Transform leftover sourdough bread into delicious homemade breadcrumbs, with just 10 minutes hands on time and minimal effort.
Homemade sourdough breadcrumbs is one of the easiest things you can do. It’s practical (no waste), cost effective, and you hardly need a recipe; just 10 minutes hands on time and the rest is done in the oven! I usually double this recipe and freeze in containers- they last forever.
For flexibility, sourdough breadcrumbs can be plain or seasoned to enhance a variety of your favorite recipes. Just think: meatballs, chicken parmesan, salads and even sprinkled on pasta (this is very southern Italian). It’s my secret ingredient in pasta aglio e olio and pasta al pomodoro. Also, did I mention they’re much healthier than store-bought? All natural. No preservatives. Just bread.
Best Bread For Breadcrumbs?
The whole idea behind homemade breadcrumbs is to use whatever you have. There’s nothing fancy about this. Sourdough bread is obviously my top pick; the flavor adds extra tang and depth. Additional favorites include my easy sourdough sandwich bread (I freeze the crusts my kids discard), leftover sourdough focaccia, and for some whole grain goodness: light whole wheat sourdough bread. But again, be frugal and use whatever you have. Store bought or homemade will work.
Method At A Glance
- Cube fresh or day old bread.
- Process in a food processor or high-powered blender.
- Bake @ 300˚ F (150˚ C) up to 15-30 minutes or until crispy.
- Season Italian-style (optional, see variation below).
- Store in the fridge or freezer until ready to use.
Variation: Italian-style Seasoned Breadcrumbs. For every 1 lb (450g) of dry breadcrumbs, add 1 teaspoon each dried garlic powder, dried onion powder, fine sea salt, 2 tsp dried oregano, 1 tbsp dried parsley and 1/4 cup ground Pecorino cheese. That’s my ratio for a well balanced flavor. In my opinion, using bottled “Italian-style” seasoning blend is too strong and not as versatile.
Easy Breadcrumb Tips
- Breadcrumbs can be chunky or fine; it depends on your preference. For a super fine texture, process the crumbs again after baking.
- Use the crust. If it’s dark and golden brown- even better. You’ll enjoy the added flavor.
- Freeze the breadcrumbs. They will last indefinitely. Store in a quart container, shallow rectangular container or zip-top bag. Label and date.
Final Thoughts
So, what do you think? Would you make breadcrumbs at home? I’ve learned that once you have a stash on hand, you’ll be more inspired to use them. Comment below with your thoughts, tips and personal recipes!
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Homemade Sourdough Breadcrumbs
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 25
- Total Time: 35 minutes
- Yield: 4 cups 1x
- Category: Sourdough Bread
- Method: Oven-Baked
- Cuisine: American
- Diet: Vegetarian
Description
Transform leftover bread into delicious homemade breadcrumbs, with just 10 minutes hands on time and minimal effort. I like using sourdough bread, but any bread will do. Breadcrumbs can be stored in the freezer for up to 3-6 months.
Ingredients
1 lb. (appx. 450 g) fresh or day old bread (sourdough, baguette, focaccia etc)
Italian-style Seasoning (optional)
- 1 tsp dried garlic powder
- 1 tsp dried onion powder
- 1 tsp fine sea salt
- 2 tsp dried oregano
- 1 tbsp dried parsley
- 1/4 cup (30 g) ground Pecorino Romano or Parmesan cheese
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 300˚ F (150˚ C). Grab (2x) rimmed baking sheets.
- Cut the bread into small cubes, including the crust, about 1-inch in size.
- Add the cubes to a food processor or high-powdered blender (you will need to work in batches). Process until fine crumbs form. Note: if you cannot get the crumbs small enough at this stage, you can process them again after baking.
- Divide the crumbs over the (2x) sheet pans in one even layer.
- Bake for 15-30 minutes, stirring once, or until the crumbs are crispy. Bake time will vary depending on bread type and freshness.
- Remove the breadcrumbs from the oven. Allow to cool.
- At this point, you can either keep the breadcrumbs plain or season, Italian-style (my preference). Add the dried garlic, onion, salt, oregano, parsley and cheese; mix well.
- Portion the cooled breadcrumbs into containers or a zip-top bag and freeze until ready to use.
Comments
Alkesh Shah says
I made this following recipe and wow sooo much better than shop (not that I could find sourdough crumbs in shops). Now would like to make more to freeze question is how do I defrost? Leave in fridge for day or leave out to thaw? Worried about crumbs getting soggy.
Liz A says
If I leave the cheese out, can I just put them in my pantry? Or do these always need to be frozen?
Tricia says
I was going to ask the same question about how to defrost, and will they be soggy, etc…
Since there was no response, I looked it up, hope this helps, even though it’s an extremely late response!
To store homemade sourdough breadcrumbs, keep them in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days or in the refrigerator for up to a week. For longer storage, they can be frozen for up to 3 months. To defrost, transfer the breadcrumbs from the freezer to the refrigerator to thaw, or let them thaw at room temperature for a few minutes
Antjie Benade says
The recipe for the crumbs is divine. I can recommend it. Thanks for sharing.
Emilie Raffa says
Antjie, I’m thrilled you made it. I literally cannot live without the seasoned version. I use it on everything! One of my favorites: spaghetti pasta with a simple tomato sauce, a dollop of ricotta, and then a good dash of the seasoned breadcrumbs, toasted lightly in olive oil first. Delish.