Delicious, comforting and gentle on the digestive system – this low FODMAP chili recipe is so good even FODMAP eaters will want to go back for seconds! Made in one pot, cooked in about 30 minutes and packed full of protein and fibre to keep your satisfied. | Bean Free + Paleo & Whole30 Friendly

I used to really dread trying to come up with and finding recipes suitable for a low FODMAP diet.

Anyone who’s ever attempted it for at least 10 minutes knows that there area lot of do’s and don’ts you need to constantly keep in mind….mostly don’ts.

No onions…no garlic…no flavour?!

Looking back, I’m actually quite grateful for that time. When you’re usual go-to’s are off limits you really have to get creative with finding new ways to excite your taste buds. All-in-all I can definitely say that cooking for someone on a low FODMAP diet has made me a better cook.

Which leads me to my new favourite chili that also just so happens to be FODMAP friendly. Who’d have guessed?!

Need More FODMAP Friendly Meals?

This list contains about one months worth of delicious, healthy Low FODMAP diet friendly dinners!

Get the Recipes

Low FODMAP Chili with Pumpkin & Sausage

This chili is unique in a few different ways:

✔️It’s made without any high fodmap ingredients (typically found in more traditional chili recipes).
✔️It uses sausage instead of ground meat.
✔️One cup of pumpkin helps to thicken the sauce and adds a fun fall twist

Ingredients

The ingredients here can be broken up into two main categories: the spices and chili ingredients. When it comes to the prep, I recommend that you mix together the dry spices first in a small bowl. This way you can mix the spices together evenly to ensure that they are evenly distributed throughout the chili.

Spice Blend

Essentially this is just a FODMAP friendly version of taco seasoning.

• Ancho Chili Powder or Low FODMAP Chili Powder:
  • Important Note: Make sure to use a ‘ground chili powder’ and not just ‘chilli powder’. Ground chili powder is made from one type of dried and ground chili (like ancho)‘Chili powder’ is usually made from a combination of different spices. Since most chili powder blends contain garlic powder – it’s not great here. Make sure to check the label of your chili power to ensure it’s safe for a low FODMAP diet.
• Ground Cumin
• Dried Oregano
• Ground Cinnamon
• Sea Salt & Black Pepper

Veggies

• Celery –
  • Celery is considered low FODMAP up to a point. It used to be considered low FODMAP full stop, but guidance has been updated to advise for caution in large amounts. According to Monash University (the leading researchers and educators behind the low-fodmap diet) you can safely consume about 5 cm of a celery stalk which is typically about 1/3 of a stalk. This recipe uses one stalk of celery, but it makes for 5 servings meaning that this should still be considered a low FODMAP ingredients in this context.
• Carrot
  • Carrots are low FODMAP in any amount making them great here!
• Green Bell Pepper*
  • I originally recommended red bell pepper (as pictured here), but since posting this recipe in 2021, Monash University has re-categorised red bell peppers as low FODMAP up to 1/2 cup while green bell peppers are now low FODMAP up to 1 cup (moderate FODMAPs at 3 cups). If you feel like red bell peppers work for you, have at it. If you’re not sure and want to be safe – go with green.
• Chili Pepper
  • Serrano chilies and jalapenos are listed as low fodmap on the Monash App. Keep in mind that while some chili peppers may be FODMAP friendly, they can still trigger reactions in people with irritable bowel syndrome.
• Chives
  • Chives are always a great addition to low FODMAP recipes that need a little hint of onion.
• Tomatoes
  • Tinned tomatoes and other canned tomato products often contain higher amounts of fructose than fresh which is why it’s best to use fresh tomatoes here.
• Tomato Paste
  • You can safely have up to two tablespoons tomato paste on a low fodmap diet. This recipe serves five which means each serving size has well under 2 tablespoons.
• Pumpkin Puree
  • You can have 1/3 cup (75 grams) of pumpkin puree on a low FODMAP diet. This recipe uses 1 cup total. Each low-fodmap serving would contain less than 1/4 cup (45 grams) of pumpkin puree keeping it safe.

Remaining Ingredients

• Sausage
  • Make sure to check the ingredients on your sausages to ensure they are FODMAP friendly.
• Soy Sauce/ Tamari or Coconut Aminos
  • Soy sauce/Coconut aminos are used to pack in a bit more flavour and umami. I like to add a dash of soy sauce to low FODMAP recipes to pack in an extra punch. If you need to avoid soy – coconut aminos is a great substitute!
• Water ( of Low FODMAP Stock)
  • Casa de Sante has an excellent low FODMAP vegetable stock if you can get it. I also have a recipe for a Roasted Low FODMAP Vegetable Stock (un roasted option available!) Otherwise, water works great too! I used water myself and did not feel like it needed anything extra. If you do use stock – you may need to decrease the amount of salt because 1 teaspoon salt might be too much with the soy and stock.

