Homemade Breadcrumbs

Homemade Breadcrumbs are incredibly easy to make and an affordable way to not let stale bread go to waste. Use them on breaded chicken, pork, seafood and as a delicious crumbly topping on many dishes.

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Why Make Homemade Breadcrumbs

For many, the idea of making Homemade Breadcrumbs seems rather silly. They are so easy and affordable to buy at the grocery store, why would anyone bother taking the time to make them? Up until recently, I would be the first to agree with you. However, that changed with my recent diagnosis of Hoshimoto’s disease. Learning that excess iodine intake was at the heart of Hoshimotos for many and that commercially processed baked goods (aka breadcrumbs, breads, bagels, etc.) contain excess amounts of iodine, my opinion completely shifted. Much of the science, case studies and success with iodine restriction is laid out in Dr. Alan Christianson’s book, The Thyroid Reset.

Additionally, making your own breadcrumbs can be a wonderful way of using scraps of leftover bread, ultimately saving money. I also love that I have control over the size of the crumbs and with making my own homemade bread, I know exactly what the ingredients are.

How To Make

Making you own breadcrumbs is extremely easy to do. The first step is to start with older, preferably stale bread. It can either be store bought or homemade. For this recipe I used Homemade Sourdough Baguettes (recipe coming soon). Here is how to make them:

1. Preheat oven to 250℉.
2. Cut the stale bread into bite sized pieces.
3. Place into a food processor and process with chopping blade until desired crumb size is achieved. Note: Some breads will process into crumbs very quickly. Others, like homemade sourdough, may take a up to 10 minutes to fully process.
4. Transfer crumbs onto sided cookie sheet and bake until dried and crispy, stirring every 5 minutes. Note: Some breads may only takes 10 mins to fully dry out. Since homemade sourdough is a more moist bread it can take up to 25 mins to fully dry out.

Properly Storing

Once the breadcrumbs are baked and crispy, cool them on the cookie sheet until they reach room temperature. Once they are cooled, transfer to an airtight container or plastic bag. They will keep for up to 4 months in the freezer or a few weeks in the cupboard.

What To Use Breadcrumbs For

One of my favorite ways to use breadcrumbs is coating chicken with recipes such as Sticky Chinese Chicken Fingers. They make a wonderful crispy coating on the chicken and sauces then adhere beautifully to that coating. Here are a few more delicious ways to use breadcrumbs.

• Pesto Chicken Rollatini
• Crispy Baked Pork Chops
• As a topping on Salmon Noodle Casserole or Broiled Scallops.

Seasoned Breadcrumbs

One of the most important things to keep in mind when making Seasoned Breadcrumbs is that taste preferences vary with certain spices. Because of this, some spices may need to be decreased and some increased. For every 2 cups of bread crumbs add the following spices to achieve these flavors.

Italian

Add in a 1/2 tsp of each dried herb; oregano, basil, ground rosemary and 1 tsp of garlic powder.

Garlic and Herb

Add in a 1/2 tsp of each dried herb; marjoram, basil, thyme and 1 tsp of garlic powder.

Spicy

To create a spicy breaded chicken coating add in 1 tsp- 1 tbsp of either chipotle powder, cayenne pepper or hot chili powder. Additionally, 1/2- 1 tsp of garlic and onion powder would work beautifully with the spiciness.

Mexican

For a Mexican flavored coating add in a 1/2 tsp of each; coriander, cumin and real ground chili powder. Also, 1/2 tsp of both dehydrated lime zest and garlic powder would be delicious.

Check out my Amazon store front for affordable and quality spices and herbs.

If you enjoyed these Homemade Breadcrumbs please let me know by leaving a comment and review below. Doing so helps to encourage others to make the recipe also. Thank you!