28 low FODMAP pizza toppings? Sounds challenging but not only have we got 28 low FODMAP pizza toppings for you but we also have 19 FODMAP friendly pizza combinations to help you whether you’re dining in or out.
IBS is no joke and sometimes following a low FODMAP diet meal plan can be isolating but this article aims to prove that you can have pizza on a low FODMAP diet. We’re going to go into a few of these topics:
Without further adieu, let’s dive right into our post today and start our journey at dining out. Because let’s face it, low FODMAP pizza is easier at home than it is at a restaurant.
All information on serving size is from Monash; the creators of the low FODMAP diet.
Dining Out
Finding IBS friendly pizza while you’re out for dinner sounds impossible but you can have pizza while you’re on a low FODMAP diet. It just means being more diligent and asking questions. Even in a world where dietary restrictions are becoming increasingly welcomed in eateries, no one wants to be that person that has a never ending list of foods they can’t eat.
Not comfortable with asking the waiter a whole bunch of questions? Then call ahead, look up their menu online but most importantly remember these things:
- Have an idea of what’s in the pizza crust
- Ask what’s in the red sauce
- Know what cheeses are acceptable
At the end of the day, only eat what you know you’re able to tolerate and make sure to monitor your serving sizes. Stacking up FODMAPs is easy, so even if something is low FODMAP, having too much of it could be triggering to IBS.
Pizza And FODMAP Pain Points
“Is pizza OK on low FODMAP?” is a commonly Googled question. The answer is, yes! You can have pizza on a low FODMAP diet. But you need to consider a few things:
- Pizza crusts
- What’s in the red sauce?
- Cheeses
- Acceptable low FODMAP pizza toppings
Each component has its pain points and this section will discuss exactly why that is.
Pizza crusts
This is for anyone that needs to hear this: A low FODMAP diet does not mean no gluten or no wheat. For example: You order the gluten-free pizza crust option hoping it is a safe low FODMAP pizza crust. It turns out the gluten-free pizza base is in fact a cauliflower crust.
With that being said, not all wheat-free or gluten-free flours are low FODMAP either. Most pizzerias make their own dough or purchase it, ask to see the ingredient label. Look out for low FODMAP carbs, or ingredients that will trigger symptoms. Tip: You can always bet on a sourdough pizza crust.
What’s In The Red Sauce?
If you’ve been following an IBS and low FODMAP diet long enough, you’ll know that fresh tomatoes are on the list of ingredients of what’s acceptable on a low FODMAP diet. However, canned tomatoes have a higher fructant level and have a low FODMAP serving at 1/2 a cup or 100 grams.
Something to also be cautious about is what ingredients go into the red sauce. The tomato sauce used on pizzas are often made using tomatoes, a blend of herbs like oregano, thyme, and of course garlic and onion. Just like the dough, don’t worry about asking about what’s in the sauce.
TIP: Use ready made low FODMAP tomato sauce for the base!
9 low FODMAP tomato sauces for your low FODMAP Pizza
Which brings us to our next topic: cheeses. Can you eat cheese with IBS?
Cheeses
Once more: A low FODMAP diet does not mean a dairy free diet. For instance: you order the dairy free vegan cheese option for your pizza but it turns out to be soy cheese. So really, what you want is a lactose free diet. The pestering FODMAP in cheese comes from the lactose present in cheese. The ‘D’ in FODMAP stands for “disaccharide”.
Disaccharide is a fancy term that means double sugar: in this case, the lactose in milk is often known as milk sugar. We were dumbfounded and surprised when we learned lactose was a glucose. What about you?
So, we’ve gone over the pizza crust, the sauce, cheese, and why these components could be troubling. Let’s talk about the final factor when it comes to pizza and FODMAPs: the toppings.
Common Pizza Topping Substitutes for IBS
You have achieved the desired low FODMAP pizza only to realize you forgot the dang toppings. Onions, garlic, pepperoni, sausage, and mushrooms are pretty common pizza toppings that may seem inescapable but here are some substitutes that are FODMAP friendly.
