[Updated April 2025]
This lemony low FODMAP quinoa salad is gut-friendly, tasty and nutritious. I can whip it together in the time it takes to bake the low FODMAP parsley panko crusted salmon that I love to accompany it with.
The beautiful thing about this recipe is not only that it’s low FODMAP, but it also conforms to the Mediterranean diet too. With its liberal use of olive oil, nutritious whole grain, fresh parsley, veggies, and chickpeas, this meal positively screams anti-inflammatory.
Quinoa is a Nutritious Superfood
Quinoa is a low FODMAP whole grain that should be well tolerated by people with irritable bowel syndrome. (Technically it’s a seed, but we treat it as a grain in North American cuisine). It has a mild, somewhat nutty flavour that blends well with all kinds of foods and therefore makes a great base for grain bowls (also referred to as quinoa salads).
In addition to being low FODMAP and easy to cook with, quinoa is super healthy:
- As a whole grain, quinoa is minimally processed.
- Quinoa is nutrient-dense, meaning it contains a lot of nutrients in a relatively small portion:
- Iron (plant-based iron, called non-heme iron- is harder to absorb. Vitamin C increases absorption of non-heme iron. Veggies rich in vitamin C include bell peppers (especially red), tomatoes, kale, broccoli.
- Other important minerals like magnesium, zinc, phosphorus and potassium.
- Protein and carbohydrate, with minimal fat.
- Quinoa is a complete protein.
- A complete protein contains all 9 essential amino acids that our body cannot make. Complete proteins are typically found in animal foods like dairy, meat, eggs, and fish.
- 1 cup of cooked quinoa contains 8 grams of protein. Compare that to 6 grams in 1 large boiled egg, 22 grams in 3 oz of cooked chicken breast, 5 grams in 3/4 cup cooked oatmeal (low FODMAP serving size), 3 grams in 1/4 cup canned chickpeas.
Low FODMAP Ingredients & Alternatives
Quinoa. As mentioned above, quinoa is a nutritious low FODMAP grain that’s both low FODMAP and gluten-free.
Chickpeas. Canned chickpeas that are well rinsed under water are low FODMAP at 1/4 cup portion. You could also substitute the chickpeas with 1 cup of canned and rinsed lentils, or if you prefer, you could use a cup of chopped cooked chicken.
Red peppers. Red peppers are low FODMAP at 43 grams. Since this recipe uses 140 grams of red pepper and makes 4 servings (1 1/4 cup per serving), each serving contains 35 grams, well within the low FODMAP range.
Green pepper is lower in FODMAPs compared to the red, orange and yellow peppers, so if you like, you could also use green pepper in this recipe.
Zucchini. Zucchini contains a moderate amount of FODMAPs but the low FODMAP serving size is 1/3 cup chopped (65 grams). You could consider using low FODMAP green beans in place of the zucchini, but they’ll take a bit longer to cook.
What I Love About This Quinoa Salad
- It’s quick, easy and tasty. Mic drop.
- It’s easily modified to your preferences. I’ve swapped out various veggies and legumes, and used both cooked and raw veg.
- The lemon dressing is flavourful and a cinch to make.
- It works well as a side, a main (lunch leftovers anyone?), and a potluck offering.
- You can eat it cold or warm.
- It still tastes great a couple days later.
What to Serve with Low FODMAP Lemony Quinoa Chickpea Salad
This low FODMAP quinoa salad makes a great accompaniment to my parsley panko crusted salmon. I love that I can use up all my parsley with these two recipes and nothing goes to waste.
It would also work well with:
Tips for Success
- I prefer my veg al dente, so while the quinoa is cooking, I gently saute the zucchini and red pepper. When I use green beans in this recipe, I tend to steam them as they take longer to cook than peppers and zucchini.
- Lemon flavour can dilute, or weaken, in the fridge, so adding lemon zest is key to a bold lemon flavour.
- Flat leaf parsley is used in this recipe instead of curly parsley because I find the latter to be coarse and scratchy in my throat.
- Toss the canned chickpeas in a colander and rinse thoroughly under cool running water.
- If you have curious counter-crawling cats like me, you may need to pause frequently to remove them, so add a few more minutes to the total preparation time 😉
Low FODMAP Lemony Quinoa Chickpea Salad
Ingredients
- 3/4 cup quinoa (uncooked) *rinse under water before cooking
- 1 1/3 cup water
- 1 Tbsp garlic-infused olive oil
- 140 grams red pepper, diced (roughly 1 small pepper)
- 150 grams zucchini, diced diced (roughly 1 medium zucchini)
- 1 cup flat leaf parsley minced
- 1 cup canned chickpeas rinsed under water
- 1/4 cup lemon juice
- 1/4 cup garlic-infused olive oil
- 1/2 tsp salt
- zest of 1 lemon
Instructions
- Rinse quinoa under water, then add to medium pot with 1 1/3 cup water. Bring to boil, then reduce to medium low heat and simmer with lid on for 12-15 minutes, or until water is fully absorbed. Remove from heat, fluff with fork, and let cool for 10 minutes.
- Meanwhile, heat 1 Tbsp garlic-infused olive oil in a skillet over medium heat. Sautee diced red pepper for 3 minutes and then add the diced zucchini and sautee until al dente (about 3-5 minutes).
- Add lemon juice, 1/4 cup garlic-infused olive oil, lemon zest and salt to a container with a lid and shake vigorously to mix.
- Once the quinoa and vegetables are done and slightly cooled, add all ingredients to a bowl and toss well.
Notes
Nutrition
Thanks for stopping by, and I hope you enjoy this lemony low FODMAP quinoa salad as much as I do!
xoAndrea, RD
