How to Make Breadcrumbs

Don’t throw away stale bread. Learn how to make breadcrumbs and never waste money on store bought bread crumbs again. Recipes for plain and seasoned breadcrumbs included.

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Okay, I know what some of you are thinking. Bread crumbs. Really, Lisa? This is not an April Fool’s joke.

This post is more to show new cooks that while there are some ingredients worth spending money on (. . . like puff pastry.  Dear Lord, unless you are a pastry chef, just buy the packaged stuff from the freezer section), there are other ingredients you should never waste your money on.  Like chicken broth. And bread crumbs.

Don’t Throw Away Those Bread Crusts

Bread crumbs are nothing more than finely ground toasted bread.  That’s it.  In my house, no one ever wants to eat the ends of a loaf of bread. I save an empty bread bag, stick the ends back in the bag and store the bag in the freezer to keep it from getting moldy.  I keep adding to my stash until I get pretty close to a full loaf.  That’s when I drag out my food processor and turn them into crumbs.

This is also a good solution for those single lonely leftover hot dog or hamburger buns.  I don’t know why, but whenever we prepare hot dogs or hamburgers, we always seem to end up with just one leftover.

To Toast or Not to Toast?

Some people like to toast the bread before they grind it up. It does add flavor and helps to dry out the bread so you get nice crispy crumbs. Simply preheat an oven to 350 degrees, lay your bread out in a single layer on a baking sheet, and toast for about 10 minutes. If for whatever reason  you don’t feel like firing up the oven, I  do suggest letting your bread sit out on the counter for an hour or so beforehand to dry out.

After you’ve toasted the bread and it is cool enough to handle, tear it up into chunks so it easily fits into a food processor. You don’t even need a huge food processor to do this. I’ve been making it with this mini food processor for years. Fill the bowl of the food processor up with the torn bread then give it a whir. You may have to pulse it a few times just to get things started, but then let it run for about 30 seconds to allow all the large pieces to get pulverized.

Once it has been turned into crumbs, I dump everything into a large resealable plastic bag and place it back in the freezer.  When I have a recipe that calls for bread crumbs, I simply measure out what I need about thirty minutes before I’m ready to start cooking to allow it to come to room temperature.

How to Make Seasoned Breadcrumbs

Now you have plain bread crumbs.  But what if you have a recipe that calls for Italian-style bread crumbs?  No problem.  It’s just a matter of adding a few seasonings.

For Italian-style breadcrumbs, add the following seasonings to one cup of plain breadcrumbs:

• 1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
• 2 tablespoons dried parsley
• 2 teaspoon Italian seasoning
• 1 teaspoon garlic powder
• 1 teaspoon onion powder
• 1 teaspoon Kosher salt
• 1/2 teaspoon black pepper

For Cajun-style breadcrumbs, add the following seasonings to one cup of plain breadcrumbs:

• 1 teaspoon paprika
• 1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
• 1 teaspoon onion powder
• 1 teaspoon garlic powder
• 1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
• 1 teaspoon oregano
• 2 tablespoon dried parsley
• 1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes
• 1/2 teaspoon Kosher salt

For Garlic Herb breadcrumbs, add the following seasonings to one cup of plain breadcrumbs:

• 2 teaspoons dried minced garlic
• 2 tablespoon dried parsley
• 2 teaspoons Italian Seasoning
• 1/2 teaspoon Kosher salt
• 1/2 teaspoon black pepper

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5 from 16 votes

Seasoned Breadcrumbs

Don't throw away stale bread. Learn how to make breadcrumbs and never waste money on store bought bread crumbs again.

Calories 427kcal

Ingredients

For Italian-style breadcrumbs:

• 1 cup plain breadcrumbs
• 1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
• 2 tablespoons dried parsley
• 2 teaspoon Italian seasoning
• 1 teaspoon garlic powder
• 1 teaspoon onion powder
• 1 teaspoon Kosher salt
• 1/2 teaspoon black pepper

For Cajun-style breadcrumbs

• 1 cup plain breadcrumbs
• 1 teaspoon paprika
• 1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
• 1 teaspoon onion powder
• 1 teaspoon garlic powder
• 1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
• 1 teaspoon oregano
• 2 tablespoon dried parsley
• 1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes
• 1/2 teaspoon Kosher salt

For Garlic Herb breadcrumbs:

• 1 cup plain breadcrumbs
• 2 teaspoons dried minced garlic
• 2 tablespoon dried parsley
• 2 teaspoons Italian Seasoning
• 1/2 teaspoon Kosher salt
• 1/2 teaspoon black pepper

Instructions

• Combine ingredients in a medium bowl. Stir to combine. Store in an airtight container.

Nutrition

Calories: 427kcal | Carbohydrates: 77g | Protein: 14.4g | Fat: 5.7g | Saturated Fat: 1.3g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 2.2g | Monounsaturated Fat: 1.1g | Cholesterol: 7.3mg | Sodium: 791mg | Potassium: 212mg | Fiber: 4.9g | Sugar: 6.7g | Calcium: 200mg | Iron: 5.2mg