We love waffles and these Low FODMAP Cheddar Waffles with Bacon & Chives rival any of our sweet versions. If you are like us, you probably think of waffles as being a sweet affair. The first time I heard of savory waffles, I thought they would be poor wannabes. Not these babies! Cornmeal adds texture and substance, cheddar cheese and chives hit the right savory note, and chile powder, oregano, cumin and cayenne bring some spice.
Top with an egg, fried or poached, crisp bacon and maple syrup for a meal to remember – breakfast, brunch, lunch or dinner! Or go another route and try a dollop of sour cream and LOFO salsa!
Is Bacon Low FODMAP?
We have an entire article for you bacon lovers, Is Bacon Low FODMAP?, and the answer is yes, if you purchase right. Bacon is a protein and high in fat and does not contain FODMAPs unless something has been added during processing.
Here’s the thing. Monash had some very specific things to say, which we detail in the article, but it is very easy to find bacon that is low FODMAP.
It is high in fat, as mentioned, which can be a trigger for some with IBS, so use your knowledge of your own body to determine a safe amount for you.
For us, we think a couple of waffles with one egg and a slice of bacon is the perfect ratio for a serving.
Waffle Makers Vary Hugely
Creating recipes for waffles can be a challenge, because every waffle maker is different. Some make square waffles, and some make round, or even heart shape! The wells in the waffles can be shallow or deep; like Belgian-style waffles are deep. Some are less than 3-inches (7.5 cm) across and some are over 8-inches (20 cm) across.
What this means, is that if you see a recipe saying that it makes “4 waffles” with no other description – who knows what you are going to get! On the other hand, the low FODMAP diet is very serving size dependent, so our waffle recipes will give you “waffle count” but other information as well – and it is the serving size that is paramount.
Ingredients For Low FODMAP Cheddar Waffles
All the ingredients are easy to find. You could substitute scallion greens for the chives, but we love the flavor that the chives impart.
For the cornmeal, I used a medium grind cornmeal, as seen here:
Low FODMAP Onion-Infused Oil – please use our recipe to make Low FODMAP Onion-Infused Oil and use vegetable oil, not olive oil as the base! This is a Tex-Mex inspired recipe and the strong flavor of olive oil does not belong here.
Faux “Buttermilk” – By combining lactose-free milk and lemon juice we create a soured milk, or faux “buttermilk”, which adds the right amount of tang and helps us achieve a desirable tender texture, with the help of some baking soda.
How To Make Low FODMAP Cheddar Waffles
As with most waffle recipes, making our Low FODMAP Cheddar Waffles is as easy as whisking together dry ingredients to aerate and combine…
Whisking together wet ingredients…
And then whisking those together.
Then the cheddar and chives are folded in.
Keep mixing until everything is well combined.
The batter is now ready for the waffle iron!
Please note that the Nutritional information is for waffles only, without maple syrup, eggs, bacon our anything else.
Low FODMAP Cheddar Waffles with Bacon & Chives
We love waffles and these Low FODMAP Cheddar Waffles with Bacon & Chives rival any of our sweet versions. If you are like us, you probably think of waffles as being a sweet affair. The first time I heard of savory waffles, I thought they would be poor wannabes. Not these babies! Cornmeal adds texture and substance, cheddar cheese and chives hit the right savory note, and chile powder, oregano, cumin and cayenne bring some spice.
Low FODMAP Serving Size Info: Makes about 10, 4-inch (10 cm) square waffles; serves 4 to 6
Ingredients:
Waffles:
- 2 cups (480 ml) lactose-free whole milk, at room temperature
- 2 tablespoons lemon juice
- 1 1/3 cup (194 g) low FODMAP, gluten-free all-purpose flour, such as Bob’s Red Mill Gluten Free 1 to 1 Baking Flour
- 1/2 cup (76 g) medium-grind yellow cornmeal
- ¼ cup (50 g) sugar
- 1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder; use gluten-free if following a gluten-free diet
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
- Heaping ¼ teaspoon chipotle chile powder
- Heaping ⅛ teaspoon ground cumin
- Heaping ⅛ teaspoon oregano
- Pinch cayenne
- 2 large eggs, at room temperature, at room temperature
- 2 tablespoons unsalted butter melted and cooled slightly
- 2 tablespoons Onion-Infused Oil, made with vegetable oil, plus extra
- 4- ounces (115 g) extra-sharp cheddar cheese, shredded
- 1/3 cup (24 g) minced fresh chives
Add-Ons:
- Maple Syrup
- Thick-cut bacon, cooked crisp and crumbled
- Poached or fried eggs
- Lactose-free sour cream
- Low FODMAP salsa
Preparation:
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Preheat oven to 200°F (95°C).
