This low histamine pesto recipe is packed full of mast cell supportive nutrients. 

And you can use this basil pesto as a dip, spread, sauce over a meat or veggie main dish, or even thin it out and use it as a salad dressing!

It’s one of many low histamine recipes you can use to easily add variety. 

And with Mast Cell Activation Syndrome (MCAS) and Histamine Intolerance (HIT), having simple and flexible low histamine options in the kitchen can be really helpful! 

This recipe is:  

• Low histamine
• Low oxalate (at 1 serving)
• Low lectin 
• Low FODMAP (option)
• Gluten Free
• Dairy Free

I’ll tell you some tips for nuts on a low histamine diet and what you need to know about olive oil. But first, let’s take a look at one of my favorite herbs—basil!  

Before you change your diet on your own, please make sure you’re working with a healthcare practitioner who can help you with this. Never limit foods unnecessarily, and always have a licensed medical provider who is supervising your case.   

The Benefits of Basil 

Herbs are some of the most nutrient-packed foods you can eat! Many are also low histamine and contain nutrients or compounds that are mast cell supportive, too. 

And with all the different flavor profiles, fresh herbs are an ideal addition to low histamine eating. 

Related Post: Low Histamine Foods List 

There are a number of different types of basil plants.  

You can get beautiful purple basil called Amethyst Basil. There is Thai Basil, Italian Basil, Lemon Basil, Holy Basil (Tulsi)…the list goes on and on. 

I find Globe Basil makes the best pesto. 

I grow fresh basil and a few other mast cell supporting herbs in my own backyard.

You can take a tour of my garden with me here:

Basil is a very easy plant to grow. All you need is a small area with good sunlight. 

I have 10 basil plants growing. And that means more yield than I can use. But with this pesto recipe, I can have this taste of summer all year. This pesto recipe freezes very well. 

If you don’t grow your own basil, most grocery stores carry fresh basil. Just look it over carefully before you buy it. You want to make sure it hasn’t grown any mold. 

Top nutrients found in basil include:  

• Calcium – bones, heart and muscle function, cell signaling
• Iron – energy, GI function, immune function
• Magnesium – cofactor for 300+ enzymes used in different body processes including DAO
• Potassium – nerve signaling, regulates fluids in the body
• Vitamin C – cofactor for DAO, support immune function, antioxidant  

Basil has also been shown in studies to be:  

• Antimicrobial
• Anti-inflammatory
• Antioxidant
• Antihistamine
• And possibly help lower blood sugar levels

And basil is rich in compounds that help make nitric oxide.  

Nitric oxide is a mast cell stabilizer. So, that’s great news if you have Mast Cell Activation Syndrome.  

Now that you’ve learned about all the benefits of basil, let’s take a look at the second ingredient—nuts. This food is one people with MCAS or Oxalate Intolerance want to know about.  

Notes about using Nuts in Low Histamine Pesto  

There are lots of ways to adapt pesto to a low histamine diet.

A traditional pesto recipe usually calls for parmesan cheese.  

But aged cheese is high histamine. And parmesan is particularly high histamine.  

This recipe leaves out the cheese, but still tastes just as amazing. 

Part of what gives it that classic taste and texture is nuts! 

Nuts, Histamines, and Oxalates 

Pesto is traditionally made with pine nuts. But there are several different types of nuts that can work here.  

The type of nuts you choose will be a big part of whether this recipe is low or high histamine and whether it is low, medium, or high oxalate. 

Higher histamine nuts I avoid for this recipe are walnuts, peanuts, and cashews.

I also eat lower oxalate due to Oxalate Intolerance.  

Oxalates are an issue for many clients, too. But not everybody struggles with them. 

What you need to know about oxalates is that both the oxalate content of a specific food and the amount of the food that you eat matters.

Pecans, macadamia nuts, and pistachios are low to medium oxalate at under ¼ cup of nuts, for example. But if you ate ½ cup, then that would be a higher amount of oxalate.  

 For lower oxalate nut options, I usually use: 

• Pecans
• Macadamias
• Pistachios 

In this recipe, I use pecans. But you could use macadamias or pistachios, too. And while you could technically use pine nuts or almonds, they are both much, much higher oxalate options. So, I limit them or don’t eat them at all.

