Italian Bread Crumbs
Homemade Italian Bread Crumbs are easy to make from scratch in just a few minutes!!
It is so much better than store-bought and at a fraction of the price. Plus, there are no preservatives or unwanted ingredients!!
My Italian family never wasted bread. In fact, it was considered bad luck to throw bread away. Leftovers were turned into bread crumbs; I have always done the same. Having homemade Italian bread crumbs in the freezer means Italian Chicken Cutlets, and my Baked Swordfish recipes are a cinch to prepare.
Why you’ll love this recipe
- Easy – So simple and easy to make at home plus this recipe is perfect for using leftover bread.
- Adaptable – This recipe uses some of my favorite herbs and spices, but it is completely adaptable and can be tweaked easily. Also, you can use your favorite bread!
For complete ingredient quantities and full instructions, please scroll to the printable recipe card at the bottom of the page.
Ingredient notes
This Italian breadcrumbs recipe uses basic ingredients that you probably already have in the pantry or fridge.
- Bread – I even use leftover whole-grain bread (I don’t mind the bits!).
- Fresh parsley – you could use dried, but be sure it’s very fresh.
- Dried oregano – use fresh if you prefer. However, triple the amount of fresh oregano is used.
- Dried thyme – like oregano, you can use it fresh. Remember to increase quantities if fresh herbs are used.
- Onion powder – adds so much flavor.
- Garlic powder – great flavor.
- Salt and pepper – without these, this Italian bread crumbs recipe would be too bland but can be slightly reduced to taste.
For a quick shortcut, you can grab store-bought dry bread crumbs and season them yourself to whip up Italian breadcrumbs in just 5 minutes!
How to Make Italian Breadcrumbs
Follow my simple instructions to learn how to make Italian breadcrumbs at home!
Slice the bread thinly and dry in a low oven then allow to cool to room temperature.
Crumble the dried bread into a food processor and whiz until the texture you like.
Add chopped parsley to the bread crumbs and process for 30 seconds.
Stir in the remaining ingredients.
Hint: Typically, I save bread ends, crusts, or any leftover bread in a zip-lock bag in the freezer. Then, when I have enough, I’ll spread the bread on a baking sheet and pop it into the oven after I’ve baked a cake or made a butterfly chicken recipe, and then I have dry bread to make this recipe.
Substitutions
- Gluten-free – use gluten-free bread instead of white bread to make this gluten-free.
- Herbs – For a different flavor, instead of dried oregano and thyme, you can use dried basil or rosemary.
- Italian Seasoning – swap out the dried herbs and powdered onion and garlic for equal quantity of your favorite Italian seasoning.
Variations
- Spicy – add a little red pepper flakes to make a spicy version of this recipe.
- Smoky – add 1/2 teaspoon of smoked paprika for added depth of flavor.
- Cheesy – include finely grated Parmesan or Pecorino Romano cheese.
Equipment
You’ll need a blender or food processor to reduce the bread to crumbs and finely chop the parsley. While this can all be achieved by hand, it is much easier with an electric kitchen appliance.
Storage
Store these bread crumbs in a sealed jar or container in the fridge for two weeks or so. However, I like to double or triple the recipe and store it in the freezer for up to three months.
Always keep it in an airtight container or heavy-duty, zip-lock bag.
Top Tips
The secret to perfect crumbs lies in the bread’s dryness. Very fresh bread will tear in the food processor and not crumble nicely. Drying time depends on the bread type. A light and airy baguette like a French stick dries quickly. Denser bread, however, will take longer in the oven.
For faster drying, be sure to slice your bread thin to make Italian style bread crumbs.
FAQ
Italian breadcrumbs are made from plain breadcrumbs combined with tasty Italian seasonings such as garlic powder, onion powder, parsley, and other herbs. These can be used in the same way as regular breadcrumbs but have more flavor.
Italian seasoned bread crumbs are regular bread crumbs with addins such as oregano, garlic, parsley, and salt or other Italian seasonings. How much Italian seasoning to add to plain bread crumbs depends on your taste preference.
Italian style breadcrumbs are finer in texture and have added Italian seasonings. However, you can use this recipe as a substitute for panko. There will be a difference in texture, but the flavor will be amazing!
These Italian Bread Crumbs are ideal for breading. My favorite dish to make is Italian chicken cutlets, but you can use the same recipe and swap out the chicken for beef or pork. These bread crumbs can also be used to add body to soups, including in a stuffing recipe or added to ground beef to make meatballs.
More recipes like this
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Italian Bread Crumbs Recipe
Ingredients
- 1 lb (450 grams) bread
- ¼ cup chopped parsley
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano
- ½ teaspoon dried thyme
- ½ teaspoon onion powder
- ½ teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 300ºF/150ºC.
- Slice the bread thinly and spread out in one layer on baking sheets (you will need more that one baking sheet).
- Toast bread for 5 minutes then flip bread slices over. Toast for another 5 minutes until dry throughout. Heavy breads may take longer to toast.
- Transfer toasted bread to a wire rack until cool.
- Break up the bread and crush in the food processor in several batches progressively transferring crumbs to a medium bowl.
- With the last lot of crumbs in the food processor add the parsley and process for 20-30 seconds until the parsley is finely chopped.
- Combine all the crumbs in a bowl together with remaining ingredients.
- Store in an airtight container or heavy duty zip lock bag in the fridge for two weeks or in the freezer for 3 months.
Notes
- If you are in a hurry, you can use plain, dry, store-bought bread crumbs and add the seasonings to make this recipe in 5 minutes.
- Increase or decrease the spices to your taste.
- Add finely grated Parmigiano Reggiano (Parmesan) or Pecorino Romano cheese.
- The bread must be dry, or it will tear and not crumble in the food processor. Different breads will need different drying times. I use a French stick, which dries easily. However, heavier breads will take longer to dry in the oven.
- Be sure to slice the bread thinly so that it dries quickly.
Nutritional Estimate Per Serving
Nutritional Disclaimer
Nutritional information is an estimate provided by an online nutrition calculator. For accurate results, it is recommended that the nutritional information be calculated based on the ingredients and brands you use.
I made mine with spelt bread as I can’t have yeast. Your recipe had great flavor and was very easy. It’s a keeper.
That’s great to hear, Diane! Thank you for making the time to comment.
Thank you! So much better than the processed packaged ones. I used 1 pound of fresh bread crumbs from my local grocery store. I skipped the pepper due to acid reflux but added a teaspoon of ground rosemary. I didn’t have parsley so thought the rosemary would add a little something. This will be my new way of using breadcrumbs for any recipe! (Going to try that breaded baked cauliflower recipe another person posted, thank you for that also!)
You’re welcome, Jana! Glad you loved this recipe!
PS. Added 1 cup finely grated parmigiana to seasoned breadcrumbs.
Spot on! I doubled all the herbs and spices. Added to two cups plain bread crumbs. Melted 11/2 cups butter. Dipped cauliflower floweretts into butter, then into breadcrumbs. Baked at 400 degrees for 20 min. Superb!
Same!!! I doubled the spices and added 2 scant palm fulls of dry parsley… They smell divine!!!
That’s right, Mayellah, the spices can be increased if you like a more of this delicious flavor!
Evergreen staple at our house ! We use it almost everywhere when thickening required ! Thank you so much !
I like homemade crumbs…it’s easy and all the leftover bread get to used up…perfect!