Low FODMAP Soup Recipes: Easy Ideas and a Full Recipe

Low FODMAP soup recipes start from one swap: the onion and garlic that normally open a soup are replaced by garlic-infused olive oil and the green tops of spring onions or leek leaves, and the rest is simply low FODMAP vegetables in a broth with no onion or garlic in it. Below you will find a simple formula for building your own soup, a full carrot-ginger soup recipe that needs no coconut milk, a chart of protein toppings and tips for batch cooking. The low FODMAP diet is a temporary plan that is best followed with a doctor's diagnosis and, ideally, a dietitian.

In brief:

• Swap onion and garlic for garlic-infused oil and green tops only.
• Check every stock cube or carton: many contain onion or garlic.
• Add vegetables in order of cooking time, then blend or leave chunky.
• Add a protein topping, because vegetable soups are often light on protein.
• Soup freezes well: cook a big pot and portion it.

In this article · 10 min read

1. Why soup is tricky, and how to fix the base
2. A simple formula for low FODMAP soup recipes
3. Protein for your low FODMAP soup recipes
4. Recipe: carrot-ginger soup, without coconut milk
5. Batch cooking and taking soup to work
6. Where our book fits
7. When to ask a professional
8. Who it is for
9. Key terms
10. Frequently asked questions
11. Sources

Soup is a natural fit for this way of eating. It is warm, easy to digest for many people, and a pot cooked on a Sunday covers several lunches. The catch is the starting point: classic recipes begin by softening onion and garlic, and the stock is often made from them too. The good news is that the flavour can be rebuilt without them.

Why soup is tricky, and how to fix the base

FODMAPs are short-chain carbohydrates that some people digest poorly. The acronym stands for fermentable oligosaccharides, disaccharides, monosaccharides and polyols. Onion and garlic are rich in one of them, called fructans, which is why they are the first things to swap out. Fructans dissolve in water but not in oil, so oil that has been infused with garlic and then strained carries the flavour without the fructans. That is why Monash University lists garlic-infused olive oil among its low FODMAP swaps (Monash FODMAP).

Use only the oil, never the garlic pieces left in a jar. If you make infused oil at home it must be kept in the refrigerator and used quickly, so for most people a bought bottle is the safer choice. The same rule works for the second tool: green tops only. The green part of spring onions and chives, and the green leaves of a leek, give an onion-like taste, while the white bulb is the part to leave out.

A simple formula for low FODMAP soup recipes

You do not need a recipe for every soup. The structure below follows the vegetable and chickpea soup published by Monash, which says you can use "whatever low FODMAP veggies you like" and whatever is in season (Monash FODMAP).

Monash suggests adding the vegetables in order of cooking time: the ones that take longest go in first, then the quicker ones, and leafy greens and herbs right at the end. This keeps carrots from turning to mush while the swede is still hard. In the same recipe it is fine to swap canned lentils for the chickpeas, and to add cooked meat, fish or tofu for extra protein.

Vegetables you may want to leave out, according to the food lists in our book, are onion, garlic, mushrooms, cauliflower, peas and most beans. The book lists them as foods to avoid during elimination, and amounts matter, so confirm any food you are unsure about in the Monash app.

Protein for your low FODMAP soup recipes

A bowl of blended vegetables can leave you hungry an hour later. A protein topping helps, and several are easy to add at the end. According to the FoodData Central database of the U.S. Department of Agriculture, 100 g of roasted chicken breast has 31.0 g of protein, firm tofu has 17.3 g, a hard-boiled egg has 12.6 g, boiled lentils have 9.0 g and cooked quinoa has 4.4 g.

Lentils and chickpeas are higher in FODMAPs in large portions, so they are the ones to measure. Monash's own soup uses about 235 g of drained chickpeas to serve 10 people, which is a small amount per bowl. Chicken, tofu and eggs are simpler: they are not a source of the carbohydrates this diet restricts, which makes them easy additions on days when you want fewer decisions.

Recipe: carrot-ginger soup, without coconut milk

This recipe is adapted from the carrot-ginger soup in our book. The original adds canned coconut milk at the end. Coconut milk appears on the book's own list of foods to avoid, so this version leaves it out and gets its body from a small potato instead.

Serves: 4. Prep: 15 minutes. Cook: about 25 minutes. Difficulty: easy.

Ingredients

• 1 tablespoon garlic-infused olive oil (use only the oil, not any garlic pieces)
• ½ cup (about 40 g) thinly sliced green tops of spring onions
• 1 tablespoon (about 10 g) fresh ginger, peeled and finely grated
• 1 pound (450 g) carrots, peeled and sliced into rounds
• 1 small potato (about 5 oz / 150 g), peeled and diced
• 3 cups (700 ml) vegetable or chicken broth with no onion or garlic
• ½ teaspoon salt, and ¼ teaspoon ground black pepper
• 1 tablespoon fresh lime juice
• Chopped fresh coriander or parsley, to serve

Method

1. Warm the oil in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Add the spring onion tops and ginger and cook for about 2 minutes, stirring, until fragrant.
2. Add the carrots, potato, broth, salt and pepper. Bring to the boil, then lower the heat, cover and simmer for 18 to 20 minutes, until the carrots are very tender.
3. Take the pan off the heat and blend with an immersion blender until smooth, or blend in batches and return the soup to the pan. Add a splash of hot water if it is too thick.
4. Stir in the lime juice, taste, and adjust the seasoning. Serve with the herbs on top.

The soup keeps in the refrigerator for a few days and freezes well in portions. For more protein, add shredded cooked chicken or cubes of firm tofu. Serving sizes of the vegetables should still be checked in the Monash app, because tolerance is personal.

