Easy Homemade Bread Crumbs
The best recipes are built from scratch, such as using your own homemade bread crumbs. It’s the little things that really make a dish taste fresher and stand out. These are the best substitute to use anywhere a recipe calls for store-bought bread crumbs. You can use fresh bread that skips all those preservatives and additives (that super lengthly list of ingredients) that the boxed bread crumbs have. Plus you can make the crumbs the size you prefer for different uses. If you are adding to meatloaf or meatballs you can blitz them up fine, if you are using them to coat chicken or fish you can make them a little larger for more crispy crunch. I did a side by side comparison and these come out to be nearly identical to the boxed bread crumbs in color and texture but the flavor is far better! You can also season them so many different ways, my personal favorite is with a classic “Italian seasoned” which I’ve included as well. Another option here is to include bread crusts or omit. I always leave them but some people prefer them without. Either way once you try these you’ll realize you never need to buy the standard store-bought bread crumbs again and you’ll be so glad to find a use for stale bread that may otherwise end up in the trash.
Types of Bread to Use for Bread Crumbs
You can use nearly any type of bread to make homemade bread crumbs. Just avoid those that are sweet and if possible crumbs from homemade or bakery bread (vs. shelf stable) are best. Bread can be stale or fresh, fresh bread just takes a little longer to dry in the oven. Obviously just avoid bread that has started to mold at all.
Here are some great options to use:
Italian or French bread Homemade bread or no knead bread White sandwich bread (I like to use a heartier option) Sourdough Whole wheat bread Hamburger or hotdog buns
How to Make Homemade Dried Bread Crumbs
How to Make Bread Crumbs Without a Food Processor
If you don’t have a food processor you can try baking whole bread slices on the baking sheet in the oven. Just be sure they have dried all the way through to the center. They should be drier than toast. Let cool then transfer to a gallon size resealable bag. Crush with a rolling pin to fine crumbs.
Storage and Shelf Life
Store homemade bread crumbs in an airtight container so they don’t go stale. Keep at room temperature up to 2 weeks. Store in the fridge up to 1 month. Freeze up to 3 months.
Helpful Tips
Be sure to either tear bread or cut into pieces before blitzing so they break down easier and end up more even in size. Spread crumbs out as even as possible so they dry evenly. It can be helpful to wiggle the pan to level out. Don’t skip tossing. The edges dry quicker than the center so this is a must follow step. Keep on eye on them as they bake. Every oven is a little different, if you notice they are more golden on one side then rotate the pan around. More crumbs that are more golden brown bake a little longer or even increase the oven temperature slightly. For most all-purposes uses I like to keep mine lighter. If you’d like crumbs to be even finer you can rub cooled handfuls between palms (if they aren’t too jagged) or re-blitz in a food processor. If using a recipe that calls for fresh bread crumbs from fresh bread (such as my Meatballs recipe) you can skip the oven drying process in the recipe. You can’t use fresh and dried bread crumbs interchangeable because dried absorb more liquid and fresh may not absorb enough.
More Homemade Recipes to Try
Biscuits Flour Tortillas Naan Bread Tortilla Chips White Bread
