Delicious Low Histamine Butternut Squash Hummus Recipe

Regular hummus is off the table for most people eating low histamine. Traditional hummus contains chickpeas, which can be a DAO enzyme blocker, meaning they reduce your body’s ability to break down histamine from food, and most recipes add lemon juice or vinegar on top of that. The combination is sometimes problematic, and I say that as someone who missed hummus more than almost anything else during the early stages of my own elimination.

This butternut squash version gives you something in the same territory: creamy, savoury, smooth, works in wraps, on rice crackers, alongside vegetable sticks. It is not the same as chickpea hummus and I am not going to pretend it is. But it is a very good dip, and it will fill the hummus-shaped gap in your life fairly well.

Learn more about which foods are low and high histamine in the Happy Without Histamine – Low Histamine Foods Guide.

A bowl of thick, yellow-brown paste, likely made from soybean or lentils, with a smooth texture, sitting on a white surface.

Butternut squash “hummus”

Prep time: 5 mins
Cook time: 30 mins
Total time: 40 mins
Serves: 4
Gluten free
Dairy free
Low histamine
No refined sugar

Ingredients:

250 grams Butternut Squash (1/2 a medium squash)
1/4 cup Basil Leaves (approx 1/4 bunch)
1/2 cup Macadamia Nuts
2 tbsps Extra Virgin Olive Oil
1 tsp Cumin
1/2 tsp Apple Cider Vinegar (or lemon juice – optional)
1/4 tsp Sea Salt
1/8 tsp Black or White Pepper (to taste)

Instructions:

Heat the oven to 170C (340F) and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
Cut squash into chunks leaving the skin on. Roast for about 30 minutes until completely soft. Allow to cool, peel off skin and drain off any excess liquid.
In a food processor, blend the basil leaves to a paste then add the macadamias and olive oil. This can be left slightly chunky or made smoother depending on your preference.
Add the squash pieces, (optional – lemon juice), cumin, salt and pepper. Pulse until combined. Taste and adjust seasoning if necessary.
Place in a small bowl and serve.

Note on lemon juice and apple cider vinegar: Citrus juice is a histamine liberator for some people, and vinegar is generally high in histamine, though apple cider vinegar is often better tolerated than wine or balsamic vinegars. If you are in the elimination phase or are highly reactive, leave the acid out entirely. The dip works well without it.

Why chickpeas are a problem for histamine intolerance

Chickpeas are not high in histamine themselves, but they contain compounds that block the DAO enzyme, which is responsible for breaking down histamine in the gut. This means that eating chickpeas can reduce your body’s capacity to deal with the histamine from everything else you eat at the same meal or have absorbed throughout the day. It is a bucket-filling problem rather than a direct histamine problem, which is why some people with milder histamine intolerance tolerate chickpeas while others react significantly. Chickpeas are good for gut health however, so if you can still eat them please do.

Butternut squash does not block the DAO enzyme. It is low histamine, low in oxalate, and easy on the digestive system, making it a reliable base for this kind of recipe.

Frequently asked questions

Is butternut squash low histamine?

Yes. Butternut squash is considered low histamine and is well tolerated by most people with histamine intolerance and MCAS. It is also low in oxalate, which makes it a good choice if you are managing both conditions.

Are macadamia nuts low histamine?

Yes. Macadamia nuts are the most reliably low histamine nut option. They also have a naturally creamy, mild flavour that works particularly well in dips like this one.

How should I serve this dip?

This works well as a spread in a wrap with shredded fresh chicken and salad, as a dip with carrot, celery, or cucumber sticks, spread onto rice crackers, or as a sauce alongside a main meal. You can also add a pinch of coriander seed to vary the flavour.

How long does this dip keep?

Up to three days in the fridge in a sealed glass container. Given that histamine levels in prepared food can increase over time, eat within 48 hours if you are highly reactive.

Can I use other nuts instead of macadamia?

Macadamia is the best option here both for flavour and for histamine tolerance. Walnuts are moderate histamine and may work for some people. Almonds, cashews, and peanuts are higher histamine and are more likely to cause problems. Pumpkin seeds are low histamine and might also work well.

Want more low histamine snack ideas?

This dip is one of the recipes featured in the Low Histamine Snacks Roundup on this site. For a full four weeks of meal plans including snacks, lunch ideas and dinner recipes, the Low Histamine Reboot and other meal plans are avalilable at happywithouthistamine.com/shop.

About the author

Luanne Hopkinson (GradDipHumNutr, BSc, ADipNutrMed, MRC Healthy Gut Practitioner) is a clinical nutritionist and neuroplasticity coach specialising in histamine intolerance and MCAS. She is the founder of Happy Without Histamine and creator of the 5R Histamine Modulation Protocol. She works with women across Australia and internationally, drawing on 20 years of background in IT project management to treat histamine intolerance as the systems problem it actually is. nutrition + neuroscience