This PCOS Pasta Dish - Spaghetti Squash Carbonara is a PCOS-friendly recipe with 350 calories, 20g protein, and 25g carbs per serving. Ready in 65 minutes. High in fiber (2g), which supports insulin sensitivity.
Nutrition per Serving
Ingredients
Instructions
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Preheat oven to 400°F (200°C). Cut the spaghetti squash in half lengthwise and scoop out the seeds.
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Drizzle with olive oil and season with salt and pepper. Place cut side down on a baking sheet and roast for 40-50 minutes.
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While the squash is roasting, sauté the onion and garlic in olive oil until soft.
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In a separate bowl, whisk together the Parmesan cheese and eggs.
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Once the squash is done, use a fork to scrape out the flesh into spaghetti-like strands.
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Add the squash to the onion and garlic, then pour over the egg and cheese mixture, stirring quickly to create a creamy sauce.
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Season with salt and pepper, then garnish with fresh parsley before serving.
Why this PCOS Pasta Dish - Spaghetti Squash Carbonara works for PCOS
This PCOS Pasta Dish - Spaghetti Squash Carbonara delivers 20g 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.
At 25g of carbohydrates per serving, this PCOS Pasta Dish - Spaghetti Squash Carbonara is on the lower-carb end, which suits women with PCOS who have confirmed insulin resistance or who notice strong post-meal energy crashes. Pair lower-carb meals like this with a generous portion of non-starchy vegetables to keep fibre intake up.
Fat makes up about 39% of calories in this dish. Dietary fat plays a load-bearing role in PCOS because sex hormones are synthesised from cholesterol, and very-low-fat eating can suppress hormone production over time. The 2023 PCOS guideline does not specify a strict fat target, but most clinicians recommend at least 25-35% of calories from a mix of monounsaturated, polyunsaturated, and saturated sources.
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.
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Frequently Asked Questions
Yes, this PCOS Pasta Dish - Spaghetti Squash Carbonara recipe is designed to be PCOS-friendly. At 350 calories per serving with 20g of protein, it supports balanced blood sugar and hormonal health. It also provides 2g of fiber, which helps with insulin sensitivity.
This recipe takes about 65 minutes total. Prep time is 15 minutes and cook time is 50 minutes. It makes 2 servings, so you can meal prep for multiple days.
Per serving: 350 calories, 20g protein (23%), 25g carbs, 15g fat. Plus 2g 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 350 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 2 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.
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