PCOS Dinner Ideas 12 High-Protein Recipes Under 500 Calories

Serves 1 · 25 min · batch-cook the quinoa in advance

Ingredients

• 180g salmon fillet, skin on
• 200g broccoli florets
• 60g cooked quinoa (about 25g dry)
• 1 tsp olive oil
• Juice of half a lemon, plus zest
• Fresh dill or parsley, salt, black pepper

Method

1. Preheat oven to 200°C. Toss broccoli with half the olive oil, salt, pepper. Roast 15 min.
2. Rub salmon with remaining oil, salt, pepper. Add to the tray for the last 10–12 min — skin down.
3. Warm quinoa; stir through lemon zest and herbs.
4. Plate quinoa first, broccoli beside, salmon on top. Squeeze lemon over everything.

Serves 1 · 25 min

Ingredients

• 180g lean ground turkey (7% fat)
• 2 tbsp finely chopped onion, 1 garlic clove minced
• 1 tsp cumin, 1/2 tsp smoked paprika, salt, pepper
• 150g full-fat Greek yogurt
• Half a cucumber, grated and drained
• 1 tsp olive oil, fresh mint
• Bed of shredded lettuce + tomato + red onion

Method

1. Mix turkey with onion, garlic, cumin, paprika, salt. Form 6–8 meatballs.
2. Heat oil in a pan; brown meatballs 8–10 min, turning, until cooked through.
3. Combine yogurt, drained cucumber, mint, pinch of salt.
4. Serve meatballs on the salad bed, sauce spooned over.

Serves 1 · 20 min

Ingredients

• 150g chicken breast, sliced
• 1 red pepper + 1 yellow pepper, sliced
• Half a red onion, sliced
• 60g cooked black beans
• 1/4 avocado (about 30g)
• 1 tsp olive oil, 1 tsp fajita seasoning, lime juice, coriander

Method

1. Heat oil in a wide pan on high heat. Add chicken and seasoning; sear 3 min per side.
2. Add peppers and onion; stir-fry 5–6 min until softened but still bright.
3. Warm black beans in the same pan for 1 min.
4. Plate; top with avocado, coriander, big squeeze of lime.

Serves 4 · 35 min · make once, reheat 4 dinners

Ingredients (4 servings)

• 320g whole-wheat penne, cooked al dente (80g per serving)
• 500g full-fat cottage cheese
• 2 large eggs (binds the cottage cheese)
• 400g jar marinara (no sugar added)
• 250g baby spinach, wilted
• 60g grated parmesan
• 2 garlic cloves, oregano, salt, pepper

Method

1. Preheat oven to 180°C. Cook pasta 2 min less than package says.
2. Whisk cottage cheese with eggs, half the parmesan, salt, pepper.
3. Wilt spinach in a dry pan with garlic; fold through.
4. Combine pasta, cottage cheese mix, and marinara in a baking dish. Top with remaining parmesan.
5. Bake 20 min until bubbling and golden. Portion into 4 — each is one dinner.

Serves 1 · 20 min

Ingredients

• 180g raw prawns, peeled
• 1 large courgette, spiralised (or 300g bagged zucchini noodles)
• 1 tbsp Thai green curry paste
• 80ml light coconut milk
• Handful of Thai basil, sliced chilli, lime
• 1 tsp coconut oil

Method

1. Heat oil in a wok; fry curry paste 1 min until fragrant.
2. Add coconut milk; bring to a gentle simmer.
3. Add prawns; cook 3–4 min until just pink.
4. Toss in zucchini noodles; stir for 1–2 min — do not overcook or they turn to water.
5. Off heat, add basil and lime. Serve immediately.

Serves 3 · 45 min · sauce keeps 4 days

Ingredients (3 servings)

• 1 medium spaghetti squash (roasted, forked into strands)
• 300g cooked green or brown lentils (or 1 tin, drained)
• 100g extra-lean ground beef (for umami depth — optional but recommended)
• 1 tin chopped tomatoes + 2 tbsp tomato paste
• 1 onion, 2 garlic cloves, 1 carrot, 1 celery stalk — all finely diced
• Oregano, bay leaf, salt, pepper, splash of red wine (optional), 1 tsp olive oil
• 15g grated parmesan per serving

Method

1. Halve spaghetti squash, scoop seeds, roast face-down at 200°C for 40 min. Fork into strands when cool enough to handle.
2. Meanwhile: brown beef in olive oil 5 min; add onion, carrot, celery, garlic; cook 5 min.
3. Stir in tomato paste, then tinned tomatoes, lentils, oregano, wine if using. Simmer 20 min.
4. Serve one third of the sauce over one third of the squash. Parmesan on top.

