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Breadcrumbs

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Breadcrumbs or ‘Breading’ are a breeze to make and are easy to use almost everywhere from savory main dishes to crispy snacks. These depending on its size, dryness, and coarseness can be used in a number of dishes. A useful ingredient in the kitchen. What do we know of this ingredient aside from its many uses in food? In this Yummy Kitchen article, find out more on “ How to make breadcrumbs from bread ?”, “How to store these ?”, alternatives or “What can I use instead of breadcrumbs”, and the many recipes you cna make with this ingredient.

A short Introduction

Breadcrumbs were actually known to many since the 1500’s. While one cannot pinpoint when exactly it was made. This ingredient was found by many from cookbooks of that time. Typically in recipes to help thicken up sauce, soups, and stews, even used for pizza crust and other cakes. These were featured due to many seeing ‘white bread’ as food for the rich, with the crust or ‘brown part’ removed since the bread was not ‘white enough’. Some people of that time even would go as far to say that the ‘crust’ was too hard making it inedible. Some would also go on to say that the crust should be removed to make the bread ‘healthier’. 

Left with so many crumbs, many creatives found another way to use these. Thus, “Breadcrumbs” were created. Taking some dishes to high levels some examples being eggplant parmesan, fried breaded chicken or shrimps, cheese stick and many more. This ingredient is so widely used that these are bought in packs for home use, and bulk by many restaurants, these can be found over casserole, usd as stuffing or binder for meats, a thickener, or coating for some crispy dishes, and more.

How to make Breadcrumbs fast ?

You can easily make these with stale bread. It’s actually easier to make these with stale bread rather than fresh bread as these are dry-er making it a bit more easy to crush. Especially since these lack moisture. Homemade breadcrumbs feel a bit more toasty, rich, and flavorful since you can fix the amount of how fine and browned these are. Especially being able to mix these with a good amount of seasonings and or herbs.

You just need 2 to 3 ingredients. Stale bread, oil, and or salt. Pulse the cut up bread in a blender or grinder. Keep pulsing/blending till you get a s chunky or as fine as you like. Toss with olive oil and or salt. Then place these in a baking tray lined with parchment paper. Spread these evenly and bake in a 350°F or 175°C preheated oven for 10 – 15 minutes giving it a good toss. Take as much time as you’d like if you like it more browned. This also depends on where you’ll be using these. If these are for frying, try to bake it just enough to be lightly browned. Compared to being a topping for soups or salads, these can be even more golden to very toasted. For extra flavor add in cheese, garlic powder, onion powder, italian seasoning, pepper flakes, cumin, rosemary, thyme or any of your choice of flavoring.

How long do homemade breadcrumbs last ? Once cooled down to room temperature, place these in a ziplock bag or airtight container. This can be kept in the fridge for 3 weeks to 2 months, or frozen for almost 6 months. To use, thaw and place the unused breadcrumbs back into the freezer. To know if the crumbs have gone bad and needs to be thrown out, check to see if there are molds, green fuzz, or a sour taste or smell.

Questions ?

Making a chicken parm without breadcrumbs? Or maybe some fried chicken without breadcrumbs ? these these are some of the best options to use:

  1. Potato chips – adds flavor and are best to be used when frying. Place these in a plastic bag and crush with a rolling pin or a kitchen hammer to make these as fine or coarse as you like.
  2. Cornflakes – similar to potato chips these are a better substitute to bread-crumbs especially when frying as these will still turn out very crisp.
  3. Or use Crackers ( biscuits ) – these also have added seasonings and saltiness into these making these more flavorful. 
  4. Rolled Oats – are a ‘healthier alternative’ as well as being gluten free. These can be crushed before being used to make it easier to eat. DO NOT make the fried chicken with these since these can easily turn soggy.
  5. Almonds – or any choice of nuts are another gluten-free alternative that adds nuttiness into the dish. These can be used as a binder into dishes or coating.

What to use instead of breadcrumbs in meatballs or even burger patties? Use crushed up croutons or crackers / biscuits. You can also use potato chips, oats (toasted or not toasted) if these are readily available.

These crumbs really do depend on if you want an ‘all meat’ meatball or if you do plant to have other additives like sauces, seasonings, aromatics, or eggs, it would be good to add a bit of breadcrumbs or it’s substitutes to keep the balls from breaking being crumbly.

For homemade versions, after the bread has been crushed, mix these in with the salt, oil, then season before toasting. You can also choose to mix the seasonings in after it’s been toasted. But toasting these together will bring out more of the flavors. 

Or “What aisle is breadcrumbs in ?” These can be seen in the same aisle as the baking products like flours, extracts, flavorings, sometimes these can also be found in the bread section, in other stores these are placed in the fridge or freezers.

Yummy Breadcrumbs Recipes

Crispy, versatile,easy to add flavor into, as well as help give texture into any dish. This ingredient can be found anywhere from salads, meatballs, toppings, pastas, as a coating and more. Check out these Yummy Recipes using breadcrumbs :

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