Low FODMAP Salsa Verde

Salsa verde is easy to make at home. Think of this recipe as a starting place. You can decide how much cilantro, salt and lime juice you prefer. I strongly recommend adding the lime juice a little at a time (as the recipe is written) the first time you make it so you can determine how much lime juice you like. You can take it to the next level by adding a diced avocado (if tolerated) before blending.

Tomatillos are typically better tolerated than tomatoes. Up to a cup of tomatillos is generally tolerated by most. The doesn’t mean you can have a cup of salsa verde, but you can likely enjoy more of it than a tomato-based salsa.

A fried egg smothered in salsa verde

Enjoy salsa verde with GF corn tortilla chips, in enchiladas verde, on tacos or topping fried eggs.

Salsa verde requires little chopping compared to Low FODMAP Pico de Gallo as it’s made in a blender.

Be aware that the salsa will be rather thin at first, but will thicken up to a gelatin-like consistency after a few hours in the refrigerator, due to the naturally occurring pectin in the tomatillos. Simply give it a vigorous stir before serving.

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Low FODMAP Salsa Verde

Makes 2.5 cups

Ingredients

• 1 1/2 pounds tomatillos (about 12 medium), husked and rinsed
• 1 small jalapeño, stemmed (optional)
• 1/2 green bell pepper, roughly chopped
• 1/2 bunch scallions, roughly chopped (green parts only)
• 1/4 cup packed fresh cilantro leaves (more if you love cilantro)
• 2 tablespoons to 1/4 cup lime juice (1 to 2 medium limes, juiced), to taste
• 1/2 to 1 teaspoon sea salt, to taste
• GF corn tortilla chips (for serving)

Instructions

1. Preheat the broiler set on high with one rack positioned about 4 inches below the heating element. Place the tomatillos and peppers on a rimmed baking sheet and broil until they’re blackened in spots, about 5 minutes.
2. Remove the baking sheet from the oven, carefully flip over the tomatillos and pepper with tongs and broil for 4 to 6 more minutes, until the tomatillos are splotchy-black and blistered.
3. Meanwhile, in a food processor or blender, combine the chopped scallions, cilantro, 2 tablespoons lime juice and salt. Once the tomatillos are out of the oven, carefully transfer the hot tomatillos, pepper(s) and all of their juices into the food processor or blender.
4. Pulse until the mixture is mostly smooth and no big chunks of tomatillo remain, scraping down the sides as necessary. Taste salsa and add additional lime juice, cilantro and salt as desired. Serve.

Low FODMAP Dipping Sauces

Curry ketchup is great with French fries!

A nice dipping sauce can make all the difference when you’re on a restricted diet. Unfortunately most commercially packaged dipping sauces contain high FODMAP ingredients. Luckily you can learn to make your own easily. Just watch portion sizes as some of these sauces contain ingredients that contain FODMAPs. Safe serving sizes tend to be close to one tablespoon, however you may find you tolerate more.

All three of these sauces are sweet to a degree. You can adjust the sweetness to your liking. Be sure to use low FODMAP ketchup such as FODY when making these recipes. (I’ve found that I tolerate organic ketchup sweetened with sugar as long as it does not contain onions or garlic, but everyone is different so proceed with caution if going that route. )

Use these dipping sauces for French fries, low FODMAP chicken tenders/nuggets, or whatever else sounds good to you.

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Low FODMAP Curry Ketchup Dipping Sauce

This sauce is similar to a sauce I was served with waffle fries. It could be just as nice with chicken nuggets. It’s lightly sweet.

Makes ~3 tbsp (1.5 oz) or 1-2 servings

Ingredients

• 2 tbsp real mayonnaise
• 1 tbsp low FODMAP ketchup
• 1/4-1/2 tsp low FODMAP curry powder (to taste)
• 1/8 teaspoon garlic infused olive oil (optional)

Instructions

1. Combine all ingredients in a small bowl or ramekin. Mix well.

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Low FODMAP Bulldog Dipping Sauce

Also known as tonkatsu sauce, this brown sauce usually accompanies breaded cutlets. This version is a bit tangy. You can adjust the sweetness to your liking by adding more sugar, mixing well and letting stand for five minutes. Give it another stir before using.

