Which Soups Are Low in Histamine? A Guide to Safe and Soothing Bowls

October 27, 2025 •

3 min read

According to a 2021 review, a wide range of foods are often advised against for histamine intolerant individuals, and soup ingredients must be carefully chosen. Knowing which soups are low in histamine is essential for managing symptoms and enjoying a comforting meal without adverse reactions.

Quick Summary

This guide outlines a variety of low-histamine soup options, focusing on fresh ingredients and proper preparation techniques to reduce histamine content. It details acceptable vegetables, protein sources, and flavorings while highlighting ingredients to avoid, such as fermented products and aged items. The content also addresses important cooking considerations, such as using fresh ingredients and minimizing cooking times, to help manage histamine intolerance.

Key Points

Prioritize Fresh Ingredients: Use freshly cooked meat, fish, and vegetables to minimize histamine buildup, which increases with food age.
Avoid Aged and Fermented Items: Soups should be free of aged cheeses, soy products, vinegar, and other fermented foods, which are high in histamine.
Use Short-Cooked Broths: Opt for meat broths or vegetable stocks simmered for a short time instead of long-cooked bone broth, which is high in histamines.
Choose Low-Histamine Vegetables: Build your base with safe vegetables like carrots, cauliflower, zucchini, and bell peppers, avoiding high-histamine items like tomatoes and spinach.
Flavor with Fresh Herbs and Oils: Enhance taste with ginger, basil, and parsley, and use infused oils instead of histamine-releasing additives.

Understanding Histamine Intolerance and Food Preparation

For those with histamine intolerance, managing dietary intake is crucial, and homemade soups can be an excellent way to control ingredients. Histamine levels are influenced by food freshness, storage, and preparation methods. Cooking for prolonged periods, especially with certain animal products, can increase histamine content. Therefore, opting for fresh ingredients and quicker cooking times is a core strategy for preparing low-histamine meals.

Low-Histamine Ingredients for Flavorful Soups

Creating delicious, low-histamine soups starts with selecting the right building blocks. Focus on fresh, whole foods to build your flavor profile from the ground up.

Vegetable Bases: Asparagus, broccoli, carrots, cauliflower, bell peppers (red and yellow), zucchini, butternut squash, cucumber, leeks, and onions are all suitable choices. Using infused olive oil with garlic or onion can provide flavor without the histamine risk of cooked aromatics.
Protein Sources: Freshly cooked, grass-fed meat and pasture-raised poultry are preferable. For fish, choose freshly caught or frozen varieties like trout or hake. Meat broths made with just the meat and simmered for a short time are a low-histamine alternative to long-cooked bone broth.
Herbs and Spices: Fresh herbs like basil, oregano, parsley, mint, and ginger add a burst of flavor. Turmeric and rosemary are also generally well-tolerated.
Creamy Additions: For a creamy texture, incorporate unsweetened coconut milk, coconut cream, or a small amount of lactose-free milk. A cooked potato or parsnip can also be pureed to thicken a soup naturally.

Soups to Avoid for High Histamine Content

Equally important is knowing which soups to avoid, as many common ingredients can be high in histamines or histamine-liberating.

Long-Cooked Bone Broth: While popular for gut health, bone broth cooked for extended periods (over 4 hours) is high in histamine and should be avoided.
Tomato-Based Soups: Tomatoes are a histamine liberator, meaning they cause the body to release its own histamine. This applies to most traditional tomato soups.
Fermented or Aged Ingredients: Soups with aged cheese, soy sauce, vinegar, or yeast extract are off-limits.
Canned Soups: Canned foods and ready meals often contain preservatives and additives that can affect histamine levels.

Simple Low-Histamine Soup Ideas

Here are some examples of low-histamine soups that are both safe and delicious:

Chicken Ginger Soup: A soothing option featuring freshly cooked chicken, carrots, and celery, flavored with ginger for its anti-inflammatory properties. Use a quick, freshly made meat broth instead of bone broth.
Creamy Cauliflower Soup: Made by blending steamed cauliflower with a small amount of coconut cream and a pinch of salt. Serve topped with fresh chives.
Carrot and Fennel Soup: A sweet and savory soup combining carrots and fennel with a mild onion flavor from garlic-infused olive oil.
Butternut Squash Soup: Roasting butternut squash and blending it with fresh vegetable broth and a bit of ginger creates a naturally sweet and comforting soup.

Low-Histamine Soup Comparison Table

To help navigate your choices, this table compares low-histamine options with high-histamine alternatives.


Feature	Low-Histamine Soup	High-Histamine Soup
Base	Freshly made meat broth (short cook time) or homemade vegetable stock	Long-cooked bone broth or pre-made stocks with unknown ingredients
Key Vegetables	Carrots, zucchini, butternut squash, cauliflower, broccoli	Tomatoes, eggplant, spinach, avocado
Aromatics	Garlic-infused olive oil, freshly chopped leeks, or onions	Cooked onions or garlic stored for more than 1-2 days
Flavorings	Fresh ginger, parsley, basil, coriander, thyme, sea salt	Aged cheeses, soy sauce, vinegar, chili powder
Protein	Freshly cooked chicken breast or white fish	Canned fish, smoked or processed meats

Conclusion

Navigating a low-histamine diet, particularly when it comes to comforting foods like soup, can be challenging, but it is certainly achievable by focusing on freshness and simplicity. By carefully selecting low-histamine ingredients such as fresh vegetables, certain fresh proteins, and mild herbs, you can prepare a variety of flavorful and soothing soups that minimize the risk of triggering symptoms. Always prioritize freshly prepared meals over stored leftovers or pre-made options, as histamine levels increase over time. Consulting with a healthcare professional or a registered dietitian is recommended to create a personalized diet plan. The key is to be mindful of both the ingredients and the preparation method to ensure your bowl of soup remains a comforting part of your diet rather than a source of discomfort.

Frequently Asked Questions

Bone broth is high in histamine because the long cooking process required to extract nutrients also allows for a significant build-up of histamine, especially if the bones contain meat that has been stored for a while.

It is not recommended to use canned broth, as it can contain preservatives and additives that may contribute to histamine intolerance symptoms. Freshly made broth or stock is the safest option.

Yes, both potatoes and sweet potatoes are generally considered low-histamine options and can be used as a base or thickener for soups.

You can thicken soups by puréeing a portion of cooked low-histamine vegetables like potato, butternut squash, or cauliflower. You can also add coconut cream for a creamy consistency.

Yes, freezing freshly made, low-histamine soup is safe. However, avoid refrigerating leftovers for more than a day or two, as histamine levels can increase over time even in the fridge.

Avoid spices like chili powder, cayenne pepper, cinnamon, and nutmeg. It is also wise to avoid seasoning packets and pre-made spice blends that may contain hidden high-histamine ingredients.

You can make a 'nomato' creamy soup by using ingredients like roasted carrots and red bell peppers to achieve a reddish color and a mild, sweet flavor. Some recipes even use nectarines and cherries for an AIP-friendly 'tomato' flavor.