This low FODMAP pumpkin pie is a great way to kick off the fall season! (Although you can totally enjoy this sweet treat any time of year – and it doesn’t have to be for a special occasion or holiday.)

You also don’t need to have gut health issues OR be on a low FODMAP diet protocol to enjoy this recipe during your next holiday event. (Trust me, you won’t want to miss this!)

Table of Contents

What’s “low FODMAP”?

A low FODMAP diet is a common nutrition protocol recommended by GI doctors and dietitians for people with IBS.

It stands for “fermentable oligo-saccharides, di-saccharides, mono-saccharides and polyols” – it serves as a starting point to remove foods that can trigger unwanted symptoms such as gas and bloating.

Keep in mind, the low FODMAP diet is very restrictive and not always necessary (or helpful) for everyone. Simply cutting out foods or following a cookie-cutter diet isn’t a stand-alone solution to gut health issues! Healing your gut is a multi-dimensional process, and removing foods that trigger symptoms is but a small sliver of the “pie” (pun intended!).

Grab your copy of my free gut health nutrition guide to learn more about how to avoid some common pitfalls.

On that note, let’s also dismantle a few misconceptions I hear quite often related to gut health:

“In order to heal from IBS / SIBO /leaky gut syndrome I’m going to have to give up foods that I love.”
“If it’s healthy, it probably doesn’t taste good!”

The beauty of a customized nutrition plan and holistic lifestyle versus a diet is that you get to still enjoy all the foods you absolutely love, one way or another!

All while giving your body the chance to heal itself.

Speaking first-hand as a foodie who has had to navigate multiple health issues related to digestion and the immune system, I’ve been able to figure out how to take pretty much any dish and modify it to work for anyone, no matter what types of adverse food reactions you’re dealing with.

(We all deserve to have our pie and eat it too!) ????

In order for a healthy lifestyle to be sustainable, it MUST be enjoyable. I believe we CAN and SHOULD truly like/love, and look forward to, pretty much everything we eat.

You’d be surprised how easy it is to take a recipe and make it work for your body and individualized needs!

This recipe is a great choice for people who want their pie but are dealing with celiac disease, IBS, small intestinal bacterial overgrowth (SIBO), Crohn’s, colitis, diverticulosis or diverticulitis…

But it’s also sincerely delicious for anyone to enjoy! 😀

That said, onto the fun part…

Low FODMAP pie crust

I use this pecan pie crust recipe which is already low FODMAP. It can be modified for people with any kind of nut allergies (you can easily swap the pecans for pumpkin/sunflower seeds).

If you just have an issue with pecans but not other types of nuts, you can swap those for walnuts or you may want to check out Mark’s Daily Apple walnut pie crust recipe which is very similar!

You’re welcome to also just buy a pre-made gluten free pie crust at the market if that’s easier (to keep it low FODMAP).

I personally find the pecan crust to be the best combo of sweet, salty, crunchy and savory – I definitely recommend giving it a try at some point if you can!

The pie filling

Pumpkin!

What I love about pumpkin is it’s versatile – it can be swapped easily for something else like butternut squash or sweet potato (fresh baked, or canned) if you have any kind of sensitivity or dislike for pumpkin. All of these are low FODMAP and also compliant for other protocols like GAPS, paleo, etc.

(I actually made my original version of this recipe with butternut squash!)

Pumpkin and its “siblings” (squash, sweet potato etc.) are all naturally low in FODMAPs, and they’re natural sources of beta carotene, the antioxidant precursor to vitamin A.

- - - This antioxidant (like vitamins A, D, E, K and the antioxidant lycopene) is “fat soluble”, which means our body absorbs it better from cooked food that is combined with some kind of fat! Nutritionally convenient for this recipe if you ask me. ????

Milk subs

To make this recipe low FODMAP and lactose-free, I recommend using an unsweetened milk substitute such as oat milk, almond milk, pecan milk or coconut milk.

MALK, Elmhurst, Rise, and Nutty Life are a few personal favorite milk sub brands because they don’t use certain fillers which can amplify bloating/GI distress in many people! Learn more of my favorite milks for IBS sufferers here.)

Maple syrup

If you know me, you know I use real maple syrup a LOT in everything from my morning coffee to my baking! It’s also one of the healthiest natural low FODMAP sweeteners – and it ges great in this recipe.

I love maple because it’s a whole lot more nutrient-dense (high in minerals like manganese and magnesium), low glycemic (doesn’t spike blood sugar as high or as quickly as most other sweeteners), gut microbiome friendly (doesn’t seem to feed “bad” bacteria), and just downright decadent!

If you don’t have real maple syrup on-hand or you don’t like it, you can keep this recipe low FODMAP by swapping the maple syrup for brown sugar although there are not as many health benefits.

Herbs & spices

Generally when it comes to herbs and spices in these kinds of recipes, you can get pretty creative.

Cinnamon is interchangeable and complementary with nutmeg, pumpkin pie spice, apple pie spice, cloves, and cardamom to name a few! All of these herbs/spices are supportive in immunity, they’re warming to the blood (perfect for fall/winter months), and they’re high in antioxidant levels.