Let me be blunt… I can’t eat onions. Well, I could, but bad things would happen. Eating onion is like fueling an internal gas bomb, causing me physical discomfort and deterring my social life. They’re a high FODMAP food I try to avoid, and I know I’m not alone.
Thankfully, a few tasty plant alternatives provide onion-like flavor. But what makes them safe is using the GREEN sections only.
The green parts of the plants don’t contain significant amounts of fructans (oligosaccarides) — short chain carbohydrates that can be poorly digested. Therefore, green means good to go in your recipes!
Introducing… the onion-replacing stars in my kitchen.
Leeks
Low FODMAP Onion Alternative
Sold single or in a small bunch, they’re quite large with flat green leaf sheaths.
When a recipe calls for a significant amount of onion, I tend to use leeks. Economically, it makes sense. Functionally, they hold up well in soups or casseroles. For example, my fish chowder needs one cup of diced onion, so I use a leek instead. Here’s one leek, diced, leaf sheaths only. There’s plenty!
See the variation in color? The lighter parts probably contain some fructans (FODMAP) whereas the darkest parts do not. Depending on your tolerance levels, choose your shade of green accordingly. I measure what I need using the green parts first. If I need more, I’ll make up the difference with the greenest pieces and discard the rest.
Remember, it’s about load with FODMAPs. Depending on the amount (load) of other FODMAP triggers in your meal, a small amount of fructans may be well tolerated.
How to prepare leeks for low FODMAP cooking:
- Rinse the whole leek.
- Cut off the bulb, including the whitest part leading up to the green leaf sheaths. Also trim the jagged tops off the green sheaths.
- Rinse visible dirt and debris between the leaf sheaths. If the sheaths are still attached, cut once lengthwise to expose any remaining dirt before doing a final rinse (they can be dirty!).
- Holding the leaf sheaths together, make several cuts lengthwise, then cut through the sheaths crosswise, adjusting for desired cut size.
Scallions
Low FODMAP Onion Alternative
Sold by the bunch and much smaller than a leek. Enjoy the hollow, tubular green leaves raw or cooked. When scallions grow bigger, they’re called green or spring onions.
Consider opting for scallions if you need less than 1/2 cup onion. They tend to be less expensive then leeks, so this is a wise financial choice unless you can use the remaining leek in another dish.
Scallion greens are great for stir fry dishes. It’s best to add them toward the end of cooking time so they don’t get mushy.
Chives
Low FODMAP Onion Alternative
Stems (scapes) are sold by the bunch as herbs. Enjoy the hollow, tubular stems raw or cooked.
These little guys are great additions to any kind of salad or stir fry dish. They add a burst of color and flavor, and can be used as a simple garnish to make any meal look gourmet.
I look forward to summer when chives grow in my gardens. They tend to repel nagging insects while attracting bees with their nectar. Plus, their beautiful purple pompom-like flowers make my heart sing — a triple win for the backyard!
There you have it! If you’re like me and can’t eat onions, you now have three green edibles that work great as onion substitutes. Invite them into your kitchen and feel the freedom to cook, with or without FODMAPS.
