“Low FODMAP Pasta Sauces and Tomato Sauces: Brands, Product List, & Recipes” was written by dietetic intern and functional nutritionist Krista Wale, B.S. and reviewed, edited & updated by Jenna Volpe, RDN, LD, CLT.
Many pasta lovers suffering from irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) and/or small intestinal bacterial overgrowth (SIBO) notice they feel better when switching to a low FODMAP pasta sauce.
This means the sauce was made without garlic, onions, lactose, or high FODMAP sweeteners. (We know a delicious tasting pasta sauce without garlic or onions may seem impossible, but keep reading!)
In this article we’ll first teach you how to find out whether store-bought pasta sauces and tomato sauces are low FODMAP or not.
Next, we’ll share a round-up of our favorite tasty store-bought low FODMAP pasta sauces and brands, along with a list of homemade low FODMAP pasta sauce recipes, with recipe modification tips if needed.
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Table of Contents
What makes a pasta sauce high or low FODMAP?
No garlic or onions
Most traditionally prepared pasta sauces are made with garlic and onions, which are two notoriously high FODMAP ingredients that can trigger unwanted symptoms for lots of IBS sufferers.
No high fructose corn syrup, agave, or honey
If you’re purchasing a sauce commercially, you may not realize it but a lot of mainstream, conventional pasta sauces on the market also contain high fructose corn syrup – a cheap, ultra-processed, and very high FODMAP sweetener which feeds unhealthy microbes in your gut.
Some sauces may be sweetened with a natural sweetener such as honey ro agave nectar, which are very high in fructose (another type of FODMAP).
Check out a comprehensive list of IBS-friendly low FODMAP sweeteners here!
- But keep in mind, even low FODMAP sweeteners can sometimes still be an issue if you have a candida overgrowth, dysbiosis, and/or sucrose intolerance.
Lactose-free
Some pasta sauces may also contain milk or cream, which are high in FODMAPs due to the lactose. So a low FODMAP pasta sauce must be lactose-free (made with lactose-free dairy) or even dairy-free.
Store-bought low FODMAP pasta sauce brands and products
Bay’s Kitchen (UK)
Fody
- Vegan Bolognese Pasta Sauce*
- Marinara Pasta Sauce*
- Tomato Basil Pasta Sauce*
- Spicy Marinara (Arrabbiata) Pasta Sauce*
FODMAPPED for you! (Online only)
Mezzetta
Prego
- Prego’s Traditional Sensitive Recipe*
- Note: This is not the healthiest option since it is made with added sugar. However, we understand the low FODMAP diet is restrictive enough as it is! So we included it for your convenience, in case you can’t find other options in your local supermarket.
- Read a holistic perspective about IBS and sugar here.
- Note: This is not the healthiest option since it is made with added sugar. However, we understand the low FODMAP diet is restrictive enough as it is! So we included it for your convenience, in case you can’t find other options in your local supermarket.
Rao’s
Simply Wize (Australia & New Zealand)
Low FODMAP pasta sauces (recipe round-up)
- Low FODMAP Pasta Sauce (vegetarian)
- Low FODMAP Pasta Sauce for IBS by Amber’s Natural Nutrition
- A Little Bit Yummy’ Red Wine & Tomato Pasta Sauce
- FODMAP Everyday Quick Tomato Sauce
- Anderson’s Nutrition Low FODMAP Tomato Sauce
Frequently asked questions
Are tomatoes low FODMAP?
Tomatoes are considered low FODMAP on the low FODMAP diet in relatively large quantities.
Is tomato paste low FODMAP?
Tomato paste is only low FODMAP in up to 2 tablespoons (28 grams).
We find anecdotally that tomatoes and tomato paste don’t seem to bother most people with IBS, especially since it’s diluted in most pasta sauce recipes.
However, tomatoes are a nightshade and they’re also very acidic, so they can sometimes still trigger heartburn and reflux among a certain percentage of IBS sufferers.
(When in doubt, listen to your body!)
