It’s a good day to make this fantastic low FODMAP quinoa recipe, and I’ll tell you why: this recipe is super duper inclusive. Not only is this a low FODMAP recipe, but it’s also low histamine, gluten free, top 9 free, and much more.
You can whip this up in no time, then share it with friends and family, which is something people often take for granted. So, gather up your ingredients and let’s get to work.
Allergy Status
Free From: Wheat/Gluten, Dairy, Egg, Soy, Tree Nuts, Peanut, Fish, Shellfish, Sesame, Top 9 Allergens, Top 14 Allergens, Alliums, Apple, Avocado, Banana, Beans & Lentils, Berries, Buckwheat, Cane/Refined Sugar, Celery, Cinnamon, Citrus, Coconut, Corn, Cruciferous, Garlic, Latex Cross Reactive Foods (H/M), Legume, Lupin, Mushroom, Mustard, Oat, Onion, Pea & Pea Protein, Potato (Nightshade Variety), Poultry**, Red Meat**, Rice, Strawberry, Sweet Potato & Yam, Tapioca/Cassava/Yuca/Manioc, Tomato, Yeast
**This recipe calls for a ground meat of choice. You can use poultry or red meat.
Friendly To: EOE, Low FODMAP, Low Histamine
Compatible With: Stone Fruit Free
- Stone Fruit Free: Swap the date sugar for an alternative granulated sweetener you enjoy.
- Corn Free Reminder: Source safe produce. It should be unwaxed, and ideally from a safe farmer’s market.
Tools to Make This Quinoa Recipe
- Pot with Lid (to cook your quinoa)
- Kitchen Scale
- Knife (this is the series I like right now)
- Cutting Board
- Large Skillet (nonstick)
- Cooking Spoon
Low Histamine + Low FODMAP Quinoa Recipe Ingredients
Part 1 Ingredients
- 60mL Organic Cooking Oil/Fat of Choice (2 ounces, I use organic extra virgin olive oil)
- 280g Organic Zucchini/Courgette (10 ounces), quartered and thinly sliced
- 170g Organic Carrot (6 ounces), shredded
- 1 tsp Sea Salt
- Optional: 170g Organic White Onion (6 ounces), diced
Part 2 Ingredients
- 450g Ground Meat of Choice (16 ounces/1lb)
- 30g Organic Date Sugar
- 2 tsp Organic Ground Paprika
- 1.5 tsp Sea Salt
Part 3 Ingredients
- 730g Cooked Organic Quinoa (measured cooked)
- 20g Organic Date Sugar
- 3/4 tsp Sea Salt
- 1/2 tsp Organic Ground Paprika
Directions for this Low Histamine + Low FODMAP Quinoa Recipe
Start by cooking your quinoa according to the package directions. Alternatively, you can use cooked millet, cooked rice, and other cooked simple grains you enjoy.
Prep your produce, and it’s time to start cooking. Heat a large nonstick pan on medium-high heat (7.5/10 for me). Once hot, add your cooking fat/oil and allow it to heat/melt. When it’s ready, add the rest of the Part 1 Ingredients. Mix well and allow the veg to cook for 15 – 20 minutes.
During that time, your vegetables will release water, cook down, and soften. When the time is up, add your ground/minced meat, along with the rest of the Part 2 Ingredients. Break the meat into small pieces, and as you do this, you’ll also be distributing the salt and seasonings.
Mix everything together well and cook for 10 – 12 minutes, or until your ground meat has cooked through completely.
Now, add the Part 3 Ingredients. Mix everything together very well. Cook for 3 – 5 minutes, then turn the heat off. You’re ready to serve and enjoy.
Flavor Tip: You can cook your quinoa in stock or broth to boost the flavor. Keep the sodium level in mind though if that’s something you’re sensitive to. If you’re looking for ways to boost gut health, you can cook your quinoa in a homemade or store bought bone broth (something I do when cooking simple grains).
Storage Instructions
For Low FODMAP: You can store your leftovers in the fridge and eat within 4 – 5 days. Alternatively, you can freeze your leftovers for several weeks. Either way, make sure your leftovers are stored in an airtight container.
Low histamine Storage: Meat must be frozen to prevent histamine development. The good news is that this simple recipe is indeed freezer friendly. If you enjoy the taste, I suggest making a big batch, storing in individual containers with an airtight lid, and freezing. his allows you to easily add the leftovers to your weekly meal plan.
