Fresh breadcrumbs enhance the flavor and texture of many types of food. Learn how to make them, when to use them, how to store them, and what types of bread to use.
A white bowl filled with fresh homemade breadcrumbs, with slices of bread, a bread knife, and a food processor in the background.

While store-bought breadcrumbs are convenient and work well in many types of recipes, there are certain times when fresh, homemade breadcrumbs are a far better option. Also known as soft breadcrumbs, they are very easy to prepare.

Notes From the MGC Kitchen

You can use your food processor to make fresh breadcrumbs from just about any type of bread. We happen to like sourdough, French bread, and Italian bread best (in that order), but we suggest experimenting with the various bakery-style breads available in your area to find what works best for you. When you make breadcrumbs, plan to make extra and freeze what you don’t need. They keep for about 3 months and are great to have on hand.

What You’ll Need

Here are the three different types of bread we recommend for making homemade breadcrumbs:

  • SOURDOUGH BREAD: Sourdough is a rustic, flavorful bread with a thick, chewy crust and dense, slightly chewy interior. It is our top choice for fresh breadcrumbs.
  • FRENCH BREAD: French loaves generally have a soft, airy interior crumb, and a crisp, golden crust. The interior of a baguette is similar to a French loaf, but the crust is generally thinner.
  • ITALIAN BREAD: Italian bread tends to have a thick, golden brown crust that, depending on how it’s baked, can either be crisp and crunchy or slightly chewy. The interior is typically light and soft with irregular holes.

YIELD

The amount of breadcrumbs you’ll end up with can vary slightly depending on the type of bread you choose and whether or not you opt to use the crust, but as a general rule of thumb, you can expect to get 1/3 to 1/2 cup of breadcrumbs from each ounce of bread.

EQUIPMENT

The easiest way to make fresh breadcrumbs is with a food processor, however, you can get away with a mini chopper if you’re only making a small quantity.

You can also make a small quantity by freezing a couple of slices of bread, and then grating them with a box grater while still frozen. It’s not a perfect method, but it works in a pinch.

You’ll also want plastic containers or zip-top freezer bags on hand for storing your breadcrumbs.

How to Make Fresh Breadcrumbs

ABOUT THE CRUST: We recommend leaving the crust on the bread because it adds both flavor and texture, but go ahead and remove it now if that’s your preference.

CUT THE BREAD INTO CUBES: Cut or tear the bread into 1/2-inch cubes. If you’re using rustic bread with a thick, chewy crust, it might be wise to separate it from the slices and chop it a little smaller than the cubes from the bread’s interior.

A black, wooden cutting board with cubes of bread to demonstrate the proper size for processing, with slices of bread, and a bread knife to the side.

PROCESS THE BREADCRUMBS: Add the bread cubes to the work bowl of a food processor and process them using short pulses until you get a relatively uniform, medium-sized crumb. Some crumbs will be larger than others, and that’s fine.

Note: If you’ve separated the crusts from your bread slices, add them to the work bowl of your food processor first, then pre-process them with two or three pulses before adding the rest of the bread.

A fresh breadcrumb preparation photo showing an overhead view of breadcrumbs in a food processor to demonstrate size and texture.

PACK FOR STORAGE: If you don’t use your fresh breadcrumbs immediately, package them in tightly sealed plastic containers or zip-top freezer bags.

How to Store Fresh Breadcrumbs

ROOM TEMPERATURE: If you plan to use your fresh breadcrumbs within 2 days, they can be stored at room temperature in tightly sealed containers or zip-top freezer bags.

FREEZER: Fresh breadcrumbs freeze really well, so we highly recommend making extra and keeping some on hand in the freezer. They’ll keep for up to 3 months when stored in airtight freezer bags. You can opt to defrost them at room temperature, but you can use them straight from the freezer too.

How to Use Fresh Breadcrumbs

  • AS A BINDER: Fresh breadcrumbs are the best choice to use as a binder for foods like meatloaf and meatballs because they make for a lighter, moister, finished product.
  • AS A TOPPING: Heat some butter and olive oil together in a frying pan, and add a pinch of minced garlic, fresh breadcrumbs, and a handful of finely chopped herbs. Cook until the crumbs are lightly toasted and the garlic is fragrant, then sprinkle them over whatever strikes your fancy. Oven-roasted veggies, fish fillets, and sautéed greens like spinach can all benefit from a flavorful upgrade like garlic toasted crumbs.
  • AS A STUFFING: For dishes that feature light stuffings like baked cod, clams casino, and baked stuffed shrimp, fresh breadcrumbs are the way to go. Their light, fluffy texture is far superior to dry breadcrumbs for these types of foods.
  • AS A THICKENER: You can also use fresh breadcrumbs as a thickener for hearty soups like minestrone.