Is tomato paste gluten free?
Yes. If you have a gluten allergy or non-celiac wheat sensitivity, you can rest assured that tomato paste is 100% gluten free!
Is tomato sauce low FODMAP?
Traditional tomato sauce is not low FODMAP, because it’s usually made with garlic and onions. Tomato sauce is sometimes also made with high FODMAP sweeteners and/or milk/cream.
However, tomato sauces made with all low FODMAP ingredients is “FODMAP friendly” at up to 1/2 cup, unless it’s made with large quantities of tomato paste.
Use the above list as a guide to find a low FODMAP tomato sauce.
Is tomato sauce gluten free?
Yes! Most tomato sauces (with or without garlic and onions) are inherently gluten free. (You can check for the “gluten free” stamp or certification on the product label, to verify.)
However, not all pasta is gluten free.
If you have a wheat sensitivity and/or gluten allergy, make sure that you’re using a gluten free pasta to go with the gluten free tomato sauce.
Can I eat low FODMAP tomato sauces if I have CSID and/or sucrose intolerance?
It depends!
Commercially-made low FODMAP tomato sauces usually contain carrots, which are high in sucrose. Some are even sweetened with sugar which is essentially pure sucrose.
We haven’t yet found a commercially-made low sucrose tomato sauce that doesn’t have any garlic, onions, or high sucrose foods (like carrots or sugar) in it – but you can make your own by using one of the above recipes as a guide.
- You’ll just need to modify the recipe (i.e. remove any high sucrose ingredients) to make it suitable for a sucrose intolerance diet.
- You can also find a special low sucrose pasta sauce recipe in the Sucrose Intolerance Diet 1-Week Meal Plan if you prefer to have an expert do the “heavy lifting” for you!
For custom modifications and extra support, we recommend consulting a CSID-informed gut health dietitian nutritionist.
Can I eat low FODMAP tomato and pasta sauces on a low sulfur diet?
Yes! The garlic and onions are what would make tomato sauces and pasta sauces high in FODMAPs, and high in sulfur. Tomatoes and olive oil are considered lower sulfur foods.
So eliminating the garlic and onions from a pasta sauce would make it low sulfur.
However, you’ll still need to be mindful of what you have it with.
If you have a sulfur intolerance, we recommend having your pasta sauce with zucchini noodles or rice pasta, which are lower in sulfur compared to other types of pasta and veggi noodles.
You’ll also need to keep your pasta dish low in protein on a low sulfur diet. We recommend ground chicken or turkey (instead of ground meat).
Lastly, always make sure you’re working with a hydrogen sulfide SIBO-informed gut health dietitian nutritionist to navigate a low sulfur diet.
Are tomatoes low histamine?
No. Tomatoes are a very high histamine food.
However, if you’ve been prescribed a low histamine diet, you may be able to tolerate a homemade low histamine pasta sauce.
- Omit the garlic and onions if you also have a FODMAP intolerance.
More low FODMAP recipes & articles
- Low FODMAP Spaghetti Bolognese (Recipe)
- Low FODMAP Pasta Guide: 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
The bottom line
When it comes to enjoying pasta sauce on a low FODMAP diet, it’s important to know which ingredients to look out for.
Onion, garlic, high fructose corn syrup, honey, agave, and milk/cream are the most common high FODMAP ingredients in most traditional pasta sauces.
To enjoy pasta sauce without the unwanted symptoms like bloating and gas, try one of our favorite low FODMAP pasta sauces listed above, or try making one yourself.
Remember that a low FODMAP diet is usually not enough as a stand-alone intervention to resolve gut issues.
You may have other food allergies, sensitivities, or intolerances that you need to consider, and you may have gut microbial imbalances or other medical conditions that need to be addressed.
Make sure you’re working with a registered dietitian who specializes in what you need, and who is willing to integrate a root-cause approach, so you aren’t just avoiding foods to manage symptoms indefinitely.
If you found this post helpful, please share it with your family and friends navigating gut issues. They may benefit from this information!
