Spice up supper with this easy 25-minute low FODMAP Shrimp Stir Fry with Bell Peppers. It’s quicker than takeout and tastes great – without all of the FODMAPs.
Growing up stir fry was a staple meal on my family’s dinner table and they continue to appear pretty frequently on our menus today. Stir fries can be as simple or as complex as you want to make them. They’re also a great way to use up leftover veggies, lean protein, and even fruit.
Today’s stir fry features quick-cooking shrimp. For veggies, I’ve chosen to include red bell pepper and a little bit of green bell pepper for color (hey! we eat with our eyes) and flavor contrast. Feel free to sub in other FODMAP-friendly veggies if you’ d like.
Shopping list
Add these ingredients to your shopping list to make one batch (4 servings) of this Low FODMAP Shrimp Stir Fry:
Produce
- Red bell pepper – ¾ cup
- Green bell pepper – ¼ cup
- Green onion tops – 2 tablespoons
- Optional: Jalapeños – 1 or 2
Meat & Seafood
- Shrimp (uncooked) – 1 pound
Grocery Items
- Brown sugar – 2 teaspoons
- Cornstarch – 2 teaspoons
- Cooking oil – 1 tablespoon (I use avocado oil)
- Reduced-sodium soy sauce (or tamari) – 2 tablespoons
- Rice vinegar – 2 teaspoons
- Toasted sesame oil – 1 teaspoon
Specialty Items
- Garlic-infused oil – 1 tablespoon
Low FODMAP notes
In this section, I share FODMAP info for some key ingredients. Please refer to the Monash FODMAP app and the FODMAP Friendly app for more information.
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.
Green bell pepper is low FODMAP in ½ cup or 75-gram servings. Larger servings contain higher amounts of fructan.
Jalapeños are low FODMAP in servings of 1 small pepper (or 29 grams). Larger servings contain higher levels of the FODMAP group, excess fructose. Chili also peppers contain capsaicin which can be a non-FODMAP trigger for some people. Avoid if you suspect spicy food is an issue.
Green onion tops – the green part of green onions – are low in FODMAPs and should be tolerated by most on the low FODMAP diet. Avoid the white bulb, which is high in FODMAPs. Learn more → Low FODMAP Garlic and Onion Substitutes.
Red bell pepper is a FODMAP-free food. 2022 Update: Monash University retested red bell pepper and found it to contain FODMAPs. A low FODMAP serving of red bell pepper is now considered to be ⅓ cup or 43 grams. Larger servings contain moderate to high amounts of excess fructose. Peppers and chili peppers also contain capsaicin, which can be a non-FODMAP trigger for some people. Avoid if you suspect spicy food is an issue.
Soy sauce, or soya sauce, is low FODMAP in servings of 2 tablespoons or 42 grams. Soy sauce contains small amounts of wheat in levels that should be tolerated by most with IBS. If you require a gluten-free or wheat-free diet, tamari sauce is a suitable alternative.
To help prevent dishes from getting too salty, I often prefer to cook with the reduced-sodium versions. Sodium (or salt) is a mineral and does not impact FODMAP (carbohydrate) levels.
Instructions
To make this easy low FODMAP stir-fry, simply:
Step 1: Whisk together soy sauce, garlic-infused olive oil, rice vinegar, cornstarch mixture, and brown sugar in a small bowl.
Step 2: Heat 2 teaspoons cooking oil in a large frying pan over medium-high heat. Add peppers and chiles and cook until bell peppers are just fork-tender.
Step 3: Add the remaining 1 teaspoon cooking oil and shrimp. Cook, stirring occasionally, until shrimp are almost completely cooked.
Step 4: Stir in green onion tops (green parts only) and sauce. Bring mixture to a boil and simmer until sauce has thickened (it happens pretty quick!) and shrimp are completely cooked. Remove jalapeños. Stir sesame oil into the mixture.
Serve stir fry warm over rice. (To save time and get a boost of fiber, I like to use this frozen brown rice). Top with optional garnishes like a sprinkle of sesame seeds or sliced green onion tops (green parts only).
Note about the chili peppers
I tend to enjoy my food on the spicier side of the spectrum. So, I’ve included a couple of jalapeños (or other hot peppers) in this low FODMAP shrimp stir fry. Decrease, increase, or omit, based on your taste preferences.
When I cook with hot peppers, I like to slice the peppers partially in half lengthwise leaving the stem part intact. This adds heat to whatever dish I’m cooking, but requires less cutting (and less opportunity for me to accidentally touch my eyes after). 😉 I’ll then remove the peppers right before serving.
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Recipe
Low FODMAP Shrimp Stir Fry with Bell Peppers
- Total Time: 25 minutes
- Yield: 4 1x
- Diet: Low Lactose
Description
Spice up supper with this easy low FODMAP Shrimp Stir Fry with Bell Peppers. It’s quicker than takeout and tastes great – without all of the FODMAPs.
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons reduced-sodium soy sauce (or tamari)
- 1 tablespoon garlic-infused olive oil
- 2 teaspoons rice vinegar
- 2 teaspoons cornstarch (mixed with 2 tablespoons cold water)
- 2 teaspoons brown sugar
- 1 tablespoon cooking oil, divided (I use avocado oil)
- ¾ cup diced red bell pepper (about ¾ medium)
- ¼ cup diced green bell pepper (about ¼ medium)
- 1–2 jalapeños, partially sliced in half lengthwise, optional
- 1 pound uncooked shrimp, peeled and deveined
- 2 tablespoons sliced green onion tops (green parts only)
- 1 teaspoon toasted sesame oil
For Serving
- Cooked rice
Instructions
- In a small bowl, whisk together soy sauce, garlic-infused olive oil, rice vinegar, cornstarch mixture, and brown sugar. Set aside.
- Heat 2 teaspoons cooking oil in a large frying pan over medium-high heat. Add peppers and chiles and cook until bell peppers are just fork-tender.
- Add remaining 1 teaspoon cooking oil and shrimp. Cook, stirring occasionally, until shrimp are almost completely cooked.
- Stir in green onion tops (green parts only) and sauce. Bring mixture to a boil and simmer until sauce has thickened (it happens pretty quick!) and shrimp are completely cooked. Remove jalapeños. Stir sesame oil into the mixture.
- Serve stir fry warm over rice. Top with optional garnishes like a sprinkle of sesame seeds or sliced green onion tops (green parts only).
Notes
Green Pepper: A low FODMAP serving is a ¼ of a medium pepper or 75 grams.
Chilies: Reduce or omit chilies for less spice. Chilies are low FODMAP, however, they do contain capsaicin. Capsaicin can be a non-FODMAP trigger for some with IBS.
Sesame Seeds: Considered low FODMAP in servings up to 1 Tbsp. or 11 grams.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 15 minutes
- Category: Main Dish
- Method: Skillet
- Cuisine: Asian-Inspired
Nick L says
Absolutely delicious! I used salmon instead of shrimp and topped with some avocado and cucumber. The sauce is superb.
Shelby says
Wow!! So easy and delish. I added edamame too 🙂
Em Schwartz, MS, RDN says
Thanks for sharing, Shelby! I love the edamame addition.
shewolf says
Would you be able to use powdered stevia in place of the sugar?
Em Schwartz, MS, RDN says
From a FODMAP standpoint, yes. A low FODMAP serving of stevia powder is 2 teaspoons/serving. However, I have not tried this substitution and can’t speak to how it would turn out. Best, -Em