Related Post: Low Oxalate Diet 

Now that you have tips on choosing low histamine and lower oxalate nuts, let’s look at olive oil!

You might have crossed it off your list as higher histamine. But it has some interesting properties that make it okay for many with Histamine Intolerance. 

Notes about Olive Oil for Low Histamine Pesto 

Technically, olive oil is a bit of a higher histamine food. But it helps increase the histamine-lowering enzyme, diamine oxidase (DAO). 

So, for many people with Mast Cell Activation Syndrome or Histamine Intolerance, olive oil may be okay. 

I use Kasandrinos Extra Virgin Olive Oil in this recipe because it boosts DAO and is a fresh, high-quality, olive oil. 

With olive oil, you have to be careful to avoid fakes.  

Related Post: Olive Oil – Avoiding the Frauds

Some olive oils are also diluted with lesser quality oils! And many sit in the bottle for so long that they’ve lost their health boosting properties.  

When you buy olive oil you want to look for: 

• Storage – dark bottle protects oil from heat, light, and air.
• Labeling – says extra virgin olive oil. Avoid light, olive pomace oil, or pure (these are usually watered down blends)
• Freshness – harvest date (within 6 months) or expiration (close to 2 years)
• Location – specific city or mill, not just ‘bottled in Italy’
• Quality Seals – look for COOC, Australian Olive Association, PDO, PGI, or USDA Organic certifications. 

Kasandrinos is the real deal, though. I noticed a difference with it right away. 

>>> Use code MASTCELL360 for 10% off any bottle or 50% off any olive oil subscription at Kasandrinos

So, now that you know what to look for with olive oil, let’s talk about garlic.  

Garlic Benefits in Low Histamine Pesto 

Another histamine busting food in this recipe is garlic.  

Garlic contains quercetin.  

Quercetin helps lower histamine levels. And quercetin is a wonderful mast cell support. 

It has been used for a long time as a natural allergy remedy. It also has great anti-inflammatory properties. 

And garlic has immune boosting properties to help fight off infections.  

Try to eat as much garlic as you can!  

In this recipe, a tiny bit of garlic goes a long way. But you can add as much as you want if you really love raw garlic.  

You could also roast garlic, if you prefer it that way. It’s sweeter and has less ‘bite’ than raw garlic. I like to roast batches of garlic and keep it on hand in the freezer.  

Either way is delicious. 

But what if you have FODMAP Intolerance and can’t eat garlic?  

Then, you can substitute some garlic infused oil. 

You can even make your own garlic infused oil with the instructions in this recipe and freeze it to have on hand.  

Garlic infused oil will get you some garlic flavor and health benefits without the fibers that can cause bloating for some people. 

Related Post: FODMAP Intolerance, Histamine, & MCAS

Now that you’ve read about the health benefits of the ingredients, let’s take a look at how versatile pesto can be! Options like this make meal prep so much easier. 

Serving Ideas for this Low Histamine Pesto Recipe 

You can use this pesto in so many dishes! 

You can use it as:

• A topping for low histamine chicken
• A sauce on low histamine pizza
• A spread for crackers
• Thin it out with filtered water or a little more olive oil to use as a dressing
• Make pesto pasta with veggie noodles and sautéed shallots 
• Or even just mix it with some of your favorite steamed veggies

So, get creative and find some ways to add basil to your diet. 

Oh, and like I mentioned earlier, this low histamine pesto freezes really well. I usually make a double batch. Then I freeze it into ½ cup glass containers.  

Some people like to use ice cube trays to freeze individual portions. I’ve found that these silicone freezing cubes are easier than regular ice cube trays for most leftovers. For one thing, they fit more! And unlike a regular ice cube tray, the cubes have a lid to help keep your pesto from getting freezer burnt. 

Freezing things in portions makes it easy to thaw a small amount at a time.

Batch preparing and freezing is a great way to have healthy food on hand for when you have less time or energy. 

Now for the recipe! 

Low Histamine Pesto

This bright and flavorful pesto makes a great snack, appetizer, or addition to a meal. And it freezes well.

