Spaghetti bolognese is a popular dish with so many of my patients so I though it would be really useful to include a low FODMAP version in my recipe collection. I think it’s a shame when people think that they have to cook separate meals from the rest of the family when following a special diet. You really would not know there was anything missing from this dish and it’s definitely one the whole family would enjoy. I’ve made this exact recipe, scaled up for 10 hungry people and everybody really enjoyed it, nobody guessed there was anything different about it. When you cut the onions and garlic out of a sauce like this it’s important to get some flavour back into the dish and in this case it’s by adding plenty of herbs. I grow a lot of herbs so I always use fresh but it would be fine to use dried bay or oregano in this recipe. I think the pancetta helps to give it a good flavour too. If you’re cooking for 1 or 2 then it’s a good idea to make the full quantity of sauce and freeze the extra portions for another day to save you cooking.
For more family dinner inspiration, have a look through my low FODMAP main meals.
- 1 tbsp vegetable oil
- 400g lean minced beef
- 80g pancetta (or bacon) finely chopped
- 2 medium carrots finely diced
- 1 small stick of celery finely diced
- 1 bay leaf
- a handful of fresh oregano, finely chopped
- 250ml red wine
- 350ml passata
- pinch of salt and pepper to season
- A small handful of chives chopped very finely (or use a chive cube - see adding flavour section)
- A small drizzle of garlic oil
- A handful of chopped flat leaf parsley and/or basil
- Brown the mince and pancetta together in a medium pan on a high heat
- Add the celery, carrots, bay and oregano and cook for a few minutes before adding the red wine allowing it to bubble away fiercely for a minute before adding the passata
- Turn the heat down to low and cook at a gentle simmer with the lid on for 45 minutes, stirring it occasionally to ensure it is not sticking, adding a little extra water if necessary
- Add the chopped chives and stir through then remove from the heat. Check the seasoning and add a pinch of salt if necessary and ground pepper
- Drizzle a little garlic oil on top and add the chopped parsley and/or basil
- Serve with gluten free pasta or spaghetti cooked according to the instructions on the packet
I am a Registered Nutritionist but I am contacting you as someone who has just been told by my GP to go onto the FODMAP diet. Can you suggest an alternative to red wine in your recipes for people who don’t drink alcohol?
Thanks
Hi Aliya, for this recipe I would just skip the wine and add some extra water if required or alternatively use a low fodmap homemade stock. Hope you get on well with the diet.
you can have red wine on he fodmap diet. the monash low fodmap is very useful and worth paying for
liz
I was hoping for a spaghetti sauce for my non-gluten noodles. They taste so much better with a sauce. Also polenta is wonderful with a sauce and Parmesan if you have never tried it that way. Can’t wait to make it.
Hope you enjoy the sauce Jan, I’ll have to give it a go with polenta ?
I thought bacon wasnt allowed as it is a processed food? This is my first week trying to get my head around what i can and cant eat
Hi Lisa, bacon is fine on the low FODMAP diet. If there’s any ingredients you’re not sure about you could check the Monash University Low FODMAP app.
Thank you for your website and your recipes! It’s very hard to cook food on this diet that has enough flavour and this recipe was great. Keep it up!!
I’m really glad you enjoyed it Lindy, thanks for the feedback ?
I’ve just discovered your blog, was really in need of recipe inspiration and these look great. Thank you. Have made a lower calorie version of your bolognaise sauce, by dry frying lean mince and substituting extra lean smoked back bacon for the pancetta, and it tastes really good. I’m looking forward to working my way through your recipes.
Thanks Marion, hope you enjoy trying some more of the recipes ?
Hi ,
When i make spaghetti sauce, i use Passata with Basil and also add grated zucchini which is really nice .
( i personally dont add the red wine as I have not been having any alcohol ),
It is really tasty with the grated carrot and zucchini, my whole family love it.
Hello Louisa,
I made the bolognese sauce 2 weeks in a row as this recipe is a BIG hit. My family enjoyed it 🙂
Thank you for this delicious recipe.
Maria