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Whisk together the milk and lemon juice in a medium sized mixing bowl and allow to thicken for 5 minutes.
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Meanwhile, in a large mixing bowl, whisk together the flour, cornmeal, sugar, baking powder, salt, baking soda, chipotle chile powder, cumin, oregano and cayenne to aerate and combine; set aside.
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Whisk the eggs, melted butter and 2 tablespoons oil into the soured milk until combined. Pour this wet mixture over the dry and begin to fold together until a few floury streaks remain. Fold in the cheese and chives until batter is well mixed.
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Preheat waffle iron according to manufacturer’s instructions. Brush waffle iron with a little extra Onion-Infused Oil. Cook waffles according to manufacturer’s instructions, cooking until well browned. They might be a bit soft, which is okay, Transfer to rack in warm oven as you cook the rest. The waffles will crisp up a bit in the oven.
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Serve immediately. Our favorite combo is maple syrup, bacon and an egg! A dollop of lactose-free sour cream, extra chives or chopped scallion greens and/or LOFO salsa are great, too. Get ready to be WOWed.
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You can freeze them in a zip-top bag and pop them in the toaster; no need to defrost. So maybe make double and freeze a bunch?
Notes:
Tips
FODMAP Information
Our recipes are based on Monash University and FODMAP Friendly science.
- Cheese: Many cheeses have low FODMAP serving sizes. The low FODMAP diet is not a dairy-free diet. Hard cheeses such as Parmigiano Reggiano or Pecorino Romano have been lab tested by Monash University and are low FODMAP in 40 g amounts.
- Chives: Both Monash University and FODMAP Friendly have lab tested chives. Monash says that chives contain no FODMAPs. FODMAP Friendly gives them a “Pass” at 1 tablespoon (4 g).
- Eggs: Eggs are high in protein and do not contain carbohydrates, according to Monash University.
- Maple Syrup: Both Monash University and FODMAP Friendly have lab tested maple syrup. Monash says that maple syrup is Green light and low FODMAP in servings of 2 Australian tablespoons (50 g). FODMAP Friendly gives it a “Pass” at 2 tablespoons (53 g). These amounts are likely recommended due to Australian healthy eating guidelines; no upper limit is posted by either Monash or FODMAP Friendly.
- Onion-Infused Oil: Make your own Onion-Infused Oil or buy a commercial equivalent for the easiest way to add onion flavor to your food. Fructans in onions are not oil-soluble, so onion-infused oil is low FODMAP.
- Sugar: Monash University and FODMAP Friendly have both lab tested white, granulated sugar. Monash states that a Green Light low FODMAP serving size of white sugar is ¼ cup (50 g). FODMAP Friendly simply states that they have tested 1 tablespoon and that it is low FODMAP. Regular granulated white sugar is sucrose, which is a disaccharide made up of equal parts glucose and fructose. Sucrose is broken down and absorbed efficiently in the small intestine.
Please always refer to the Monash University & FODMAP Friendly smartphone apps for the most up-to-date lab tested information. As always, your tolerance is what counts; please eat accordingly. The ultimate goal of the low FODMAP diet is to eat as broadly as possible, without triggering symptoms, for the healthiest microbiome.
Nutrition
All nutritional information is based on third-party calculations and should be considered estimates. Actual nutritional content will vary with brands used, measuring methods, portion sizes and more. For a more detailed explanation, please read our article Understanding The Nutrition Panel Within Our Recipes.
Bonus pic! These waffles were developed while we were sheltering at home in April 2020. We decided to rip up the kitchen floor and paint because, why not?! It’s not like I “need” the kitchen LOL. Rose was not amused. It threw off her regular “helping” routine, where she follows me around the kitchen waiting for an occasional treat – or for anything that might fall.
These were really good! I didn’t have chipotle Chile pepper so I used an Ancho chili pepper. I had tried to make savory waffles once before & didn’t like the result, but I will definitely be making these again! Yum. Great recipe.
Did you make them for breakfast or another meal? We like them ANYTIME of day. So glad you enjoyed them.
These are crazy good! But, after blindly pouring in 194 grams of cornmeal into my dry ingredients bowl I realized that was way too much… I was able to scoop out all but 90 grams, and I figured 1/2 cup was around 75 grams, so I was good. These waffles are really savory and delicious. I’m freezing the extras for easy meals, and absolutely making them often.
Sounds like you did what I would have done:) Glad you enjoyed them and they do freeze well! Bon Appetit.
Can I use almond milk in this recipe?
You could try. The recipe had only been tested as presented.