can i use regular bread for bread crumbs

It’s so easy to make homemade bread crumbs out of almost any leftover bread you have – a crusty sourdough loaf, hot dog or hamburger buns, dinner rolls, sandwich bread, and more! Don’t let those bread ends or leftover stale bread go to waste. Just cube it up, blitz it in the food processor, and you have fresh bread crumbs! Want dried bread crumbs? Just bake them in the oven for a few minutes and you’re good to go.

Once you realize how fast it is to make your own homemade bread crumbs, you many never go back to store bought again. In mere minutes you can have fresh bread crumbs ready to go. And with only a few more minutes, you’ll have homemade dried bread crumbs that will stay good for a couple weeks in the pantry!

How to make dried bread crumbs

If you like, you can dry the bread crumbs in the oven after pulsing them in the food processor. Take the fresh crumbs you just made, and spread them on a parchment covered baking sheet. Bake at 250 degrees for 15 minutes (or longer, depending on how much moisture is still in the bread). Stir it occasionally so everything gets toasted and dried evenly!

Fresh homemade bread crumbs can be stored in an airtight container in the fridge for about a week, or frozen for about 4 months. Homemade dried bread crumbs can be stored in an airtight container in the pantry for about 2 weeks or frozen for about 4 months. (If storing dried bread crumbs in the pantry, be sure that they are completely dried out and COOLED before storing!)

If you don’t have a food processor, a blender will work fine. Or, you can take very stale or toasted bread and place it in a zip top bag, and use a rolling pin or kitchen mallet to pound the bread into crumbs. This won’t result in as uniform or small size, but it works in a pinch! You can also use a coffee grinder or spice grinder in batches.

If it’s hot and dry outside, you can place the fresh bread crumbs on a baking sheet and let them sit in the sun until they are dried. Alternatively, try toasting the bread in a toaster before pulsing it in the food processor. This won’t result in completely dry bread crumbs, but it will add a toasty flavor and dry it out a little bit.

Just use gluten-free bread and follow the same instructions!

Definitely! Here’s a recipe for homemade Italian seasoned bread crumbs.

Yes! Panko bread crumbs are simply bread crumbs without the crust. Remove any tough crusts from the bread and use the recipe as directed from there.

What kind of bread to use

I love this recipe because you can use almost ANY leftover bread you have! I used mostly hot dog buns leftover from labor day for this recipe. Here are some other breads that work well:

Try to stay away from sweet breads, such as Challah if it has a lot of sugar, or Hawaiian buns (unless you want them to be sweet!). Bread with seeds and nuts will work, but be prepared for a bit of a crunchy texture when you use them (works for breading fish or chicken, but not so great when you want light, fluffy meatballs or meatloaf).

How to Make Breadcrumbs

FAQ

Can I use bread instead of bread crumbs?

What is the equivalent of 2 slices of bread to bread crumbs?

Which bread crumbs should I use?

If you want super fine crumbs, use options like white bread, hamburger buns, or hot dog buns. The bread doesn’t have to be super stale, but just note that fresher bread may take a bit longer to break down. For a finer breadcrumb texture, you may want to remove the crust.

Is it good to have wheat bread?

Yes, it is good to have wheat bread. Whole grains keep the entire grain intact, including the germ, endosperm and the bran. The bran is the harder outer layer which is high in fiber. Whole wheat is high in fiber and considered more nutritious than refined grains. Whole wheat have been linked to numerous health benefits, including a decrease risk of type 2 diabetes, heart disease and certain cancers. Whole wheat bread made from 100% whole wheat flour is higher in fiber, vitamins and minerals than breads made from refined wheat.

How do you use fresh bread crumbs?

Fresh bread crumbs are ideal as a topping or filler, while dried bread crumbs are typically used for breading fried, oven-fried, or air-fried foods. Cut bread into cubes and process them like cracker crumbs to make soft crumbs. Use one slice of fresh bread for every ⅓ cup of fresh bread crumbs.

What are bread crumbs used for?

Crackers, bagels, Goldfish, potato chips, almost anything dry and crunchy can fill the role of bread crumb in your dish. Most recipes use bread crumbs as a way to disperse moisture and bind ingredients together. If they aren’t a binder, bread crumbs act as a crunchy topping or breading.