AuthorStacy SaundersCategoryDifficultyBeginner

Use this sauce to make chinese style dishes!

Yields1 Serving
Prep Time5 minsCook Time20 minsTotal Time25 mins
 3 cups low histamine beef bone broth (see recipe link below)
 2 tbsp distilled white vinegar*
 4 tsp molasses
 ¼ tsp onion powder
 ¼ tsp garlic powder
Histamine Level: 1
 rated a 1 due to garlic, omit garlic for level 0
 *vinegar is a controversial ingredient. The SIGHI list has it rated a level 0, but they recommend using it sparingly. As always, use your own best judgment.

Low Histamine Beef Bone Broth

Instant Pot version
1

Place all ingredients in the instant pot. Cover with lid, set sealing valve to closed, and cook on high for 6 min. When the timer beeps release the pressure. Whisk and pour sauce into a jar. Keep in the fridge for 24 hrs or freeze in serving sizes.

Yields about 2 1/2 cups.

Stove version
2

Place all ingredients in a medium size pot. Bring to a boil and then simmer, whisking occasionally, until reduced to 2 1/2 cups, about 15-20 min.

This is the best recipe for a soy sauce alternative that I've been able to find since starting low histamine eating. It's super easy to make if you already have the low histamine beef bone broth in the freezer. 

Use it to make low histamine chow mein or low histamine mongolian beef!

Recipe adapted from All Recipes Soy Sauce Substitute

Note: I thought coconut aminos was a safe alternative to soy sauce for those who tolerate coconut. Turns out coconut aminos are high in histamine because they are made from fermented sap of coconut palm and sea salt

Ingredients

 3 cups low histamine beef bone broth (see recipe link below)
 2 tbsp distilled white vinegar*
 4 tsp molasses
 ¼ tsp onion powder
 ¼ tsp garlic powder
Histamine Level: 1
 rated a 1 due to garlic, omit garlic for level 0
 *vinegar is a controversial ingredient. The SIGHI list has it rated a level 0, but they recommend using it sparingly. As always, use your own best judgment.

Directions

Instant Pot version
1

Place all ingredients in the instant pot. Cover with lid, set sealing valve to closed, and cook on high for 6 min. When the timer beeps release the pressure. Whisk and pour sauce into a jar. Keep in the fridge for 24 hrs or freeze in serving sizes.

Yields about 2 1/2 cups.

Stove version
2

Place all ingredients in a medium size pot. Bring to a boil and then simmer, whisking occasionally, until reduced to 2 1/2 cups, about 15-20 min.

Low Histamine Soy Sauce Substitute- Soy Free, GF
(Visited 19,308 times, 2 visits today)

12 Comments

  1. Dana M Zerbe August 5, 2021 at 12:22 pm

    I just read that Bragg’s coconut aminos are not fermented unlike other brands but they do have apple cider vinegar as an ingredient.

    Reply
    1. Stacy Saunders August 5, 2021 at 9:16 pm

      oh that’s interesting! Thanks so much for sharing 🙂

      Reply
  2. Sarah C-F January 3, 2022 at 8:32 am

    Hi, are there certain brands of low histamine beef broth that you recommend? Also, I totally connect with your story… I’m nursing a 1 year old, and just started having “obvious” histamine reactions in the past month (hives), but think I’ve been on the edge of this for a while. I am excited to explore your recipes and ideas!

    Reply
    1. Stacy Saunders January 3, 2022 at 1:23 pm

      Welcome to the low histamine club 🙂 I hope it helps relieve your symptoms! Sorry I wasn’t more specific on my recipe, I actually make my own beef broth. I haven’t found a pre-made one that is low histamine, due to ingredients like black pepper & yeast, and because of not knowing how long they cook the meat. Histamine builds up in meat the longer it cooks. Here is the recipe for the beef bone broth I make. I hope you find some recipes you love!