Makes ~6 tbsp (3 oz) or 6 servings

Ingredients

• 2 tbsp Worcestershire sauce
• 1 tbsp cane sugar
• 2-1/2 tbsp low FODMAP ketchup
• 1 tbsp oyster sauce

Instructions

1. In a jar or small bowl, combine Worcestershire sauce and sugar. Whisk well until the sugar is completely dissolved.
2. Add the ketchup and oyster sauce and whisk until combined. Taste the sauce and adjust the seasoning. Some ketchup is sweeter than others, so feel free to adjust the amount of sugar to taste.

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Low FODMAP BBQ Dipping Sauce

This sauce requires cooking so you’ll need to make at least this much. This is the sweetest of the three sauces. If you don’t like very sweet sauce, reduce the amount of sugar by at least 1 tbsp. You can add up to 2 more tbsp of brown sugar for the sweetest sauce.

I tolerate this sauce very well so I’ve been able to make BBQ pulled chicken by adding 2 tbsp of this sauce to a portion of poached shredded chicken. Your mileage may vary.

Makes ~8 tbsp (4 oz) or 8 servings

Ingredients

• 4 tbsp brown sugar, packed
• 6 tbsp low FODMAP ketchup
• 2 tbsp apple cider vinegar
• 1 tsp Worcestershire sauce
• 1 tsp garlic-infused olive oil (optional)
• 1 tsp mustard powder
• 1/2 tsp smoked paprika
• 1/2 tsp garlic scape powder (optional)
• 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
• 1/4 tsp sea salt

Instructions

1. Combine all the ingredients in a small sauce pan over medium heat.
2. Bring to a boil. Reduce to a simmer and cook for 15 minutes, stirring occasionally.

Low FODMAP Pesto

Pesto is a versatile sauce. It can be added to any number of dishes including soup, pasta, sandwiches, risotto and more. It gives a wonderful punch of fresh flavor, making it a great way to make a meal tasty fast. Keeping frozen pesto on hand can be a convenient and easy way to get flavorful food to the table when you don’t have much energy.

To freeze pesto, portion into special 1 tablespoon ice trays. Or line a baking tray with plastic wrap and spread pesto into a thin sheet that can be broken apart later. Allow to freeze. Transfer broken sheets of pesto to a freezer bag. To defrost large or medium portions, place in the refrigerator overnight. Small frozen pieces can be mixed into hot foods as they will melt quickly.

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Low FODMAP Pesto

Makes about 1 2/3 cups

Ingredients

• 4 cups lightly packed basil leaves, washed and dried
• 2/3 cup garlic-infused olive oil
• 1/3 cup pine nuts
• 1/2 teaspoon sea salt
• 2/3 cup finely grated Parmigiano Reggiano cheese

Instructions

1. Add basil, garlic-infused olive oil, pine nuts and salt to a food processor fitted with a metal blade. Pulse a few times, then process until a paste forms, scraping the sides of the bowl once or twice. Add the cheese and process until fairly smooth.
2. Use right away or transfer pesto to an airtight container and press a sheet of plastic wrap onto the surface so no pesto is exposed to the air. This prevents any discoloration. Close the lid over the plastic wrap. Pesto can remain fresh in the refrigerator for up to 1 week.

Low FODMAP Sweet Mustard Dipping Sauce

This sweet sauce is similar to honey mustard sauce. You can use Dijon mustard as it is written, but spicy brown mustard works nicely as well. The sauce can be thinned with a little more apple cider vinegar to make salad dressing.

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Low FODMAP Sweet Mustard Dipping Sauce

Makes ~1/3 cup

Ingredients

• 2 tbsp mayonnaise
• 2 tbsp Dijon mustard
• 4.5 tsp brown sugar
• 1/4 tsp apple cider vinegar

Instructions

1. Whisk all ingredients together. Allow to stand for 5 minutes or more then whisk again

Low FODMAP Simple Marinara

Great tasting marinara is very easy to make. Not only can it be served over low FODMAP pasta, but it can also be used for making Tortilla Mini Pizzas, as a sauce for Meatballs or as a dipping sauce. The Monash app suggests that up 2 tablespoons of tomato paste are tolerated by most. That means sticking to one serving of this sauce. Sadly it’s not a lot, but it does satisfy any cravings.

You can use tomato paste from a tube if you don’t wish to open a whole 6 ounce can. However I like to use canned as it’s much cheaper. I simply freeze any leftover tomato paste into 1 tablespoon portions with a special ice tray for later use.