For low histamine folks, I often suggest looking into this type of storage baggie so you can remove as much air as possible (prevents freezer burn). You can also look into FoodSaver type systems, but personally, I’m not a big fan.
Reheating & Reusing
Personally, I like to reheat leftovers on medium heat in a pot on the stove with a little milk of choice. When you reuse your leftovers, you could totally serve as a side dish and pair with simple proteins such as shredded rabbit, shaved beef, and a whole lot more.
Another great way to reheat leftovers: your toaster oven if you have one. I love to put down a piece of parchment paper on a small baking tray, spread it out all over as thin as possible, then heat. The end result is a crispy quinoa dish that’s ready to be enjoyed.
If you live a busy life, I suggest you make this for dinner then take it for lunch the next day paired with a sauce, to make your life a little easier. You could also add chopped fresh herbs (an easy way to boost the nutrition) to give it more oomph. Note: Something mint would not be a good choice, but something like flat leaf parsley would be an excellent addition
Different Ways to Enjoy This Low FODMAP Quinoa Recipe
Create a Custom Pesto
A traditional pesto recipe will contain ingredients that aren’t low FODMAP. However, with a few simple tweaks, you can create something at home that’s simply stunning. Some peso ideas:
- Simple Basil Pesto
- Carrot Top Pesto
- Cilantro Pesto
- Walnut Pesto
The nice thing is, to make a pesto at home, all you need is a blender. If you have something small like a NutriBullet, even better (larger blenders struggle to make small amounts and your ingredients can get stuck in the bottom of a blender).
An easy ingredient combination is: generous proportions of greens + oil of choice + sea salt + vinegar (not a tonne) + nut or seed you tolerate. This is a flexible combo, and generally, pesto is super duper forgiving.
Once you’ve made it, drizzle pesto all over the top of your dish, grab a fork, and enjoy. Well, maybe a spoon. I’m on the fence for this one.
Add a Flavourful Homemade Sauce
When it comes to adding a sauce to this main dish, it’s important to remember that most commercial sauces won’t be low FODMAP. In order to avoid high FODMAP ingredients, you’re going to want to get comfortable being creative in your kitchen, finding workarounds, and making delicious components that you can use in your meals. Some tasty sauce ideas:
- Homemade Asian BBQ Sauce
- Sesame Ginger Sauce (use perilla seed oil for a sesame allergy)
- Sweet Corn Ginger Sauce
- Creamy Butternut Squash Sauce
- Red Pepper Eggplant Sauce
The easiest way to make a sauce at home is to oven roast vegetables, then combine them in your blender with some kind of liquid (milk of choice, a little oil, etc.)
Add Salad Dressings of Your Choice
If you don’t like making salad dressing at home, the great news is that you can purchase low FODMAP salad dressing! Fody Makes Low FODMAP Caesar Salad Dressing (vegan), Balsamic Vinaigrette, Maple Dijon Salad Dressing, and a Garden Herb Salad Dressing. They also make a range of other products you should be aware of, in case you’re looking for reliable pre-made goods.
Add a Creamy Citrus Sauce
You can make a dairy free creamy sauce or even something like a white gravy. Then, add citrus to taste (a little lemon juice or orange juice) and whisk until you’ve reached the perfect creamy texture.
Drizzle that on top of your plate and your taste buds will thank you.
Ways to Jazz This Up Your Low Histamine Quinoa Recipe
If you’re eating this and it’s on a low histamine plate (or in a low histamine bowl), the jazzing options you have will be different than the low FODMAP options. So, here are some tasty ideas for you to try as well.
Make a Creamy Maple Sauce
OK, this can go in so many directions. You could use maple syrup or maple butter as part of the base and add ingredients such as ginger, thyme, or even peaches. Yes, peaches.
If you’re not sure where to start on the creamy part, make something like this white gravy recipe, then toss it all in your blender. The end result will be a sweet and spiced sauce that you can drizzle all over the top of your quinoa.
Add Fresh Chopped Vegetables
This is kind of in the direction of a traditional quinoa salad. After you’ve cooked the recipe, you can add diced bell peppers, diced seedless cucumbers, and other fresh vegetables you enjoy. Don’t add a tonne. You want just enough to add a layer of “ohu, that’s interesting” to the bowl.
