Soup and Bread
Broth-based soup with gluten-free bread.
Ingredients
Soup
- 6 cups homemade chicken broth or vegetable broth
- 2 cups diced vegetables (carrots, celery, zucchini)
- 1 cup diced cooked chicken (optional, fresh only)
- 1/4 teaspoon sea salt
- Fresh herbs (thyme, parsley)
To Serve
- Gluten-free bread, warmed
- Olive oil (or butter if you tolerate dairy)
Instructions
Make the Soup
- Pour broth into a large pot and bring to a simmer over medium heat.
- Add diced carrots and celery. Cook for 10 minutes.
- Add zucchini and cook for another 5 minutes until all vegetables are tender.
- Add fresh-cooked chicken if using.
- Season with salt and fresh herbs.
- Taste and adjust seasoning.
Serve
- Ladle soup into bowls.
- Warm the bread and serve alongside.
- Offer olive oil or butter for the bread.
Tips & Substitutions
- Use homemade chicken broth or vegetable broth. Commercial broths often have additives, preservatives, and high sodium.
- If adding chicken, use freshly cooked. Never use leftover chicken in soup, as it will have accumulated histamine.
- Use whatever vegetables you have. Potatoes, sweet potatoes, green beans, and bok choy all work.
- Toast the bread for a nice texture contrast against the warm soup.
- Swap gluten-free bread for rice crackers if you prefer, or serve over rice instead.
Why This Works
Homemade broth. Making your own broth lets you control freshness and avoid the additives found in commercial versions. Use very fresh broth that was cooled quickly and used or frozen the same day. Long-simmered bone broth can be higher in histamine for some people.
Carrots, celery, and zucchini. All are naturally low in histamine and generally well tolerated. They soften nicely in broth and add nutrition without needing heavy sauces.
Fresh herbs. Thyme and parsley are naturally low in histamine and provide depth of flavor to simple broth-based soups.
Gluten-free bread. A good option for those who also avoid gluten or find that certain breads with yeast, fermented ingredients, or additives worsen symptoms. Look for brands with simple ingredient lists.
Storage
Cool soup quickly and refrigerate promptly. Soup without chicken can be refrigerated for up to 24 hours, or freeze portions right away for longer storage. If you added chicken, eat within 24 hours since protein-containing dishes accumulate histamine faster.
Not sure if an ingredient is safe? Histamine Tracker includes a database of 1,000+ foods with histamine ratings to help you cook with confidence.
For educational purposes only. Not medical advice. Consult a healthcare professional for personal guidance.
References
- Meat Broth: The Gut-Healing Bone Broth Alternative — MastCell360 (Beth O'Hara)
- Bone Broth/Chicken Broth Recipe — Histamine Friendly Kitchen
- Low Histamine Diet: Foods to Eat and Avoid — Wyndly
- Histamine and histamine intolerance — Maintz & Novak (2007)
- Histamine Intolerance: The Current State of the Art — Comas-Basté et al. (2020)
- Biogenic Amines in Plant-Origin Foods: Are They Frequently Underestimated in Low-Histamine Diets? — Sánchez-Pérez et al. (2021)
- Diamine Oxidase Supplementation Improves Symptoms in Patients with Histamine Intolerance — Schnedl et al. (2019)
- Histamine Intolerance — A Comprehensive Review — Jochum (2024)
Histamine Tracker