Almond Flour Pasta
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My almond flour pasta is a grain-free and gluten-free alternative to classic pasta noodles! Made with just 3 ingredients, these noodles are thick, chewy, and perfect with your favorite sauces.
Growing up, my mom always made pasta from scratch. She learned this from her Zia Christina (yes, the same aunt who’s famous for the Tuscan white bean soup) and passed those techniques on to me.
Once I learned the basics, I used them to develop a homemade pasta made with almond flour instead of wheat. I was inspired to create it after so many readers asked for a sturdier make-ahead alternative to my keto pasta.
Unlike traditional pasta, almond flour pasta is a little thicker and chewier, but still has a tender bite. Its mild flavor makes it perfect with everything from Bolognese to my partner’s favorite cottage cheese pasta sauce.
Best of all, you don’t need a pasta machine or any complicated techniques to make it.
Table of Contents
Key Ingredients
- Almond flour. Blanched almond flour must be used, not almond meal. The latter tends to be gritty and can make the pasta a little denser.
- Tapioca starch. This gives the pasta a classic chewy, thick texture. Arrowroot or potato starch is a decent substitute, but the texture won’t be quite as chewy.
- Eggs. Mixing room-temperature eggs into the dough is much easier and helps prevent it from becoming a little gummy.
- Water. Combines everything to form a dough.
How do you make pasta with almond flour
Start by mixing together your almond flour and tapioca starch in a large mixing bowl. Next, form a well in the center and add the eggs and water. Using a fork or a large spoon, gently fold the ingredients together until a dough forms and it is thick enough to knead by hand. If the dough is still a little dry, add more water.
Now, transfer the dough onto a flat kitchen surface dusted with extra tapioca flour. Gently knead the dough several times until it becomes smooth. Form a large ball of dough, cover it with a kitchen towel, and set it aside to rest at room temperature for 30 minutes. After you let it rest, roll out the dough until it is thin, then use a pizza cutter to slice the dough into noodles about 1/4 inch thick.
Finally, bring a pot of water to a boil. Once boiling, add the pasta to the pot and let it boil for around a minute until it floats to the surface. Drain the pasta and serve with your favorite pasta sauce.
Arman’s tips for making almond flour noodles
- Don’t worry about over-kneading. Since there’s no gluten in the dough, you won’t develop a tough texture. If the dough feels sticky, knead in a little extra tapioca flour. If it’s too dry or cracks as you roll it, add a splash of water.
- Use a pasta machine if you like. I usually cut the noodles with a pizza cutter, but a pasta machine works just as well. You can also use it to make different shapes if you prefer.
- Cut the noodles to suit the sauce. I like thinner noodles for lighter sauces like Pomodoro or sugo, or thicker noodles for hearty sauces like mushroom or Alfredo.
How to store leftovers
To store: Leftover pasta can be stored in the refrigerator, covered, for up to 2 days. Any longer, and it will begin to stick together.
To freeze uncooked pasta: Arrange the uncooked noodles in a single layer on parchment paper and freeze until firm. Transfer them to a freezer-safe bag and freeze for up to 6 months. I recommend cooking the pasta straight from frozen, adding 1-2 minutes to the cooking time.
To make ahead: I often make the dough a day or two in advance and keep it tightly wrapped in the fridge. You can also roll and cut the noodles a day ahead- just dust them lightly with tapioca flour, arrange them in a single layer, cover, and chill until you’re ready to cook.
Almond Flour Pasta
Ingredients
- 2 cups almond flour 224g
- 2 cups tapioca starch 260g
- 2 large eggs room temperature
- 4 tablespoon water * See notes
Instructions
- In a large mixing bowl, add your almond flour and tapioca starch and mix well. Form a well in the center and add the eggs and water. Slowly whisk together, until a smooth dough remains. If needed, add more water.
- Lightly flour a kitchen surface with tapioca flour. Transfer the ball of dough onto it and gently knead it several times. The dough should feel smooth and firm. If the dough feels sticky or wet, add more tapioca flour. Cover the dough in a damp towel and let it rest for 30 minutes.
- After 30 minutes, roll out the dough until a thin layer. Using a pizza cutter, slice thin strips of noodles from it.
- Bring a pot of water to a boil. Once boiling, add the pasta into it and let it boil for around a minute. Remove from the heat and drain the pasta in a colander. Distribute the pasta into bowls and top with your favorite pasta sauce.
I made this and it fell apart the moment I tried to roll it out. Tried cooking it and it dissolved in the water. I ended up throwing the whole thing away and doing something else.