Add Chopped Greens & Cheese
If you have a safe-for-you cheese, add grated cheese and chopped greens near the end of cooking. This gives the cheese some time to melt and your greens a little wilting time. I like adding baby kale (one of my fave veg to cook with), but any will work, so long as it’s safe and you find it to be delicious.
More Delicious Low FODMAP Diet Recipes to Enjoy
For a larger collection of low FODMAP recipes, be sure to check out RAISE (my membership website) which is also home to the Advanced Recipe Search (great if you manage additional food allergies or dietary restrictions).
- Egg & Celery Free Potato Salad Recipe
- Easy Ragu Recipe
- Low FODMAP Protein Muffin Recipe
- Egg & Wheat Free Chicken Meatballs Recipe
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How to Take This Low FODMAP Quinoa Recipe in a Whole New Direction
Convert this to a quinoa enchilada bake recipe.
OK, dream with me for a moment. You have tortillas, and use this as the filling. Add a couple of other sautéed vegetables and maybe other spices you enjoy. Roll up the tortillas and place them in a glass baking dish.
Top with a homemade low FODMAP sauce (or store bought for ease, but they can be pricey), add a safe-for-you cheese (there are quite a few low FODMAP cheese options), and bake.
Is this traditional? Nope. Will it be delicious? Absolutely, and that friend, is what I want for us all. Amazing food that’s nourishing and so dang tasty.
Use this delicious recipe as part of a layered dip.
If you make this part of a dip, I’d consider using leftover quinoa so the dip can be cold (unless you want a hot dip). Add ingredients such as safe cheese, or a homemade low FODMAP faux salsa. Here are some dip combo ideas:
- Leftover Quinoa + Cheddar Cheese + Grilled Sweet Corn + Red Pepper Sauce + Squeezed Limes + Crushed Nuts/Seeds (use the correct portion size)
- Leftover Quinoa + Goat Cheese + Shredded Ginger Maple Beef + Capers
- Leftover Quinoa + Feta Cheese + Eggplant and Red Pepper Purée + Pickled Gherkins OR Fresh Pickled Crunchy Cucumbers
- Leftover Quinoa + Parmesan Cheese + Steamed & Chopped Broccoli + Crushed Walnuts
- Leftover Quinoa + Swiss Cheese + Chopped, Steamed, Seared Balsamic Brussels Sprouts + Crushed Nuts/Seeds (use the correct portion size)
Convert this into a low FODMAP salad.
You can essentially make this a low FODMAP quinoa salad by placing salad greens in the bottom of your bowl (such fresh arugula, baby spinach, or baby kale), then a cup or so of this recipe, then add more toppings such as fresh crunchy cucumbers, shredded carrots, other fresh veggies and top with a salad dressing you tolerate.
This would make for a great shared family meal, or something you can pop into a small container and take for lunch.
Spice it Up
As-is, this tasty low histamine and low FODMAP recipe is seasoned in a simple matter to give you more flexibility. You can add different spices such as cumin, basil, marjoram, thyme, sage, fennel, and so on. Just be sure to taste and tweak as you season and take good notes. You’ll want to be able to reproduce your results once you hit paydirt.
Let Tofu Enter the Chat
You can make this a tofu salad bowl instead… Use the same ratios of spices etc., but swap the ground meat for firm tofu and cook it up like a tofu scramble. You can also use soy free tofu if you manage a soy allergy.
Cook the tofu separately, then combine the cooked veggies, cooked quinoa, and cooked tofu together at the very end. You can even top this with a custom sauce for a *chef’s kiss*.
Go in a Stir Fry Direction
You can swap the zucchini for stir fry vegetables you tolerate and enjoy for an easy, healthy meal that’s loaded with a range of nutrition. If you opt for a stir fry, be sure to include a sauce. Fody sells a couple of Asian leaning sauces that you can try, or you can make one at home.
Swap the Ground Meat
If ground meat isn’t your jam, you can swap it for a shredded meat. For example, you can boil and shred chicken (or pressure cook or slow cook), season, and use that in place of the ground meat.
If you go this route, cook the veggies completely, then add the cooked quinoa and cooked shredded meat. You can go a step further and add a homemade sauce for extra flavour.
Swap the Quinoa for Cooked Pasta or Rice
OK, I know you were drawn to this recipe because it’s quinoa based, however, if you add this to your regular meal rotation, you can swap the quinoa for other simple grains you enjoy.
