Name: Homemade Bread Crumbs
Prep time: 5 min
Cook time: 15 min
Total time: 30 min
Ingredients: For Regular Bread Crumbs; 4 cups cubed white bread (about 6 slices); For Italian-Style Bread Crumbs; 2 cups bread crumbs; 2 tablespoons Italian seasoning; 1 teaspoon garlic powder; 1 teaspoon onion powder; ½ teaspoon salt

Homemade Bread Crumbs take just one ingredient and come together quickly. They are simple, frugal, and perfect for homestead kitchens. You can make a large batch with very little time or cost. Add a few seasonings, and you have Italian-style bread crumbs, too.

Making your own bread crumbs helps reduce food waste. Day-old bread works perfectly for this recipe. Instead of tossing stale slices, turn them into a useful pantry staple. This is one of those old-fashioned kitchen habits that simply makes sense.

Prep Time: 5 minutes
Cook Time: 15 minutes
Rest Time: 10 minutes
Yields: 2 cups (may vary slightly based on bread used)

Ingredients

For Regular Bread Crumbs

4 cups cubed white or brown bread (about 6 slices)

For Italian-Style Bread Crumbs

2 cups bread crumbs
2 tablespoons Italian seasoning
1 teaspoon garlic powder
1 teaspoon onion powder
½ teaspoon salt

Items Needed

Standard baking sheet
Food processor

How to Make Homemade Bread Crumbs

Preheat your oven to 300°F.

Place the cubed bread into a food processor. Blend for 20 to 30 seconds. Pause every 10 seconds if needed. The crumbs should be slightly larger than your desired texture. They will shrink a bit during baking.

Spread the crumbs evenly on an ungreased baking sheet. Bake for 5 minutes. Stir gently to promote even drying.

Bake another 5 minutes and then stir the crumbs again. Then bake for a final 5 minutes. The crumbs should feel dry but not browned.

Remove the pan from the oven. Let the crumbs cool in the pan for 10 minutes. Once cooled, they are ready to use or store.

How to Make Italian-Style Bread Crumbs

Place 2 cups of prepared bread crumbs in a mixing bowl. Sprinkle the Italian seasoning, garlic powder, onion powder, and salt over the top. Stir gently until well combined.

Store seasoned crumbs just as you would regular bread crumbs. Keep them sealed tightly to maintain freshness.

Why Make Homemade Bread Crumbs?

Making homemade bread crumbs saves money. Store-bought versions often cost more than a loaf of bread. This recipe stretches your grocery budget.

You also control the ingredients. There are no preservatives or unnecessary additives. This is especially helpful for families avoiding certain ingredients.

Another benefit is flexibility. You can adjust the crumb size to fit your recipe. Make them fine for meatballs or coarser for casseroles. You can even experiment with different seasonings.

What Can I Do With Homemade Bread Crumbs?

Homemade bread crumbs are a simple, versatile pantry staple. They add texture, structure, and flavor to many dishes. They are also a great way to use stale bread, loaf ends, or leftover buns.

One of their most common uses is as a crispy coating. They create a golden crust on mozzarella sticks, chicken, fish, seafood, and vegetables. Dip food in flour, then egg, and press into seasoned crumbs before cooking.

Bread crumbs also act as a binding agent. They help hold together meatballs, meatloaf, burgers, and vegetarian patties. They improve texture and help retain moisture.

As a topping, they add crunch to casseroles, macaroni and cheese, and vegetable bakes. Toasted in butter or oil, they can be sprinkled over/in pasta, soups, sauces, or salads for extra flavor.

They also work well in fillings for stuffed vegetables and rolled meats. In addition, bread crumbs can thicken soups and sauces. They even appear in desserts like fruit crumbles and bread pudding.

Keeping homemade bread crumbs on hand reduces waste and stretches your grocery budget.

Homemade Bread Crumb Tips

Store bread crumbs in an airtight container. Keep them in a cool, dry pantry for up to 2 weeks. They often last longer, but two weeks is a safe guideline.

Avoid storing them in the fridge or freezer. Moisture can ruin their texture. Dry storage keeps them crisp and ready to use.

Regular white sandwich bread works great for this recipe. Any white bread can be used, including gluten-free varieties. Just match the measurements to keep the yield consistent.

Brown bread makes flavorful, fiber-rich bread crumbs. Keep in mind they will be darker in color and may toast faster than white bread crumbs. Brown bread works wonderfully for breading fish or chicken, giving a deeper color and rustic flavor. It also makes a hearty topping for casseroles.

Moisture content varies by brand. Your final yield may differ slightly. Usually, the difference is minimal.

Homemade Bread Crumbs

Prep Time: 5 minutes

Cook Time: 15 minutes

Additional Time: 10 minutes

Total Time: 30 minutes