Curry powder on its own is generally low FODMAP, but most curry dishes are not, because they’re built on a base of onion and garlic. The answer depends on whether you’re asking about the spice blend, a homemade curry, or a restaurant or jarred version. With the right swaps, though, curry is one of the easier meals to adapt for a low FODMAP diet.
Curry Powder Is Usually Safe
A standard curry powder blend contains turmeric, coriander, fenugreek, cinnamon, cumin, black pepper, ginger, and cardamom. These spices are all low FODMAP. The USDA’s commercial description of curry powder lists these as the expected ingredients, and none of them contain the sugars (fructans or GOS) that trigger symptoms on a low FODMAP diet.
The catch is that some brands sneak in garlic powder or onion powder as flavor boosters. Always check the ingredient label. If you see “dehydrated garlic,” “onion powder,” or “spices” listed vaguely without specifics, choose a different brand. Pure spice blends that list each ingredient individually are your safest bet. Brands marketed specifically as low FODMAP exist, but any curry powder without garlic or onion will work.
Why Most Curry Dishes Are High FODMAP
The problem isn’t the spice. It’s everything else in the pot. Traditional Indian curries start by sautéing onion and garlic in oil, often in generous amounts. Thai curry pastes, whether red, green, or yellow, are typically packed with shallots and garlic cloves as core ingredients. Monash University, the leading research institution behind the FODMAP diet, notes that standard Thai curry pastes “are usually packed with onions and garlic.”
Restaurant curries almost always contain both. So do most jarred sauces and premade pastes on grocery store shelves. If you’re in the elimination phase of a low FODMAP diet, ordering curry at a restaurant or grabbing a jar off the shelf is risky unless you can confirm exactly what’s in it.
The Garlic-Infused Oil Trick
You don’t have to give up garlic flavor entirely. Garlic-infused oil is low FODMAP, and it’s the single most useful ingredient for making curry taste right without the FODMAPs. The reason is simple: fructans, the specific carbohydrate in garlic and onion that causes problems, dissolve in water but not in fat. When garlic is steeped in olive oil, the flavor and aroma compounds transfer into the oil, but the fructans stay behind in the garlic itself.
This means you can sauté your spices in garlic-infused olive oil and get a convincingly garlicky base without the digestive consequences. The same principle applies to onion-infused oil. You can buy both commercially or make them at home by gently heating peeled garlic cloves or onion pieces in oil, then straining them out completely before cooking.
Building a Low FODMAP Curry
A satisfying low FODMAP curry comes together quickly once you know the substitutions. Start with garlic-infused oil as your cooking fat. Use the green tops of spring onions (scallions) instead of regular onion, since the green parts are low FODMAP while the white bulb is not. Add your curry powder, fresh ginger, and a pinch of chili if you like heat.
For the liquid base, coconut milk is low FODMAP and gives curries their characteristic richness. Canned tomatoes work well too, in servings up to about half a cup. Fresh herbs like cilantro, lemongrass, and kaffir lime leaves are all safe and help replicate the complexity of traditional recipes, especially for Thai-style curries. Monash University’s own Thai green chicken curry recipe omits onion and garlic entirely while keeping lemongrass, cilantro, and lime to preserve the authentic flavor profile.
Proteins and Vegetables That Work
Chicken, shrimp, firm tofu, and most unprocessed meats are naturally FODMAP-free, making them ideal curry proteins. Where it gets trickier is with legume-based curries like dhal or chana masala. Lentils and chickpeas contain GOS (galacto-oligosaccharides), but canned and well-rinsed versions are tolerated in small amounts. A quarter cup of rinsed, drained canned lentils or chickpeas is considered low FODMAP. That’s enough to add some texture and protein to a curry, but not enough to make a lentil-heavy dhal the way it’s traditionally served.
For vegetables, good low FODMAP options that hold up well in curries include bell peppers, zucchini, eggplant (in portions up to about one cup), carrots, baby spinach stirred in at the end, and green beans. Potatoes are also FODMAP-free and add the heartiness that makes a curry feel like a complete meal. Avoid cauliflower in large amounts, mushrooms, and sugar snap peas.
What to Watch for With Premade Products
If you prefer the convenience of jarred curry sauces or paste packets, read labels carefully. Beyond the obvious garlic and onion, watch for honey (high in fructose), apple juice concentrate, and “natural flavors,” which can sometimes contain onion or garlic derivatives. High fructose corn syrup and chicory root fiber (inulin) are other common additions that are high FODMAP.
A small number of brands now produce certified low FODMAP curry pastes and simmer sauces. These are tested to confirm they fall within safe thresholds. They cost more than regular versions but remove the guesswork entirely, which can be worth it during the elimination phase when you’re trying to get a clear baseline for your symptoms.