Low FODMAP Indian Food: How to Order at Indian Restaurants With IBS

Low FODMAP Indian Food: How to Order at Indian Restaurants With IBS

By Dr. Onikepe Adegbola, MD PhD — Johns Hopkins-trained physician-scientist

Indian cuisine is built on onion, garlic, legumes, and cream — four major FODMAP categories. But Indian restaurants also offer tandoori-grilled meats, basmati rice, and spice-forward dishes that can be surprisingly safe. The key is knowing which dishes to target.

Key Takeaways

• Tandoori meats (cooked in a clay oven) are your safest bet — yogurt marinade is usually tolerated
• Basmati rice is FODMAP-free and served everywhere
• ALL curry sauces contain onion and garlic as base aromatics
• Lentil dishes (dal) are high FODMAP — avoid regardless of how they're prepared
• FODMAP digestive enzymes are essential for Indian dining

Safe Indian Orders

• ✅ Tandoori chicken — marinated in yogurt + spices, grilled. Minimal garlic/onion.
• ✅ Chicken tikka — boneless version of tandoori chicken
• ✅ Seekh kebab — minced meat + spices, grilled (verify no onion in mince)
• ✅ Basmati rice (plain)
• ✅ Naan (small portion) — wheat-based, but a half-piece is usually tolerated
• ✅ Raita — yogurt + cucumber. Usually tolerated. Good for cooling spice.
• ⚠️ Biryani — rice + meat + spices. Usually contains onion. Ask for plain rice with tandoori meat instead.
• ❌ Dal (any lentil dish) — all legumes are high GOS
• ❌ Butter chicken / tikka masala — cream + onion + garlic sauce base
• ❌ Chana masala — chickpeas = very high GOS
• ❌ Paneer dishes — cream-based sauce + onion + garlic
• ❌ Samosa — wheat pastry, potato + pea filling

Your Best Order

"Tandoori chicken, basmati rice, half naan. Raita on the side."

Take FODMAP digestive enzymes before the meal. See our Korean food guide and Mexican food guide.

Menu items vary. This is educational content only.