The Gluten-Free Breadcrumb Swap That Actually Packs Some Flavor

From lasagna to pancakes to pizza crust, diners with gluten sensitivities have a ton of options when it comes to sweet and savory gluten-free recipes that meet their dietary needs and charm their taste buds. While there are plenty of simple swaps one could make to turn a basic dish into a gluten-free one, things can get tricky if you're hoping to achieve a crispy mouthfeel in certain fried or crusted foods without using those oh-so-ubiquitous (and oh-so-glutenous) breadcrumbs. Thankfully, though, it's not impossible — if you enlist the help of some almond meal, that is.

One of the many creative ways you can use almond meal in your cooking is as a gluten-free alternative for breadcrumbs. Not only does the ingredient do a great job of mimicking breadcrumbs' coarse and crunchy texture, but it also just tastes good to boot. Whether you use almond meal as a crusty replacement on fried chicken cutlets or as a binding agent in classic Italian meatballs, you can expect it to provide a filling, hearty footprint, as well as an earthy and nutty flavor profile that plays well with savory bites.

To be clear, this isn't quite the same as using nut-based flour. Almond meal differs from almond flour in that it features whole ground almonds, skins and all, in its mixture and has a coarser grind. While almond flour is also a staple ingredient in gluten-free cooking and baking, it's made of blanched, skinned almonds and has a finer, more powdery feel.

Almonds, in general, are a gluten-avoidant person's best friend. The nuts are rich in nutrients, including protein, fiber, and healthy fats, but are also totally gluten-free, earning them the title of "Nature's Perfect Gluten-Free Snack" from the Celiac Disease Foundation. But there are a few things to keep in mind when you're cooking with almonds, especially when using it as a replacement for breadcrumbs.

Ground almonds have more fat than their carby counterparts, so they tend to brown up quicker when cooked. If you're using almond meal (or almond flour, for that matter) to dredge chicken or fish before frying, you will want to stick to a shallow fry at a lower temperature, and keep an eye on your food to make sure the crust doesn't burn. For the most part, you can swap breadcrumbs and almond meal at a 1:1 ratio in your recipes, though you may want to stick to recipes that specifically call for ground almonds and have taken their cooking process into consideration.

To add a more well-rounded flavor to your almond meal mixture, you can also take a page from Tasting Table's Keto Chicken Cordon Bleu recipe and try combining it with Parmesan cheese, onion powder, and Italian herbs — or really, any herbs and spices of your choosing. The result? A rich, nutty and gluten-free crust or stuffing you'll love.