Five healthy recipes under 500 calories that are super filling and tasty too

From Caribbean-style smoky basa to a vibrant Tuscan panzanella salad, these dishes offer a world of flavour without the extra calories, says Hannah Twiggs

No more dining on bland vegetables and sad, unseasoned chicken... (Gousto)

If you’re on the lookout for delicious meals that won’t break the calorie bank, you’ve come to the right place.

These five mouthwatering recipes are not only packed with flavour but also each come in at under 500 calories per serving, making them perfect for a satisfying, guilt-free meal.

From the exotic flavours of the Caribbean to the comforting tastes of Tuscany, these dishes are designed to offer variety without compromising on taste or nutrition.

Whether you’re in the mood for a zesty fish dish, a fresh and vibrant salad, or a hearty chicken meal, there’s something here to suit every palate.

Caribbean-style smoky basa with sweet potato mash

Grab a taste of the Caribbean with crispy basa coated in an allspice breadcrumb (Gousto)

Serves: 2

Time: 20 minutes

Calories: 368 kcal per serving, 77 kcal per 100g

Ingredients:

2 tomatoes

20g mango chutney

30g panko breadcrumbs

1/2 tsp cayenne pepper

1 tsp ground allspice

2 sweet potatoes

2 smoked basa fillets

Spring onion

Lime

You’ll also need:

Butter, olive oil, pepper, salt (or dietary alternatives)

Method:

1. Preheat the oven to 220C/200C (fan)/gas 7.

2. Zest your lime (avoiding the bitter white pith) and add it to a bowl with the panko breadcrumbs, cayenne pepper (go easy if you prefer less heat), ground allspice, 2 tbsp olive oil, and a pinch of salt and pepper.

3. Mix everything well to create the Caribbean-style crumb.

4. Line a baking tray with non-stick baking paper.

5. Place the smoked basa fillets on the tray and evenly coat them with the Caribbean-style crumb.

6. Bake for 12-15 minutes until the fish is cooked through and the crumb is golden. (Tip: the fish is done when it turns opaque and flakes easily.)

7. Boil a kettle and peel, then chop your sweet potatoes into bite-sized chunks.

8. Add the sweet potato chunks to a pot of boiled water with a pinch of salt.

9. Boil over high heat, then reduce to medium and cook for 10-15 minutes until fork-tender.

10. Once cooked, drain and let them steam dry in the pot.

11. Dice the tomatoes and finely slice the spring onion, separating the white parts from the green.

12. In a large bowl, combine the diced tomato, spring onion whites, a pinch of salt and pepper, mango chutney, the juice of half a lime, and a drizzle of olive oil.

13. Mix well to make the tomato salsa.

14. Mash the cooked sweet potato with a knob of butter and a pinch of salt until smooth.

15. Serve the Caribbean-style basa with the sweet potato mash and tomato salsa on the side.

16. Garnish with the sliced spring onion greens and a lime wedge.

Tuscan panzanella salad

This speedy traditional Tuscan salad is made using charred bread (Gousto)

Serves: 2

Time: 15 minutes

Calories: 322 kcal per serving, 102 kcal per 100g

Ingredients:

2 tbsp red wine vinegar

1 tbsp Italian dried oregano

30g caper buds

30g pitted black olives

10g fresh basil

125g fresh mozzarella

250g cherry tomatoes

2 ciabatta rolls

1 red onion

You’ll also need:

Olive oil, pepper, salt, sugar (or dietary alternatives)

Method:

1. Boil a kettle and preheat the grill to high.

2. Peel and finely slice the red onion.

3. Place the onion in a sieve and pour all the boiled water over them (over a sink).

4. Transfer them to a bowl and add vinegar with 1 tsp sugar.

5. Mix well and let soak to mellow the flavour.

6. Tear the ciabatta into bite-size pieces and place them on a baking tray.

7. Drizzle with 2 tbsp olive oil, season with salt and pepper, and grill for 10 minutes until crispy and browned.

8. While the ciabatta is grilling, chop the cherry tomatoes in half and coarsely chop the black olives.

9. Add tomatoes, olives, capers, and oregano to a salad bowl.

10. Tear the basil and add to the salad bowl.

11. Drain and tear the mozzarella into bite-size pieces and add to the salad bowl.

12. Drain the onion and discard the excess liquid, then add to the salad bowl.

13. Add the toasted ciabatta, mix well, and season generously with pepper.

14. Drizzle with olive oil, if desired.

Smoky fish with chive butter sauce and green beans

Cook up a wholesome, hearty supper with smoked fish, potatoes and green beans (Gousto)

Serves: 2

Time: 20 minutes

Calories: 329 kcal per serving, 98kcal per 100g

Ingredients:

120g trimmed fine green beans

10g chives

2 x 100g smoked basa fillets

300g waxy potatoes

1 pot of Cornish clotted cream (40g)

You’ll also need:

Olive oil, pepper, salt

Method:

1. Boil a kettle and preheat the oven to 220C/200C (fan)/425F/gas 7. Cut the waxy potatoes (skins on) into large, bite-sized pieces.

2. Add the chopped potatoes to a pot with a lid and plenty of boiled water, a pinch of salt, and bring to a boil over a high heat. Once boiling, cook, covered for an initial 7 minutes.

3. While the potatoes are cooking, pat the smoked basa fillets dry with kitchen paper and place on a baking tray (use tin foil to avoid mess). Put the tray in the oven for 12-15 minutes or until the fish is cooked through (Tip: your fish is cooked when it turns opaque and flakes easily).

