Homemade bread crumbs are easy to make. And you can make toasted, fresh, and Panko breadcrumbs for pennies by using leftover scraps of bread so that nothing goes to waste! Plus, you can use any type of bread you want, including sourdough and whole grain bread.
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Table of Contents
- Easy Bread Crumbs Your Way
- Fresh or Stale Bread?
- Crusts Make Great Bread Crumbs
- Stocking the Traditional Foods Pantry
- Grand Teton Ancient Grains
- Grind Your Own Flour with the Mockmill
- The Modern Pioneer Cookbook
- The Modern Pioneer Pantry
- Start Your Traditional Foods Journey
- Download Your Free 36-Page Pantry List
- Join the Traditional Foods Kitchen Academy
- Kitchen Academy Videos
- Homemade Bread Crumbs Recipe
- Shop for items used in this blog post or video
Easy Bread Crumbs Your Way
The great thing about making Homemade Bread Crumbs is that you can make any type that you want. Toasted breadcrumbs are great for using when a recipe calls for thin breading, such as when making chicken parmigiana. And having fresh breadcrumbs on hand is perfect when you need a binder when making meatballs or meatloaf.
And panko? Well, they are just about the most perfect breading for creating that delightful “crunch” for pan sautéed chicken or fish. In my video, I’ll show you an easy way to make panko bread crumbs with a process that literally takes less than 5 minutes!
If you like making casseroles, you will love having all three varieties of bread crumbs on hand (toasted, fresh, and panko) as any one of them makes the perfect casserole topping!
Fresh or Stale Bread?
In my previous video on How to Make Croutons, I shared with you how I like to save my bread scraps from day-old bread. It doesn’t matter what type of bread it is. I throw my scraps into a plastic bag-lined container that I keep in my freezer. Once I fill the container, I get ready to make croutons.
For me, I find the best croutons are made with the center of the bread and not the crusts. But if you have been with me for awhile, you know that I do not like to waste anything. So what happens to the crusts?
Crusts Make Great Bread Crumbs
Once I cut out the bread that I want to use for making croutons, I use the crusts to make bread crumbs. Using the crusts gives the bread crumbs a wonderfully rich flavor—even when they are used as fresh bread crumbs that have not been toasted! It’s the perfect solution of using every last bit of bread and helps you work toward creating a no-waste kitchen!
Stocking the Traditional Foods Pantry
Now that you’ve created Homemade Bread Crumbs for your Traditional Foods Pantry, watch these other pantry videos too! I share how to make Homemade Croutons and 10 Homemade Seasonings Blends. And for the easiest bread recipe you’ll ever make, be sure to watch How to Make “Faster” No-Knead Bread.
And once you master basic bread making, you’ll be ready to try your hand at sourdough too! You can start by watching my Complete Guide to Sourdough Starter where I walk you through the whole process of making your own starter – start to finish!
Grand Teton Ancient Grains
Check out the organic berries and flours available from Grand Teton Ancient Grains. I love their high-quality Einkorn, Emmer, Spelt, Millet, and more you can get to create nutritious and delicious baked goods.
Exclusive Newsletter Discount Code
Sign up for my Mary’s Nest newsletter for an exclusive discount code you can use on your order of berries and flours. This discount is available for a limited time, so be sure to stock up on the Ancient Grains you would enjoy using to bake delightful breads, desserts, and more.
And if you’re looking for a grain mill to make fresh flour from your wheat berries, I recommend the Mockmill electric grain grinder. (See below.)
Grind Your Own Flour with the Mockmill
When it comes to electric grain mills, after I did A LOT of research, I decided to buy a Mockmill. And am I so happy I did! The Mockmill is a very affordable but beautifully crafted German-made mill that stone grinds grain with settings ranging from 1 to 10—fine to coarse ground grain.
Learn more about Mockmill electric grain mills for making fresh flour and their Flake Lover’s Flaker that flakes whole grain in minutes. (This is not a sponsored post. I bought the Mockmill products that I show you, and I’m a happy user of their devices in my kitchen.)
- Get the Mockmill 100 Stone Grain Mill (Same product I show you in my unboxing video.)
- Mockmill 100 Grain Mill unboxing
- Flake Lover’s Flaker from Mockmill in action (Using this device, you can flake whole grain in minutes.)
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The Modern Pioneer Cookbook
Seasonal ingredients, traditional techniques, and nourishing recipes. Over 85 traditional, from-scratch recipes! Discover for yourself how you can use simple ingredients and traditional techniques to cook the modern pioneer way.
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The Modern Pioneer Pantry
Simple ingredients, timeless techniques, and a well-stocked pantry. Discover over 100 nourishing recipes to preserve food and turn pantry staples into homemade meals. Build a wholesome, traditional pantry—just like a modern pioneer!
