This Tricolor Penne with Sausage & Kale is a PCOS-friendly recipe with 255 calories, 16.26g protein, and 38.38g carbs per serving. Ready in 25 minutes. High in fiber (2.5g), which supports insulin sensitivity.
Nutrition per Serving
Ingredients
Instructions
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Cook pasta according to box directions. Drain.
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Meanwhile cook sausage in a large skillet over medium heat, breaking it up as it cooks, about 3 minutes.
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Add kale, cook, stirring frequently, until limp, 3-5 minutes.
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Add broth to skillet and scrape up browned bits with a wooden spoon, season with original seasoning blend and pepper.
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Cover, reduce heat to low and cook until kale is tender, 5-10 minutes.
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Stir in pasta, heat through. Serve.
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Optional: sprinkle each serving with 1-2 tablespoons of shredded Parmesan cheese. Whole wheat pasta can be used instead of tricolor.
How This Recipe Supports PCOS Management
Understanding the nutritional profile of what you eat is a powerful step in managing PCOS. Here is how the key ingredients in this Tricolor Penne with Sausage & Kale contribute to your health goals:
- Chicken: Protein-rich meals help manage insulin resistance common in PCOS
- Turkey: B vitamins play a role in energy metabolism and hormone regulation
- Kale: Contains antioxidants that help combat oxidative stress associated with PCOS
PCOS Diet Principles in This Recipe
The PCOS diet focuses on three core principles: reducing inflammation, managing insulin resistance, and supporting hormonal balance. Every recipe in our collection is evaluated against these principles. This recipe excels in providing protein-rich ingredients that help regulate appetite hormones (ghrelin and leptin), and nutrient-dense vegetables that provide essential vitamins and minerals for metabolic health. As part of a balanced PCOS meal plan, we recommend pairing recipes like this with a variety of nutrient-dense foods throughout the week to ensure you are meeting all your micronutrient needs.
Meal Prep Tip: This Tricolor Penne with Sausage & Kale can be prepared ahead and stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. Meal prepping is one of the most effective strategies for sticking to a PCOS-friendly diet, as it removes the temptation to reach for processed convenience foods when time is short.
Why this Tricolor Penne with Sausage & Kale works for PCOS
This Tricolor Penne with Sausage & Kale delivers 16.26g of protein per serving, which sits in the moderate range for a PCOS-friendly meal. If you find yourself hungry within 2-3 hours, pair this dish with an additional protein source (Greek yogurt, a boiled egg, or a small portion of fish) to push the meal closer to the 25-35g per-meal target most PCOS dietitians recommend.
The 38.38g of carbohydrates in this serving land in the moderate range that suits most PCOS phenotypes. If your dominant phenotype is adrenal PCOS (typically driven by cortisol rather than insulin), moderate carbs eaten alongside protein and fat usually feel better than very-low-carb eating, which can elevate cortisol.
Evening meals affect overnight insulin and morning blood sugar more than most women realise. Keeping dinner protein-forward and finishing eating at least 2-3 hours before bed gives your body time to clear glucose before the overnight fast, which improves morning fasting insulin readings.
PCOS-Friendly Foods in This Recipe
This recipe contains the following foods that may benefit PCOS management: Kale.
Kale is an excellent source of calcium, which has an important role in egg maturation and follicle development in the ovaries.
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Frequently Asked Questions
Yes, this Tricolor Penne with Sausage & Kale recipe is designed to be PCOS-friendly. At 255 calories per serving with 16.26g of protein, it supports balanced blood sugar and hormonal health. It also provides 2.5g of fiber, which helps with insulin sensitivity.
This recipe takes about 25 minutes total. Prep time is 10 minutes and cook time is 15 minutes. It makes 7 servings, so you can meal prep for multiple days.
Per serving: 255 calories, 16.26g protein (26%), 38.38g carbs, 4.6g fat. Plus 2.5g fiber. PCOS meal plans typically aim for 30% protein, 35% fat, 35% carbs to support insulin sensitivity.
Yes, this recipe works well as a PCOS-friendly Dinner. At 255 calories, it fits within typical PCOS meal plan targets for Dinner. Pair it with other PCOS-friendly foods throughout the day for balanced nutrition.
This recipe can be part of a structured PCOS meal plan. It makes 7 servings, making it great for meal prep. For a complete weekly plan tailored to your PCOS type, take our free 60-second quiz at pcosmealplanner.com/pcos-quiz to get a personalized 7-day meal plan.
Cook Another PCOS-Friendly Dinner
Each recipe you add to your rotation makes PCOS management easier. Variety keeps you from getting bored and quitting.
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