Low FODMAP Thai Peanut Noodles feature whole-grain brown rice spaghetti, protein-packed turkey, and colorful low FODMAP veggies tossed in a Thai-inspired peanut sauce. This IBS-friendly meal can be ready in about 30 minutes.
This is one of my back-pocket recipes. The kind I keep around for those nights when you'd-really-rather-order-take-out-but-know-you'll-feel-better-later-if-you-just-cook-something-kinda-nights.
No judgment if you choose the take-out. I sometimes do, too.
But if you're looking for a low-FODMAP Thai peanut noodle recipe that's simple, delicious, and reminiscent of takeout, these bowls are for you.
The sauce leans on the four flavors Thai cooking is built on: sweet, salty, spicy, and sour. It comes together with pantry staples, no garlic or onion needed. Toss it with brown rice spaghetti, browned turkey, and low FODMAP veggies (red bell pepper and carrots), and you've got a balanced, IBS-friendly meal in about 30 minutes.
I keep coming back to this one because:
- It's a 30-minute dinner. About 20 minutes hands-on, and most of the ingredients are things I already have in my low FODMAP kitchen.
- It's balanced. Lean protein (turkey), low FODMAP whole grains (brown rice spaghetti), and veggies (red bell pepper and carrots). The nutrition basics, without the FODMAPs.
- It's Thai-inspired. I love Thai food, but many traditional recipes call for garlic and shallots, which don't agree with me. So I rely on low FODMAP workarounds like garlic-infused olive oil. Not identical to fresh garlic, but it gets you most of the way there.
Ingredients
Add these ingredients to your shopping list to make one batch (or 4 servings) of these low FODMAP Thai peanut noodles:
- Brown rice spaghetti - 6 ounces
- Low FODMAP broth - ½ cup (I use prepared Fody Foods Low FODMAP Vegetable Soup Base)
- Creamy peanut butter - ¼ cup (I use Smucker's Natural)
- Reduced-sodium soy sauce (or tamari sauce) - ¼ cup
- Limes - 2 tablespoons juice (about 1½ limes)
- Garlic-infused olive oil - 1 tablespoon
- Granulated sugar (optional) - 2 teaspoons (You may want to omit or reduce if the peanut butter used contains sugar)
- Sriracha (optional) - 2 teaspoons
- Lean ground turkey - 1 pound
- Carrot matchsticks - 1 ½ cups (I use packaged carrot matchsticks to save time)
- Red bell pepper - 1 medium (120 grams)
- Optional: Green onion tops - 4 tablespoons
- Optional: Unsalted peanuts - 4 tablespoons
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.
Brown rice pasta is a type of gluten-free pasta. Gluten-free pasta has a recommended low FODMAP serving size of 1 cup (cooked) or 145 grams. Brown rice pasta is also a source of low FODMAP whole grains. Some brands I enjoy include Tinkyada, Jovial, and Trader Joe's.
Low FODMAP broth can be a great way to add low FODMAP flavor. Many store-bought options contain high FODMAP ingredients like garlic and onion. Read labels and avoid products containing these high FODMAP ingredients. My go-to is Fody's Low FODMAP Veggie Broth but you can find other options here.
Peanut Butter in the United States is considered low FODMAP in servings of 2 tablespoons or 32 grams. Double-check labels and avoid products containing higher FODMAP ingredients like molasses or high fructose corn syrup. My go-to is Smucker's Natural Peanut Butter.
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.
Lime juice is low FODMAP in servings up to 1 cup or 250 grams.
Garlic-infused oil is a popular way to add garlic flavor on the low FODMAP diet. Monash University suggests a serving size of 1 tablespoon (20 ml), though it has been tested as low FODMAP in much larger amounts (up to 500 grams). Learn more about why it's generally well tolerated in my Low FODMAP Garlic and Onion Substitutes post. Both Fody Foods Garlic-Infused Olive Oil and Colavita Roasted Garlic Olive Oil have been tested and were certified.
Granulated sugar (or white sugar) is low FODMAP in servings up to ¼ cup or 50 grams.
Sriracha has been tested for FODMAPs by Monash University. Even though it contains small amounts of garlic, sriracha is low FODMAP in servings up to 1 teaspoon or 5 grams. This amount should be tolerated by most. However, avoid if you're concerned or suspect a non-FODMAP intolerance to spicy foods (capsaicin).
Red bell pepper was previously considered FODMAP-free, but Monash retested it and found FODMAPs present. The current low FODMAP serving is â…“ cup (43 grams). Larger servings contain moderate to high amounts of excess fructose.
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.
Peanuts are low FODMAP in servings of 32 nuts or 28 grams, according to Monash University.
Instructions
Step 1: Cook brown rice spaghetti according to package instructions. Drain and set aside.
Step 2: While the spaghetti is cooking, whisk together the low FODMAP broth, peanut butter, soy sauce, lime juice, garlic-infused olive oil, and if using, sugar and sriracha.
Step 3: Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the turkey and cook, breaking into crumbles, until no longer pink, about 5-6 minutes.