Start Your Traditional Foods Journey
Sharing my passion for traditional cooking goes beyond my YouTube cooking school—it also comes to life in the pages of my cookbooks. Both of my books, The Modern Pioneer Cookbook and The Modern Pioneer Pantry, are proudly published by Penguin Random House.
The first is filled with time-honored recipes to help you create a traditional foods kitchen, while the second is your complete guide to home food preservation. Order both books today to start or continue your traditional foods journey.
Download Your Free 36-Page Pantry List
For an extensive list of the traditional foods you can make and purchase to stock your pantry, be sure to download my free 36-page Traditional Foods Pantry List. This comprehensive eBook is full of links to recipe videos, helpful articles, and more!
Join the Traditional Foods Kitchen Academy
Are you looking for more traditional foods videos? If so, I invite you to join the Traditional Foods Kitchen Academy. Members of this optional paid YouTube community get access to exclusive videos and other members-only perks. Plus, your YouTube comments include a special members-only badge.
Kitchen Academy Videos
Baking Questions Answered with Ted and Mary!
Join me and my husband Ted for a Q&A filled with practical kitchen tips, helpful techniques, and answers to your baking questions.
Baking with Whole Grains: The Maslin Method, Grain Mills, and America’s Bread Basket
Explore whole grain baking with The Maslin Method, fresh-milled flour, grain mills, heritage wheats, and more.
A Sweet Season of Celebration and New Beginnings with The Maslin Method Baking School Series
Celebrate the close of a heartfelt book tour and the exciting launch of The Maslin Method Baking School for traditional baking.
Stay in Touch with Mary’s Nest
- Subscribe to My YouTube Channel for Traditional Foods Videos (Free) - When you subscribe, be sure to click on the notification bell that will let you know each time I upload a new video.
- Subscribe to Mary’s Traditional Foods Newsletter (Free) - Get a free 36-page eBook for signing up: How to Stock Your Essential Traditional Foods Four-Corners Pantry.
- Join the Traditional Foods Kitchen Academy - For more detailed videos and exclusive members-only perks, join my YouTube membership community.
- Order The Modern Pioneer Cookbook - Get a hardcover book of Mary's nourishing recipes from a Traditional Foods Kitchen. This bestselling cookbook is published by Penguin Random House with their DK imprint.
- Order The Modern Pioneer Pantry - Get Mary's latest hardcover cookbook about preserving food and making delicious meals from your Four Corners Pantry. Mary's second cookbook is also published by Penguin Random House.
I look forward to having you join me in my Texas Hill Country Kitchen!
I’d like to receive more tips and recipes from Mary’s Nest.
Homemade Bread Crumbs
Ingredients
- 4 cups Day-old bread and bread crusts Bread can be frozen and thawed.
- Seasoning, optional
Instructions
Fresh Bread Crumbs
- Cut day-old bread (that is still soft) into 1-2 inch pieces, including crusts, and place into a food processor. Process 2 cups of bread pieces at a time for approximately 10 seconds until a fine texture is reached where the bread prices are about half the size of a pea.
- Store fresh bread crumbs in an airtight container in the refrigerator. They will stay fresh for approximately two weeks
Toasted Bread Crumbs
- Cut day-old bread (that is still soft) into 1-2 inch pieces, including crusts, and place on a parchment-lined baking sheet.
- Toast bread for 15 minutes in a 300°F (149°C) oven.
- Remove from oven and allow bread pieces to cool, then process in a food processor for approximately 10 seconds until a finely ground bread crumb is achieved.
- Alternatively, toasted bread pieces can be placed into a plastic bag and then pulverized with a meat pounder or rolling pin to achieve a finely ground bread crumb texture.
- Store toasted bread crumbs in an airtight container in the pantry or the refrigerator. They will stay fresh for approximately two weeks.
"Easy" Panko Bread Crumbs
- For an easy version of Panko Bread Crumbs, spread fresh bread crumbs on to a baking sheet and bake in a 300°F (149°C) oven for 5 minutes.
- Store easy Panko bread crumbs in an airtight container in the pantry or the refrigerator. They will stay fresh for approximately two weeks.
Seasoning Bread Crumbs
- Optionally, if you wish to season your bread crumbs, this works best with toasted bread crumbs. Add the desired seasoning along with bread pieces into the food processor and process together. (Alternatively, add seasoning to the bread pieces in the plastic bag and manually pulverize along with bread pieces.)
Video
Notes
Shop for items used in this blog post or video
Favorite Bread Crumb Making Supplies
- Handheld FoodSaver (older version)
- Handheld FoodSaver (newer version)
- FoodSaver Accessory Kit
- KitchenAid Food Processor
- Rubbermaid Slim Container
- Rubbermaid Airtight Container
- Hefty Jumbo Slider Bags
- Baking Sheet
- Parchment Paper
Amazon Shop and Shopping Guide
- Visit Mary’s Nest Amazon Shop
- Get a 30-day Audible trial with a free audiobook
- Visit my Shopping Guide page
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