This Smoked Mackerel, Beetroot and Horseradish Salad is a PCOS-friendly recipe with 340 calories, 26g protein, and 14g carbs per serving. Ready in 10 minutes. High in fiber (4g), which supports insulin sensitivity.
Nutrition per Serving
Mackerel is one of the richest food sources of long-chain omega-3 there is, and smoked mackerel needs no cooking at all, which makes this a genuinely five-minute lunch.
Grocery list:
- Smoked mackerel fillets
- Cooked beetroot
- Plain Greek yogurt
- Horseradish sauce
- Watercress or rocket
- Cucumber
- Fresh dill
- Lemon
- Capers
Glycemic index of the key ingredients: mackerel 0, beetroot 64 but at a very low glycemic load, Greek yogurt 11, watercress 0.
Ingredients
Instructions
-
Flake the mackerel into large pieces, checking for pin bones as you go. Keep the pieces chunky.Stir the horseradish, lemon juice and half the dill into the Greek yogurt. Taste it: horseradish strength varies enormously between brands.Toss the beetroot and cucumber with the olive oil and a good grind of pepper.Build the plates with watercress, then beetroot and cucumber, then the mackerel on top.Spoon over the horseradish yogurt, scatter the capers and remaining dill, and eat. Do not toss it all together, the beetroot stains everything pink within a minute.
Why this works for PCOS
PCOS involves chronic low-grade inflammation, and inflammation and insulin resistance drive each other. Long-chain omega-3 fats are among the few dietary levers with real trial evidence here, with supplementation studies reporting modest reductions in testosterone and improvements in insulin markers.
This plate carries about 3.2g of EPA and DHA, which is a therapeutic-range dose from food rather than a capsule.
The ingredients doing the work
- Smoked mackerel: omega-3, vitamin D and 26g of protein, with no cooking required.
- Beetroot: dietary nitrates that support blood flow, and enough natural sweetness to balance the oily fish.
- Horseradish and capers: sharpness, which is what a rich fish needs. Without them this is heavy.
Swaps
Dairy free: use coconut yogurt, or simply dress with lemon and olive oil. Tinned mackerel or sardines work and cost less. If beetroot is not for you, use grated apple, which plays the same sweet-sharp role.
Why a lighter lunch still has to be a real one
The failure mode of low-calorie eating is not the calories, it is the hunger that arrives at four in the afternoon and undoes the whole day. Every lunch in this set is built to land under 400 calories while still carrying enough protein and fibre to hold, because a lunch that leaves you raiding the cupboard has not saved you anything.
PCOS Meal Planner assembles these into a week around your calorie target and the foods you actually like, and hands you the grocery list.
Why this Smoked Mackerel, Beetroot and Horseradish Salad works for PCOS
With 26g of protein per serving (about 31% of calories), this Smoked Mackerel, Beetroot and Horseradish Salad sits at the top end of the 25-35g per-meal range that the 2023 International PCOS Guideline recommends for managing insulin resistance and supporting lean mass. Higher-protein meals also blunt the glucose response when carbohydrates are included, which matters for women with PCOS because chronic insulin elevation drives androgen excess and irregular cycles.
At 14g of carbohydrates per serving, this Smoked Mackerel, Beetroot and Horseradish Salad 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 53% 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.
Lunch is where most PCOS meal plans either succeed or collapse. A meal like this Smoked Mackerel, Beetroot and Horseradish Salad that combines adequate protein, fibre-rich carbs, and fat keeps blood sugar stable for the rest of the workday and reduces the late-afternoon energy crash that drives sugar cravings around 3-4pm.
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Frequently Asked Questions
Yes, this Smoked Mackerel, Beetroot and Horseradish Salad recipe is designed to be PCOS-friendly. At 340 calories per serving with 26g of protein, it supports balanced blood sugar and hormonal health. It also provides 4g of fiber, which helps with insulin sensitivity.
This recipe takes about 10 minutes total. Prep time is 10 minutes. It makes 2 servings, so you can meal prep for multiple days.
Per serving: 340 calories, 26g protein (31%), 14g carbs, 20g fat. Plus 4g 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 Lunch. At 340 calories, it fits within typical PCOS meal plan targets for Lunch. 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.
Cook Another PCOS-Friendly Lunch
Each recipe you add to your rotation makes PCOS management easier. Variety keeps you from getting bored and quitting.
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