While you can easily find breadcrumbs at the grocery store, I’ve recently discovered the joy of making my own. You can use almost any bread you have lying around. Better yet, stale bread or the harder end of a bread loaf are ideal for making them. Another benefit is that you have complete control over the texture. You can make them as fine or coarse as you like. I prefer finer breadcrumbs in our recipes for meatballs and meatloaf, but I like them coarser when using them as a crunchy salad topping. I’m kind of in love!
How to Make Breadcrumbs
I love using my food processor or blender to make breadcrumbs (for smaller batches you can also use a spice grinder). Slice or cube your bread into small pieces, and then pulse until the bread breaks down into your desired size. Depending on how much bread you have and how powerful your food processor or blender is, you might need to do this in batches. Depending on what you plan to do with them, you can make fresh breadcrumbs or toast them in a skillet until golden and crisp. To toast my breadcrumbs, I stir them with olive oil or butter and seasonings over medium heat until they are golden and crisp (I’ve included tips for Italian breadcrumbs below the recipe). I love the oil (or butter) and spices, but you can skip them and toast the breadcrumbs in a dry pan for plain breadcrumbs. Another option is to make homemade croutons and smash them into bits to use as breadcrumbs in your favorite recipes calling for breadcrumbs. Some of my favorites include this turkey meatloaf, our easy chicken parmesan, and my favorite cheese stuffed mushrooms. On a side note, is it “bread crumbs” or “breadcrumbs”!? I’m getting mixed responses (haha!). 2 tablespoons olive oil or melted butter 1/4 teaspoon fine sea salt 1/4 teaspoon fresh ground black pepper 2 to 3 teaspoons Italian seasoning or dried herbs, optional 2Add the bread pieces to your food processor or blender and pulse until they break down into your desired size of breadcrumbs. 3For toasted breadcrumbs, add breadcrumbs, olive oil, salt, pepper, and dried herbs to a wide skillet over medium heat. Cook, stirring often, until they are golden and crisp, about 5 minutes. 4Alternatively, heat the oven to 300°F. Toss the breadcrumbs with the olive oil, salt, pepper, and dried herbs. Add the mixture to a rimmed baking sheet and spread it into an even layer. Bake for 5 minutes, stir, and then bake another 3 to 5 minutes or until the breadcrumbs are golden and crisp.
