How to Make Bread Crumbs From Croutons (2024)

FAQs

How to Make Bread Crumbs From Croutons? ›

If a recipe calls for dry bread crumbs but you don't have any on hand, use packaged croutons. Place them in a resealable bag and smash them with a rolling pin. Crumbs made from seasoned croutons add extra flavor!

Croutons. Store-bought croutons are one of the best substitutes for breadcrumbs—they have so much flavor built right in! Just process them into fine crumbs, then use them in any recipe that calls for breadcrumbs.

You can also make dried breadcrumbs by bashing up pieces of dried bread and rolling over the pieces with a rolling pin. You can put them in a plastic bag to do this and they won't fly everywhere. Fresh breadcrumbs can be made by cutting the crusts off a loaf then grating the bread on a coarse grater.

I treat both croutons and breadcrumbs essentially the same way: croutons are larger pieces of toasted bread with herbs, butter, and olive oil, while breadcrumbs are those same croutons rolled out and crushed (or processed in a food processor) until fine pieces remain.

To make by hand:

Place dry bread in a sealed bag. Smash with a rolling pin to break into crumbs. Place in a resealable bag, and store in the refrigerator for up to 1 month. If using fresh bread, place slices on a baking sheet and dry out slightly in a 300-degree-Fahrenheit oven for 15 minutes.

Crumbing involves coating food in seasoned flour, then dipping it in a liquid, such as whisked egg, and finally in breadcrumbs to create a firm coating that becomes golden and crisp when fried.

What else can blenders do? Processors are not always good for blending small quantities, so if you want a small amount of mayonnaise, Hollandaise, breadcrumbs, pesto or anything else that needs some quick, brief blending, you will find a blender does a better job.

There are several alternatives you can use, such as crushed cornflakes, crushed crackers, panko breadcrumbs, grated Parmesan cheese, or even ground nuts like almonds or pecans. These alternatives can provide different flavors and textures to your breaded chicken.

Can I just use flour instead of breadcrumbs? ›

It's best not to use flour instead of breadcrumbs. While you can use flour to coat chicken, it won't have the crisp texture that breadcrumbs or an alternative can provide. Don't use flour as a binder in meatballs because the mixture will become paste-like.

The alternative on grocery store shelves, Italian breadcrumbs, are much finer with a denser crumb. Despite textural differences, panko and Italian breadcrumbs can be used pretty interchangeably in recipes. Try panko in any recipe that calls for breadcrumbs. A 1:1 substitution usually does the trick.

Fresh homemade bread crumbs can be stored in an airtight container in the fridge for about a week, or frozen for about 4 months. Homemade dried bread crumbs can be stored in an airtight container in the pantry for about 2 weeks or frozen for about 4 months.

If a recipe for meatloaf or meatballs calls for bread crumbs, you may have success swapping it out for rolled oats or oat flour. Oats by weight are also lower in calories, provide more complex carbohydrates, and are a richer source of dietary fiber than bread crumbs, making them a nutritionally sound substitute.

A crouton (/ˈkruːtɒn/) is a piece of toasted or fried bread, normally cubed and seasoned. Croutons are used to add texture and flavor to salads—notably the Caesar salad— as an accompaniment to soups and stews, or eaten as a snack food.

It is possible to make breadcrumbs using leftover stale bread, as well as crispbreads, Swedish bread rolls, bread sticks, unleavened bread, crackers, cornflakes, etc.