The perfect way to reduce waste and use up those last few pieces of bread! Homemade Seasoned Italian Breadcrumbs are a great way to get rid of stale bread and make some really delicious Italian classics like Classic Pork Chop Milanese or Italian Chicken Cutlets.
These aren't a recipe I plan to make often, but when I have the leftover ingredients, it's an easy way for us to reduce waste, save a little money, and make something completely from scratch.
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Why Make Homemade Breadcrumbs
For my family, homemade breadcrumbs aren't something we make every week or even every month. It's just one of those nice-to-have recipes when you have a couple of loaves of Italian bread left, and you're wondering to yourself, what do I do with the rest of this bread.
I like being able to make this instead of wasting the bread. Of course, you can just use the stale bread right in your meatballs, make Homemade Italian Parmesan Croutons, or Traditional Panzanella Salad. But when I don't need those, I can use these seasoned Italian breadcrumbs to dredge my cutlets or my fish!
Ingredient Notes and Substitutions
- Stale bread- I use any kind of rolls of bread from a bakery or homemade. Italian bread, baguettes, or sandwich rolls work well. I prefer not to use anything on a supermarket shelf because they don't dry well.
- Pecorino- Pecorino is a salty and savory cheese that is traditionally used for seasoning breadcrumbs.
- Salt- Depending on the type of salt you use, you may need more. I usually taste test to see.
- Garlic powder- I prefer garlic powder for things like this because it will stay fresh for longer. Also, if you're using the breadcrumbs for anything that will be fried, I find that fresh garlic burns quickly.
*Please see the recipe card below for more information on the ingredients.
How to make Homemade Seasoned Italian Breadcrumbs
Step 1: Preheat the oven to 325℉. Cut the stale bread into 1-inch cubes. Place on a baking sheet and bake for 15 minutes. Remove and allow to cool for a few minutes.
Step 2: Place all the bread in the food processor once cooled. Process on high until finely blended.
Pro-Tip: If you have any of these larger pieces left, it's usually because they're a bit moist. If there are enough of them, put them back in the oven for another 10 minutes. Then process again.
Step 3: Combine the breadcrumbs, parsley, pecorino, salt, pepper, and garlic powder.
Use homemade seasoned Italian breadcrumbs for dredging your favorite Italian classics like an Eggplant Parm Sandwich or Chicken Spiedini! It's also perfect to moisten your favorite meat dishes like Italian Meatloaf or Classic Italian Fried Meatballs!
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Pro-Tips
- Some breads will toast faster than others, depending on the type of bread. Keep that in mind if you're toasting two types of bread at the same time.
- If some of your toasted bread doesn't process finely in the food processor, remove it from the crumbs with a strainer. You can then retoast for 10 minutes and reprocess or just toss them.
- Refrigerate in a ziploc bag for 2-3 days. After a few days, moisture can start to affect the quality of the breadcrumbs.
- Homemade breadcrumbs get freezer burn in the freezer pretty quickly if not completely dried, so I usually recommend using them after you make them instead of trying to save them.
What to do with Homemade Breadcrumbs
These are perfect for a bunch of classic Italian recipes!
FAQs About Homemade Seasoned Italian Breadcrumbs
Breadcrumbs will stay good in the fridge for 2-3 days. After that, they'll start to clump together. I find that the breadcrumbs get freezer burn after a month in the freezer. Sometimes less. I prefer to use these immediately.
No, unless it's very toasted, sandwich breads off the shelf of the supermarket won't work well for making good bread crumbs. They retain a lot of moisture with the preservatives they have, so unless you cook the bread, it won't be dry enough. Then, once you use it for frying, it will be overcooked.
Yes, but they take a bit longer to dry/toast in the oven, and can sometimes take longer to process.
More Easy Homemade Staples
Please leave a comment and star rating below in the recipe card! I love to hear what you think of our recipes. Feel free to tag us on Instagram @vindelgiudice.
Homemade Seasoned Italian Breadcrumbs
Equipment
- 1 food processor
Ingredients
- 2-3 loaves stale bread
- ¼ cup fresh parsley, chopped
- ½ cup pecorino romano
- 1 tablespoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- ½ teaspoon fresh cracked black pepper
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 325℉. Cut the stale bread into 1-inch cubes. Place on a baking sheet and bake for 15 minutes. Remove and allow to cool for a few minutes.
- Place all the bread in the food processor once cooled. Process on high until finely blended.
- Combine the breadcrumbs, parsley, pecorino, salt, pepper, and garlic powder.
Video
Notes
- Some breads will toast faster than others, depending on the type of bread. Keep that in mind if you're toasting two types of bread at the same time.
- If some of your toasted bread doesn't process finely in the food processor, remove it from the crumbs with a strainer. You can then retoast for 10 minutes and reprocess or just toss them.
- Refrigerate in a ziploc bag for 2-3 days. After a few days, moisture can start to affect the quality of the breadcrumbs.
- Homemade breadcrumbs get freezer burn in the freezer pretty quickly if not completely dried, so I usually recommend using them after you make them instead of trying to save them.
Vincent DelGiudice says
I love using these for our family's chicken cutlets whenever I have the chance! Let me know if this recipe works well for your family if you leave a review.