4. Meanwhile, cut the green beans in half.

5. Chop the chives finely.

6. Once the potatoes have had 7 minutes, add the green beans to the pot (check the potatoes are nearly cooked first) and cook, covered, for 4-8 minutes further or until both the green beans and potatoes are fork-tender. Drain everything and set aside until serving.

7. Heat a small pot with 2 tbsp butter over medium heat. Once melted, add the clotted cream and a splash of milk. Whisk to combine into a thin butter sauce, then remove from the heat and add the chopped chives. Season with a small pinch of salt and plenty of pepper – this is your chive butter sauce.

8. Serve the smoky fish with the green beans and potatoes, and spoon the chive butter sauce over.

Thai-style chicken with gingery veg and brown rice

This Thai-style dish combines protein-packed chicken breast, fibre-rich brown rice and vibrant veg to keep you fuller for longer (Gousto)

Serves: 2

Time: 25 minutes

Calories: 469 kcal per serving, 102 kcal per seving

Ingredients:

Red chilli

100g brown long-grain rice

15g fresh root ginger

15ml soy sauce

2 x chicken breasts

25g solid creamed coconut

5g coriander

80g sugar snap peas

150g spring greens

Spring onion

Garlic clove

Lime

Red pepper

You’ll also need:

Salt, vegetable oil, water (or dietary alternatives)

Method:

1. Before you start cooking, take the chicken out of the fridge and let it air. Rinse the brown rice, add it to a pot with plenty of cold water, and bring to a boil over high heat. Once boiling, reduce the heat to medium and cook for 20-25 minutes or until tender with a slight bite. Drain, return to the pot, and keep covered until serving. Boil half a kettle.

2. Trim and slice the spring onions. Peel and roughly chop the garlic. Cut the red chilli in half lengthways, deseed, and chop finely. Chop the coriander finely, separating leaves and stalks.

3. In a pestle and mortar (or food processor), grind the spring onion, garlic, chilli, and coriander stalks with a pinch of salt into a paste – this is your Thai-style paste. Dissolve the creamed coconut in boiled water and add soy sauce – this is your coconut stock.

4. Heat a large, wide-based pan with 1/2 tbsp of vegetable oil over medium-high heat. Once hot, add the chicken and cook for 3 minutes on each side or until browned.

5. Add the Thai-style paste to the browned chicken and cook for 2-3 minutes or until fragrant. Add the coconut stock and cook for 10-12 minutes until the chicken is cooked through and the sauce thickens. Add the juice of half a lime and stir. Cut the remaining lime into wedges.

6. Wash and slice the spring greens into thin strips. Deseed the pepper and cut it into thin strips. Slice the sugar snap peas lengthways. Peel and finely chop (or grate) the ginger.

7. Heat a separate pan with 1 tbsp of vegetable oil over high heat. Add the spring greens and pepper strips with a pinch of salt, and cook for 4-6 minutes until starting to soften. Add the ginger and sugar snap peas and cook for another 2 minutes – this is your gingery veg.

8. Slice the chicken and serve with brown rice and gingery veg. Drizzle with sauce, garnish with coriander leaves, and serve with a lime wedge.

Crispy horseradish fish, crushed squash and greens

For this dish, you’ll coat fish fillets in horseradish cream and crusty breadcrumbs, then bake to perfection (Gousto)

Serves: 2

Time: 35 minutes

Calories: 274 kcal per serving, 62 kcal per 100g

Ingredients:

1 whole butternut squash

120g trimmed fine green beans

2 x 100g basa fillets

30g panko breadcrumbs

5g sage

1 horseradish cream pot (20g)

1 shallot

1 garlic clove

You’ll also need:

Butter, salt, vegetable oil (or dietary alternatives)

Method:

1. Preheat the oven to 220C/200C (fan)/425F/gas 7.

2. Peel the butternut squash and cut it in half lengthways. Remove the seeds with a spoon and dice into 1cm cubes.

3. Peel the garlic.

4. Add the diced squash and garlic to a baking tray, drizzle with vegetable oil, and season with salt. Mix well.

5. Roast the squash and garlic in the oven for 20-25 minutes until softened and starting to brown.

6. While roasting, boil a full kettle.

7. Peel and finely chop the shallot.

8. Chop the sage finely, including the stalks, and set aside for later.

9. Place the basa fillets on a baking tray and season with salt.

10. Spread horseradish cream over the fillets and top with panko breadcrumbs. (Tip: press the breadcrumbs firmly into the fish to ensure they stick.)

11. Roast in the oven for 12-15 minutes until golden and cooked through.

12. While the fish is cooking, heat a small pot with a drizzle of vegetable oil over medium heat.

13. Once hot, add the chopped shallot and cook for 2-3 minutes until softened.

14. Add 50g of butter and cook for 1 minute until melted, then add the chopped sage and a pinch of salt. Stir, then remove from heat – this is your sage butter.

15. Meanwhile, boil the green beans in a pot of salted water over high heat for 3-4 minutes until tender.

16. Drain and toss them in the sage butter – these are your sage-butter green beans.

17. Mash the roasted squash and garlic using a fork or masher – it’s okay to leave some lumps.

18. Serve the crispy horseradish fish over the mashed squash, with the sage-butter green beans on the side.

19. Drizzle with any remaining sage butter.

Recipes from Gousto, the UK’s best recipe box for choice, offering 100 meals weekly from £2.99. Visit gousto.co.uk for more information and recipe inspiration