Homemade bread crumbs are simple to prepare! There are usually a few stray slices of bread or pieces from a loaf that the family didn’t eat during the last meal. To avoid wasting perfectly delicious food, make bread crumbs that may lend an additional layer of texture to any recipe.
Although creating your handmade breadcrumbs may appear to be an unnecessary chore, given that you can buy a canister of them at any grocery shop, preparing breadcrumbs from scratch is so simple! Is there anything worse than grabbing for a loaf of bread that you believed had a day or two remaining on its shelf life only to discover that you can’t eat it? But you will feel better about avoiding food waste when you make some delicious breadcrumbs out of it — plus, handmade breadcrumbs taste so much better than store-bought.
Types of Breadcrumbs
‘Breadcrumbs’ is a phrase used to describe a group of highly similar elements yet somewhat different. Breadcrumbs can be made with fresh or dried, fine, coarse, or ‘panko’ bread. Recipes frequently indicate the kind to use. They may also be produced with other types of bread, but for a crispy finish, use bread that isn’t utterly fresh because it will still have too much moisture, and the crumbs will jam together.
Fresh Breadcrumbs
Fresh breadcrumbs are not dry and have a delicate feel. Because they absorb moisture and expand when soaked, they add bulk to dishes like treacle dessert and tastes in delicately crispy toppings like pangrattato and gremolata. They are also the primary component of bread sauce.
Dried Breadcrumbs
Dried breadcrumbs are typically finely ground and used to crumb-coat foods such as fish, Scotch eggs, and croquettes before deep-frying or sprinkled on top of gratins to absorb oil while also providing a crunchy topping.
Panko Breadcrumbs
Panko breadcrumbs are more flaky and delicate than regular breadcrumbs. They are produced using fine white bread that has been dried, and when fried, they become pretty crunchy. They are Asian in origin and used for katsu meals, but they are also commonly utilized in Western cuisine.
What Kind of Bread Should You Use?
You can create homemade breadcrumbs from any bread, from artisan sourdough to store-bought hot dog buns. You can also make it with gluten-free bread! If you’re using bread with a firmer crust, like sourdough, we recommend removing the crust before creating the breadcrumbs since it might be challenging to combine.
Fresh vs. Old Bread
If you want your crumbs to be very dry, use stale bread at least a few days old. If you’re in a hurry, cut up fresher bread and put it out in the open air for a few hours.
If you only have highly fresh bread, you may dry it out using a toaster or place it in a preheated 300oF (149oC) oven for a few minutes to remove the moisture; make sure the bread cools before using it.
What You Need To Make Breadcrumbs?
• Stale or dry bread
- Immersion blender
- Bread Slicer
- Ziploc bag
- Toaster
- Bread Box
- Food Processor
This dish may quickly be done without the use of any kitchen gadgets. If you don’t have a food processor, cut the bread into smaller chunks and use a blender or immersion blender. If you don’t have one of those products, simply throw the smaller cubes in a Ziploc bag & crunch it up with a rolling pin.
Homemade Breadcrumbs Recipe Ingredients
This recipe begins with three fundamental ingredients:
- Bread: Sourdough bread is popular because of its acidic flavor, but any sort of bread can suffice. Stale bread is ideal, but because we’ll be toasting these breadcrumbs in the oven, fresh bread is also OK. It will simply take longer to crisp up.
- Extra-virgin olive oil: It intensifies the taste of the breadcrumbs and makes them toasted and golden in the oven.
- Salt: To bring out the toasted, bready tastes!
That’s all you’ll need to make basic homemade breadcrumbs! However, if you want to use the breadcrumbs as a crispy topping for pasta, salad, or casserole, we recommend flavoring them more. In addition, many bakers like to combine their breadcrumbs with lemon zest and salty pecorino cheese. Vegan Parmesan, garlic powder, Italian spice, and/or red pepper flakes would also be excellent additions.
How to Make Breadcrumbs?
The process for making breadcrumbs is quite simple! This is how it works:
Pulsing the bread: Tear the bread into tiny pieces. Then, throw the bread pieces in a food processor and pulse until the required texture is achieved. Remove the crust of the bread before pulsing it for super fine breadcrumbs.
To toast the breadcrumbs: Spread them out on a baking sheet coated with parchment paper and mix them with some olive oil & salt. Spread them out evenly and bake at 350°F for 10-18 minutes, stirring halfway through. When they’re golden brown and crisp, they’re done. If you don’t have an oven, you might choose an Electric Cooktop.
Seasoning the breadcrumbs: Although it is completely optional, extremely suggested. While the breadcrumbs are still warm, transfer them to a bowl and season with salt and pepper to taste. Adjust the spice to taste after tossing everything together.
That’s all! Seasoned breadcrumbs can be sprinkled on top of anything that might use a crispy, crunchy coating. These breadcrumbs go well with cauliflower spaghetti, and they also work well as a substitute for croutons in Caesar salad.
Other Ways for Preparing Breadcrumbs
You may also produce dry breadcrumbs by squeezing dried bread and rubbing it over with a rolling pin. You may place them in a plastic bag to keep them from flying about.
Fresh breadcrumbs may be created by removing the crusts off a loaf and grinding it on a coarse grater.
Pro Chef Tips for Making Breadcrumbs
You can tweak making your breadcrumbs with a slightly different process-
- One cup of fresh breadcrumbs equals 1/2 cup of dry breadcrumbs, so adjust accordingly based on your recipe!
- These breadcrumbs may be stored in the freezer for up to 4 months
- Match your bread to the sort of cuisine you’re preparing! If you’re preparing meatballs, for example, use plain or Italian-flavored bread. You should not use sugary bread!
- For creating breadcrumbs, use stale bread that is at least a few days old.
What’s the Best Way to Store Homemade Breadcrumbs?
Fresh breadcrumbs may be kept in the fridge for up to a week. These dried crumbs can be stored in an airtight container for up to 2 weeks in a pantry or more than four months in the freezer. You may also use a Bread Box instead of a Ziploc bag. This will also keep the breadcrumbs crispy and crunchy.
Bottom Line
Follow this recipe to create homemade breadcrumbs the next time you have a hunk of stale bread on your counter! Seasoned breadcrumbs can be stored at room temperature in an airtight container for up to 3 days. After that, place them in the freezer and re-crisp them in the oven as needed.