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Low FODMAP Simple Marinara

Makes 4 servings (~1/2 cup)

Ingredients

• 3/4 cup water
• 1/2 cup tomato paste (4 oz)
• 1 tbsp garlic infused olive oil
• 1 tsp oregano
• 1/8 tsp sea salt (or more to taste)
• 1/2 tsp black pepper
• chopped fresh parsley (optional)
• 1/4 tsp red pepper flakes (optional)

Instructions

1. Combine all ingredients except parsley in a medium sauce pan. Bring sauce to a simmer. Stirring occasionally, allow to simmer for about 20 minutes or until at desired consistency. Remove from heat. Stir in a little fresh parsley. Serve.

Low FODMAP Basil-Balsamic Mayonnaise

This tangy, fragrant mayonnaise can be used as a sandwich spread or dipping sauce. Thinned slightly with vinegar, it makes a nice salad dressing.

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Low FODMAP Basil-Balsamic Mayonnaise

Makes ~1/4 cup

Ingredients

• ¼ cup mayonnaise
• 1.5 tsp balsamic vinegar
• 1/4 tsp black pepper, or to taste
• 1 tsp garlic-infused olive oil (optional)
• 2 tbsp fresh basil, chopped

Instructions

1. In a small bowl, whisk together the mayonnaise, balsamic vinegar, black pepper, basil, and garlic-infused olive oil.

Low FODMAP Fast Food-Style Taco Sauce

Makes ~1/2 cup

Everyone likes a little fast food sometimes, right? I find myself craving Taco Bell crunchy tacos and bean burritos every once in a while. Both are filled with ingredients that are not low FODMAP so of course I can’t indulge. As a result I decided to recreate them as closely as possible using low FODMAP ingredients.

This taco sauce is based on Taco Bell’s mild sauce. You can increase the heat by adding cayenne pepper (if tolerated). Use tomato paste from a tube so as not to waste a whole can. Alternatively, freeze 1 tbsp portions of leftover tomato paste for later use.

Please note that chili powder usually contains small quantities of garlic and onion. Low FODMAPers can either keep portion sizes very small, replace the chili powder with paprika, or use chili powder that does not contain garlic and onion. You can find brands that do not contain garlic/onions by searching online.

You can find my recipe for Taco Bell style crunchy beef tacos here. Bean burritos are a bit harder to replicate since beans are high in FODMAPs but there aren’t really any substitutes. However I’ve found that a soft white corn tortilla topped with a generous helping of shredded cheese that’s been browned in a toaster oven, topped with fresh scallions and taco sauce does a great job of satisfying the need for that flavor. Just fold the tortilla in half and eat it like a soft taco.

Ingredients

• 1 tbsp tomato paste
• 3/4 cup water
• 1/2 tsp cornstarch
• 1 tbsp + 1 tsp apple cider vinegar (white vinegar ok, use just 1 tbsp)
• 1 tsp garlic-infused olive oil
• 1/2 tsp sugar
• 1 1/2 tsp low FODMAP chili powder (if tolerated)
• 1 tsp paprika
• 1/2 tsp cumin
• 1/2 tsp black pepper
• 1/4 tsp sea salt

Instructions

1. Add the water and cornstarch to a small saucepan. Whisk until there are no lumps. Add the rest of the ingredients and stir until even. Bring to a boil and cook for one minute.

2. Reduce heat to barely simmering and cook until the sauce thickens a bit – about 15-20 minutes. Stir occasionally. Remove from heat and allow to cool. For best flavor, refrigerate over night. It still tastes great when used right away.

Low FODMAP Seafood Sauces

Making your own sauces for seafood is quick and easy. It’s also a great way to limit your intake of FODMAPs and preservatives. You can serve these sauces right away, but preparing them at least an hour ahead of time will help the flavors to meld. Both sauces contain ingredients that contain FODMAPs so pay attention to portion size.

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Traditional cocktail sauce is little more than ketchup combined with prepared horseradish, however jarred cocktail sauce often contains hidden FODMAPS as well as preservatives. Avoid any potential issues by making your own. You can add more horseradish for a spicier sauce. It’s perfect for shrimp cocktail and for deep-fried seafoods like clam strips, popcorn shrimp or fried fish. A low FODMAP serving is about a tablespoon.