- Swap onions out for leek or scallion greens : Replace onions with the tops of scallions or leeks. Did you know 14 grams of the leek bulb is low FODMAP? Oniony fun without the pain.
- No to garlic powder or fresh garlic. Yes to garlic oil: Some pizza places have garlic powder in shakers, this needs to be avoided at all costs. Substitute garlic powder or fresh garlic in pizza by drizzling garlic infused oil on top. This is actually quite common in Italy! We have an entire post about low FODMAP garlic substitutes here!
- Pepperoni & sausage could be a problem: Meats aren’t typically an issue but processed meats like pepperoni and sausage are filled with who knows what, preservatives and you guessed it, garlic and onion.
- Mushrooms aren’t too bad: Fungi have a bad rap for being bad for IBS-ers but not all mushrooms are created equal. Canned mushrooms can be eaten up to 75 grams. Oyster mushrooms are also a low FODMAP mushroom that can be had up to 75 grams or 1 cup.
At the end of the day it’s important to remember that you can moderate every ingredient in your low FODMAP pizza or your low FODMAP pizza toppings but the key is moderation and avoiding stacking your FODMAPs.
Now onto the main event! 28 low FODMAP pizza toppings that are FODMAP friendly and fuss free!
28 Low FODMAP Pizza Toppings
What’s the answer to the question, “What can you put on low FODMAP pizza?” A lot actually!
It may come as a surprise that there are many low FODMAP pizza toppings that can be enjoyed. And more importantly, they aren’t just low FODMAP pizza toppings, they’re ingredients that can easily be found on other pizzas.
This section is divided into 3 parts: Meats (1-6), veggies (7-17), and cheeses (18-28):
Meats:
- Bacon: Deli meats are a hit or miss in the low FODMAP diet but bacon is low FODMAP and has a serving size of 2 strips (rashers) or 60 grams.
- Prosciutto: This cured meat is untested but is generally known to be low FODMAP.
- Parma ham: Another untested cured meat but has been regarded as a low FODMAP ingredient.
- Chicken: Because chicken is a protein, it is FODMAP free.
- Tuna: Also regarded as a protein, tuna is FODMAP free.
- Anchovies: These haven’t been tested for FODMAPs but following the same principle as chicken and tuna, proteins like anchovies are considered low FODMAP.
Veggies:
- Red bell peppers: Have no detected FODMAPs. However, green bell peppers are a whole other deal.
- Green bell peppers: Are low FODMAP at a serving size of 52 grams.
- Pineapple: Either love it or hate it on pizza but pineapple is low FODMAP until 140 grams serving.
- Spinach: Baby or regular spinach, this leafy green is low FODMAP at 75 grams serving size.
- Eggplant: This vegetable is FODMAP friendly at 75 grams or 1 cup. It has moderate FODMAP levels at 2 1/2 cups.
- Canned artichokes: There are low FODMAP at a serving size of 50 grams or roughly 1/3 cups. Make sure these are canned artichoke hearts instead of fresh because fresh artichokes are high FODMAP.
- Olives: In general, olives are low FODMAP but should be limited to a serving size of 1/2 a cup. Roughly about 15 pitted olives.
- Capers: These small but flavorsome little berries are low FODMAP at a serving size of 1 tablespoons.
- Oregano: This herb is considered low FODMAP at 3 grams or 1 teaspoon.
- Basil: FODMAP friendly herb at a serving size of 16 grams or about 1 cup.
- Rucola: Also known as arugula, this leafy green has trace amounts of FODMAPs but is generally free of FODMAPs.
Cheeses:
Oddly enough, all of the cheeses below are low FODMAP at a serving size of 40 grams, 1 1/2 ounces, or 2 tablespoons.
