Navigating irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) (and/or sucrase-isomaltase deficiency) and following a restrictive diet such as the low FODMAP diet, Paleo, GAPS, and/or a sucrose intolerance diet can be challenging, but it doesn’t mean you can’t still enjoy delicious food! (I speak first hand as a foodie and former IBS sufferer, who also happens to come from an Italian family.) All of that said, I’ve enjoyed this very simple low FODMAP spaghetti Bolognese recipe countless times in the last decade, and wanted to share it with you!
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Table of Contents
Ingredients
Some of the most common high FODMAP ingredients in a traditional Bolognese recipe are garlic and onions (in the sauce) as well as the fructans in wheat-derived pasta.
It’s important to swap those out with tasty low FODMAP alternatives!
What you’ll need
While there are infinite ways to craft a spaghetti Bolognese, you only need the following key staple components to make a low FODMAP Bolognese recipe:
- Low FODMAP pasta (or veggie noodle sub) of your choice
- Ground meat, turkey, pork, chicken, or a low FODMAP plant-based meat alternative of your choice
- Low FODMAP pasta sauce (store-bought or homemade)
Low FODMAP spaghetti or veggie noodles
Luckily we’ve got lots of different options to work with when it comes to choosing a low FODMAP spaghetti for your Bolognese!
Below are my personal favorite low FODMAP spaghetti options on the market:
- Ancient Harvest corn, brown rice, and quinoa spaghetti
- Ancient Harvest green lentil spaghetti* (limit to 1 cup cooked or less per meal)
- Andean Dream organic white rice and quinoa spaghetti*
- Andean Dream organic rice, quinoa, and amaranth spaghetti with turmeric*
- Banza chickpea angel hair pasta* (limit to 1 cup cooked or less per meal)
- Banza chickpea linguine* (limit to 1 cup cooked or less per meal)
- Banza chickpea spaghetti* (limit to 1 cup cooked or less per meal)
- DeLallo whole grain brown rice spaghetti*
- Explore Cuisine organic red lentil spaghetti* (limit to 1 cup cooked or less per meal)
- Jovial organic brown rice pasta*
- Tinkyada organic brown rice spaghetti*
- Trader Joe’s brown rice and quinoa spaghetti*
(Get a more comprehensive guide and list of low FODMAP pasta options here!)
Paleo/GAPS/low sucrose alternatives to spaghetti
If you’re also on a grain-free diet (such as Paleo or GAPS) or you have a sucrase-isolmaltase deficiency (sucrose intolerance), you can lean on any of the following
- Sautéed zucchini noodles (zoodles) or spiralized summer squash – great way to reduce the “glycemic index” (rate at which the meal turns into blood sugar) and also a wonderful way to exponentially boost your veggie intake!
- Sautéed carrot/sweet potato ribbons (Paleo/GAPs only)
- Baked spaghetti squash (up to 1 cup cooked, according to Monash University; spaghetti squash is generally very well tolerated by most people with digestive distress in my experience!)
Low FODMAP tomato sauce
Store-bought
For my fellow busy peeps who don’t have lots of time to make everything from scratch, here are some popular store-bought low FODMAP versions of tomato sauce, for your convenience:
- Rao’s Sensitive Marinara* (Paleo, Low FODMAP)
- Fody Foods Low FODMAP Marinara* (Paleo, Low FODMAP)
- Fody’s Tomato & Basil Pasta Sauce* (Paleo, Low FODMAP)
- Thrive Market’s Organic Low FODMAP Marinara Sauce (Paleo, Low FODMAP)
Note: these sauces contain a small amount of carrots, which are high in sucrose. If you have a sucrose intolerance, you may be able to better tolerate these store-bought sauces if you take Sucraid before the meal. (Otherwise, it’s easy to modify a homemade tomato sauce to make it low sucrose!)
Homemade
If you’re feeling extra culinary, you could also make your own low FODMAP tomato sauce!
(If I ever get the chance to try this and master it, I’ll be sure to keep you posted.)
In the meantime, you might love Dr. Rachel’s low FODMAP spaghetti sauce.
- Low Sucrose modification: Omit the sugar and carrots!
For bland/low-acid alternatives to tomato sauce:
I recommend trying out a low FODMAP pumpkin sauce or a basic homemade low fodmap alfredo sauce.
You may also like to include some (or all) of the following optional add-in’s, which will go a long way to make your low FODMAP Bolognese experience extra tasty and gourmet. 😀
(Get a more comprehensive guide and list of our favorite store-bought and homemade low FODMAP pasta sauces and tomato sauces here!)
Meat/protein
Low FODMAP meat is pretty straight-forward, unless you’re vegetarian/vegan. Traditional Bolognese typically includes a combination of beef and pork, but it’s really up to you depending on what you like, what your body tolerates best, and what you have on-hand.
All meats are naturally low in FODMAPs, so generally you can choose any of the options listed below! (Of course everyone is unique, so if you find a certain type of protein difficult to digest or not well tolerated, make sure to listen to your body.)
- Ground meat of choice:
- Grass-fed beef
- Pork
- Bison
- Venison
- Elk
- Turkey
- Chicken
For vegetarians: low FODMAP meat substitutes
Unfortunately when it comes to low FODMAP meat substitutes, it’s slim pickin’s! ☹ Most all pre-made meat substitutes are high in FODMAPs, usually because they contain soy protein and/or beans.