ABOUT STORE-BOUGHT BREADCRUMBS: We also keep panko and dry, unseasoned breadcrumbs in our pantry for the following uses:

Panko breadcrumbs: Panko crumbs are dry, crisp, and light in color. Depending on what you’re making, panko can be an acceptable substitute for fresh breadcrumbs, but bear in mind that they don’t take on flavor as well as the fresh and the texture is crispier.

Dry breadcrumbs: We primarily use dry breadcrumbs in breaded foods like shallow-fried chicken and oven-fried pork chops. We also occasionally use them as a binder when working with very moist ground meats like chicken or turkey. We do recommend the unseasoned variety as they give you more control over the flavor of your finished dish.

Fresh, homemade breadcrumbs in a bowl with a slice of bread, a prep bowl of chopped parsley, a bread knife, and some seasoning in the background.

Fresh Breadcrumb FAQs

What does the term “fresh breadcrumbs” mean?

Fresh breadcrumbs are soft, slightly moist crumbs made from fresh or preferably day-old bread. They are lighter and provide a more tender texture than store-bought, dry breadcrumbs.

Is there a good substitute for fresh breadcrumbs?

Both dry and panko breadcrumbs can be substituted for fresh breadcrumbs, but the finished dish will likely have a slightly different texture than was originally intended. For example, a meatball recipe that calls for fresh breadcrumbs will turn out heavier and more dense when made with dry breadcrumbs.

Can you freeze fresh breadcrumbs?

Yes, fresh breadcrumbs can be frozen in tightly sealed bags or containers for up to 3 months and for many recipes, can be used directly from the freezer.

Recipes to Try

Here are a few popular recipes that feature fresh, homemade breadcrumbs.

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Fresh, homemade breadcrumbs in a bowl with a slice of bread, a prep bowl of chopped parsley, a bread knife, and some seasoning in the background.
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How to Make Fresh Breadcrumbs

Fresh breadcrumbs enhance the flavor and texture of many types of food. Learn how to make them, when to use them, how to store them, and what types of bread to use.
Prep: 15 minutes
Total: 15 minutes
Servings: 16 servings

Ingredients

  • 1/2 loaf Italian, French, or sourdough bread, (8 ounces)
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Instructions 

PREP

  • We recommend leaving the crust on the bread because it adds both flavor and texture, but go ahead and remove it now if that's your preference.
  • Cut or tear the bread into 1/2-inch cubes. If you're using rustic bread with a thick, chewy crust, it might be wise to separate it from the slices and chop it a little smaller than the cubes from the bread's interior.

PROCESS

  • If you've separated the crusts from your bread slices, add them to the work bowl of your food processor first, then pre-process them with two or three pulses before adding the rest of the bread.
  • Add the bread cubes to the work bowl of a food processor and process them using short pulses until you get a relatively uniform, medium-sized crumb. Some crumbs will be larger than others and that's fine.

PACKAGE

  • If you won't be using your fresh breadcrumbs immediately, package them in tightly sealed plastic containers or zip-top freezer bags (see storage notes below).

Notes

HOW TO STORE FRESH BREADCRUMBS
ROOM TEMPERATURE: If you plan to use your fresh breadcrumbs within 2 days, they can be stored at room temperature in tightly sealed containers or zip-top freezer bags.
FREEZER: Fresh breadcrumbs freeze really well, and we highly recommend keeping some on hand. They’ll keep for up to 3 months when stored in airtight freezer bags. You can opt to defrost them at room temperature or simply use them straight from the freezer.

Nutrition

Calories: 56kcal, Carbohydrates: 10g, Protein: 2g, Fat: 1g, Sodium: 104mg, Potassium: 28mg, Fiber: 1g, Sugar: 1g

Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.

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Lynne Webb and Erika Pitera, creators of MyGourmetConnection in the kitchen, working on a soup recipe for the website.

About Us

We’re Lynne and Erika, a mother-daughter duo passionate about creating recipes that bring flavor and variety to your kitchen in a simple, approachable way.

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