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Sourdough crumbs made in just minutes! Quick, easy, and perfect for adding flavor and texture to your favorite dishes.

Store-bought breadcrumbs like Panko bread crumbs just don’t cut it when it comes to flavor or texture. Making your own breadcrumbs, especially with sourdough, is quick and easy. Plus, they make a big difference in your cooking.

These homemade sourdough crumbs are great for tossing on baked mac and cheese, crisping up chicken parmesan, or adding crunch to a casserole. You can use them in meatballs, meatloaf, stuffed mushrooms, or even for fried shrimp. Here’s the thing: if a dish needs a little texture or extra flavor, these breadcrumbs have you covered.

They also store really well. Just keep a jar or freezer bag in the fridge or freezer, and you’re set for weeks. And since they come together in no time, there’s absolutely no reason to go back to the bland, boxed stuff from the local grocery store.

Why You’ll Love This Recipe

They’re stupid simple to make: These homemade bread crumbs are so easy to make that it’s weird there’s an actual recipe for them! I’ll share this sourdough breadcrumbs recipe here anyway since not everyone realizes just how easy making these crisp crumbs really is. All you need is leftover bread, salt, some olive oil (optional) or even melted butter, Italian seasoning (optional), and about half an hour to spare.I need no more than ten minutes to complete the steps and tasks that require my humble hands. The rest of the work happens inside the oven, as I do other things like talking to my dog, and depending on what time of day it is, talking to myself!
They’re a great option for people who like saving things: If you don’t want to be among the thousands of folks who waste food in this country, you’ll definitely love this recipe. Seriously, why waste that day-old sourdough artisan bread, garlic bread, or sourdough sandwich bread when you can turn it into really beautiful and useful breadcrumbs? It feels nice to be among the growing community of earthlings who hate waste at home and everywhere else.
Almost like table salt: Well, it isn’t exactly like table salt, but it’s not too far off either! I can name a long list of homemade recipes that have sourdough breadcrumbs on the list of ingredients. Pretty much every meal needs some salt for flavor, and a whole bunch of dishes wouldn’t turn out all crispy and golden without these breadcrumbs.

What You’ll Need

400 grams leftover sourdough bread (roughly 6.5 cups). Any type of bread will do: white bread, sandwich bread, baguette, focaccia, quick French bread, you name it.
45 g olive oil
I tablespoon salt (I like fine sea salt, but take your pick)
Italian seasoning (optional): You can use your own homemade Italian seasoning or bottled Italian seasoning. I mix I tsp of dried garlic powder with 1 tsp onion powder, 1 tsp sea salt, 1 tsp dried oregano, 1 tsp of dried parsley, and 30 g of grated parmesan cheese. Go for Pecorino Romano cheese instead if you’re craving a more intense flavor and a saltier bite.

Yes, these are the only ingredients needed, not to mention that the oil and Italian seasoning are optional.

What You’ll Need

400 grams leftover sourdough bread (roughly 6.5 cups). Any type of bread will do: white bread, sandwich bread, baguette, focaccia, quick French bread, you name it.
45 g olive oil
I tablespoon salt (I like fine sea salt, but take your pick)
Italian seasoning (optional): You can use your own homemade Italian seasoning or bottled Italian seasoning. I mix I tsp of dried garlic powder with 1 tsp onion powder, 1 tsp sea salt, 1 tsp dried oregano, 1 tsp of dried parsley, and 30 g of grated parmesan cheese. Go for Pecorino Romano cheese instead if you’re craving a more intense flavor and a saltier bite.
Yes, these are the only ingredients needed, not to mention that the oil and Italian seasoning are optional.

Tools

High-powered blender/Food processor
Serrated knife
Bowl

Instructions

Step 1: Cube a loaf of sourdough bread into 1″ pieces and leave it uncovered until it dries completely. This step takes me 24-48 hours. If you’re using a fresh loaf and don’t want to wait, just bake the cubed bread pieces for about 30 minutes at 300F, until they become nice and crisp. Flip them once as baking happens.
If you have stale sourdough bread that isn’t moldy but hard enough, skip step 1. But if using fresh sourdough bread or slightly stale loaf that is still soft, definitely start from step 1.
Step 2: Preheat the oven to 320F
Step 3: Pulse bread cubes. Pour them into a high-powered blender or the bowl of a food processor. Make sure not to overprocess the bread. If you want finer crumbs, pulse the sourdough bread cubes in short bursts. The rule of thumb is pulse more if you want finer crumbs and less if you prefer coarse crumbs.
Depending on how much sourdough bread you have, it may be necessary to pulse the bread crumbs in batches. That’s what works best for me.
Step 4: I pour each done batch into a bowl and add in the seasoning and oil, tossing with a spatula so the crumbs are evenly coated.
Step 5: Pour the crumbs onto a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Spread the pieces of bread out in a single layer on the sheet.
Step 6: Bake the breadcrumbs for about 15 minutes, or until they’re golden brown and lightly toasted.
Step 7: Cool the delicious breadcrumbs completely and refrigerate or freeze for later use.
Congrats! You just turned your beautiful loaf of bread into one of the most useful ingredients in any modern pantry.