- Based on clinical observation I’ve found Beyond Meat products (which I generally love as a vegetarian protein source) are hit-or-miss for lots of people from a digestive standpoint. They contain small amounts of high FODMAP ingredients including mung beans and apple extract, which can sometimes but not always trigger digestive flares in people.
All of that said… I’ll leave the vegetarian protein option up to your discretion!
Optional add-in’s
This recipe is meant to be very simple and customizable, so you can make it as “you-friendly” as possible!
Please take what you need, and leave the rest. Stick with what you enjoy, go with what works for your body.
- Low FODMAP veggies of choice (strongly encouraged!) – for a more nutritionally-balanced Bolognese
- Fresh or dried low FODMAP herbs, spices, and seasonings (for garnish or to doctor up the sauce)
- A tablespoon of low FODMAP vinegar, wine, and/or soy-free coconut aminos* – to add into the sauce
- A small amount of low FODMAP sweetener of your choice – to bring out the flavors in the sauce
- Freshly grated low FODMAP cheese (such as parmesan) or a sprinkle of nutritional yeast (if you’re dairy-free/plant-based) – for topping
Low FODMAP veggies
You can get pretty creative here!
Carrots are often included in traditional Bolognese recipes, and they’re naturally low FODMAP, so I’ve included them in this version. (Note that carrots are naturally high in sucrose, so check out the alternative options below if you have a sucrose intolerance.)
But if you’re looking for a tasty way to add more veggies into your life, you can also add some green beans, zucchini, summer squash, diced celery, and/or some freshly sautéed spinach.
(I almost always throw a few handfuls of baby greens into my Bolognese!)
I’ve made sure to include modifications and recommended alternatives to accommodate those who are navigating specific food sensitivities, blood sugar/hormone imbalances, or vegan/vegetarian lifestyles! Make sure to check out all the variations, modifications, and substitutions if you have special dietary needs.
Herbs
I don’t usually add extra herbs into this recipe, since the sauce I use is already seasoned really well.
But feel free to garnish your Bolognese with some fresh basil or chives, if you happen to have some on-hand!
Red wine/ red wine vinegar
Since up to a glass of red wine is low FODMAP, and you only need a few tablespoons, you can use any type of dry red wine (or red wine vinegar) for this recipe.
I recommend using cabernet sauvignon, merlot, or a pinot noir if you’re using red wine.
Coconut aminos
Coconut aminos* are a soy-free substitute for soy sauce, which is high FODMAP.
Coconut Secret is my favorite brand. You can find it online or in Whole Foods, or other health food stores. (Just make sure you’re getting the “soy-free” variation!)
How to make it (step-by-step)
- Choose your base ingredients and add-on’s. Refer to the ingredient list and measure out all of your ingredients.
- Cook pasta or veggie noodles according to instructions on the package.
- In a separate pan or skillet, while pasta is cooking, brown the meat (or protein of choice) over medium heat, for about 7 minutes or until it is no longer visibly pink/raw.
- Add the sliced veggies into the ground meat skillet, and sauté until fork-tender (about 7 more minutes) on medium heat.
- Add the sauce, wine, and coconut aminos into your meat and veggie pan.
- Reduce to low heat, stir with a wooden spoon, and sauté for another 5 minutes until you have a beautiful, uniform Bolognese sauce.
- Strain pasta, transfer to a bowl, and pour the Bolognese sauce over your spaghetti. Enjoy!
Low FODMAP Bolognese Recipe
Equipment
- Large skillet
- Medium stovetop pot
- Cutting board
- Peeler and knife for chopping carrots
- Measuring utensils
Ingredients
- 1 package low FODMAP pasta of choice (or 2 packages spiralized veggie noodles/ribbons)
- 1 lb. meat of choice or Beyond Meat
- 1 15-oz. jar low FODMAP tomato sauce of choice
- 2 whole carrots and/or zucchini's peeled and chopped
- 1/4 cup dry red wine optional
- 2 tablespoons coconut aminos optional
Instructions
- Choose your base ingredients and add-on's.
- Cook pasta or veggie noodles according to instructions on the package.
- While pasta/veggie noodles are cooking, in a separate pan/skillet, brown the meat (or sauté lentils/beans) over medium heat for about 7-10 minutes.
- Add the sliced veggies into the ground meat skillet, and sauté until fork-tender (about 7 more minutes) on medium heat.
- Add the sauce, wine, and coconut aminos to the large skillet with meat and carrots.
- Reduce to low heat, stir with a wooden spoon, and sauté for another 5 minutes until you have a beautiful, uniform Bolognese sauce.
- Pour the Bolognese over the cooked pasta/veggie noodles… and Bon Appetit!!
More low FODMAP recipes & articles
- Low FODMAP Pasta Guide: Brands, Product List, & Recipes
- Low FODMAP Pasta Sauces & Tomato Sauces: Brands, Product List, & Recipes
- 15 Tasty & Healthy Low FODMAP Breakfast Recipes (Round-Up)
- 15 Dietitian-Approved Low FODMAP Lunch Ideas
- 19 Simple and Healthy Low FODMAP Dinner Ideas & Recipes (Round-Up)
- 50+ Tasty & Healthy Low FODMAP Snacks for IBS
- Low FODMAP Prebiotic Potato Salad
- Baked Sweet & Savory Teriyaki Chicken Wings
- Low FODMAP spinach strawberry salad
- Butternut Squash Pancakes
- Peanut Butter Cookies
