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Homemade Breadcrumbs

Learn how to make EASY homemade breadcrumbs! Store up to 3 months in the freezer and use for homemade meatballs, meatloaf, chicken, stuffing, casserole toppings, and more!

A tablespoon in a white bowl full of homemade breadcrumbs.

Homemade Breadcrumbs

I realize that time is usually not on our side, especially when it comes to getting dinner on the table. But there are a few things that go a long way when made from scratch. The first is homemade chicken stock. They take any soup and sauce to the next level.

The next are these homemade breadcrumbs. (And croutons on occasion.) And I’ll tell you why.


Why Make Breadcrumbs From Scratch?

Why would anyone want to go through the trouble of making your own breadcrumbs when you can buy them at the grocery store?! I’ll tell you why.

1.) Flavor & Texture. I don’t know about you, but super fine, store-bought Italian breadcrumbs don’t do it for me. There is no comparing the flavor and the crunch that you get from making them at home. (And you can control the texture, size, and seasoning.)

2.) Hidden Ingredients (Dairy!): You wouldn’t think it, but most packaged Italian breadcrumbs contain dairy. As noted here from The Spruce Eats:

“prepared breadcrumbs more often than not contain some form of dairy—be it butterfat, casein, dry milk powder, whey, or some combination”


A loaf of Italian bread being cut into cubes on a white cutting board.

Myth: Stale Bread is Best

Quite the contrary actually. Fresh bread is best for breadcrumbs because it has more flavor to it.  And we’re going to be baking the bread to firm it up, which is the only advantage that stale bread has.

Are breadcrumbs are a convenient way to make use of stale bread? -Absolutely.


How to Make Homemade Breadcrumbs

1.) Bread: You can use virtually any kind of bread here, although I recommend using white bread as it’s versatile for using in different recipes.

Fresh Italian loaves are my favorite, but you can use anything, even extra hamburger buns you might have lying around!

2.) Slice into cubes: 4 cups of cubed bread will yield 2 cups of breadcrumbs.

3.) Grind it up: A Food Processor is ideal in this situation, though some have success with a blender.

If you don’t have a food processor:

Option 1: Bake the cubed bread until it’s firm, let it cool, and place it in a Ziploc freezer bag. Run a rolling pin over it or use the back of a large spoon to crush it up into small bits.

Option 2: Freeze the bread whole and run along a cheese grater once it’s frozen to create small pieces.

4.) Bake it. A 300° oven is an ideal temperature. Bake for 10 minutes, toss the breadcrumbs around, bake for 5 more minutes.

5.) Grind it again (Optional): If you prefer, you can give the breadcrumbs one final spin around the food processor, although you may choose to keep them more like panko-sized breadcrumbs until you know how you’re using them. You can always grind them up finer later.

6.) Season it: My favorite seasonings for Italian breadcrumbs are Garlic Powder, Onion Powder, Kosher Salt, and Italian Seasoning. I like to add a little extra oregano as well.

I use 3 teaspoons of seasoning for every 2 cups of breadcrumbs:

1 tsp kosher salt , 1/4 tsp garlic powder, 1/4 tsp onion powder, 1 teaspoon Italian Seasoning, 1/2 teaspoon Oregano


Homemade breadcrumbs on a baking sheet.

Pro Tip: Freeze Them!

Homemade breadcrumbs are easy to store in the freezer to use anytime you need them!

Store in an airtight Ziploc bag, it’s best to use them within 3 months of freezing.

Recipes with Breadcrumbs

Other ideas include homemade mozzarella sticks, fish sticks, and more. 

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Homemade breadcrumbs in a bowl with a measuring spoon.

Homemade Breadcrumbs

5 from 5 ratings
Learn how to make EASY homemade breadcrumbs! Store up to 3 months in the freezer and use for homemade meatballs, meatloaf, chicken, stuffing, casserole toppings, and more!

Ingredients

  • 4 cups bread, cut into cubes

Italian Seasoning (Optional)

  • 1 tsp kosher salt
  • 1/4 tsp garlic powder
  • 1/4 tsp onion powder
  • 1 teaspoon Italian Seasoning
  • 1/2 teaspoon Oregano

Instructions

  • Preheat the oven to 300 degrees.
  • Slice the bread into 1-inch cubes to create 4 cups.
  • Place in a food processor and grind into finer crumbs. (See notes for food processor alternatives)
  • Arrange in a single, even layer on 1-2 baking sheets.
  • Bake for 10 minutes, toss, bake for 5 more minutes.
  • If desired, place back in the food process and grind it into finer crumbs.
  • Add Italian seasonings after baking if desired, 1.5 teaspoons of seasoning for every cup. See notes for seasoning recipe.
  • Store in an airtight container at room temperature for up to a month, or freeze for up to 3 months.

Notes

Food Processor Alternatives:
  • Option 1: Bake the cubed bread until it's firm, let it cool, and place it in a Ziploc freezer bag. Run a rolling pin over it or use the back of a large spoon to crush it up into small bits.
  • Option 2: Freeze the bread whole and run along a cheese grater once it's frozen to create small pieces.

Seasoning recipe above is for 2 cups of breadcrumbs, which is what this recipe yields.

Nutrition

Calories: 157kcal, Carbohydrates: 29g, Protein: 6g, Fat: 2g, Saturated Fat: 1g, Sodium: 1454mg, Potassium: 102mg, Fiber: 3g, Sugar: 3g, Calcium: 101mg, Iron: 3mg
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14 comments on “Homemade Breadcrumbs”

  1. Just outstanding! I’m a total purist when it comes to making fresh items and this recipe hit the bullseye! Just finished making Italian meatballs with these breadcrumbs and the results are delicious! Rave reviews! Thank you!

  2. Hi there!
    I just wanted to ask, if I am going to be using these breadcrumbs to later bread, and fry chicken or vegetables, the breadcrumbs won’t burn?
    I see that they’re only being baked for 15 minutes – that’s enough time to toast just enough without worrying about them being burned when frying later? Thanks so much.

  3. Love these poppers.  I left the chives out since I didn’t have any and they were still delicious.  We ate leftover filling with crackers and it was yummy too.  They reheat nicely in the air fryer

  4. When I bake breadcrumbs, i melt butter and toss them before baking. I use enough butter to lightly coat breadcrumbs. I do not roll them into fine breadcrumbs until after baking, as i use at least 1/2 of them as croutons for salad I serve with casserole.
    My kids have been eating my homemade croutons for salad for 30 years and they still ask me to make extra so they can take home. They also eat them plain if dinner is not ready yet because they are so good.

  5. They smelled so good when I added the italian seasoning to the bread after baking them! Can’t wait to use ’em to make breaded chicken nuggets for the little one! : ) Many thanks

  6. This recipe was so simple, I made it in bulk and froze a bunch for future use, it’s SO good, it makes my homemade Chicken Parmesan so much better! Thank you for the recipe!

    • Hi Matilda! I am so happy that you enjoyed this!! I agree, I won’t make my Chicken Parmesan without these homemade breadcrumbs either! I love keeping them in the freezer too! 🙂

  7. When is the Italian seasoning added to the breadcrumbs? Before they are baked or after? Thanks!

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