Budget-Friendly Tuna Pasta Salad - PCOS-Friendly Recipe
This Budget-Friendly Tuna Pasta Salad is a PCOS-friendly recipe with 245 calories, 22g protein, and 31g carbs per serving. Ready in 18 minutes. High in fiber (5g), which supports insulin sensitivity.
Nutrition per Serving
Ingredients
- 2 cups uncooked quinoa pasta
- 2 stalks celery, diced
- 2 carrots, diced
- ½ red pepper, diced
- ¼ onion, diced
- ¼ cup green olives, diced (optional)
- 11-ounce flavor fresh tuna pouch, in water
- ¼ cup plain, fat-free Greek yogurt
- 3 tablespoons light mayonnaise
- ¼ teaspoon ground black pepper
Instructions
- Cook pasta according to package directions, omitting salt. Drain pasta and rinse under cold water.
- In a medium bowl combine remaining ingredients. Add pasta and toss to coat. Serve.
- Cost: $9.17
- MAKE IT GLUTEN-FREE: Confirm all ingredients are gluten-free and this recipe can be made gluten-free.
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 Budget-Friendly Tuna Pasta Salad contribute to your health goals:
- Tuna: Helps reduce chronic inflammation linked to PCOS
- Quinoa: Has a lower glycemic index than most grains, making it ideal for PCOS
- Greek yogurt: Probiotics support gut health which is linked to hormone regulation in PCOS
- Yogurt: Gut-friendly bacteria may help regulate the hormonal imbalances in PCOS
- Onion: Support cardiovascular health and blood sugar regulation
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 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 Budget-Friendly Tuna Pasta Salad 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.
PCOS-Friendly Foods in This Recipe
This recipe contains the following foods that may benefit PCOS management: Tuna.
Tuna is great for a high protein diet as it has 33 grams of protein within its housing, with no pesky carbohydrates to worry about. In addition to this, tuna contains B vitamins and vitamin D, both of which are vital to fighting back against PCOS.
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Frequently Asked Questions
Yes, this Budget-Friendly Tuna Pasta Salad recipe is designed to be PCOS-friendly. At 245 calories per serving with 22g of protein, it supports balanced blood sugar and hormonal health. It also provides 5g of fiber, which helps with insulin sensitivity.
This recipe takes about 18 minutes total. Prep time is 18 minutes. It makes 4 servings, so you can meal prep for multiple days.
Per serving: 245 calories, 22g protein (36%), 31g carbs, 4g fat. Plus 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 245 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 4 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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