Zero Waste Homemade Almond Milk

Learn how to make homemade almond milk using just two ingredients. It is dairy-free, vegan & with no preservatives or unnecessary additional ingredients. Plus it can be easily customised for flavoured almond milk! AND, by finding ways to use the leftover almond pulp, this recipe can easily become zero waste!

This homemade almond milk is a classic Vegan DIY recipe that I’ve been using for years. Not only is it super duper easy to make but it literally just takes two ingredients! What could be easier? Plus, with additional recipe options for your leftover almond pulp, this recipe easily becomes zero waste! Even better! And you know I love super simple nut milks!

If you follow my Instagram you likely know that I LOVE making homemade nut milks and other dairy-free milk alternatives. Now it’s finally time for me to add all the recipes I’ve learnt throughout the years to my blog! From cashew milk, oat milk, rice milk etc. Keep your eyes peeled for the recipes!

These nut milks can then be used in SO MANY ways. With your cereal, in smoothies, for overnight oats and porridge, in chia pudding. Or simply to drink, straight up!

Why make homemade almond milk?

Even though the process for making homemade nut milk is super simple, I know it might still seem unnecessary effort when you can easily pick up a carton in your local supermarket. However, it’s worth noting that there are some benefits to making your own.

You might not have noticed but store-bought nut milk often contains a lot of unnecessary additional ingredients, thickeners and preservatives. Also, if you look at the actual nut content in store-bought versions it can be ridiculously low!

When making nut milk at home, not only does it take just two ingredients for a base nut milk, but it’s usually a higher nut content for a creamier, richer final product.

While I can’t argue exactly how cost-effective it is to make plain nut milk in comparison to store-bought options, homemade nut milks are incredibly easy to flavour and customise to your liking without the extra price tag!

How to make homemade almond milk

The process for making homemade almond milk is fairly simple.

The first step:  simply soak your almonds overnight in a bowl of cold water. If you’re in a pinch then I’d say a minimum of around 4 hours in warm water, but it’s best if left closer to 8-10 hours!

The second step: In the morning you just need to drain the almonds, rinse them with cold water, and then add them to your blender with 4 cups of filtered water and blend, blend, blend!

Note* The ratio of nuts to milk affects the consistency, with a 1 cup nuts to 4 cups filtered water creating delicious and creamy milk. However, a 1:2 ratio can be used to make it almost like a ‘cream’.

It only really needs a couple of minutes in a high-speed blender to produce lovely, creamy milk.

The third step: Using a nut milk bag, you then just need to strain the liquid into a bowl, making sure to try and squeeze all the extra liquid into a bowl.

You are then left with a bag of almond pulp that you can use in various ways, to make this recipe zero-waste.

Extra Tip * Did you know that you can also make homemade almond milk using almond butter? In just two minutes, with no need to strain! Perfect for when you need a super quick fix! Simply use a 1:1 ratio (e.g. 3tbsp almond butter to 3 cups filtered water) for a super creamy blend.

Homemade flavoured almond milk

As I mentioned above, it’s also incredibly easy to flavour your nut milk so I thought I’d share a few of my favourite flavoured almond milk options! All you need to do is add the extra ingredients when blending and then strain, as usual.

• For a simple sweetened version: Add 1 Tbsp Maple Syrup OR 2 Medjool dates. Optionally, add vanilla!
• Chocolate almond milk: Add 2 Medjool dates, 1/2 Tsp Vanilla extract & 1 Tbsp cacao/cocoa powder
• Strawberry almond milk: Add 2 pitted Medjool dates, 1 Tsp Vanilla extract & 1 Cup fresh strawberries.
• For a coconut almond blend: Swap out your filtered water with coconut water

And that’s just to name a few!

How long does homemade almond milk last in the fridge?

When storing your homemade nut milk in an airtight glass container in the fridge, they should last 3-5 days. Making them the perfect meal-prep recipe to make at the beginning of the week ( or the end of the previous week if you’re super ‘on top of it’ ) and then use throughout the week.

How to use the leftover almond pulp

It took me a long time to realise that I didn’t need to waste the leftover almond pulp after making a batch of homemade almond milk. The same can be said for any of your nut pulps.

This almond pulp can be used to top your cereal, added into a smoothie, as a topping for yogurt, in homemade granola. You can also use it for plenty of baking recipes. This includes energy balls, cookies, crackers, muffins, brownies etc. I’ve even seen a recipe for almond pulp hummus!

You can also pop it into the oven at it’s lowest setting, until dry, and then blend into almond flour! For me, I tend to have it at around 100 degrees º for 2-3 hours.

Other homemade milk recipes you may like

I’m in the process of uploading all of my favourite ‘milk’ recipes to the blog, however, if you want some inspiration straight away then you might like my Oat Milk (that ISN’T slimy!), Coconut milk or even a delicious Golden Milk.