Whether you follow a vegan diet, are lactose intolerant or are looking for an interesting addition to your favorite recipes, almond milk is a great alternative to dairy milk. It offers a light nutty flavor you can use for almost any savory or sweet creation you have in mind.
Below, we discuss ways you can cook with almond milk, offer cooking tips, and help you choose the right products. We also provide some of our favorite almond milk recipes. So, let’s dive in.
Cooking with almond milk is a great way to explore new flavors in your culinary creations. Below, we share some tips to help you use almond milk in various dishes.
Sweetened and unsweetened almond milk are both made from almonds. However, sweetened almond milk contains added sugar. Not surprisingly, the sugar makes it sweeter and richer.
Unsweetened almond milk contains no sugar. It’s less sweet and has fewer calories. You might prefer unsweetened milk for cooking savory or salty dishes or if you’re watching your sugar intake.
Almond milk may separate due to high temperatures, reaction to acidic ingredients or the age and quality of the product. You can prevent separation by stirring or shaking the milk into the mixture. You can also add other ingredients, such as lecithin, coconut butter, manna or a pinch of baking soda to prevent separation.
If you quickly heat almond milk to 140-158 degrees Fahrenheit, it will likely curdle. Curdling occurs when proteins go through a process of denaturation. They clump together and form lumps or curds. Heat accelerates the curdling process.
The speed of heating impacts how milk reacts. To avoid curdling almond milk, make sure to warm it slowly over medium-low heat. Stir often until it starts to simmer. Afterward, remove it from the heat. If you warm it in a microwave, do so for only a few seconds at a time.
You can boil almond milk. However, you need to take a patient approach. Pour almond milk into a pot. Set your stove to a medium heat and let the milk heat up slowly. Keep an eye on the almond milk. It can burn or form a skin on top if it gets too hot too fast. Stir often. Once you see small bubbles around the edges, it’s hot enough.
When picking a good almond milk, start by looking at the product nutrition label. If you want a sweeter option, choose an almond milk with sugar added. If you want less sugar or to use it in a savory recipe, choose an option without added sugar. Also check whether it has added vitamins and minerals like calcium and vitamin D.
Which milk is best for your recipe? Compare these products:
Adding almond milk as an alternative to cow’s milk during baking is easy and can help keep your treats dairy free.
You can cook with almond milk and use the same amount as you would cow’s milk. It’s a 1:1 swap, so if your recipe calls for one cup of cow’s milk, use one cup of almond milk instead.
The highlight of this dish is the carrot ginger cashew Alfredo sauce, a creamy concoction made with almond milk. Start by creating a roux with clarified butter and almond flour, then whisk in almond milk, add Pacific Foods Organic Cashew Carrot Ginger Soup and spices and simmer until thick.
Warm the zucchini noodles separately, then plate the zoodles and top with Alfredo sauce, cherry tomatoes and fresh basil to serve. Note that while this recipe swaps in almond milk for dairy milk, the inclusion of ghee means it’s not dairy free.
View the full recipe: Carrot Ginger Cashew Alfredo Sauce for Zoodles
These are fluffy muffins loaded with apple and cinnamon. They’re a real treat if you love comfort foods.
Combine dry ingredients and wet ingredients, including almond milk. Fold in apple pieces and scoop into a muffin pan. Top with a cinnamon-coconut crumble before baking. After baking, whisk confectioners’ sugar with almond milk to make icing. Drizzle over slightly cooled muffins for a sweet finish.
View the full recipe: Dairy-Free Apple Cinnamon Muffins
Create a spin on a classic pasta dish with our delicious mushroom pasta. This recipe combines mushrooms, spring peas and kale in a light, almond milk-based sauce.
To prepare, boil pasta in broth until tender. While pasta is cooking, sauté kale and mushrooms in oil, then stir in peas. In another pan, make a cream sauce with garlic, flour and almond milk. Toss everything together with lemon juice and season to taste.
View the full recipe: Mushroom Pasta with Spring Peas in Cream Sauce
This dish swaps traditional pasta for spaghetti squash topped with chicken, parmesan and rich caramelized onions in a creamy Alfredo sauce.
Start by roasting halved spaghetti squash in the oven. While it cooks, caramelize onions in butter and sauté chicken with garlic. Stir in mayo, almond milk, seasonings, caramelized onions and spaghetti squash.
View the full recipe: Spaghetti Squash Alfredo with Chicken and Caramelized Onions
Indulge in a gooey, delicious treat with this vegan almond butter cookie skillet. It’s a popular choice for its rich, nutty flavor and vegan-friendly ingredients.
Mix almond butter, coconut oil, maple syrup, almond milk and a flaxseed mixture until creamy. Add ingredients like baking soda, sea salt and almond flour. Finally, incorporate some dark chocolate chips. Bake for about 20 minutes and serve with a scoop of dairy-free ice cream.
View the full recipe: Vegan Almond Butter Cookie Skillet
Gather everyone around for a serving of crockpot mashed potatoes. It’s a classic dish made in a slow cooker. This dish uses almond milk and optional vegan butter to make it vegan-friendly. It’s popular for its easy prep and rich, smooth texture.
Simply add potatoes and broth to the slow cooker and cook on high until tender. Once it’s done cooking, mix in almond milk and vegan butter. Mash to your preferred consistency.
View the full recipe: Crockpot Mashed Potatoes
Whether you’re baking, cooking or whipping up a smoothie, you can use almond milk for a smooth texture and nutty flavor. Visit your local grocery store to pick up a carton today and unlock the dairy-free goodness of this versatile ingredient.