Lemon Sole

Why lemon sole is rated low

Lemon sole is low FODMAP. A plain fillet is essentially protein and fat with very little carbohydrate, so the fish itself gives FODMAPs almost nothing to work with, and its rating holds at Any typical portion. That rating is estimated from what the fish is made of, not from a measured serving, and larger amounts than a typical portion are not covered by the rating. Most of the time a plate of sole stops being low because of what comes with it: the flour it is dusted in, the stock it is poached in, or the sauce spooned over it.

What changes your risk

• The coating Sole is often dredged in ordinary wheat flour or pressed into wheat breadcrumbs before frying, and that coating brings wheat into a dish that was low on its own.
• Sauces and stock A classic fish stock is usually built on onion, and many white wine, cream or herb sauces for sole start with shallot or garlic. The fish is unchanged, but the plate is not.
• Tartare and other dips Jarred and restaurant tartare sauces can include onion or shallot alongside the capers and gherkins, so check the label or ask before adding it.
• Stacking across the meal The sole adds next to nothing, but a side of garlic bread, a creamy mash made with milk, and a stuffing with onion all add up in one sitting, and that total is what counts.
• Cooking method Pan frying, baking, grilling or steaming all leave the fish low. Cooking does not create or destroy FODMAPs, it only changes what you add along the way.

What else works

Other plain white fish such as cod, haddock, plaice, hake and flounder sit in the same place as lemon sole when cooked without a coating or sauce, and plain salmon, trout, prawns and eggs fill the same protein role. The lookalikes that are not the same are the prepared versions: breaded or battered sole fillets and fish fingers with a wheat crumb, fish pies with an onion and milk sauce, and ready meals labelled with a sauce. For a crisp crust, swap wheat flour for rice flour, polenta or a gluten free crumb.

How to keep it low

Buy lemon sole fresh or frozen as plain fillets, and read the ingredient list on any frozen pack, since some come pre-coated or with a seasoned butter. The fillets are thin and cook fast, so a hot pan with garlic-infused oil, a dusting of rice flour, and a squeeze of lemon at the end is all it needs. Finish with chives, parsley or capers instead of a shallot sauce, and serve with plain boiled potato, rice, green beans or zucchini so the whole plate stays low. When ordering out, ask whether the fish is floured and what the sauce is made from.

Common questions

is lemon sole low fodmap

Yes. Lemon sole is rated low FODMAP at Any typical portion, an estimate based on it being essentially protein and fat with very little carbohydrate. The coating and sauce are what usually change the picture.

can i eat lemon sole on the elimination phase

Plain lemon sole fits the elimination phase well. Cook it without a wheat flour coating and skip sauces made with onion, shallot or garlic, and use garlic-infused oil, lemon and herbs for flavour instead.

is breaded sole low fodmap

Not necessarily. The fish stays low, but an ordinary wheat breadcrumb or flour coating adds wheat, so a pre-breaded fillet is not the same as plain sole. A rice flour or gluten free crumb keeps it closer to the plain fish.

what sauce can i have with lemon sole on low fodmap

Lemon juice, capers, chopped parsley or chives, and garlic-infused oil all work. Check jarred tartare sauce and restaurant butter sauces for onion, shallot or garlic before using them.