Step 4: Add the carrots and red bell pepper and stir. Cook until the veggies start to soften, about 3-4 minutes.
Step 5: Stir in the peanut sauce and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to medium-low and simmer for 3-4 minutes or until the sauce starts to thicken.
Step 6: Add the cooked spaghetti and toss until the pasta is coated with sauce, and everything is mixed.
Serve warm topped with optional sliced green onion tops or cilantro and chopped peanuts.
Storage
Refrigerate in airtight containers up to 3-4 days. Freezing is not recommended.
Substitutions
Rice noodles: Rice noodles are low FODMAP and work well here if that's what you have on hand. I originally developed this recipe in the early days of COVID, when I was cooking with whatever was already in my kitchen, and brown rice spaghetti happened to be there. I've stuck with it since because it's whole-grain and holds up better to tossing in the sauce. That said, pad thai-style rice noodles will get you a more traditional Thai texture. Cook them per the package and add them at the same point you'd add the spaghetti.
Green bell peppers: If you're extra sensitive to fructose (the limiting FODMAP in red bell pepper), green bell peppers work as a swap, though they're less sweet than red.
Plant-based? Skip the turkey. Crumbled extra-firm tofu is the closest texture swap. Press the moisture out first, then brown it in the skillet with a little extra cooking oil before adding the veggies.
Different protein? Try lean ground chicken or lean ground beef instead.
Similar recipes
- Low FODMAP Roasted Red Pepper Pasta
- Low FODMAP Spicy Lemon Pasta with Shrimp
- Low FODMAP Spaghetti & Zoodles
Recipe
Low FODMAP Thai Peanut Noodles with Turkey
- Total Time: 35 minutes
- Yield: 4 1x
- Diet: Low Lactose
Description
30-minute Low FODMAP Thai peanut noodles feature whole-grain brown rice pasta, lean ground turkey, and colorful low FODMAP veggies tossed in a Thai-inspired peanut sauce.
Ingredients
- 6 ounces (170 g) brown rice spaghetti
- ½ cup (120 ml) low FODMAP broth (I use prepared Fody Foods Low FODMAP Vegetable Soup Base)
- ¼ cup (64 g) creamy peanut butter
- ¼ cup (60 ml) reduced-sodium soy sauce (or tamari for gluten free)
- 2 tablespoons (30 ml) fresh lime juice (about 1½ limes)
- 1 tablespoon (15 ml) garlic-infused olive oil
- 2 teaspoons (8 g) granulated sugar, optional
- 2 teaspoons (10 ml) sriracha, optional
- 1 pound (454 g) 93% lean ground turkey
- 1½ cups (150 g) carrot matchsticks (2-3 medium carrots)
- 1 medium (120 g) red bell pepper, stem and seeds removed and thinly sliced
Optional garnishes: 4 tablespoons sliced green onion tops (green parts only), 4 tablespoons finely chopped unsalted peanuts
Instructions
- Cook brown rice spaghetti according to package instructions. Drain and set aside.
- While the spaghetti is cooking, whisk together the low FODMAP broth, peanut butter, soy sauce, lime juice, garlic-infused olive oil, and if using, sugar and sriracha.
- Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the turkey and cook, breaking into crumbles, until no longer pink, about 5-6 minutes.
- Add the carrots and red bell pepper and stir. Cook until the veggies start to soften, about 3-4 minutes.
- Stir in the peanut sauce and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to medium-low and simmer for 3-4 minutes or until the sauce starts to thicken.
- Add the cooked spaghetti and toss until the pasta is coated with sauce and everything is mixed.
- Serve warm topped with optional sliced green onion tops and chopped peanuts.
Storage: Refrigerate in airtight containers up to 3-4 days. Freezing not recommended.
Notes
Low FODMAP Serving: One serving of this recipe uses low FODMAP amounts of ingredients at the time of publication. Individual tolerance may vary, and low FODMAP servings may change. For more information on specific ingredients, please refer to the Monash FODMAP App or check out the "FODMAP Notes" section (above the recipe).
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 25 minutes
- Category: Main Course
- Method: Stove Top
- Cuisine: Thai-Inspired
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Andrea says
My hubby loved this recipe, and my kiddo said that it was good but a lot of bell pepper. I thought the flavor was very good, and we will make it again. Next time I will try to buy the matchstick carrots…that was a lot of julienning.
Terry says
Absolutely delicious! I don't care for ground turkey, so I substituted chopped chicken breast. I'm so happy to find foods that are fabulous, like this, and still low fodmap! Thank you, I'll definitely make it again!
Laurie says
I’m just starting this FODMAP journey, instead of soy sauce can I substitute coconut aminos? Are those allowed? This recipe looks delish and I can’t wait to make it!
Em Schwartz, MS, RDN says
Hi Laurie! Coconut aminos has not yet been tested for FODMAPs. In general, it's recommended to limit untested foods until IBS symptoms are well managed. Once symptoms are under control, a small amount can be tried to see if you tolerate it. Best, -Em
Tracy says
Fast and easy + delicious! Not always easy to come by with a recipe.