Serves 1 · 20 min · 30 min marinade

Ingredients

• 150g lean beef sirloin or ribeye, thinly sliced
• 1 tbsp soy sauce, 1 tsp gochujang, 1 tsp sesame oil, 1 grated garlic clove, 1 tsp grated ginger, half a tsp honey
• 6–8 large romaine or butter lettuce leaves
• 80g kimchi
• 1 tsp toasted sesame seeds, spring onion

Method

1. Marinate beef in soy, gochujang, sesame oil, garlic, ginger, honey for 20–30 min.
2. Sear beef in a hot dry pan 2–3 min — do not crowd, work in batches if needed.
3. Set out lettuce cups, beef, kimchi. Build wraps at the table.
4. Top each wrap with sesame seeds and spring onion.

Serves 2 · 30 min

Ingredients (2 servings)

• 2 x 180g cod fillets
• 1 courgette, diced
• 1 small aubergine, diced
• 1 red pepper, diced
• 1 tin chopped tomatoes
• 200g cooked cannellini or white beans
• 2 garlic cloves, thyme, bay leaf, 1 tbsp olive oil, salt, pepper

Method

1. In an oven-safe pan, sweat vegetables in olive oil 8 min. Add garlic; 1 min more.
2. Stir in tomatoes, beans, thyme, bay. Season generously. Simmer 10 min.
3. Nestle cod fillets on top; season fish. Bake at 200°C for 12–15 min until fish flakes.
4. Rest 2 min. Serve with the sauce spooned around the fish.

Serves 4 · 30 min + 30 min marinade · batch-cook the chicken

Ingredients (4 servings)

• 720g boneless chicken thigh (skinless)
• Marinade: 2 tbsp olive oil, 2 tsp cumin, 2 tsp coriander, 1 tsp paprika, 1 tsp turmeric, 1/2 tsp cinnamon, juice of 1 lemon, 3 grated garlic cloves, salt
• 800g cauliflower rice (200g per serving)
• 4 tbsp hummus (30g per serving)
• 4 tbsp tahini + 4 tbsp water + lemon juice + garlic (whisk to a sauce)
• Diced cucumber, tomato, red onion, parsley for garnish

Method

1. Marinate chicken 30 min minimum (or overnight).
2. Bake at 220°C for 20–25 min on a lined tray. Rest, slice.
3. Meanwhile, pan-fry cauliflower rice in a dry pan for 5–6 min until slightly charred.
4. Build each bowl: cauliflower base, sliced chicken, spoon of hummus, drizzle of tahini sauce, salad garnish.

Serves 1 · 20 min

Ingredients

• 200g firm or extra-firm tofu, pressed and cubed
• 2 heads bok choy, chopped
• 100g shiitake or chestnut mushrooms, sliced
• 15g raw cashews
• 1 tbsp low-sodium soy sauce, 1 tsp sesame oil, 1 grated garlic clove, 1 tsp grated ginger, pinch of chilli flakes

Method

1. Heat sesame oil in a wok. Add tofu cubes, sear 5–6 min on high heat until golden. Set aside.
2. Add cashews; toast 1 min. Add mushrooms; cook 3 min. Add garlic, ginger, chilli; 30 sec.
3. Add bok choy stalks first (2 min), then leaves (1 min).
4. Return tofu; add soy sauce, toss. Serve straight from the wok.

Serves 3 · 35 min · better on day 2

Ingredients (3 servings)

• 540g boneless chicken thigh (skinless), cubed
• 240g cooked chickpeas (or 1 tin, drained)
• 1 tin chopped tomatoes
• 1 onion, 3 garlic cloves, 1 red pepper — all diced
• 2 tsp smoked paprika (sweet or hot to preference)
• 1 tsp cumin, bay leaf, pinch of saffron (optional)
• 200g baby spinach, stirred in at the end
• 1 tbsp olive oil, salt, pepper

Method

1. Brown chicken in oil, 5 min. Set aside.
2. In the same pot, cook onion 5 min. Add red pepper, garlic; 3 min more.
3. Add paprika, cumin; stir 30 sec. Return chicken with tomatoes, chickpeas, bay, saffron.
4. Simmer 15–20 min. Stir in spinach at the end until wilted. Season.

Serves 2 · 20 min · the "no plan" dinner

Ingredients (2 servings)

• 6 large eggs + 4 egg whites (extra protein without more fat)
• 150g baby spinach, wilted
• 150g cherry tomatoes, halved
• 80g feta, crumbled
• 1 tsp olive oil, black pepper, fresh basil, half a tsp dried oregano

Method

1. Wilt spinach in olive oil in a 24cm oven-safe pan. Squeeze out excess water.
2. Whisk eggs, egg whites, pepper, oregano.
3. Add spinach back to pan. Pour eggs over. Scatter tomatoes and feta.
4. Cook 3–4 min on the hob until edges set. Finish under the grill 4–5 min until puffed and golden.
5. Slice into 2 portions. Serve with basil torn over.