You can also go a step further and make it into a bit of a pasta salad and top with fresh diced cucumber, diced olives, and sweet corn.
Easy Low Histamine Recipes to Enjoy
If you need fantastic low histamine recipes that will make your tummy happy, I’ve got you covered. These are all gluten free and allergy friendly low histamine options. Also, be sure to check out my Low Histamine Cookbook.
- Super Easy Pulled Pork Recipe
- Delicious Spiced Carrots Recipe (excellent side dish)
- Paleo Ground Pork & Peaches Recipe
- Creamy Vegan Pasta Sauce
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Answering Your Low FODMAP Quinoa Recipe Questions
Can I use black quinoa or red quinoa to make this recipe?
Yes, you can. I use white quinoa since that’s what my taste testers like. If you have a brand you enjoy, run with it. Just be sure to follow the package instructions when cooking your quinoa.
What’s a low FODMAP alternative to garlic powder?
As you know, garlic is a high FODMAP food, however, you can purchase the Fody garlic-infused garlic oil. With the low FODMAP diet, you can soak a high FODMAP food such as garlic in an oil so it absorbs the flavour, then strain out the whole garlic cloves. The reason people are OK with this because they’re not eating the flesh of garlic.
To go a bit further, garlic granules and/or garlic powder wouldn’t be acceptable as low FODMAP foods because they are made from the flesh of whole garlic. I hope this all makes sense, as I realize it can be confusing, especially when you’re new.
Remember, there’s a difference between those who are low FODMAP and those who have a food allergy. If someone were allergic to garlic, they would not, under any circumstance, be able to consume a the Fody low FODMAP garlic-infused oil.
Are bell peppers and tomatoes low FODMAP?
Yes! Both bell pepper and tomato are low FODMAP foods. I’ll add this – there is a four piece limit when eating sun dried tomatoes, in case that’s something you’re interested in.
The nice thing is that you can use them to add flavour and texture to your meal, whilst also boosting the nutrition as well.
Are oats low FODMAP?
Oats are considered a gluten-free low FODMAP grain, however, there’s a serving size limit of 1/2 cup. Personally, I like to double check portion sizes with the Monash University app. It’s insanely helpful, especially if you’re newly diagnosed.
If you decide to try oats, make sure you purchase gluten free oats, since there’s a high risk for cross contact with wheat, which is a high FODMAP food.
Can I add pine nuts to this recipe for extra crunch?
Low FODMAP: Whilst pine nuts (and crunch in general) are a good option, they have a portion limit of 15 pine nuts. In the grand scheme, that’s not a lot. You could crush the pine nuts for better distribution, or use a different crunchy element.
Pecans are another good option, but also have a 15 max serving. However, they’re considerably larger than pine nuts, so 15 crushed pecans would be nice with 1 cup quinoa.
If you’d like a tree nut that doesn’t have general size limits, consider walnuts. Just remember, at the end of the day, everyone is different. You may only be able to handle a little bit of walnuts whilst the next person can have a tonne. Alternatively, you may be able to handle more than 15 pine nuts or pecans.
Low Histamine: Pine nuts aren’t considered a low histamine ingredient. However, you could purchase sliced organic tiger nuts (tuber, not a tree nut) and try those instead.
Could I add nutritional yeast to this recipe for extra flavor?
For low FODMAP, yes, you can add nutritional yeast for extra flavour, so long as you stick with the correct portion size. The general accepted amount is 15 grams, so make sure you use a kitchen scale.
On the other hand, if you came for the low histamine info, no, you can’t use nutritional yeast. Yeast, in all forms, is not considered a low histamine ingredient. However, since no two people are the same, you may find that you tolerate it in small amounts and this is something you should trial with your medical team if you’re interested.
Is a low FODMAP diet the best choice for someone with IBS?
No two people are the same, so this isn’t a black and white yes or no kind of answer. Since everyone is different, it’s best to work with your medical team. Based on your individual test results, they can let you know what kind of diet and lifestyle changes (or medication) that would be best for you.
If you team does have you start a low FODMAP diet, the best advice I can share is to download the Monash University Low FODMAP app and also seek the support of a registered dietitian that has experience helping people with a low FODMAP diet.
Sometimes, it’s a lot easier to jump into something new (food wise) if you’re able to have one-on-one nutrition counselling, as well as support from others who are in a similar boat.
