This low FODMAP pasta dish is a beautiful blend of two IBS-friendly diets: the low FODMAP diet and the Mediterranean diet. While the Mediterranean diet helps soothe low grade inflammation that contributes to chronic disease, the low FODMAP diet (LFD) minimizes foods that commonly trigger bloating and abdominal pain in irritable bowel syndrome. It’s a match made in IBS heaven!
Low FODMAP Ingredients & Alternatives
Low FODMAP pasta. As a way of restricting fructans, low FODMAP pasta is always gluten-free. Gluten-free pasta that is also low FODMAP includes brown rice pasta, quinoa pasta and chickpea pasta.
It’s important to always check the ingredients list for high FODMAP ingredients in pasta. These include lentil flour, soy flour, amaranth flour and black bean flour. If any of these flours appears in the first 3 ingredients, it’s possible the pasta is not low FODMAP. It’s best to steer clear of pasta with high FODMAP ingredients during the elimination phase of the LFD.
Chickpeas. Canned and well-rinsed chickpeas in a portion size up to 1/4 cup are low FODMAP per the Monash FODMAP app. You could swap these out for 1/4 cup canned and rinsed lentils if you wish. Both legumes add fibre, protein, and important minerals to this meal.
Tomatoes. Store-bought tomato sauce almost always contains high FODMAP ingredients like garlic and onion. By making sauce from scratch with diced tomatoes and tomato paste, you can ensure that it’s low FODMAP.
Kalamta olives. Although Kalamata olives haven’t been tested by Monash, both green and black olives are low FODMAP up to 1/2 cup (60 grams). Since we’re using 1/3 cup olives for a batch of pasta that makes 4 servings, it’s pretty likely you’ll be consuming a low FODMAP portion of kalamata olives. If you prefer, you could swap these out for black olives.
Garlic-infused olive oil. Garlic-infused olive oil lends a hint of garlic flavour without actual garlic.
Garlic replacer. FreeFod’s garlic replacer is a powder form of garlic extract. It’s certified low FODMAP by FODMAP Friendly, an app that lab-tests foods and products for FODMAP content.
Nutrition
This tangy low FODMAP pasta couldn’t be more Mediterranean if it tried. The olives, olive oil, chickpeas, fresh herbs, tomatoes and omega-3 rich anchovies make for a flavourful, inflammation-fighting Mediterranean pasta.
Low FODMAP pasta can be low in fibre, so check the Nutrition Facts Table on the packaging and aim for at least 2 grams of fibre or more per serving.
A few high fibre low FODMAP pastas include: GoGo Quinoa fusilli and macaroni, Rummo chickpea and brown rice fusilli, and Explore Cuisine chickpea fusilli.
Tips for success
After you’ve added the pasta and brought the temperature to high, stir regularly to prevent the pasta from sticking to the bottom of the pot.
I tested this recipe with a pasta that takes 8 minutes to cook. This allowed sufficient time for the pasta to soak up moisture and thicken the sauce. Some low FODMAP pastas cook in 3-4 minutes which may not be sufficient to to render a thick sauce.
This recipe calls for 1 cup of chickpeas to ensure that each of the 4 servings does not exceed the 1/4 cup low FODMAP serving size. Since there is more than 1 cup of chickpeas in the average can, I put the remainder in the freezer for a future meal.
What to serve it with
To get your daily fill of anti-inflammatory vegetables, I suggest serving this meal with a salad or a plate of raw low FODMAP veggies with low FODMAP dip.
If you want to increase the protein in this dish, consider adding some canned tuna or leftover chicken.
One-pot low FODMAP pasta puttanesca with chickpeas
Ingredients
- 1/4 cup garlic-infused olive oil
- 3-4 anchovies I used 3 large anchovies
- pinch red pepper flakes
- 3 Tbsp tomato paste
- 1 can diced tomatoes (28 oz) (can also use canned whole tomatoes)
- 1/3 cup kalamata olives diced
- 1 Tbsp capers
- 1/2 tsp salt you may only need about 1/4 tsp salt if your canned tomatoes have plenty of salt in them; add salt according to your preferences.
- 2 Tbsp fresh basil chopped
- 1 1/2 cups gluten-free pasta I used GoGo Quinoa fusilli
- 2 cups water
- 1 cup chickpeas, canned rinsed well
- 1/2 tsp garlic replacer – optional I used FreeFod Garlic Replacer, which is garlic extract and certified low FODMAP by FODMAP Friendly
Instructions
- Heat garlic infused olive oil over medium heat in a large saucepan. Add the anchovies and red pepper flakes to the oil and cook until the anchovies have broken down into tiny bits, about 3 minutes.
- Stir in tomato paste and cook for 3 minutes to caramelize it.
- Using your hands, crush the diced tomatoes in a bowl (don't drain the tomatoes!).
- Add tomatoes, chopped olives, capers, basil and salt to the saucepan and simmer on medium heat for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally.
- Turn the heat to high, add the water and pasta and bring to a gentle boil before turning the heat back to medium-high to simmer. Stir the pasta often to prevent it from sticking to the pot.
- Cook the pasta until al dente, then add the chickpeas and cook for another 2 minutes.
- Optional: Sprinkle the garlic replacer evenly over the pasta and mix in. This adds a bit more garlic flavour to the dish.
