should be heated to 400 degrees Fahrenheit, which is equivalent to 200 degrees Celsius.
2. Sweet potatoes should be cut lengthwise into 1/4 inch thick slices.
3. Arrange the sweet potato slices on a baking sheet and bake for 20–25 minutes, flipping halfway through, until edges are just shy of crispy.
4. As the sweet potatoes bake, mash the avocado in a bowl and stir in lemon or lime juice, salt, and pepper to taste.
5. After completing the cooking of the sweet potato slices, allow them to cool slightly. Next, layer the avocado mixture on each sweet potato slice.
6. Prior to serving, you can choose to include an assortment of toppings. Consider using sliced cherry tomatoes, red pepper flakes, or fresh herbs. Or not! Enjoy!
9. Whole30 Spaghetti Squash Pad Thai
Our Spaghetti Squash Pad Thai is a wholesome dish that sweeps the whole family off their feet. It features spaghetti squash instead of rice noodles.
The other Pad Thai ingredients—thinly sliced chicken breast, eggs, and a sauce of coconut aminos, almond butter, and lime juice—bring this dish together beautifully, and it’s garnished with plenty of green onions.
Ingredients
Spaghetti squash
Chicken breast, sliced thinly
Eggs
Coconut aminos
Almond butter
Lime juice
Green onions, chopped#
Instructions
1. Bake the spaghetti squash in the oven until it is soft, then allow it to cool, and using a fork, shred the inside into noodle-like strands.
2. In a big frying pan over medium heat, cook the sliced chicken breast until it is completely done, then set it aside.
3. In the skillet, scramble the eggs. After they are cooked to your liking, add the chicken and spaghetti squash back in.
4. Combine in a small bowl: coconut aminos, almond butter, and lime juice. Pour this over the chicken and squash mixture, and stir well until everything is combined and heated through.Serve topped with chopped green onions.
10. Whole30 Harissa Grilled Salmon
Whole30 Harissa Grilled Salmon is a healthy dish that highlights fresh salmon fillets marinated in a mix of harissa paste, olive oil, and fresh lemon juice. This delightful seafood meal is seasoned with sea salt and pepper, and then garnished with either cilantro or parsley.
Ingredients
Harissa paste
Olive oil
Fresh lemon juice
Fresh salmon fillets
Sea salt
Ground black pepper
Fresh cilantro or parsley for garnish
Instructions
1. In a small bowl, combine 2 tablespoons of harissa paste, 1 tablespoon of olive oil, and 1 tablespoon of freshly squeezed lemon juice. Mix well to form a marinade.
2. Dry the salmon fillets with paper towels and season with salt and pepper.
3. Apply the harissa mixture to the salmon fillets, making sure they are evenly covered.
4. Prepare a medium-high heat grill, and oil the grates. Grill salmon fillets for 4-5 minutes per side, or until the fish flakes easily with a fork. Serve garnished with chopped cilantro or parsley.
