Can You Revamp Old Recipes for Low Fodmap?
When I first wrote this post, it was for my Italian family recipes blog that never considered IBS safety. Now, here in IBS Kitchn I have to consider fodmaps and fiber in every family recipe that I include.
Can Bean Soup Ever Be Safe?
Of course it can. Although the Monash App gives most soup type beans such as kidney and cannellini beans the red light, when I looked to see if any amount was safe, the answer was “Yes.” Canned black beans are safe up to 1.4 ounces or 1/8 cup; kidney beans are safe up to the same amount. I usually use white cannellini beans for my soup and Monash doesn’t mention them, but they are similar to kidney beans, so I am going to guess they are safe at the same amount as the others. So as far as beans go, they are low fodmap up to 1/8 cup. That is about two tablespoons of beans per one cup serving of soup. I would find that amount just right since the soup also contains a good amount of pasta.
Why is Fiber The Bigger Issue?
There is no denying that beans are fibrous and can cause IBS stress for most of us. Those who suffer IBS D may worry more than those of us with IBS C, but lots of us are a mix of D and C and never know when it will be either one. So if you have never been able to eat beans, no matter what amount the Monash App says is safe, I would not make this recipe. I am including it for those of us who already know that we can tolerate a small amount of beans mixed with GF pasta and are looking for a delicious fall comfort soup to make for the whole family.
Still Tastes Just Like Mom’s
It is always nostalgic when I make this soup. Back when I was a new mom of three babies in a row, I didn’t really know how to cook and I lived in Atlanta, GA., far from my family in Mt. Vernon, NY. I had an Ada Boni cookbook that I scoured for Italian recipes that sounded like something my mom or granny would make. This recipe had a bacon, onion, celery base that I had seen my mother and grandmother use often for soups and sauces, so right away I trusted the recipe.
Ever since I first made it, the recipe has served my family well for over 50 years. Made with cooked dried beans, the soup must be simmered for a long time, but if you use canned beans, it takes just a few minutes of cooking time – a very nice feature for working moms. I always use canned beans and I now make sure that the entire soup contains only enough beans for 1/8 cup in each serving of soup. I used to say 2 cups of beans, but now I say 1 cup of beans. This should be no more than 1/8 cup per soup serving.
Can Bean Soup Taste Good with GF Pasta?
Of course it can. Alternative pasta has come a long way as far as lovely flavor is concerned and I truly thank the Lord that there is decent pasta now for those of us who cannot tolerate wheat whether because of gluten or because of the fodmap, Fructan,
The right GF pasta can taste just as delicious as wheat pasta. I have found that some brown rice pasta brands taste delicious and friends tell me about other types they like as well. So experiment until you know what type of GF pasta you like. The bacon, celery and green onion stems create such a lovely soup base that the beans and pasta are just as permeated with delicious flavor in this revamped recipe as in the original recipe. I am just happy to find a way to eat a much loved soup without repercussions. lol
Ingredients:
Three slices of center cut bacon, chopped fine
1 bunch of green onions or scallions, light green stems only, diced
2 cloves garlic, sliced thin, sautéed in oil to infuse the oil with garlic flavor and then removed.
**I can’t recommend buying oil already infused with garlic. I think they all taste horrible. Better to infuse your own while making your recipe. The oil will taste fresh and slightly garlicky rather than the over fried taste of the store bought garlic infused oils.
three slender inner stalks of celery, leaves included, chopped fine
2 fresh tomatoes, peeled and diced or 1/2 can diced tomatoes
1 tsp salt
1/2 tsp fresh black pepper
1 quart warm water
1 cup canned cannellini beans
1 cup ditalini or other small pasta
2 or more tbsp. grated parmesan cheese
2 tbsp. olive oil
2 frankfurters, cut up (optional)
Directions:
Pour olive oil into a 2 qt heavy saucepan. When oil is shimmering, add the sliced garlic and saute until infused with garlic flavor. Remove the garlic. Add in the chopped bacon, onion stems, and celery and stir around as the mixture browns slowly in the hot oil. Lower the heat to medium and continue to brown mixture until vegetables become soft and bacon browns.
Add tomatoes if using. Stir them into the mixture and let them break down a bit. (I did not use them here.) Add beans, salt, pepper, and warm water. Cook 5 minutes. Add uncooked macaroni.
Bring the soup to a boil, then turn down the heat to simmer and cook 8 minutes longer or until the pasta is cooked but not mushy. Add franks.
Ladle the soup into a large soup dish and sprinkle with parmesan cheese.
This soup freezes well and reheats well the next day. A very nice return for very little money.
Try Italian Gypsy Soup for a different but equally safe Italian soup.
Low Fodmap Italian Bean Soup
Ingredients
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- 3 slices of center cut bacon
- 1 bunch medium onions or bunch of spring onions only the light green stems, chopped fine
- 3 slender inner celery stalks with leaves cut up fine
- 2 cloves garlic, sliced thin sauteed in oil and removed
- 2 fresh tomatoes, diced or 1/2 can diced tomatoes
- 1 tsp salt
- 1/2 tsp black pepper
- 1 quart warm water
- 1 cup cooked white beans I use canned cannellini beans
- 1 cup ditalini or other small pasta
- 2 tbsp grated parmesan chees sprinkled to taste
Instructions
- Heat olive oil in heavy 2 qt saucepan until shimmering. Add sliced garlic and saute until oil is infused with garlic flavor. Then remove the garlic. Add diced bacon, celery, and diced onion stems to the hot oil and stir around allowing the vegetables to soften and the bacon to brown. This takes from 3 to 5 minutes.
- Add diced tomatoes, if using them, and continue stirring until the tomatoes break down and soften somewhat.
- Add the warm water, beans, salt, pepper and cook for 5 minutes on medium high heat. Add ditalini pasta, (and cut up frankfurters, if using), and bring the soup to a boil; then turn down to low or low-medium and cook for 8 minutes. Check occasionally and stir, making sure the liquid doesn't evaporate. Turn off the heat and taste the soup. If the flavor seems weak, you can add a knorr chicken bouillion to the hot soup and stir it in until it dissolves, or you can add chicken broth.
- This soup reheats well and also freezes well.
- Recipe serves 4 - 6.
Joan, I think the Ditalini that you used in the picture works better than Elbow Macaroni. It fits in the spoon better.