Low-FODMAP Korean food
Korean BBQ actually gives you control: order unmarinated cuts and grill them yourself with just salt and sesame oil. The garlic and onion live in the sauces (gochujang, ssamjang) and kimchi — dip in sesame-oil-and-salt instead. Plain rice, grilled meat, and lettuce wraps (minus the ssamjang) is a safe, satisfying plate.
Korean order card
phasediet.com/eating-out/korean✓ Order
- Plain grilled cuts (samgyeopsal / pork belly, unmarinated beef)
- Steamed white rice
- Lettuce wraps and a sesame-oil-and-salt dip
~ Ask for a change
- Marinated meats
- The sauces
- Bibimbap
✗ Skip
- Kimchi and most fermented banchan
- Stews (doenjang jjigae, kimchi jjigae, budae jjigae)
- Marinated bulgogi and galbi in quantity
- Japchae and heavy soy-garlic glass-noodle dishes
Say this
- “We'll do the plain pork belly and unmarinated beef — salt and sesame oil, no marinade.”
- “Can I get the gochujang on the side?”
Checked July 2026 — menus and recipes change, so confirm with staff. From phasediet.com/eating-out/korean
What to order
These are the dependable low-FODMAP picks — and why each one is a safe bet.
Plain grilled cuts (samgyeopsal / pork belly, unmarinated beef)
You grill them yourself — season with just salt and sesame oil.
Steamed white rice
A dependable low-FODMAP base.
Lettuce wraps and a sesame-oil-and-salt dip
A safe alternative to the garlicky ssamjang.
What to ask the kitchen to change
These can work — with one question or one small adjustment. Here’s exactly what to ask.
Marinated meats
Bulgogi and galbi marinades have garlic, onion, pear, and soy. Order unmarinated cuts you grill yourself, seasoned with salt and sesame oil.
The sauces
Gochujang, ssamjang, and doenjang are all garlic- and onion-heavy. Dip in sesame oil with salt instead, or ask for sauces on the side.
Bibimbap
Ask for the gochujang on the side and skip the garlicky banchan; plain rice, egg, and grilled meat is the safe core.
What to skip
Not forever — most of these come back during reintroduction. During elimination, they’re the reliable triggers to leave off.
Kimchi and most fermented banchan
Garlic and onion.
Stews (doenjang jjigae, kimchi jjigae, budae jjigae)
Garlic, onion, and beans.
Marinated bulgogi and galbi in quantity
Garlic and onion.
Japchae and heavy soy-garlic glass-noodle dishes
Garlic and onion.
The exact words to say
Specific beats vague every time. Most staff won’t know what “low FODMAP” means, but they can absolutely answer “is there onion or garlic in that?”
“We'll do the plain pork belly and unmarinated beef — salt and sesame oil, no marinade.”
“Can I get the gochujang on the side?”
Good to know
- →Korean BBQ gives you control: order unmarinated cuts and grill them yourself with salt and sesame oil.
- →The garlic and onion live in the sauces (gochujang, ssamjang) and kimchi — dip in sesame-oil-and-salt instead.
- →Plain rice, grilled meat, and lettuce wraps (minus the ssamjang) is a safe, satisfying plate.
More cuisine guides
Or browse all eating-out guides.
This guide is for general information only and is not medical advice. Menus, recipes, and kitchen practices change and vary by location, and FODMAP tolerances differ from person to person — always confirm with staff and go by your own experience. New to the diet? Start with our guide to the low-FODMAP diet.