Sorry to hear that. This is almost always down to two things- either almond meal was used instead of blanched almond flour or the dough needed more tapioca starch to hold together. The dough should feel smooth and pliable, not sticky or crumbly, before rolling. If it’s falling apart at that stage, knead a little more tapioca starch until it comes together. Hope that helps for next time.
This almond flour pasta is one of the best recipes that I have tried
the noodles are so nice and chewy they remind me of the noodles that I used to eat when I ate gluten they are called Reames egg noodles
I made them into a homemade chicken noodle soup and it was so good. Thank you for a wonderful recipe.
I LOVED this recipe. I make pie crust for pot pie with almost exact recipe all the time so I knew a little. I followed the instructions exactly. but then when I went to cut the dough, I was texting on the phone and lost track of time and set me like 3 min back and that meant I had to wait for the water to boil bc I forgot to turn it on.
so I cut the noodles and they got slightly dry for me. I had to be careful. what I did was just carefully carry the noodles and tho they did break in half on some of then, most stayed together.
I didnt get noodles as thin as in the picture but I go some tasty noodles nonetheless. well they were mostly thin but not like fettuccini thin they are like frozen egg noodles which are not fat per se but they are not like fettuccini they are a tad meatier than that. Its been like 15 years since i made noodles. so I did pretty good.
Also if you have trouble getting them right consistency in making the dough ball, I watched a guy online show how to mix the flour and make a well in the middle meaning you scoop some out the middle and leave a fine dusting in the center and it looks lie a bowl with walls made of flour.
You drop the egg in and ya take a fork and mix in a little at a time and try not to break the wall of flour just a little added to the eggs at a time till you get it more doughy then glove hands and start kneading the rest of the flour in. You will use like 90 percent of the flour. you wont be able to use all of the flour at 100 percent bc it gets too dry and cant get ALL the rest so I dumped the bit like say 1’4 cup worth out and that may be part of anyone’s problem and then knead it in the bowl dont have to take to the counter.
Just kneed for 6 min total then put in a damp paper towl and put in the fridge so it wont dry out for 30 min. then when working on cutting them get the water ready before taking it out the fridge and dont do what I did. 🤣dont let the noodles dry out too much. hope my tips from my experience helps anyone. they are amazing!!! i know it says that most recipes make enough for 4 ppl but i dont know here lol I am making soup now and then saving the rest for tomorrow. i wont have any left after that. this is delicious!!!!
So easy and so good!
Thanks Lee! So glad you liked it 🙂
Incomplete recipe! Where are the eggs? And what else did you omit? Sheesh, c’mon man!
Hi Nina- how is this an incomplete recipe? It has two eggs in the ingredients…
The starch destroys this recipe for diabetics.
Hi Kenneth- I didn’t develop this recipe to be diabetic-friendly and it’s not something I feel comfortable doing, as I’m not a doctor.
Haven’t made. Looking for reviews
Hopefully you’ve found what you’re looking for 🙂
Could I use my automatic pasta maker for this? I have one of those Emeril Pasta and Beyond machines that mix it and shape it. I can’t find a keto pasta recipe that actually says you can make it in the machine.
Hi there, you may need to adjust the recipe if you’re using an extruder (mixer) as the dough might not be quite the right consistency for that, but it should be perfectly fine in a roller-style machine that simply flattens and cuts. Hope this helps!
Almomd flour in pasta, very interesting. I thought almond flour can be used only in sweet desserts.
This is an excellent recipe.👍
Would suggest adding an amount for salt but The texture is perfect and it cooks well.
Thanks so much Rhonda!
Fabulous
Needs a binding agent! Crumbles when I tried to roll it.
Hi Susie, thanks for the comment. The egg works as the binder in this recipe, along with the tapioca starch.
Hi! My body doesn’t like me to eat Tapioca Starch..it punishes me the next day lol. I’ve ready where cornstarch can be substituted; have you ever used something besides tapioca starch for this???
Hi Emily, you could definitely replace the tapioca starch with arrowroot or potato starch instead. These will give a slightly better texture than cornstarch.
This I must try. Combination with pasta and almond flour should be amazing.
can this pasta be dried and saved? or frozen raw?
Hi Joyce, freezing is your best option here. Once it’s been shaped and cut, dust it with some tapioca or almond flour and lay it on a tray to freeze for 1-2 hours. Then transfer it to a freezer bag/container. Cook it straight from frozen when you’re ready 🙂
fail
Hi Abigial- I’m sorry you didn’t enjoy this recipe- was there something specific that happened? I’d love to troubleshoot for you.
made this pasta into bow ties and my kids could not tell the difference, really great pasta and so easy.
I love to hear that, Paula. What a great idea to get kids to enjoy a different kind of pasta.