A process has been developed for producing diesel fuel from renewable feedstocks such as plant oils and greases. The process involves treating a renewable feedstock by hydrogenating and deoxygenating i.e. decarboxylating and/or hydrodeoxygenating to provide a hydrocarbon fraction useful as a diesel fuel. If desired, the hydrocarbon fraction can be isomerized to improve cold flow properties. A portion of the hydrogenated and deoxygenated feedstock is selectively separated and then recycled to the treatment zone to increase the hydrogen solubility of the reaction mixture. A diesel range stream or a naphtha range stream, or a mixture of the two streams is used as a rectification agent in the selective hot high pressure hydrogen stripper to decrease the amount of product carried in the overhead.