Delicious Low Histamine Cauliflower and Kale Soup Recipe

One of the trickiest parts of eating for histamine intolerance is keeping vegetables front and centre in your meals. It’s easy to default to a plate of plain protein and a cautious side of whatever feels safe that day, but your body genuinely needs the variety and potassium that comes from a wide range of low histamine vegetables.

This low histamine cauliflower and kale soup is my answer to that. It’s creamy without any dairy, nourishing, and on the table in under 45 minutes. It’s also low oxalate, gluten-free, and works beautifully in a pressure cooker or on the stovetop. I’ve included it in my Low Histamine Meal Plan for a reason: it’s one of those recipes that makes the low histamine lifestyle feel genuinely manageable. Vegetable soups are the perfect way to increase your daily vegetable intake and help your digestive system with an easy-to-digest meal. We can sometimes get stuck in a low-vegetable, high-protein and carb diet when going low histamine. It’s important to eat as many low-histamine veggies as you can cram in, due to the much-needed potassium content we don’t get from a lot of other foods.

Why vegetable soups work so well for histamine intolerance

When you’re managing histamine intolerance or MCAS (mast cell activation syndrome), digestive health is everything. Histamine is produced in the gut as well as coming from food, so keeping your digestion calm and moving smoothly matters a great deal.

Soups are ideal for this. Cooking vegetables breaks down the cell walls, making nutrients easier to absorb and placing less demand on your digestive system. You also get a concentrated source of potassium, which many people on a restricted low histamine diet can fall short on. A diet heavy in protein and carbohydrates and light on vegetables is a common trap when going low histamine, and soups like this one help correct that balance.

Cauliflower and kale both deliver generous amounts of potassium, vitamin C, and vitamin K in a format that’s easy for your body to process.

Are cauliflower and kale low histamine?

Yes. Both cauliflower and kale are considered low histamine foods. Neither releases histamine directly, and neither is a known histamine liberator. They are also low in oxalates, which is a welcome bonus if you’re managing both histamine intolerance and kidney stone risk or vulvodynia.

Kale is a cruciferous vegetable, which means some people with gut inflammation find it harder to tolerate in larger amounts. If you’re new to kale, start with a smaller serving and see how you feel. Cooking it thoroughly in soup, as in this recipe, generally makes it much easier to digest than eating it raw.

A note on using vegetable stock

Stock is one of the trickiest ingredients to navigate when eating low histamine. Long-cooked meat-based stocks are typically high in histamine because histamine forms as proteins break down over time. That’s why I always use homemade vegetable stock in my low histamine recipes.

If you have a mild case of histamine intolerance and want to use a meat-based stock, you can use my chicken stock or beef stock recipe and reduce the cooking time to two hours or under. Shorter cooking time means less histamine formation.

If you’re buying stock from the supermarket, check the label carefully. Many commercial stocks contain yeast extract, vinegar, or tomato, all of which are high histamine.

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

A bowl of green soup, garnished with a small sprig of parsley on top.

Low histamine cauliflower and kale soup

Prep time: 10 mins
Cook time: 25 -30 mins
Total time: 45 mins
Serves: 4-6
Gluten-free
Dairy-free
Low histamine
Low oxalate

Ingredients:

3 tbsp Extra Virgin Olive Oil (divided)
6 Garlic (cloves, peeled and trimmed)
1 Onion (large, roughly chopped)
1 Leeks (trimmed and chopped)
1 Head Cauliflower (sliced into florets)
8 cups Kale Leaves (packed)
1 tsp Low histamine Italian Seasoning
1 tsp Sea Salt
6 cups Organic vegetable stock

Instructions:

Wash and chop the vegetables roughly.
Place the olive oil, garlic, onion and leek in the pressure cooker instant pot and saute for 3-5 minutes until onions soften.
Add the cauliflower, kale, Italian seasoning, salt and vegetable stock. Cook on low pressure for 25-30 minutes or high pressure for 20 minutes. I use the soup setting.
Allow to cool for 10 minutes once it’s cooked.
Puree soup with a stick blender. Alternatively puree in batches in a high-speed blender until smooth and creamy.
Divide into bowls and enjoy!

You can also cook this in a saucepan on the stovetop for around 35-45 minutes until vegetables are tender.

Note on storage: I store mine in glass jars or in glasslock containers. they will last 2-3 days in the fridge or up to a year in the freezer.

Storage and freezing tips

I store this soup in glass jars or Glasslock containers rather than plastic, which is a good habit when managing histamine intolerance because some plastics can leach compounds that affect histamine levels over time.

In the fridge, this soup will keep well for 2 to 3 days. In the freezer, it lasts up to a year.

Tip: portion it into single serves before freezing so you can grab one quickly on a symptomatic day when cooking feels like too much.

Frequently asked questions

Is this soup suitable for MCAS?

Yes. This recipe uses whole food, low histamine ingredients throughout. If you have MCAS, ensure your vegetable stock is homemade and free from high histamine additives. All the vegetables in this recipe (cauliflower, kale, leek, onion, and garlic) are considered safe for most people managing MCAS.

Can I use a different leafy green instead of kale?

Yes. Silverbeet, arugula (rocket), or zucchini all work well as substitutes. You can grab my free low histamine food guide to get a full list of low histamine options.

Can I add protein to this soup?

Yes, you can. Fresh chopped chicken can be added to the soup before pressure cooking, or fresh cooked chicken can be added to the soup, which works well. Avoid processed meats, canned fish, or anything that has been stored in the fridge for more than 24 hours, as histamine levels rise as proteins age.

Why does my soup taste bitter?

Kale can add a slight bitterness, particularly if you’re using older, more mature leaves. Use younger kale leaves where possible, and make sure you’re cooking the soup long enough for the kale to fully soften.

Can I make this soup ahead of time?

Yes, and it’s actually a great meal prep option. Make a full batch at the start of the week and portion it into containers. Just remember that for histamine intolerance, freshness matters, so consume within 2 to 3 days from the fridge, or freeze immediately after it cools.

Want more low histamine recipes?

This soup is one of over 55 recipes included in the Low Histamine Reboot. The Reboot includes four weeks of meal plans with weekly prep guides and shopping lists, designed to take the guesswork out of eating low histamine.

About Luanne Hopkinson

Luanne Hopkinson (GradDipHumNutr, BSc, ADipNutrMed) is a clinical nutritionist, neuroplasticity coach, and founder of Happy Without Histamine. After navigating her own MCAS and histamine intolerance journey, she now helps women with MCAS and histamine sensitivity stop chasing triggers and start creating real healing.

Through her 5R Histamine Modulation Protocol™, Luanne combines gut microbiome repair with nervous system regulation to help the body feel safe again, so reactions settle, and life expands.

Because healing histamine intolerance isn’t about shrinking your world, it’s about getting back into it.

Educational information only. This content is provided for informational purposes by Luanne Hopkinson, Clinical Nutritionist & Member of ATMS (Australian Traditional Medicine Society). It does not constitute medical advice and is not a substitute for professional healthcare. Always consult your doctor or qualified health practitioner before changing your diet, starting supplements, or making health decisions. Individual experiences may vary.