These tiny homemade bread crumbs can make a big impact on your meal! They’re the perfect crisp finishing touch on casseroles, salads and more. Follow this recipe to make regular golden bread crumbs, or add the optional seasonings and your kitchen will smell like the best Italian restaurant.
This simple recipe is far more flavorful than store-bought options, and keeps well for months. Use your bread of choice, whether it’s your favorite crusty sourdough or whole wheat sandwich bread. If you have leftover bread that’s turning stale, turn it into bread crumbs to save it for later (or croutons or French toast)!
Bread Crumb Tips
You’ll find a brief instructional video and the full recipe below. Here’s how to make the best bread crumbs!
Turn bread into crumbs in your food processor or blender. Yes, a blender will do it! Fresh or lightly stale bread will do (see note at the bottom of this section). Process until the bread is broken up into the tiniest bits—if in doubt, process longer.
Butter works much better than olive oil. My bread crumbs clumped significantly more upon contact with olive oil, and the olive oil crumbs softened over time after cooking while the buttered bread crumbs stayed nicely crisp.
Add the bread crumbs at the right time. Melt the butter in the skillet and wait until the foam is nearly gone, then test the temperature by dropping in a few bread crumbs. If they sizzle upon impact, the butter is hot enough to fry the crumbs.
Spread the freshly cooked bread crumbs on a plate to cool. This stops the cooking process before they burn and gives them some breathing room so they stay nice and crisp.
Note: Many recipes suggest intentionally drying out your bread before using (methods include letting them rest overnight on the counter or baked on a rack at 275 degrees Fahrenheit for about 20 minutes). I successfully made bread crumbs with sandwich bread straight from the store, so this step is unnecessary unless your bread is notably moist or soft.
Watch How to Make Bread Crumbs
Uses for Bread Crumbs
These flavorful bread crumbs would make a fantastic breading, of course. Or, try them as a crispy topping on your casseroles and gratins, like my Better Broccoli Casserole and Creamy Roasted Brussels Sprout and Quinoa Gratin.
Consider these bread crumbs when you’d like to add a crunchy element to pasta dishes, including mac and cheese. They’re also perfect for salads, offering a lighter alternative to croutons. Try them on my Caesar Salad or Lemony Kale Salad.
If you like to improvise your meals, here are some ingredients that particularly benefit from a sprinkle of golden bread crumbs:
- Arugula
- Asparagus
- Brussels sprouts
- Cauliflower
- Cheese: goat, Parmesan, pecorino
- Fennel
- Green beans
- Kale
- Lentils
- Mushrooms
- Pistachios
- Parsley
- Pesto
- Tomatoes
- Zucchini
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Bread Crumbs
These toasted, golden bread crumbs are the perfect finishing touch! They taste so much better than store-bought bread crumbs. If your recipe calls for seasoned bread crumbs, be sure to add the optional seasonings, or leave them unseasoned for maximum versatility. Recipe yields around 1 ¼ cups and stores well for several months.
- To make the breadcrumbs: Tear your bread into 2-inch pieces and toss them into a food processor or blender. If desired, add the garlic powder, oregano and red pepper flakes. Process until the bread has broken into very small crumbs. If in doubt, process longer!
- Place a large plate near the stove for later. In a large stainless steel or cast iron skillet over medium heat, melt the butter until the foam is nearly gone, swirling the pan a couple of times for even distribution. Test to make sure that the pan is hot enough by dropping in a few bread crumbs—if they sizzle upon impact, it’s ready to go.
- Add the bread crumbs. Increase the heat to medium-high and cook for about 3 minutes to 5 minutes, stirring constantly and breaking up any clumps as you go, until the crumbs are turning crisp and deeply golden in places.
- Transfer the bread crumbs to the plate and spread them in an even layer to cool. The crumbs will further crisp as they cool. Season to taste with salt before using. Once completely cooled, transfer any leftovers to a storage bag, gently squeeze out any excess air and seal. Store bread crumbs at room temperature for up to 3 months (look them over and taste before using to ensure quality).
Notes
*Types of bread: Use sourdough, baguettes or sandwich bread (regular or whole wheat).
Nutrition
The information shown is an estimate provided by an online nutrition calculator. It should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice. See our full nutrition disclosure here.