Michelle Potter says
Have not made this yet but I will. I know someone was talking about sticky, gooey pasta. My suggestion for pasta is Jovial brand gluten free pasta. It has won several awards.. I find it very similar to traditional pasta. Also keep in mind that rice is good too. After all, it is Asian food. Rice noodles would work too. Not sure why this recipe uses pasta noodles instead of rice noodles anyway since rice noodles would be a more logical choice, but that is minor.
Em Schwartz, MS, RDN says
Hi Michelle, thanks for adding your two cents. It sounds like you have consistent access to different ingredients. That’s awesome! This recipe was created during the very beginning of lockdown. Gluten-free spaghetti is what I had on hand, but rice noodles would definitely make sense. Best, -Em
RA says
This was so good; thank you!! I loved the Tinkyada pasta. My only complaint is that it wasn’t flavorful enough for me as written, so I will be doubling the sauce next time! For my second serving, I drizzled more peanut butter and lime juice on top and it was so good.
Becky says
This might have been better but I still haven’t found a low fodmap pasta I like. I tried Lotus brand soba buckwheat and brown rice noodles which cooked into a sticky gluey mess. Disgusting! I tried rinsing them and using them anyway but nearly choked on the gluey pasta. I might not be cooking quite right but keep striking out on all gluten free pasta I’ve tried. Peanut sauce tasted like it would have been good. Maybe with a little more added heat. I’ll try it again
Em Schwartz, MS, RDN says
Bummer the pasta you chose didn't meet your expectations. I haven't tried that particular brand/kind, so I can't speak to the results. I like the Tinkyada brand but every person has unique preferences, and what I like may definitely not be what you like. Hope you can find an option that works for you. Best, -Emily
Sarah D says
I made this with chicken and broccoli added and it was delicious! Very easy and quick too!
Adrienne Marie Barrios says
This recipe is SO good, just like all of your recipes! Thank you so much for all you've done. I don't know if it ever feels insignificant, but I can't tell you how significant it truly is. I used to cook and bake a lot, and I was pretty good at it. As my health has worsened and I had more issues, I stopped enjoying it as much because the food would make me feel awful, no matter how good it tasted. When I went low-FODMAP, although I did experience significant relief overall, I had no idea how to make interesting and flavorful meals. I bought a few low-FODMAP cookbooks, but the recipes in them absolutely pale in comparison to what you've created. Even my husband loves your recipes! So thank you. It's been over a year since I've made consecutive delicious dinners that leave me feeling full and satisfied. The impact on my life as a whole is immeasurable.
Em Schwartz, MS, RDN says
Hi Adrienne, Thank you SO much for the wonderful comment! I apologize for the delay in responding, but I am thrilled to hear you have found value in my recipes. Also, please know that comments like yours are super meaningful to me. Although I love what I do, running an online business can sometimes feel impersonal and detached from humanity. It's comments like yours that help to remind me why I do what I do. So, thank YOU! Wishing you all the best, -Em
Elizabeth Hericz says
This was fantastic! I used chunky peanut butter and omitted sugar. My husband loaded up on Sriracha and the green onion tops - perfect! Will definitely make again 🙂
Lydia says
I doubled this recipe and used tempeh and shrimp instead of turkey. Turned out SO rich and full of flavor. Thanks for the share!
Michelle Murphy says
Just made this tonight and it is so full of flavor. Thanks for the recipe!
Em Schwartz, MS, RDN says
Yay! I'm so glad you enjoyed this recipe, Michelle, and I appreciate you taking the time to share your experience!
Gabi says
Have made this many times now and love it every time! I don't eat meat, so I sub in tofu. I just press the water out, chop and saute the tofu first, then remove it while I'm cooking the vegetables (that way the chunks don't break up). I add it back in when I add in the noodles. Thanks for the recipe!
Em Schwartz, MS, RDN says
Thank you so much for taking the time to share, Gabi! Love the tofu substitution!
Cindy says
De. Lish.
I didn't have any friendly broth so I just used water and it was still yummy. Thank you!
Em Schwartz, MS, RDN says
Thanks for taking the time to share, Cindy! Glad you enjoyed it!
Christine says
I find a lot of bone broths out there tend to have very limited ingredients so they work well with these recipes (assuming that you don’t need a vegetarian option)!
Julie says
While I'm the one who needs to eat low-FODMAP, my son has a severe peanut allergy so I can't cook w/ peanuts or peanut butter. What else can I use? Thanks. I have no problems with sorbitol or mannitol but all the other FODMAPS bother me to varying degrees.
Also, if you could remember those w/ peanut allergies and those that love them in your recipes going forward that would be great.
Em Schwartz, MS, RDN says
Hey Julie, Thanks for the comment. I've also used sunflower seed butter in this recipe. It works well and should be low FODMAP as a one-to-one substitution for the peanut butter. This suggestion, with FODMAP details, is included in the Variations section in the blog post above the recipe. Best, - Em