Almond meal is definitely a pantry staple in my house! It's my go-to replacement for regular breadcrumbs in many of my recipes since it's low-carb and gluten-free. I'm sharing all the details on how to make it yourself... all you need is raw almonds and a high-speed blender or a food processor, and you'll have almond meal at the ready for all your cooking needs!
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If youโre not familiar with almond meal itโs a great gluten-free, low-carb replacement for higher carb, processed fillers like breadcrumbs. I use it regularly in my meatball, meatloaf, and even my burger recipes.
It used to be readily available at the grocery store but it has become more and more difficult for me to find. A while back I resorted to purchasing it online but now I just make my own.
Just call me Ms. Resourceful!
Itโs so quick and easy, and literally requires only 1 ingredient and a high-speed blender or food processor. Amazingness right here friend!
Almond Meal vs Almond Flour:
Thereโs one thing I want to make sure I mention: almond meal and almond flour are not the same thing.
Almond meal is made from whole raw almonds with the skin on. Whereas almond flour is made from blanched almonds with the skins removed.
Almond meal is a little coarser grain, and almond flour is usually finer.
This makes almond flour great for baking things like breads and cookies, and almond meal terrific to use as a moisture retainer in dense meat dishes like meatloaf, or even as a coating for chicken tenders, etc.
Now that we know thereโs a difference letโs chat about why I love it, and how you can make it yourself.
Almond Meal Recipes:
Several years ago I was making meatloaf and following a low-carb diet. The recipe called for regular breadcrumbs which as you know are not low-carb. So it got me thinking about what else I could use in their place.
Then I remembered how in one of my South Beach Diet cookbooks they used ground almonds instead of breadcrumbs for the coating for low-carb chicken tenders.
So I gave it a shotโฆ I ground up my own almonds in the food processor and it worked like a charm. It was such an exciting moment! Donโt judge people โ you gotta celebrate the wins no matter how big or small.
All I can say is I havenโt looked back since. Iโm an almond meal making/using fiend. It is the filler of choice in the Taste And See kitchen for meatballs, burgers, and more!
Another benefit to using it is that you get a little bit more protein and fiber than breadcrumbs.
Almond Meal vs Bread Crumbs:
Letโs see how they stack up against each otherโฆ
In โ cup of almond meal there are 6 grams of protein, 3 grams of fiber and 6 grams of carbs. In โ of a cup of traditional plain breadcrumbs there are 4 grams of protein, 2 grams of fiber, and 22 grams of carbs.
So you get 2 more grams of protein, 1 more gram of fiber, and 16 less grams of carbs when compared to regular bread crumbs.
If anyone is keeping track โ there is A LOT of winning going on right herrr!
Oh and a quick side noteโฆ if youโre wondering why we need breadcrumbs in things like meatballs and meatloaf itโs because they keep the texture a bit lighter. Meaning it keeps it from turning into a dense brick of meat โ it holds in moisture which helps it from becoming too dry.
Makes sense โ right!
So what have gleaned from this post so far?
- Almond meal and Almond flour are not the same.
- Almond meal is a great substitute for other fillers that are higher in carbs.
- You need a filler to keep many compacted ground meat dishes from becoming too dense and dry.
- And you can make your own almond meal at home with 1 ingredient and the right equipment.
Which leads me to the reason weโre all here todayโฆ
Letโs do this!!
How to make almond meal:
All you need is a high speed blender like a Vitamix, or a food processor.
The only ingredient you will need is raw almonds with the skins on. You can find these in the bulk food area of your grocery store.
How to make almond meal in the Food processor:
- Place the almonds in the food processor and secure the lid.
- Pulse the nuts, holding the pulse button down for 1 second at a time (DO NOT just turn it โonโ and walk away). Pulse about 60 times, holding for a second each time.
- You may need to remove the lid of your food processor and scrape down the sides to be sure everything is combined.
- Be sure to store almond meal in the refrigerator in a sealed jar or plastic bag.
How to make almond meal in a High Speed Blender:
- Add the raw almonds to the blender, turn it to the highest setting and process for 4-6 seconds or until a fine almond meal is achieved.
- If you see any clumps then stir the mixture or give it a good shake and blend again until you get a fine meal grain. Be careful to not over process and turn the mixture into an almond paste.
- Store almond meal in the refrigerator in a sealed jar or plastic bag.
As you can tell, making your own almond meal couldn't be any easier. And using it as a low-carb, gluten-free replacement for breadcrumbs is really a no-brainer. Whip up a batch and try it out in one of my many meatball recipes - you'll be an almond meal convert in no time.
Homemade Almond Meal

Homemade Almond Meal - a gluten-free, low-carb replacement for processed fillers like breadcrumbs.ย All you need are raw almonds!
Ingredients
- 14 ounces raw almonds with skins on
Instructions
To make almond meal in the Food Processor:
- Place the almonds in the food processor and secure the lid.
- Pulse the nuts, holding the pulse button down for 1 second at a time. (DO NOT press “on” and walk away). Pulse about 60 times, holding for a second each time.
- You may need to remove the lid of your food processor and scrape down the sides to be sure everything is combined.
To make almond meal in a High Speed Blender:
- Add the raw almonds to the blender, turn it to the highest setting and process for 4-6 seconds or until a fine almond meal is achieved.
- If you see any clumps then stir the mixture or give it a good shake and blend again until you get a fine meal grain. Be careful to not over process and turn the mixture into an almond paste.
Notes
- By weight, this recipe makes 14 ounces of almond flour.
- By volume, it produces 4 cups of almond flour.
- The nutrition info below is based on one ยผ cup serving of almond meal.
Nutrition Information
Yield
16Serving Size
ยผ cupAmount Per Serving Calories 144Total Fat 12gSaturated Fat 1gTrans Fat 0gUnsaturated Fat 11gCholesterol 0mgSodium 0mgCarbohydrates 5gNet Carbohydrates 2gFiber 3gSugar 1gProtein 5g
This nutrition card uses an estimate provided by an online nutrition calculator. This estimate is not a substitute for a professional nutritionistโs advice!
Doris Trzceinski
can I use panko bread crumbs
holly
Hi Doris, If you're asking if you can swap panko bread crumbs for almond meal, the answer is yes.
Virginia
Can almond meal be frozen ? And if so for how long ?
Bryan
Hi Virginia, yes almond meal can be frozen for quite a long time... up to 6 months. When you bring it out of the freezer, allow it to come up to room temperature before using it. Also, it should still have a fresh, nutty aroma. If you notice any unsavory or moldy smell, then it's no longer usable. ๐
Donna
Awesome idea! Thank you for sharing!!
Bryan
Thank you Donna, we appreciate your comment! ๐
Sandra Wong
Wonderful idea. So now, if a person were to make almond flour I assume it would be basically the same process but you would use raw almonds that have been blanched, right?
Bryan
Hi Sandra yes if you used blanched almonds without skins, and pulsed them to a finer grain, then you would end up with almond flour instead of almond meal. Enjoy! ๐ - H&B