Homemade Italian Breadcrumbs
It’s back to basics we go!
I guess I should’ve declared this week “homemade week” on Monday between the creamy, nutty, and delicious sunflower seed butter recipe I posted then (have you tried it yet?!) and today’s pantry staple. But first…a quick irking moment…
Whenever I go to my parent’s house and see those pre-chopped onions [from Trader Joe’s] in my fridge I cringe. Now, I LOVE Trader Joe’s — it’s my go-to store — and I love many of their pre-prepared items (helloooo lentils and beets and frozen foods), but those onions! I find them super slimy and there’s something (read: chemical) on them to help maintain their freshness.
While this may simply be my weirdo thing (I know how much buying pre-chopped onions make dinner prep THAT much easier for busy families), I, too, buy some pretty basic items that can easily be made at home in just minutes. Sunflower seed butter was one of them…and I finally fixed that issue.
Next at bat? BREADCRUMBS!
I don’t know if you’ve ever noticed, but whole grain breadcrumbs in the supermarket are EXPENSIVE. And for what? They’re SO simple to DIY! A few simple steps and you’ll be in breadcrumb heaven. Now, these aren’t PANKO breadcrumbs, because those are different, but they work pretty well in nearly any recipe that calls for breadcrumbs (like the one coming on Monday…get excited!!).
I spiced these breadcrumbs with dried Italian spices, but if you’re using them right away I suggest skipping the spices and using fresh herbs (mmm parsley!). If you’re storing them for future use, add the spices!
Feel free to make them gluten free by simply swapping gluten free bread…easy peasy!
Just 4 simple steps:
1. Toast your bread. I used sprouted grain bread for plenty of whole grain goodness with all the benefits of sprouting!
2. Make crumbs. You can throw your bread into a food processor or do this by hand (a bit more tedious).
3. Toast again. Yup, that’s right…twice toasted crumbs for extra crunch! Also add your spices here!
{FYI – I skipped the salt, but feel free to add a pinch or two. Alternatively, salt whatever recipe you’re making.}
4. Store! Once cooled, store crumbs in an airtight container. You can even freeze them for up to 3 months!
- 8 slices whole grain bread (I used Ezekiel bread)
- ½ teaspoon oregano
- ¼ teaspoon dried parsley
- ¼ teaspoon garlic powder
- Preheat oven to 375°F.
- Toast bread for 10 minutes, then flip and continue to toast for another 5 minutes, until edges are golden brown.
- Tear bread into manageable sized pieces and process with spices until a coarse to fine texture forms.
- Spread evenly onto a rimmed baking sheet and return to the oven for another 5-7 minutes.
- Store breadcrumbs in an airtight container. For extended use, store in the freezer for up to 3 months.
You’ll make over 3 cups of breadcrumbs with just 8 slices of bread. Feel free to double, triple, or quadruple the recipe, depending on how frequently you use breadcrumbs!
I hope your day isn’t toooooo “crumb-y” (oh, yes I did)…
XO
Yup! I think they would store nicely for about 3 months in the freezer. Enjoy!
Great idea…I like the fact that there’s no preservatives! Think I can store them in the freezer?