As a predominantly vegetarian low FODMAPper, it can be difficult to get enough protein in. What can be even more difficult is ascertaining which beans or legumes (protein sources) are suitable on the low FODMAP diet. Today I wanted to get into all things low FODMAP beans and recipes to use them in.

Before we begin, a note: I am not a doctor and this not medical advice. My intention with these round ups is to provide you with Monash’s thresholds on a day to day basis to aid you in your FODMAP journey. I also develop recipes around these thresholds. These recipes do not replace professional medical advice, and any elimination diet should be discussed with your doctor.

More low FODMAP resources

• Low FODMAP vegetarian recipes
• Gluten free low FODMAP lunch recipes
• Dairy free low FODMAP recipes
• Easy low FODMAP recipes that are vegetarian or vegan
• Low FODMAP sauce and dressing recipes

Low FODMAP beans

These thresholds are current Monash thresholds as of April 2024. I will periodically update the thresholds to ensure they remain up to date with Monash testing.

Are adzuki beans low FODMAP?

Dried, boiled and drained adzuki beans have a low FODMAP threshold of 19g or 1 tablespoon per meal, which is a very small serve. In serving sizes of 50g+, they contain moderate amounts of GOS.

Are black beans low FODMAP?

Canned and drained black beans are low FODMAP in 40g serves. In 52g serves, they contain moderate amounts of GOS. In 210g serves, they contain high amounts of GOS and fructans.

Dried, boiled and drained black beans, interestingly, have a similar FODMAP content in smaller serves. They are low FODMAP in 40g serves and moderate for GOS at 45g serves. They are high FODMAP in 105g serves, containing high amounts of both GOS and fructans.

Are black eyed peas low FODMAP?

Dried, boiled and drained black eyed peas have a low FODMAP threshold of 21g. In larger serves, they contain moderate amounts of GOS, and in servings in excess of 170g, high amounts of both GOS and fructans.

Are borlotti beans low FODMAP?

Borlotti beans have no low FODMAP threshold on the Monash app. I have not been able to find a low FODMAP threshold anywhere online. This would indicate to me that borlotti beans are high FODMAP, irrespective of serving size.

Are broad beans low FODMAP?

Monash does not have a low FODMAP threshold for broad beans. This suggests to me that they are high FODMAP irrespective of the serving size. The FODMAP they contain is fructose.

Are butter beans low FODMAP?

Canned and drained butter beans have a low FODMAP threshold of 35g or 1/4 cup per meal. In 60g serves, they contain moderate amounts of GOS. In 85g serves, they contain high amounts of GOS.

Are cannellini beans low FODMAP?

Cannellini beans are low FODMAP in 76g serves. In 89g serves, they contain moderate amounts of fructans. In 100g serves, they are high in fructans.

Are dried chickpeas/garbanzo beans low FODMAP?

Dried, boiled and drained chickpeas are low FODMAP in 29g serves. In 33g serves, they contain moderate amounts of GOS. In 108g serves, they contain high amounts of GOS and fructans.

Are canned chickpeas/garbanzo beans low FODMAP?

Canned and drained chickpeas are low FODMAP in 42g serves. In 84g serves, they contain moderate amounts of GOS. This wide difference in serving sizes suggests there is a little bit of wiggle room in what constitutes a low FODMAP serve.

Are sprouted chickpeas low FODMAP?

Monash does not list any low FODMAP threshold for sprouted chickpeas. This suggests to me that they are high FODMAP irrespective of the serving size.

Are kidney beans low FODMAP?

Canned and drained kidney beans are low FODMAP in 86g serves, which is one of the higher thresholds for a legume. In 90g serves, they contain moderate amounts of fructans.

Are lima beans low FODMAP?

Dried, boiled and drained lima beans are low FODMAP in 39g serves. In 54g serves, they become moderate for GOS and fructans. In 79g serves, they are high in GOS and fructans.

Are Le Puy lentils low FODMAP?

Hulled, dried, boiled and drained red lentils are low FODMAP in 30g serves. They become moderate in fructans and high in GOS in 90g serves.

Are green lentils low FODMAP?

Hulled, dried, boiled and drained green lentils are low FODMAP in 29g serves. In 34g serves, they contain moderate amounts of GOS. In 46g serves, they contain high amounts of GOS.

Are red lentils low FODMAP?

Canned and drained red lentils are low FODMAP in 46g serves per person. In 65g serves, they contain moderate amounts of GOS. In 77g serves, they contain moderate amounts of fructans and high amounts of GOS.

Hulled, dried, boiled and drained red lentils are low FODMAP in 23g serves. In 46g serves, they contain moderate amounts of GOS.

Are mung beans low FODMAP?

Whole dried boiled and drained mung beans are low FODMAP in 53g per serve. In 106g serves, they contain high amounts of both GOS and fructans.