- Mozzarella
- Brie
- Cheddar
- Cottage Cheese
- Cream Cheese
- Feta
- Goat cheese
- Havarti
- Monterey Jack
- Ricotta
- Swiss
That’s a whole lot more options than we previously thought. But if your local pizza place isn’t one to allow DIY pizza toppings, then why not order a pizza combination with low FODMAP toppings?
19 Low FODMAP Pizza Topping Combinations That Exist
There are some odd pizza recipes out there. Classic no-no’s like pineapple and ham, or even egg or potato on a pizza. In Taiwan, they have a pizza with blood sausage and century egg.
Here are 19 low FODMAP pizza combinations that already exist -for your night out or for your at home pizza night (vegetarian 1-7, fish 8-11, meat 12-19):
Vegetarian:
- Margarita: Your classic pizza combo with tomatoes, mozzarella, and basil.
- Caprese: Much like a margarita pizza but there are fresh tomatoes, fresh mozzarella, basil.
- White Pizza: It’s a cheese party with ricotta, mozzarella and parmigiano reggiano. Make it fancy by sprinkling hot pepper flakes or dried oregano.
- Vegetarian: An option you’ll find at any pizzeria with tomato sauce, veggies like eggplant or artichokes, olives, basil, and cheese.
- Maltese Potato Pizza: Yes, potato pizza (sometimes with fries) with ricotta, goat cheese, and potatoes. A Maltese classic.
- Mushrooms & Peppers: You’re good to go as long as you’ve got canned mushrooms or oyster mushrooms and thrown in some green or red bell peppers into the mix.
- Pesto (vegetarian): Ditch the red sauce and add pesto to your pizza crust instead. Top with some fresh parmesan, pine nuts, and fresh tomatoes.
Fish:
- Napoli: A simple but savory classic of tomato sauce topped with anchovies, olives, and capers.
- Tonno: Traditionally has onions but swap them out for green scallions, add canned tuna, and mozzarella.
- Salmone: Choose between a white base like ricotta or cream cheese or tomato sauce and top with smoked salmon and spinach.
- Scampi & Arugula: saute some shrimp or scampi with garlic oil. Add this on your pizza base and top with fresh arugula and red pepper flakes.
Meat:
- Flammkuchen: A pizza with french origins, the flammkuchen pizza is made with a base of lactose-free cream cheese, bacon and onions but you can swap these out for 14 grams of the leek bulb.
- Pesto (with bacon): Pesto with pizza but this time, add some canned artichoke hearts, arugula, prosciutto and top with shaved parmesan.
- Hawaiian: A well debated classic topped with ham and canned pineapple.
- Pollo: A popular pizza option in the Netherlands, the pollo is topped with fried chicken, mushrooms, bell peppers, canned corn, and mozzarella.
- Sausage & Kale: Top your pizza with sauteed Italian sausage, sauteed cavolo nero kale, and cheese of your choice.
- BBQ Chicken: If you’re in the mood for a BBQ pizza, top your pie with cooked chicken, sauteed leek, mozzarella and smoked cheese. Drizzle on some BBQ sauce at the end. Be careful and check the label. BBQ sauce is low FODMAP at 2 tablespoons but read the label to make sure it’s free of garlic, onion, and other ingredients that are high FODMAP.
- Crudo: A baked pizza is topped with mozzarella, parma ham and fresh arugula.
- Carpaccio: For you carpaccio lovers out there, a baked pizza is topped with beef carpaccio (raw thinly sliced beef), arugula, pine nuts, freshly grated aged parmesan, and sometimes truffle mayo!
Well, there you have it folks. It may seem like a bit of a doozy but now you know 28 low FODMAP pizza toppings to help make your dining experience easier. And if that didn’t help, we hope the extensive list of existing pizza combinations comes in handy.
What are your favorite low FODMAP pizza toppings? Do you have any weird or wacky pizza combinations? Let us know what your thoughts are in the comments below and feel free to let us know what other easy low FODMAP recipes you’d like us to tackle.
For more low FODMAP recipes, check out yummyble.com! Try to make your own sourdough pizza crust with this recipe!
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