      Reply
  3. Azuki November 20, 2022 at 12:08 pm

    Vinegar is high histamine :/
    You don’t have HI if you don’t react to it.
    Distillation doesn’t change anything

    Reply
    1. admin November 21, 2022 at 10:04 pm

      Thanks for this note. I follow the SIGHI list, which has distilled white vinegar listed as a level 0, but recommends using it sparingly. Vinegar is a controversial ingredient like cinnamon, so I will make a note of that in my recipe.

      Reply
    2. Debra Addison January 17, 2023 at 6:48 am

      Rice vinegar may be an appropriate substitute. It is mild and makes a world of positive difference for me. I purchase it at an Asian grocery store.

      Reply
    3. Debra Addison January 17, 2023 at 6:48 am

      Rice vinegar may be an appropriate substitute. It is mild and makes a world of positive difference for me. I purchase it at an Asian grocery store.

      Reply
    4. Lexi December 19, 2023 at 2:16 pm

      That’s a pretty broad, sweeping statement to make… “You don’t have histamine intolerance if you don’t react to (insert ingredient here).” You do realize intolerances exist on spectrums, right? Some people are only mildly intolerant to histamines (like me — I only seem to react to the highest histamine foods and leftovers that are more than 24 hours old), some moderately (my youngest kiddo), and for some it is severe and yes — this means being much stricter with a low-hist diet and may mean that even things rated as a “1” on the SIGHI list (such as distilled vinegar) will need to be avoided.

      This tolerance level can also change over time; some people are able to heal from their histamine intolerance eventually (or at least have it to a lesser degree), and it takes a LONG time for a person to determine their “histamine bucket” of tolerance. Which also can change, ebb and flow, depending on other factors such as stress levels or even the weather! Even harder when it’s your child (speaking from experience) because they cannot always communicate their symptoms. Yet, at the same time, as parents of HI kiddos we have to try and keep their diet as balanced as possible. As they get older (mine is almost 5 now), they will have to start “testing” foods themselves and paying attention to whether or not they have symptoms after. It’s not as simple as you make it sound.

      It’s also cumulative as we all know, so if you’re eating fairly strictly low-histamine and going off of the SIGHI list (keeping mostly to the things listed as 0 or 1 on their scale) you can usually “get away with” using a little distilled white vinegar or something else that’s at a 1 or even a 2 on the SIGHI list. Also, if you’re a person who suspects (or knows) that DAO-deficiency is a factor in your histamine intolerance, and you supplement with DAO enzymes and/or histamine-reducing vitamins and minerals daily (such as vitamin C and quercetin) — Then, you may potentially have a little more “wiggle room” in your low histamine diet. Each and every one of us are different. Sweeping statements and judgements (“you don’t have this intolerance if you can tolerate this one ingredient at all”) are unnecessary and unhelpful.

      Reply
  4. flo January 3, 2023 at 2:59 am

    Thanks for the recipe!
    I have an histamine intolerance diagnosed since 3 years now.
    Vinegar is very problematic when fermented /Aged, like Balsamic or wine vinegar. Balsamic vinegar its one of the worst things we can have, it is sad because I used to love it! I use, like you and as the SIGHI recommends, distilled organic white vinegar for salads. But in low amounts. It is fine for me most of the times. When everything is going bad (mostly because I dined outside), I cut every fancy things and eat boiled veggies with rice and olive oil.

    Reply
  5. Anne April 6, 2023 at 1:59 am

    Hi. I’m wondering if some coconut aminos are ok & some not. OxiPur (Baliza) published their lab results – 2 brands tested – “Neither product contained histamine”. They also found Glutamate to be very low. Their notes suggest coconut aminos are short fermented & then boiled (stops fermentation), which may be why there is low histamine even though it is fermented. The longer fermentation, the more vinegar tasting, so maybe coconut aminos are very short fermentation (quite sweet tasting). For me this is useful information, but it’s only 2 brands tested & it might be hard to find out manufacturing details of other brands to guess their levels. I’ll probably use it occasionally & see if it triggers me. Here’s the link fyi. https://www.baliza.de/en/blog/files/coco-aminos-histamine-intolerance-glutamate.html

    Reply
    1. admin April 10, 2023 at 8:25 pm

      Thanks so much for sharing this info!

      Reply

Leave A Comment

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *