I have a thing for Italian food, I really do! I mean their cuisine has it all. Flavor, texture, comfort, elegance, you name it they have it! I could definitely say Italian is one of my favorite cuisines. Just think about how many of the all-time favorite comfort foods come from Italy. Pasta, Pizza, Calzone, Bolognese sauce, Tiramisu, Lasagna the list is endless. But today I will talk about the good old lasagna. And not just any lasagna but the best classic low fodmap lasagna!
The funny and slightly ironic thing about this recipe is its background story. Ever since I was young, even before being diagnosed with IBS and gluten intolerance I was in love with Italian food. And that being said I’ve eaten in many Italian restaurants, from Italy to every country I’ve ever been to. However I only tried the best of the best lasagnas ( the queen of all lasagnas) and I’m not even joking, in France cooked by my (and here is the funny thing) Swedish friend. Yes, a Swedish guy was responsible for what I describe to be the best lasagna in the world! Thanks, Andreas! I probably would have never known how lasagna is supposed to taste if I haven’t had met you.
This classic low fodmap lasagna recipe is an adaptation of his classic lasagna recipe. Because his original recipe was not gluten-free or low fodmap( I tried it before I was diagnosed with IBS and gluten intolerance) I changed only a few ingredients so I can make it suitable for low fodmap and gluten-free diet and kept everything as close as possible to the original.
Classic Low FODMAP lasagna recipe
This low FODMAP lasagna recipe is everything an Italian lasagna should be, juicy, flavorful, cheesy, filling, comforting and super delicious! The fact that is made gluten-free and low fodmap doesn’t take anything away from its authenticity and flavor. The texture is as Italians say al dente, with a cheesy crunch on the outside. The Ragù is bursting with a deep flavor that will send you straight to Italy.
This Low FODMAP Lasagna is definitely one of the go-to comfort foods that I like cooking regularly for myself but also my family and friends because it definitely can feed a crowd.
How to make this classic low FODMAP lasagna
As mentioned above, this recipe uses some shortcuts in the preparation which makes it 10 times simpler and easier to make than the traditional lasagna recipe. You will only need 2 pans and a couple of simple and easily accessible ingredients.
You need to prepare the ragù sauce in one pan, the béchamel sauce in another, and assemble everything together.
For the detailed step-by-step instruction scroll at the end of this page.
Can I make this classic low fodmap lasagna completely dairy-free?
Yes, you can. Simply replace the cheese with a vegan one. And for the béchamel sauce swap, the butter for olive oil and the milk for plant-based milk alternative such as almond milk.
Make-ahead tip
This Classic Low FODMAP Lasagna recipe is freezer friendly. You can either freeze it before or after baking. If you wanna freeze it in the dish that you have baked it make sure that is a freezer-friendly dish.
To freeze it before baking: Just assemble the lasagna in your freezer-friendly baking dish, cover it with a foil or plastic wrap and put it in the freezer. When you want to cook it just follow the recipe instructions.
To freeze it after baking: Either in your baking or in a plastic container place the lasagna in the freezer. To reheat it, just place the lasagna in a baking dish and bake it in the oven for 10min in a 200C degrees.
FODMAP tip:
*If you are using store-bought garlic-infused olive oil, make sure there are no floating bits of garlic in it. You can also make Garlic Infused olive oil at home by frying garlic cloves in the olive oil until they are golden and fragrant. Then remove them from the oil and continue cooking your meal.
*Use plain tomato passata, without any additional flavorings or spices (since there can be hidden FODMAP's.)
*Choose a beef stock that doesn't contain onion or garlic. (if you can't find one that swaps this ingredient for water). Your lasagna will taste just as good, however, if you omit the beef stock you might need to adjust the saltiness and add a little bit more of the Italian herbs spices.
*Make sure your Italian herbs mix doesn't contain garlic.
Low FODMAP Lasagna (Dairy-Free Option)
Ingredients
For the Ragù
- 3 tablespoon garlic infused olive oil
- 2 big carrots finely diced
- 500 gr minced meat (half pork, half beef)
- 70 ml red wine
- 200 ml beef stock (or water)
- 3 fresh tomatoes chopped
- 500 ml tomato passata
- 10 to 20 gr fresh basil finely chopped
- 20to30 gr fresh chives finely chopped
- 1 teaspoon Italian herbs mix
- Salt and black pepper (according to taste)
For the Béchamel sauce
- 2 tablespoon (20g) Butter
- 2 Tbsp (20g) gluten-free flour
- 300 ml (1 ¼ cup) lactose-free milk
- 1//4 teaspoon nutmeg
- salt and black pepper (according to taste)
For the Lasagna
- 250 gr gluten-free lasagna sheets
- 100 g grated mozarella
- 100 g fresly grated parmesan cheese
Instructions
- 1. Begin with prepping the ragù sauce2. Heat up a larger pot over a medium heat. Once hot add garlic infused olive oil, minced meat, diced carrots and let it cook until mince is mostly browning (couple of minutes), then pour in the red wine and let it bubble at a high heat for a minute or two.3. Pour in the beef stock (or water) and let it simmer for 5 to 8min (or until the liquid is evaporated)4. Continue by adding the chopped tomatoes, together with the tomato passata, chopped basil and chives.5. Season with the Italian herb mix, salt and black pepper. And let it simmer over low heat for about 10 to 15 min.(The ragù sauce shouldn't be too liquid)6. While the ragù sauce cooks, start preparing the béchamel sauce.7. Melt the butter in a heavy-bottomed saucepan. Stir in the flour and cook, stirring constantly, until the paste cooks and bubbles a bit, but don't let it brown — about 2 minutes. Add the hot milk, continuing to stir as the sauce thickens. Bring it to a boil. Add salt and pepper to taste, lower the heat, and cook, stirring for 2 to 3 minutes more8. Now preheat your oven to 180C degrees.9. While both of the sauces cook. Soak the lasagna sheets in a warm water for 3 min.(watch out to not over-soak them) 10. Once both the béchamel and the ragù sauce are done, you can start assembling your lasagna.11. The first layer of the lasagna should be the ragù sauce, then one layer of lasagna sheets, then the ragù sauce, the béchamel sauce and the grated cheese, and then another layer of lasagna sheets. Repeat this until all your ingredients are finished. The last layer of the lasagna should be the ragù sauce topped with cheese . I also like adding fresh tomato slices at the top (but that is optional)12. Place it in the oven and bake for 30 to 35min on 190C degrees. Or until the top is golden .13. Sprinkle some fresh basil and chives and serve while it is warm.
Kelly says
I haven't tried this yet, but it'd be helpful if you mentioned what size pan to use for baking, and some key nutritional facts for people with IBS, such as how much fiber per serving. Also, I live in the US, so cups and Fahrenheit would be nice! Looks delicious!
Gluten Free Stories says
Hi, Kelly. Thank you for the tips. All of my newer recipes have both the US cups and Fahrenheit. I'm currently working on changing all of my older recipes and hopefully, in the near future I'll add the nutritional facts. The size of the pan is 8x8 inches. I'll update that in the recipe as well.