I took one of the most decadent creamy pasta dishes ever, Penne alla Vodka, and made a classic pasta sauce that’s low FODMAP and dairy-free. Tomatoes are roasted with carrots and then pureed for a luscious orange juice that doesn’t require cream. It’s perfect for any gluten-free pasta!
While I’ve been making this low FODMAP pasta sauce, it honestly reminds me of an ex-boyfriend who ate mostly whites and pinks off the kids’ menu, and to him penne alla vodka might as well a major food group
He has other good qualities, but being a co-pilot of my taste isn’t one of them. So in a way, this watered down low FODMAP vodka sauce does remind me of what I love now and how grateful I am to be around an adventurous eater.
Of course, there may have been a time when my husband would have loved a dose of heavy cream and was more than willing to pay the consequences at the end of the night. But he also keeps surprising me with his love of green things.
When I feel lazy and don’t have time to come up with new things Low FODMAP Dinner IdeasI’ll go grab this low FODMAP pasta sauce and some gluten free noodles.
You might not be able to tell from the photos that this dairy-free vodka sauce contains absolutely no milk, cream, or thickeners—not even nuts or the cocoa variety! It also has far fewer tomatoes than usual, making it an excellent choice for those sensitive to sour or nightshade varieties. What gives the sauce its gorgeous reddish-orange hue and a hint of sweetness are the roasted carrots and low-FODMAP fennel.
You put all three on a pan, let them caramelize in the oven, then transfer them to a blender along with some vegetable stock or water. The resulting sauce is thick, velvety and downright luscious. If you’re not making a low FODMAP pasta sauce, you can add a little garlic or scallions to the baking process, but I love the simplicity of this recipe and how many nutrients are packed into the dairy-free vodka sauce.
Is Ketchup Low FODMAP?
Most store-bought pasta sauces contain garlic and onions, two high-FODMAP foods. Plus, the vodka sauce has heavy cream and is dairy-free or lactose-free.
There are a few brands that make low FODMAP pasta sauces – this is one of my favorites. But other than that, it’s super easy to make at home and this vodka sauce is even tastier.
In place of dairy, I use carrots to tone down the color and texture. To replace some of the alliums, I used the low FODMAP portion of fennel. Fennel is one of those tricky “medium” FODMAP ingredients. You can eat 1/5 of a bulb at a time, which seems like an odd measurement. To simplify the math, I’m using half a medium bulb in this recipe, which will put you below your threshold if you insist on using only 1/3 of the sauce at a time.
How to Make Low FODMAP Pasta
To serve this low FODMAP pasta sauce, all you have to do is make your gluten-free noodles of choice. Remember, only gluten-free grains are low FODMAP. Luckily, there are so many great pasta brands out there these days. I especially like this low FODMAP vodka sauce over brown rice pasta or macaroni.
Ideally, the sauce should be tossed with 12 ounces of gluten-free pasta and serves 4 with salad.If you’re new to this diet, check out this helpful guide to learn How to Cook Gluten-Free Pasta.
I’d say this low FODMAP ketchup is so good, my ex won’t even know it’s not his usual macaroni vodka. But we all know that can be untrue, which is the exact reason I’m happy to trade in the pasta and love department.
More delicious low FODMAP pasta recipes:
Read on for this healthy low FODMAP pasta sauce recipe and don’t forget to check out the rest Low FODMAP Vegetarian Recipes.
With health and hedonism,
Phoebe
Low FODMAP Vodka Pasta Sauce
This lighter vodka sauce uses roasted carrots, tomatoes, and fennel for a super delicious creamy sauce without any added cream or thickeners. It’s a low FODMAP ketchup that’s gluten-free, dairy-free and packed with nutrients. Just toss it with your favorite gluten-free pasta!
serving size 4
raw material
- 1 pound radish about 3 large, unpeeled and cut into 1-inch pieces
- 1.5 pound vine tomato About 4 medium, quartered
- 1/2 Fennel Bulbs thinly sliced
- olive oil
- sea salt
- 1 cup vegetable stock or water
- 12 ounce Gluten-Free Macaroni optional, service
- 1/3 cup Basil leaves optional, for decoration
- garlic oil optional, for decoration
- red pepper flakes optional, for decoration
instruct
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Preheat oven to 450°F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
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Arrange tomatoes, carrots, and fennel on a baking sheet and season with 1 teaspoon sea salt. Drizzle the vegetables generously with olive oil, cut the vegetables in an even layer, cut side down, so that each piece touches the pan, and transfer to the oven.
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Roast until tomatoes are shriveled and juicy and carrots are tender, about 40 minutes. Remove pan from oven.
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Transfer vegetables to a high powered blender with vegetable stock or water and puree, adding more broth if necessary. Store the sauce in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 2 weeks, or keep making pasta.
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Make the pasta: Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Cook pasta according to package directions. Reserve 1 cup of starchy pasta water and drain in a slotted spoon. Return the pasta to the pot with 1 cup of the vodka sauce, if it seems too thick, add some pasta water to loosen it. Add more sauce as needed and reserve the remainder for another use.
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Divide the macaroni vodka among bowls and, if using, garnish with basil, red pepper flakes, and a dash of garlic oil.
If you make it, please tag @phoebelapine and #feedmephoebe – I’d love to see it!