Serving Size & Suggestions

All together, you should end with about 4 1/2 cups (1100 grams) of chili. Recommend portion sizes is 3/4-1 full cup of chili. If you are new to the low FODMAP diet or you have a lot of trigger foods, you may want to stick to 3/4 cup, otherwise 1 cup should be fine.

Serve this over a bed of rice or quinoa. You also can’t go wrong with a handful of tortilla chips.

As for toppings – I like to enjoy my chili with a small amount of freshly chopped chives and cilantro (coriander) over the top. Green onion add a nice pop of onion-like flavour, but just make sure to use the green parts only as the white parts are high fodmap.

If you don’t need this to be dairy free you can top it off with a dollop of lactose-free sour cream and shredded cheese.

Yield: 5 servings

Low FODMAP Chili with Pumpkin & Sausage

4.8 Stars (16 Reviews)

Prep Time 15 minutes

Cook Time 30 minutes

Total Time 45 minutes

Print

• Email

Rate

Delicious, comforting and gentle on the digestive system - this low FODMAP chili is so good even FODMAP eaters will want to go back for seconds! Made in one pot, cooked in about 30 minutes and packed full of protein and fibre to keep your satisfied.

Ingredients

Spice Mix

Toggle ingredient group

• 1 tablespoon ancho chili powder
• 2 teaspoons ground cumin
• 1 teaspoon dried oregano
• 1 teaspoon sea salt
• 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• 1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon

Chili

Toggle ingredient group

• 3 tablespoons (45 ml) olive oil or avocado oil
• 1 large (65 g) celery stalks, chopped
• 1 large (80 g) carrot, diced
• 1 gree bell pepper, deseeded and diced
• 1 lb (450 g) sausages, casings removed (ensure low FODMAP)
• 2 tablespoons tomato paste
• 1/4 cup (12 g) fresh chives, chopped + more for serving
• 1 green chili (serrano, aneheim or jalapeno all work), deseeded (optional)
• 2 roma tomatoes (200 g) tomatoes, chopped
• 1 cup (225 g) pumpkin puree
• 2 tablespoons (30 ml) gluten free soy sauce/tamari or coconut aminos for soy free
• 1 cup (240 ml) water or low fodmap stock
• Freshly ground black pepper, for serving

Need help converting to weights? Check out my cups to grams Conversion Guide.

Instructions

1. In a small bowl combine the spice mixture: 1 tablespoon chili powder, 2 teaspoons ground cumin, 1 teaspoon dried oregano, 1 teaspoon salt, 1/2 teaspoon black pepper and 1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon. Set aside.
2. In a large heavy-bottomed pot over medium heat, warm the olive oil until shimmering. Add the celery, carrot and bell pepper along with a pinch of salt and cook about 5-7 minutes until soft.
3. Add the sausage to the pot. Use a wooden spoon to break up the meat and cook until no longer pink, about 4-5 minutes.
4. Stir in the chives, chili pepper, tomato paste and spice mixture. Cook about 2 minutes. Stir often to prevent burning.
5. Add the chopped tomatoes, pumpkin puree, soy sauce/tamari (or coconut aminos for soy free option) and water. Bring the chili to a gentle simmer over a medium-high heat and let cook at least 15 minutes or until the chili has thickened into a thicker, creamier consistency. Make sure to stir every so often. Taste and season with more salt and pepper if needed.
6. Serve topped with more fresh chives and/or cilantro over cooked rice, quinoa or tortilla chips.

Notes

• Make sure to use a 'ground chili powder' and not just 'chili powder'. Ground chili powder is made from one type of dried and ground chili. 'Chili powder' usually refers to spice mixes (often containing garlic). Make sure to check the label of your chili power to ensure it's safe for a low FODMAP diet.
• Feel free to use ground meat instead of sausage if that's easier (ground turkey, pork, beef and chicken all work)
• Leftover chili can be kept in the fridge for up to five days stored in an airtight container.

Nutrition Information:

Yield:

5

Serving Size:

3/4 cup or 220 grams
Amount Per Serving: Calories: 152Total Fat: 12gSaturated Fat: 1gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 11gCholesterol: 1mgSodium: 1113mgCarbohydrates: 9gFiber: 2gSugar: 4gProtein: 3g

This website provides approximate nutrition information for convenience and as a courtesy only. Nutrition data is gathered primarily from the USDA Food Composition Database, whenever available, or otherwise other online calculators.

© A Saucy Kitchen, Sarah Nevins

Course: Mains

Hungry for More?

Take look at some of the other popular Low FODMAP Diet Dinners on A Saucy Kitchen!

• Balsamic Glazed Chicken Thighs & Carrots
• One Pot Chicken And Rice
• Paleo Turkey Burgers With Spinach
• Gluten Free Toad In The Hole
• One Pot Low FODMAP Chicken And Rice (Khichdi Inspired)
• Low FODMAP Maple Mustard Chicken With Rosemary