Batch cooking and taking soup to work

One pot makes several meals. Make a double batch, cool it quickly, divide it into containers and freeze some. Monash suggests choosing one or two lunches and making a bigger batch at the start of the week so that low FODMAP lunches are sorted for days. A short video from a low FODMAP recipe site made with Monash University shares more lunches to carry:

Soup also pairs well with a slice of bread. If you wonder which loaves suit this diet, read our guide to whether sourdough is low FODMAP.

Where our book fits

Our book The Delicious Low-FODMAP Diet Cookbook by Zoe Patton is a beginner-friendly cookbook with 70 easy recipes, food lists, a four-step method and a printable day-by-day plan. Its carrot-ginger soup (recipe 19) comes back several times in the book's 60-day plan, and the book suggests batch cooking soups and rice dishes for the freezer. Measurements are in cups and ounces. Two honest notes: the book gives no serving sizes, and a few of its recipes include foods from its own avoid list, such as coconut milk, so check each dish against the Monash app. Its 60-day plan is also longer than the 2 to 6 weeks Monash currently suggests for the strict first step.

Zoe Patton's view

In The Delicious Low-FODMAP Diet Cookbook, Zoe Patton builds almost every savoury dish on two tools: garlic-infused olive oil, using only the oil, and the green tops of spring onions or chives. Both are on her list of foods to choose, and together they give the familiar savoury base without the bulbs. Her carrot-ginger soup shows how it works. The scallion greens and fresh ginger soften in the infused oil, the carrots simmer in a broth that must be low in FODMAPs, everything is blended, and lime juice goes in at the end. She also reminds readers to read the stock label, because many stock cubes contain onion or garlic. As a caution of our own, homemade garlic oil should be refrigerated and used quickly, so a bought bottle is simpler.

At Books Go Publications, an international publishing house based in Brentford, United Kingdom, we build guides like this one on sources such as Monash University and the US National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases, and our books are edited by native speakers of each language.

When to ask a professional

The low FODMAP diet is not a cure for irritable bowel syndrome and it is not meant to last forever. The US National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases says a doctor may suggest it, that you may need to change what you eat for several weeks to see if your symptoms improve, and that the doctor may also recommend talking with a dietitian (NIDDK). Monash describes the plan in three steps, starting with 2 to 6 weeks of swapping high FODMAP foods for low FODMAP ones, then testing groups one at a time, then building a personal long-term diet. It also says about three quarters of people with IBS improve on the diet, and about one quarter do not (Monash FODMAP).

See a doctor first if you have ongoing bloating, pain, blood in the stool, weight loss without trying, or a change in bowel habits that does not settle. This article is general information, not medical advice.

You will find more practical guides on the Books Go Publications blog, for example a one-week low FODMAP meal plan and low FODMAP snacks, and all our books on the Books Go Publications home page.

Who it is for

A pot of soup suits many kitchens, not only people on a strict plan.

• People in the elimination phase: a formula and a base recipe remove the daily question of what to cook while onion and garlic are off the menu.
• Busy households: one big batch becomes lunches for the week, and the freezer holds the rest.
• Cooks who miss flavour: garlic-infused oil, ginger, lime and herbs show that a soup can taste lively without onion.
• Anyone cooking for someone with IBS: the same pot can be served with toppings that others add at the table.

Key terms

• FODMAPs: short-chain carbohydrates that some people digest poorly and that gut bacteria ferment.
• Fructans: a FODMAP type found in onion, garlic and wheat.
• Garlic-infused oil: oil flavoured with garlic and then strained, so it keeps the taste but not the fructans.
• Elimination phase: the first, temporary step in which high FODMAP foods are swapped for low FODMAP ones.
• Reintroduction: the second step, in which FODMAP groups are tested one at a time.
• Serving size: the amount of a food that stays low in FODMAPs, listed in the Monash app.

Frequently asked questions

Can I eat soup on a low FODMAP diet?

Yes, if it is made with low FODMAP vegetables and a broth without onion or garlic. Homemade soup is the easiest way to control the ingredients, and Monash publishes several soup recipes.

What can I use instead of onion and garlic in soup?

Garlic-infused olive oil, the green tops of spring onions and the green leaves of leeks give a similar taste. Fresh ginger, herbs, lime juice and pepper add more flavour. Use only the oil, not any garlic pieces.

Is stock low FODMAP?

Not always. Many stock cubes, powders and cartons contain onion or garlic. Read the label, choose a product marked low FODMAP, or ask a dietitian which brands suit you.

Is carrot soup low FODMAP?

Carrot is on the book's list of foods to choose, and the recipe above uses the green tops of spring onions and infused oil instead of onion. Check serving sizes in the Monash app, as amounts matter.

Can I freeze low FODMAP soup?

Yes. Soups made from vegetables, broth and protein freeze well in portions, and Monash suggests freezing the leftovers of its own soup for a quick meal.

How long do I stay on the low FODMAP diet?

The strict step is temporary. Monash suggests 2 to 6 weeks before moving on to testing foods, and your doctor or dietitian can tell you what suits you.

Sources

• Starting the low FODMAP diet, Monash University FODMAP
• Vegetable & Chickpea Soup, Monash University FODMAP
• Low FODMAP meal planning, Monash University FODMAP
• Eating, Diet & Nutrition for Irritable Bowel Syndrome, NIDDK
• FoodData Central, U.S. Department of Agriculture (SR Legacy, 2019: roasted chicken breast, firm tofu, hard-boiled egg, boiled lentils, cooked quinoa)