So you’ve made your gluten free dumplings or wontons and you need something to serve with them. Enter: this speedy and delicious low FODMAP dumpling sauce. It comes together in minutes and tastes so much better than it reasonably should. It perks up even the most basic of dishes and it’s uses extend beyond dumplings, too. I love to whip up a batch to drizzle over some crispy tofu, roasted vegetables or greens and rice. It makes a great sauce for gluten free egg noodles, too. Really, the sky is the limit.

Low FODMAP dumpling sauce

This easy and delicious low FODMAP dumpling sauce is vegan and gluten free. It is endlessly customisable based on your preference for spice, ingredients on hand, or other dietary requirements. The measurements I use are very simply and barely require a recipe at all (but here we are!)

FODMAP notes

Most ingredients in this dumpling sauce are naturally low FODMAP. Provided you use a low FODMAP chilli oil and low FODMAP dumplings, ensuring this sauce is low FODMAP will be a breeze. A few pointers:

• Soy sauce is low FODMAP in 2 tablespoon (42g) serves, but Monash doesn’t specify an upper limit. They do suggest reading the label for any high FODMAP ingredients.
• Tamari, a gluten free alternative to soy sauce, remains low FODMAP in serves of up to 500g.
• Monash says that hoisin sauce is low FODMAP in 1 tablespoon (20g) serves. However, it doesn’t become moderate for fructan until it reaches 280g serves. This suggests you have plenty of wiggle room. Monash don’t specify if they tested a gluten free or regular version.
• Peanut butter is low FODMAP in 2 tablespoon serves. In larger serves a Low FODMAP threshold depends on where you are based. See my post on peanut butter for more details.
• I finish my dumplings with spring onion greens, which are low FODMAP in serves under 97g.

Adjusting the spice level on a low FODMAP diet

Some people (not me, but still) love spicy foods and can handle a lot of spice. However, most dried chilli is only low FODMAP in reasonably small serves.

Fresh chillies tend to contain fructans in moderate and high serves, while dried chillies tend to contain fructose. Because the fructose is concentrated during the drying process, dried chillies have very low FODMAP thresholds. This can make it more difficult to achieve the level of spice you are accustomed to.

So, I have found a few ways to get around this during the development of this recipe and also my low FODMAP chilli crisp recipe. Without further ado:

• Add plenty of fresh finely grated ginger. Ginger has a fieriness to it that can help replicate spice, particularly when paired with some spice.
• Use more fresh chillies and less dried chillies. Red chillies are low FODMAP in a whole medium chilli (28g) per serve. You can add a whole red chilli to your own plate, which will hopefully give you a bit more bang for your buck.
• Layer chillies. My understanding is that you can have red chilli (whose predominant FODMAP is fructan) with dried chilli flakes (whose predominant FODMAP is fructose, depending on varietal) together. This is provided the other elements of the dish are naturally low FODMAP.
• Use chilli flakes or a hot variety of chilli powder instead of a milder variety like Korean red chilli powder or Kashmiri chilli. The former are spicier varieties that actually have a lower FODMAP threshold (not by much, but still!). You can add some smoked paprika to try and mimic the vibrant red colour.
• Add plenty of pepper. Black and white pepper add spiciness in large serves. Monash doesn’t list an upper quantity for a low FODMAP serve of pepper.
• Pickled chillies tend to have lower FODMAP thresholds. You can experiment with supplementing the spice level with pickled chillies.

Ingredient notes

You can play around with the ingredients as you see fit here. Those listed in the recipe card are what I use, but feel free to experiment.

• You can find my low FODMAP chilli crisp recipe here. If you don’t want to make chilli crisp, simply whip up a quick chilli oil with hot oil and chilli flakes. I like to use red Korean chilli flakes for their lovely colour and mild spice.
• Tamari, gluten free soy sauce (dark or light) or even regular soy sauce all work here. Add to taste according to your preference for salt.
• I use hoisin in some batches of this sauce – it just depends what I have on hand. Changs makes gluten free hoisin sauce in Australia.
• Black rice vinegar has a beautiful almost balsamic like flavour. It’s easily available at Asian grocers (and some supermarkets these days). If you can’t find it, simply use white rice vinegar to taste.
• Peanut butter is optional and can be substituted. I love the creamy deliciousness it adds, but you can also use tahini. It is not quite Chinese sesame paste, but it makes a great stand in.

More low FODMAP recipes

• Skirt dumplings and dumpling dipping sauce from Intolerance Friendly Kitchen
• Tofu and bok choi dumpling filling
• Gluten free bao buns without xanthan gum
• 100% buckwheat flour dumpling wrappers
• Gluten free egg noodles