How to Make Fresh Breadcrumbs

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.

No ratings yet

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 Time15

Total Time15

Course: Condiments

Cuisine: American

Servings: servings

Author: Lynne Webb

Ingredients

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

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