Keto Breadcrumb Alternatives – 12 Low-Carb Substitutes For Your Breading

One of the biggest hurdles people mention when they talk about their struggles adapting to keto is finding substitutes for their favorite foods, such as bread, potato, pasta, and sugar. 

If you’re considering starting a keto diet or at the beginning of your journey, it can help to find a list of great keto alternatives to some of the staple carbs you might find hard to part with. 

One question we often hear is how to substitute bread, but what about bread crumbs?

Breadcrumbs add depth and texture to many foods, such as fish, breaded mushrooms, meatloaf, and fried chicken. 

So how can you still enjoy these much-loved foods without sacrificing and losing the part that gives them flavor and crunch?

So, as breadcrumbs are strictly off the table on a keto diet, what can you use instead?

This guide will broaden your recipes and spice up your dinner plans by showing you some excellent foods you can use instead of breadcrumbs on a keto diet. 

#1 Almond Flour

Almond flour is one of the most commonly used ingredients that people following a keto diet use instead of standard flour. 

It can be purchased in most stores and isn’t too expensive than other keto-friendly products. You could even make it yourself if you have a blender and enough time. 

You can use almond flour instead of anything you would typically use breadcrumbs for, bringing texture and flavor to any dish. 

Two tablespoons of almond flour contain 5g of carbs and 5g of fat, so it fits perfectly into a keto diet. 

#2 Pork Rind/Crackling

Pork rind makes an excellent substitute for breadcrumbs on many dishes, and the best part is it contains no carbs and plenty of fat—the ideal keto combo. 

Crackling perfectly compliments any meat dish, bringing a salty crunch to any dish. It’s even a great snack to eat by itself. 

You can purchase these from the store or make them yourself by drying pork rind, seasoning, and roasting. Once cool, these can be crushed in a blender with other flavor enhancers. 

Check the ingredients if purchasing from the store, as some products may contain sugar or preservatives. 

Check out the best pork crumble products to use pork rind in your recipes. 

#3 Flaxseed/Linseed

Aside from being an excellent alternative to breadcrumbs, flaxseeds are incredibly nutritious and high in healthy fats, making them perfectly coherent with a keto diet. They are also high in omega 3. 

Two tablespoons of flaxseed will also provide up to 25% of your daily fiber.

People often substitute breadcrumbs with linseed to mimic food items such as the coating on fried chicken; the golden color gives the illusion of the breaded chicken they’re familiar with. 

#5 Panko

I always think panko breadcrumbs are a bit of a loophole in the keto diet because they are technically still a carb; however, they only contain 14 grams of carbs in a quarter of a cup, which goes a long way when you’re using it to coat something. 

The downside to panko on keto is that it’s deficient in fat, and because it’s so light, it doesn’t absorb much of the oil or butter during the cooking process either; however, this can be added after. 

#6 Coconut Flour

Coconut flour is great for coating many food products on a keto diet. Like almond flour, you can buy this in most stores in either flour form or desiccated flakes. 

Coconut is high fat and packed with minerals and vitamins, making it great for keto dieters. Two tablespoons contain around 6g of carbs and 4g of fat. It’s also extremely high in fiber.

Another reason coconut makes a great alternative to breadcrumbs on keto is that it brings an excellent flavor. Once toasted or fried, it turns almost nutty. It’s great for ketone production as it generates medium-chain triglycerides. Learn more about MCT here. 

#7 Parmesan

One thing everyone loves about the keto diet is that you can add a bit of cheese to almost anything—great news for cheese addicts. 

But did you realize you could also use parmesan as an alternative to breadcrumbs?

Not only can it create a great crust and replicate breaded items, but it also seasons the food because it’s naturally salty. 

Parmesan is also high in fat, making it ideal for keto.

You can add parmesan to butter to make a coating for almost any meat or sprinkle the cheese on the dishes before baking or roasting.

In Summary

If you were feeling deterred by the keto diet as you were unsure how to live without breaded food products, now you have a great list of ingredients that mean you can get creative in the kitchen and still enjoy the foods without breaking ketosis. 

You can even combine some of these ingredients; for example, adding parmesan to panko can reduce the carb quantity while adding a great salty flavor.