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Print Recipe Pin Recipe

Prep Time 15 minutes mins

Total Time 15 minutes mins

Course Appetizer, Side Dish, Snack

Cuisine American

Servings 4

Calories 228 kcal

Equipment

• Colander
• Food Processor OR
• High Speed Blender
• Spoon OR
• Silicone Spatula
• Medium Mixing Bowl

Ingredients

  

1x2x3x

• 3 cups Fresh Basil Leaves
• ½ cup Pecans
• ½ clove Fresh Garlic peeled and chopped OR
• 2 teaspoons Garlic Infused Olive Oil (for low FODMAP option)
• ¾ teaspoon Redmond Real Salt
• ¼ cup Kasandrino’s Olive Oil (minus 2 teaspoons if using garlic infused oil for low FODMAP option)
• 1 teaspoon Fresh Lemon Juice (optional) OR
• ½ teaspoon Camu Camu Powder (optional) (for tartness, if you don't tolerate lemons)

Instructions

 

• Wash your basil gently in cold water and set it aside.
• Add the nuts to a food processor or high speed blender. Process until the nuts are well chopped.
• Add the basil, garlic, and salt to food processer or blender. Pulse until the basil is finely chopped if using a food processor. If using a blender, you may need to add the olive oil first to get it to blend.
• Add in the Kasandrinos extra virgin olive oil.
• Optional: Add lemon juice or camu camu powder.
• Pulse or blend until everything is well combined but not completely smooth.
• Freeze leftovers immediately. And enjoy the rest!

Notes

• For lower FODMAP—omit garlic and substitute 1 to 2 teaspoons of Garlic Infused Olive Oil for equal amounts of Kasandrinos Olive Oil. 
• Nuts—Swap out ½ cup of macadamia nuts or pistachios for the pecans, if you prefer.
• A blender will tend to give you a smoother pesto. Some people like it that way, others like a little more texture. 
• Thin this pesto out with some more olive oil or a little water and you can use it as a salad dressing!

Nutrition

Nutrition Facts

Low Histamine Pesto

Serving Size

 

36 g

Amount per Serving

Calories

228

% Daily Value*

Fat

 

24.1

g

37

%

Saturated Fat

 

2.8

g

18

%

Trans Fat

 

3.7

g

Cholesterol

 

6

mg

2

%

Sodium

 

465

mg

20

%

Potassium

 

76

mg

2

%

Carbohydrates

 

2

g

1

%

Fiber

 

1

g

4

%

Sugar

 

1

g

1

%

Protein

 

3

g

6

%

Calcium

 

11

mg

1

%

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.

Keyword gluten free, low FODMAP, low histamine, low lectin, medium oxalate

Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was in the comments below!

What do you use pesto for? Share your creative ideas in the comments below! 

More Low Histamine Sauces, Spreads, and Dips: 

• Roasted Garlic Cauliflower Hummus Recipe – Low Lectin and Low Oxalate
• Low Histamine Chicken with Green Sauce – Low Oxalate and Low Lectin
• Low Histamine Dip with Roasted Garlic and Pecans – Low Oxalate and Low Lectin
• Macadamia Nut Butter – Medium Oxalate, Low Lectin, and Low FODMAP

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References 

HappyForks. (n.d.). Recipe analyzer. https://happyforks.com/analyzer/result 

Coleman J. W. (2002). Nitric oxide: a regulator of mast cell activation and mast cell-mediated inflammation. Clinical and experimental immunology, 129(1), 4–10. https://doi.org/10.1046/j.1365-2249.2002.01918.x  

Shahrajabian, M. H., Sun, W., & Cheng, Q. (2020). Chemical components and pharmacological benefits of Basil (Ocimum basilicum): a review. International Journal of Food Properties, 23(1), 1961–1970. https://doi.org/10.1080/10942912.2020.1828456  

USDA. (2019a, April 1). FoodData Central. US Department of Agriculture. Retrieved June 10, 2022, from https://fdc.nal.usda.gov/fdc-app.html#/food-details/172232/nutrients  

Baião, D. D. S., Da Silva, D. V. T., & Paschoalin, V. M. F. (2021). A narrative review on Dietary Strategies to Provide Nitric Oxide as a Non-Drug Cardiovascular Disease therapy: Beetroot Formulations—A Smart Nutritional Intervention. Foods, 10(4), 859. https://doi.org/10.3390/foods10040859 

Widjaja, S. S., Rusdiana, & Savira, M. (2019). Glucose lowering effect of basil leaves in diabetic rats. Open Access Macedonian Journal of Medical Sciences, 7(9),