Italian Bread Crumbs
These Italian bread crumbs are crispy, flavorful, and made with pantry staples. Once you make them at home, you will never go back to the store-bought ones.
If you have old bread that is in desperate need of a new life, you need to make this. These homemade bread crumbs are an easy way to add texture and flavor to everyday meals. Unlike the store bought ones, you can easily adjust the texture for coating, thickening, or topping.
This recipe is a take on the Southern Italian style bread crumbs known as “poor man’s parmesan”. The breadcrumbs are toasted in olive oil until golden and nutty, then seasoned with herbs, spices, and cheese. This is truly one of the most flavorful breadcrumbs you’ll ever make.
Italian Bread Crumbs Recipe
Unlike packaged breadcrumbs, homemade breadcrumbs can be seasoned to your preference. These Italian style bread crumbs are savory and flavorful making them perfect for a variety of dishes.
Ingredients to Make Italian Bread Crumbs
Here are the ingredients you need to make this homemade Italian bread crumbs. Let’s understand what to use and why it matters.
- Bread: Rustic bread, French bread, sourdough bread, or whole-grain bread all work well, Slightly stale bread is perfect as it crumbles easily and crisps up when toasted. I recommend keeping the crust for flavor and texture.
- Onion powder: Adds great flavor and a subtle sweetness.
- Garlic powder: I recommend using garlic powder for a mild garlic flavor. Garlic granules are also great if you want some added texture.
- Dried oregano: This gives the bread crumbs a classic Italian flavor and aroma. You can substitute this with Italian seasoning too.
- Parmesan cheese: This takes these bread crumbs to the next level. Freshly grated or pre-grated parmesan cheese works. Pecorino Romano is another cheese that would work well here.
- Basil: Use fresh basil if you plan to consume the bread crumbs within 4-5 days. For longer storage, I recommend using dried basil.
- Olive oil: Good quality extra virgin olive oil adds the perfect Italian flavor.
How to Make Italian Bread Crumbs
1. Crumble the bread: Add the bread to a food processor and pulse until it crumbles. You can keep them coarse or fine depending on how you plan to use them. Keep it coarse for toppings and fine for breading.
2. Toast the breadcrumbs: Heat olive oil in a skillet over medium heat. Add the breadcrumbs and toast until golden and crisp. Stir frequently so all the breadcrumbs are evenly toasted.
3. Add the seasonings: Turn off the heat and stir in the garlic powder, onion powder, parmesan cheese, dried oregano, and basil. Mix well and transfer to a large plate lined with baking sheet.
4. Cool and store: Let the breadcrumbs cool completely. Then transfer them to an airtight container and refrigerate for up to 2 weeks and freeze for up to 3 months.
Tips for Making Italian Bread Crumbs
- Use stale bread. Stale bread is dry and tough which helps it crumble easily and toast properly.
- Keep the crumbs on the coarser side. Do this especially if you plan to use it in multiple ways. This way you can always pulse it to a finer texture when needed.
- Toast the breadcrumbs slowly. This way the bread wont burn and will brown evenly.
- Spread the breadcrumbs on a baking sheet after they are ready. This way the steam escapes quickly and makes them extra crispy.
Easy Variations
Spicy Italian Breadcrumbs: Add red pepper flakes and pepper for a little kick. They pair well with pasta, casseroles, or over roasted vegetables.
Lemon Herb Breadcrumbs: Add in lemon zest and fresh parsley for a bright flavor. They are delicious as breading for fish or as a garnish for seafood pasta.
Nutty Italian Breadcrumbs: Add in toasted crushed pine nuts or almonds. These pair well with tomato based pastas and salads.
How to Use Italian Bread Crumbs
- Breading for chicken, pork chops, or seafood. Replace the flour with bread crumbs in this pan seared tilapia recipe.
- Topping for pasta, roasted vegetables, casseroles, or salad. These bread crumbs pair well with this spicy spaghetti and heirloom tomato salad.
- Mixed into meatballs or fritters.
Storage
Storage: Store bread crumbs in the fridge in an airtight container for up to 2 weeks. Freeze for up to 3 months.
Frequently Asked Questions
Which bread to use for homemade bread crumbs?
Rustic Italian bread, french bread, sourdough bread, whole-grain bread, or even a sandwich loaf works.
How to make Italian seasoned bread crumbs from plain?
Toast the plain bread crumbs in some olive oil until golden and season it with onion powder, garlic powder, dried oregano, grated parmesan, and basil.
How much Italian seasoning to add to plain bread crumbs?
Add 1 tsp of Italian seasoning to every 1 cup of plain bread crumbs. Also add other seasonings and grated cheese for added flavor.
How to make gluten-free Italian bread crumbs?
Use your favorite gluten-free bread and follow the rest of the recipe as is.
I hope you enjoyed this simple and easy recipe. Be sure to leave a review below!
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Homemade Italian Bread Crumbs
INGREDIENTS
- 1 pound (450g) bread (2 day old bread)
- 1/2 cup parmesan cheese (grated)
- 2 tsp dried oregano
- 1 tsp onion powder
- 1 tsp garlic powder
- 3 tbsp fresh basil (or 1 tsp dried basil)
- 1 tbsp olive oil
INSTRUCTIONS
- Add the bread to a food processor and pulse into crumbs. Keep the bread crumbs coarse for toppings and fine for breading.
- Heat olive oil in a skillet over medium heat. Toast the bread crumbs until golden and crisp. Stir often to avoid burning.
- Turn off the heat and add in grated parmesan, onion powder, garlic powder, dried oregano, and basil.
- Spread the breadcrumbs on a large plate lined with baking sheet. Allow it to cool completely.
- Transfer to air tight containers and refrigerate up to 2 weeks or freeze up to 3 months.
NOTES
- Stale bread is bread that is 2-3 days old has lost its moisture. This provides the best texture for bread crumbs.
- Use rustic bread or sourdough bread for better nutrition and flavor.
- Freeze leftovers to keep them fresh for longer.
NUTRITION (per serving)
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