Homemade Breadcrumbs - Recipe
Homemade breadcrumbs are a completely different ballgame from the canned grocery store stuff. It is a very easy thing to grate dried-out bread in the food processor and then toast the crumbs with a little olive oil in a skillet. You’ll be rewarded with tasty, crunchy goodness that can top a gratin, add body to a filling, or bread a fritter.
If you don’t have any stale bread, in a pinch you can make these with bread that is still soft. Just slice, toast moderately, and then allow to sit for 15 minutes or so to dry out so that it can be grated.
Breadcrumbs keep very well in the freezer. Just give them a quick re-toast in a skillet or toaster oven to revive their crunch.
The recipe below is for a basic, all-purpose breadcrumb. You can add crushed garlic or hearty herbs such as rosemary or sage to the olive oil for variety.
Homemade Breadcrumbs
Vegan / Yields 2 cups / 15 minutes
- 6 thick slices of stale, but not moldy, bread, crust on
- 3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
- ¼ teaspoon Kosher salt
- Set up your food processor with the grating blade. Run all of the bread through the grater. Empty the crumbs out of the bowl and replace the grating blade with the regular chopping blade. Put the crumbs back in and process until you reach your desired texture. I like mine fairly coarse for general use, but rather fine if being used for breading.
- Put the oil in your largest skillet over medium-low heat. When the oil is hot, add the breadcrumbs and salt. Toast, stirring frequently until well browned and crispy, about 10 minutes.
- Set aside to cool and use as needed.
