Low-FODMAP Vietnamese food
Rice and rice noodles make Vietnamese promising, but pho's broth is built on onion and charred garlic — the one dish to be wary of. A bún (vermicelli) bowl with the dressing on the side is the controllable order. Fish sauce and lime are low-FODMAP; hoisin and peanut sauces are the garlic-onion ones.
Vietnamese order card
phasediet.com/eating-out/vietnamese✓ Order
- Bún (vermicelli) bowls
- Fresh rice-paper spring rolls (gỏi cuốn)
- Grilled meats and steamed rice with herbs and lime
~ Ask for a change
- Pho
- Dipping sauces
- Spring rolls
✗ Skip
- Pho and other long-simmered onion/garlic broths
- Fried spring rolls and wontons
- Hoisin and peanut dipping sauces in quantity
Say this
- “A vermicelli bowl with grilled pork, herbs and rice noodles — dressing on the side, please.”
- “No hoisin or peanut sauce — just fish sauce and lime.”
Checked July 2026 — menus and recipes change, so confirm with staff. From phasediet.com/eating-out/vietnamese
What to order
These are the dependable low-FODMAP picks — and why each one is a safe bet.
Bún (vermicelli) bowls
Rice noodles, grilled protein, herbs, and lettuce — dressing on the side.
Fresh rice-paper spring rolls (gỏi cuốn)
Rice paper, herbs, and shrimp or pork.
Grilled meats and steamed rice with herbs and lime
Note lemongrass marinades often include garlic and shallot.
What to ask the kitchen to change
These can work — with one question or one small adjustment. Here’s exactly what to ask.
Pho
The broth is simmered for hours with onion and charred garlic — it can't be de-onioned. Treat pho as high-risk; a bún bowl is more controllable.
Dipping sauces
Nước chấm, hoisin, and peanut sauce contain garlic (and hoisin has onion). Ask for fish sauce and lime, or sauces on the side.
Spring rolls
Fresh (not fried) rolls are rice paper; skip the hoisin-peanut dip or use it sparingly.
What to skip
Not forever — most of these come back during reintroduction. During elimination, they’re the reliable triggers to leave off.
Pho and other long-simmered onion/garlic broths
Onion and garlic.
Fried spring rolls and wontons
Often wheat.
Hoisin and peanut dipping sauces in quantity
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?”
“A vermicelli bowl with grilled pork, herbs and rice noodles — dressing on the side, please.”
“No hoisin or peanut sauce — just fish sauce and lime.”
Good to know
- →Rice and rice noodles make Vietnamese promising, but pho's broth is built on onion and garlic.
- →A bún (vermicelli) bowl with dressing on the side is the controllable order.
- →Fish sauce and lime are low-FODMAP; hoisin and peanut sauces are the garlic-onion ones.
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.