Split dried boiled and drained mung beans are low FODMAP in 49g serves. In 58g serves, they contain moderate amounts of GOS and fructans. In 73g serves, they contain moderate amounts of GOS and high amounts of fructans.

Are sprouted mung beans low FODMAP?

Sprouted mung beans are low FODMAP in 95g per serve. Monash does not specify an upper limit, indicating that they are low FODMAP.

Are pinto beans low FODMAP?

Canned and drained pinto beans are low FODMAP in 55g serves. In 64g serves, they contain moderate amounts of GOS. In 210g serves, they contain high amounts of GOS and moderate amounts of fructans.

Dried, boiled and drained pinto beans are low FODMAP in 23g serves. In 28g serves, they contain moderate amounts of GOS. In 125g serves, they contain high amounts of GOS and fructans.

Are refried beans low FODMAP?

Canned refried beans are low FODMAP in 45g serves. In 55g serves, they contain moderate amounts of GOS. In 135g serves, they contain high amounts of GOS and fructans.

Are soy beans low FODMAP?

Dried, boiled and drained soy beans have no low FODMAP threshold on the Monash app.

Firm tofu, however, has a low FODMAP threshold of 170g per serve. Think of tofu like canned legumes – the pressing process removes a lot of the FODMAP content in the soy bean.

Are split peas low FODMAP?

Split peas do not have a low FODMAP threshold on the Monash app.

Tips for working with beans while on the low FODMAP diet

• Canned beans are generally lower FODMAP than dried ones. This is because the FODMAP content leeches out into the canning liquid, which is drained off before use.
• This is why it is important to rinse canned beans well when on the low FODMAP diet.
• In Australia, cans of beans generally indicate their total weight and drained weight on the can. A 400g can of legumes is generally around 240g once drained.
• I develop recipes with legumes in one of two ways. The first is to ensure the recipe contains a low FODMAP serve of beans per serve of the recipe. For example, a recipe with 240g of canned and drained chickpeas (provided there are no other moderate/high FODMAP ingredients) would serve 6. This equates to 40g of chickpeas per serve, and the threshold is 42g.
• The second method is for things like salads. Simply add the legumes and allow individual diners to assess how many legumes they want to eat. This allows family members with no FODMAP constraints to east more legumes and vice versa.

Low FODMAP recipes that use legumes

Low FODMAP minestrone

I was never a huge minestrone fan until I tried a broth based minestrone. I think I came to associate tomato stewy type dishes as being dishes that caused me symptoms, so I stopped liking them. This minestrone, however, is something I crave all the time. It’s light and fresh yet comforting and filling. It uses canned beans of choice for a hit of vegan protein.

Vegan low FODMAP chilli

This chilli is an absolute all rounder that everyone will love. It use beans, tofu and beans or just tofu for a low FODMAP vegan take on the classic.

Low FODMAP vegan tagine

This tagine is vegan and low FODMAP, but you’d barely know it. It’s bursting with flavour and contains canned chickpeas for bite and protein. I serve mine with cooked quinoa as a replacement for cous cous (bonus: the quinoa is another good protein source).

High protein low FODMAP pasta sauce

Sometimes I want to eat healthily without knowing it. This low FODMAP, high protein pasta sauce is for those occasions. It uses canned beans and lactose free cottage cheese along with blanched kale and basil for a classic pesto tasting pasta with lots more nutrition.

Low FODMAP quinoa bake

This is one of the easiest recipes I have developed in a while and it’s endlessly customisable. Use whichever variety of (low FODMAP) canned beans you have on hand and flavour it any way you wish. You can also use torn firm tofu.

Gluten free veggie and chickpea sausage rolls

Speaking from experience: there is NOTHING better than finding a tub of frozen veggie sausage rolls in your freezer. These easy veggie rolls use canned chickpeas and homemade gluten free pastry. I have a roundup of all the gluten free pastry recipes on my website, and there’s a classic gluten free puff pastry recipe in my cookbook, Intolerance Friendly Kitchen.

Low FODMAP ‘kind of’ daal

This daal is a very vegetable heavy, stewy sort of take on daal. The vegetables bulk out the (canned) lentil content, which means you can safely eat a whole bowl. It makes loads and leaves you with an excellent stash of leftovers.

Gluten free vegan sausages

Tofu is just pressed soy beans, so I had to include these vegan sausages made from tofu. I am forever obsessed with these – they’re meaty and delicious but without any weird or hard to find ingredients.

Low FODMAP tofu recipes

Okay, so this isn’t a recipe so much as a recipe roundup of low FODMAP tofu dishes. It does, however, give you a whole list of tofu recipes to try, just to prove that tofu is such an underrated low FODMAP form of legume.