Cocktail Sauce Ingredients

• 1/2 cup of low FODMAP ketchup
• 2 tbsp prepared horseradish
• a dash of Worcestershire sauce
• a squirt of fresh lemon juice

Cocktail Sauce Instructions

1. Combine all ingredients in a small bowl. Mix thoroughly. Chill for at least an hour and serve.

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Classic tartar sauce is mayonnaise combined with some type of chopped pickle or relish. It can be tangy, sweet, herbaceous or savory. This version calls for two kinds of pickle – sweet relish and hand chopped dill pickle slices. You can adjust the sweetness to your liking by adding more or less sweet relish. This tartar sauce is great with fried fish, clam strips and on French fries. Up to 2 tablespoons should be tolerated by most people following the low FODMAP diet.

Tartar Sauce Ingredients

• 1/2 c real mayonnaise
• 1-2 tbsp dill pickle slices, minced
• 1 tsp sweet relish

Tartar Sauce Instructions

1. Combine all ingredients in a small bowl. Mix thoroughly. Chill for at least an hour and serve.

Quick Low FODMAP GF Gravy

Although you can thicken gluten free (GF) sauces and gravies with cornstarch, the results are typically unlike using white flour. This easy gravy starts with a quick roux of sweet rice flour and yields something more like what most of us are used to. Although a roux made with white flour will increase in flavor as it darkens, a sweet rice flour roux will taste burnt if it darkens. Don’t overcook it. The higher starch content of sweet rice flour makes it less likely to clump than white flour. No more lumpy gravy!

This recipe calls for broth concentrate, but it works just as well with homemade broth or pan drippings. Savory Choice Beef or Chicken Broth Concentrate are low FODMAP broth concentrates. Both the chicken and beef flavors are made without onion or garlic.

If you like, you can season the gravy with fresh or dried herbs. For example a bit of ground sage or thyme can be nice in poultry gravy. You can also add a drizzle of garlic-infused olive oil for even more flavor.

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Makes 1 cup.

Ingredients

• 1 tablespoon unsalted butter
• 1 tablespoon sweet rice flour
• 1 cup water
• 1 low FODMAP broth stick or bouillon cube
• freshly ground black pepper

Instructions

1. In a small saucepan, melt the butter over medium-high heat. Add the sweet rice flour and whisk until a paste forms. Continue whisking until paste turns light beige, about 3 minutes.
2. Combine broth stick and water in a measuring cup and stir. In a slow and steady stream, whisk into the broth. Add a few grinds of black pepper. Continue to whisk until gravy has thickened and begins to bubble. If it becomes too thick, add a little water. It’s ready to serve when it reaches the desired consistency.

2-Minute Hollandaise Sauce

Hollandaise sauce is one of those things that most of us opt to have made for us due to the inconvenience of making it ourselves. However I’ve learned this great hack for making it simply, quickly and easily with delicious results. Use it on your own version of eggs benedict, on poached salmon, on steak or even on veggies.

Please note this recipe contains uncultured dairy and may not be tolerated by everyone. You can try using lactose-free whole milk instead of half and half for lower FODMAP.

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Makes 2 servings.

Ingredients

• 4 tablespoons (1/2 stick) unsalted butter
• 2 large egg yolks
• 1/2 medium lemon
• 1/4 cup half-and-half
• 1/2 teaspoon Dijon mustard
• pinch of salt (or to taste)

Instructions

1. Place 4 tablespoons unsalted butter in a 2-cup glass measuring cup or medium microwave-safe bowl. Microwave on high until mostly melted, 30 to 45 seconds. Stir until the butter is completely melted. 
2. Place 2 large egg yolks in a small bowl and whisk with a fork. Squeeze the juice from 1/2 medium lemon. Add the yolks, 1 tablespoon of the lemon juice, and 1/4 cup heavy cream or half-and-half to the melted butter and stir until combined.
3. Microwave in 15-second bursts, whisking between each burst, until slightly thickened but still pourable (about 185ºF), 1 to 1 1/2 minutes total.
4. Add 1/2 teaspoon Dijon mustard and whisk to combine. Taste and season with more lemon juice and kosher salt as needed. Serve warm.

Storage: Refrigerate leftovers in an airtight container for up to 2 days. Reheat in the microwave for about 15 seconds.