FAQ

No, you can substitute the oil for melted butter and Italian seasoning for your favorite seasonings, or even skip them altogether. A friend prefers plain breadcrumbs and that’s totally fine. Actually, skipping the seasoning is a good idea since these breadcrumbs can be seasoned later as needed depending on the dish you’re cooking.

You can use either. Just make sure to dry the bread in room temperature for a day or two, or bake it in the oven for half an hour before pulsing if it’s fresh or slightly stale. Tip: If slightly stale, the loaf may not need as much time in the oven, so keep an eye on it.

Both are fine. It all depends on the kind of texture you want in your recipes. In my experience, fine crumbs work best for meatballs and meatloaf, making each bite as tender as it gets. They’re also great for breading chicken cutlets or pork or, or for thickening fillings and sauces. Coarse crumbs give you the best results when you’re chasing a really crunchy texture on fried seafood, casseroles, or gratins.

Storage

Store the cooled sourdough crumbs in an airtight container and refrigerate them. They will stay nice and fresh for up to 2 weeks, giving you plenty of time to use this versatile ingredient in all kinds of dishes. Sourdough meatballs, croutons, meatloaf, and others.

Sourdough breadcrumbs can be frozen, and they stay good for a really long time, up to 3 months. Some say they can stay frozen for up to 6 months, but I haven’t done that yet, because I don’t want to deal with flavor loss or a decline in quality. I portion my crispy golden brown breadcrumbs into an airtight container like a mason jar. Alternatively, use a freezer bag and press out the air before freezing.

Make sure to reseal the freezer-safe bag properly after scooping out a load of crumbs for a recipe to avoid spoilage or clumping.

This is not needed. Simply scoop whatever amount you need and add it to the recipe you’re making. It’s really that simple.

Easy Sourdough Breadcrumbs Recipe in Few Minutes!

Sourdough Breadcrumbs made in just minutes! Quick, easy, and perfect for adding flavor and texture to your favorite dishes.

Serving Size 1 jar

Equipment

High-powered blender/Food processor
Serrated knife
Bowl

Ingredients

400 grams leftover sourdough bread roughly 6.5 cups. Any type of bread will do: white bread, sandwich bread, baguette, focaccia, quick French bread, you name it.
45 g olive oil
I tablespoon salt I like fine sea salt, but take your pick
Italian seasoning optional: You can use your own homemade Italian seasoning or bottled Italian seasoning. I mix I tsp of dried garlic powder with 1 tsp onion powder, 1 tsp sea salt, 1 tsp dried oregano, 1 tsp of dried parsley, and 30 g of grated parmesan cheese. Go for Pecorino Romano cheese instead if you’re craving a more intense flavor and a saltier bite.

Instructions

Cube a loaf of sourdough bread into 1" pieces and leave it uncovered until it dries completely. This step takes me 24-48 hours. If you're using a fresh loaf and don't want to wait, just bake the cubed bread pieces for about 30 minutes at 300F, until they become nice and crisp. Flip them once as baking happens.If you have stale sourdough bread that isn't moldy but hard enough, skip step 1. But if using fresh sourdough bread or slightly stale loaf that is still soft, definitely start from step 1.
Preheat the oven to 320F
Pulse bread cubes. Pour them into a high-powered blender or the bowl of a food processor. Make sure not to overprocess the bread. If you want finer crumbs, pulse the sourdough bread cubes in short bursts. The rule of thumb is pulse more if you want finer crumbs and less if you prefer coarse crumbs. Depending on how much sourdough bread you have, it may be necessary to pulse the bread crumbs in batches. That's what works best for me.
I pour each done batch into a bowl and add in the seasoning and oil, tossing with a spatula so the crumbs are evenly coated.
Pour the crumbs onto a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Spread the pieces of bread out in a single layer on the sheet.
Bake the breadcrumbs for about 15 minutes, or until they're golden brown and lightly toasted.
Cool the delicious breadcrumbs completely and refrigerate or freeze for later use.

Video

Notes

Storage Tips for Your Delicious Homemade Breadcrumbs

Refrigeration: Store the cooled crumbs in an airtight container and refrigerate them. They will stay nice and fresh for up to 2 weeks, giving you plenty of time to use this versatile ingredient in all kinds of dishes. Sourdough meatballs, croutons, meatloaf, and others.
Freezing: Sourdough breadcrumbs can be frozen, and they stay good for a really long time, up to 3 months. Some say they can stay frozen for up to 6 months, but I haven't done that yet, because I don't want to deal with flavor loss or a decline in quality. I portion my crispy golden brown breadcrumbs into an airtight container like a mason jar. Alternatively, use a freezer bag and press out the air before freezing.
Make sure to reseal the freezer-safe bag properly after scooping out a load of crumbs for a recipe to avoid spoilage or clumping.
Thawing: This is not needed. Simply scoop whatever amount you need and add it to the recipe you're making. It's really that simple.

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