Low FODMAP Lemon Quinoa Salad with Lentils and Artichokes

A fresh, flavor-packed salad filled with lemony quinoa and low FODMAP amounts of lentils and artichokes. It's great leftover, making it perfect for meal prep!

This Low FODMAP Lemon Quinoa and Lentil Salad with Artichokes is inspired by a tasty, albeit higher-FODMAP recipe from Budget Bytes.

My version also uses whole-grain quinoa but combines it with a low FODMAP amount of canned lentils and artichoke hearts for a plant-based protein and fiber-filled base. Simple, flavorful ingredients like lemon, thyme, garlic-infused olive oil, and green onion tops add bright, garlicky, and oniony flavor without the FODMAPs.

This salad takes about 20 minutes of active prep, then chills while the flavors come together. You can serve it warm or cold, but I really prefer it the next day. It's perfect for an easy, make-ahead lunch.

Enjoy it as-is, or top it with crispy tofu or grilled chicken for a little extra fuel.

Jump to:

• Ingredients
• Low FODMAP Notes
• Instructions
• Storage
• Equipment
• Related
• Recipe

Ingredients

To make this low FODMAP lemon quinoa salad with lentils and artichokes, add these ingredients to your shopping list:

• Quinoa - 1 cup uncooked
• Extra-virgin olive oil - 2 tablespoons
• Garlic-infused olive oil (or additional extra-virgin olive oil) - 2 tablespoons
• Lemon - about 1 medium to yield 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
• Dried thyme - ½ teaspoon
• Canned artichoke hearts - ⅔ cup (100 grams) drained and chopped into bite-sized pieces
• Canned lentils - ½ cup (92 grams) drained
• Green onion tops (green parts only) - ½ cup

Low FODMAP Notes

In this section, I share information for ingredients that are either frequently asked about or have suggested serving sizes to remain low FODMAP. We each have unique tolerance levels and nutritional needs. Please listen to your body (and, if possible, work with a FODMAP-trained dietitian) to determine what is best for you. For more low FODMAP serving size info, please refer to the Monash FODMAP app and FODMAP Friendly website or app.

Quinoa is a low-FODMAP whole grain and source of plant-based protein. White, red, and black quinoa have all been tested. The recommended low FODMAP serving is 1 cup cooked or 192 grams.

Garlic-infused oil is a popular way to add low FODMAP garlic flavor on the low FODMAP diet. My current favorite is Colavita Roasted Garlic Olive Oil (technically a garlic-flavored oil) that Monash University has confirmed to be low FODMAP. Learn more about why garlic-infused oil is okay in my Low FODMAP Garlic and Onion Substitutes post.

Lemon juice is low FODMAP in servings of 1 tablespoon or 21 grams. Larger servings, greater than ⅔ cup, contain moderate to high levels of the FODMAP, fructans.

Dried thyme is low FODMAP in servings of 1 teaspoon (or 2 grams). Very large amounts contain higher amounts of the FODMAP, fructan.

Canned artichoke hearts (drained) are low FODMAP in servings of ⅓ cup or 50 grams. Larger servings contain moderate to high amounts of the FODMAP, excess fructose.

Canned lentils: Both canned and cooked-from-dry lentils can be included in specific portions on the low FODMAP diet. The low FODMAP serving for canned lentils is ¼ cup (46 grams). Larger portions contain moderate to high levels of GOS.

(2024 Update: Monash reduced the everyday serving size for canned lentils from ½ cup to ¼ cup, but the gram measurement remains 46 grams.)

A drained and rinsed 15-ounce can of lentils typically yields about 250 grams (just under 5.5 servings) from WestBrae Naturals and approximately 210 grams (just over 4.5 servings) from Great Value Organic (Walmart). Actual yields may vary slightly between brands and cans.

Cooked-from-scratch green or red lentils also have smaller low FODMAP servings. For the most up-to-date servings, please refer to the Monash FODMAP App.

I use canned lentils because they are convenient and have the larger low FODMAP serving size of the two options.

Why Canned Lentils Have Fewer FODMAPs: FODMAPs are water-soluble and dissolve into the canning liquid during processing. Draining and rinsing canned lentils removes additional FODMAPs.

Green onion tops - the green part of green onions - are low in FODMAPs and should be tolerated by most on the low FODMAP diet in servings up to ¾ cup or 75 grams. Be sure to avoid the white bulb, which is high in FODMAPs. Pro tip: use kitchen shears to quickly snip the tops into thin slices. Learn more → Low FODMAP Garlic and Onion Substitutes.

Instructions

To make this easy low FODMAP lemon quinoa salad, simply:

Cook the quinoa according to package directions. I usually use my Instant Pot: 1 cup quinoa, 1½ cups cold water, and ½ teaspoon salt. Pressure cook for 1 minute, then let it naturally release for 10 minutes.

While the quinoa cooks, combine the extra-virgin olive oil, garlic-infused olive oil, lemon juice, and dried thyme in a small jar with a tight-fitting lid. Seal and shake until well mixed. Season with salt and pepper to taste.

Transfer the cooked quinoa to a large bowl. Add the chopped artichokes, lentils, green onion tops, and lemon dressing. Stir gently to combine.

If preferred, chill the salad for 30-60 minutes.

Serve. This salad is best chilled, but can also be enjoyed warm.

Storage

Refrigerate in a sealed container for use within 3 to 4 days. Freezing is not recommended.

Equipment

I keep my kitchen equipment inventory pretty simple and stick to multi-purpose, long-lasting tools whenever I can. Here are kitchen essentials that I used to make this recipe:

Instant Pot - I often use an older 6-Quart Instant Pot Duo Multi-Cooker (similar), which I bought in 2018. I also own a newer Instant Pot Max (I think it's similar to the Pro model), but I actually prefer the older Duo. It’s not as high-tech, but I’ve found it to be easier to use. I rarely get the BURN error with the Duo—a common issue I run into with the Max—and I don’t really use the extra features that come with the (more expensive) newer model.

Related

Looking for more low FODMAP salad ideas? Try these:

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