My husband and I have very different eating habits. Deciding what to cook and eat each day is a game for me; I enjoy opening the fridge and just letting my imagination run wild. Rhys, on the other hand, eats the same sandwich for lunch every day. And as much as I’ve tried to introduce some variety into his bread choices, he’s a white bread man and he’s never going to change.
That means we go through about a loaf of store-bought white bread a week, sometimes more, and every month I end up with 8 or more white bread heels abandoned at the back of the fridge. Luckily, they make excellent crumbs.
It takes me 15 minutes or so to make them, and then I store them in a ziplock bag in the freezer. You can leave them in there pretty much indefinitely…although I go through them really fast.
Make this part of your regular routine, and you’ll never waste bread or waste money on store-bought breadcrumbs ever again. That’s the kind of double kitchen win that makes me all warm and fuzzy inside.
NOTE: Breadcrumbs are typically made with stale bread, but with this toasting method, you can use bread at any stage of life. I also find that processed grocery store bread tends to stay fresh for an extra long time (by design, I’m sure), so no need to wait and watch for it to go stale.
EQUIPMENT: Sheet Pan, Food Processor
Easy Homemade Breadcrumbs
Ingredients
- 8-10 Bread Heels
- (that’s it)
Directions
- Step 1 Lay the bread flat on a sheet pan and lightly toast in the oven at 325 degrees for 10 minutes. Ovens may vary, so when you take them out, they should not be browned, but they should feel completely dry to the touch, like toast. You’re just trying to zap them of their moisture.
- Step 2 Rip into smaller pieces, and process in the food processor until you have coarse crumbs.
- Step 3 Transfer to a ziplock bag, and store in the freezer. Use as needed for all your recipes. No need to defrost beforehand.
