Name: Sourdough Breadcrumbs
Prep time: 5 min
Cook time: 40 min
Total time: 45 min
Yield: 1
Ingredients: About 1 loaf's worth of any kind of leftover sourdough bread; 3 tbsp olive oil; 2 tbsp garlic powder; 2 tbsp salt; 2 tbsp pepper; 2 tbsp oregano; 2 tbsp rosemary; 1 tbsp white balsamic vinegar

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Make your own sourdough breadcrumbs with this step by step guide that shows you how to get the most out of your delicious homemade bread.

Breadcrumbs are a staple in my pantry. From the topping of my famous chicken cheddar broccoli bake to the coating for these Scotch eggs, they’re always on hand. But once I started baking my own sourdough bread, I realized that I couldn’t just use plain old panko from the store anymore.

Naturally, sourdough breadcrumbs eventually made their way into my pantry restock routine. At first it was just a way to use up bread that was going stale, but since then I’ve come to rely on a full jar being at my disposal. You never know when you might have a few string cheeses in the fridge and some avocado oil lying around to make spur-the-moment mozzarella sticks!

Why you’ll love this recipe:

Customizable: These instructions are set up to be used on any amount of leftover bread, so nothing in your kitchen goes to waste. It’s also a two step process that includes the making of croutons. If you wanted, you could stop there and have a crunchy addition to your next salad.

Quick: If, like me, you’re going to make this a regular part of restocking your pantry, you don’t want the process to be lengthy and complicated. And minimal dishes is a must. In this recipe you just cut, oil, season, bake, and grind.

Delicious: Since these are seasoned and toasted, they give an extra flavor to any dish. They’re also tasty just on their own. Before I have a chance to grind them up and they’re laying on the parchment paper, I’ll catch my toddler sneaking a few bites as a snack. And sometimes I join her…

THIS POST CONTAINS AFFILIATE LINKS WHICH MEANS I MAKE A SMALL COMMISSION AT NO EXTRA COST TO YOU. SEE MY FULL DISCLOSURE HERE.

Supplies needed for these sourdough breadcrumbs

Large sheet pan

Parchment paper

Food processor

Tips for success

Use any bread that is going stale or a loaf that didn’t come out quite right. This minimizes waste and maximizes all that work you put into making homemade sourdough.
Mix the oil and seasonings right on the pan. A separate bowl is unnecessary and this recipe is all about keeping the dishes to a minimum!
Use your nose when baking. You can set a timer, but your nose can smell when your croutons go from perfectly toasted to burnt. Let it guide you to knowing exactly when it’s ready to be pulled out of the oven.
If you don’t have a food processor, you can still make this. Just throw the croutons into a plastic bag, and (as Bob Ross would say) beat the devil out of it. Use a rolling pin or something similar and leave a slight opening in the bag as to not bust it open when smashing the croutons.

New to sourdough?

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Making the sourdough breadcrumbs

Start with whatever leftover bread that you have.

leftover sourdough bread on a cutting board with a bread knife

Cut into roughly 1 inch cubes. This doesn’t need to be exact, but if they are much bigger than that size, they might not get toasted and dehydrated enough in the oven, and if they are too small, they might get burnt before the rest are done. The key here is uniformity as much as possible in the size of your bread cuts.

olive oil being poured over bread cut into cubes

Coat the bread in an oil of your choosing. Since there are so few ingredients in these breadcrumbs, I like to use a high quality oil as it contributes to the overall flavor. Olive oil, coconut oil, and avocado oil are all great choices.

Season however you like, but this is my favorite combination. Salt and pepper are crucial, but the garlic powder, rosemary, and oregano give the breadcrumbs an Italian seasoning taste which is a nice complement. Finally, use any acid you prefer, but a little white balsamic vinegar drizzled over everything gives the breadcrumbs a subtle depth of flavor that rounds everything up together.

sourdough bread cut into cubes on a parchment paper lined sheet pan

Pro-tip: To season everything properly, start by spreading your bread cubes evenly on the sheet pan. Steadily and conservatively shake or sprinkle each spice over every inch of the pan. When finished, mix everything together by hand and taste. Add any seasonings if you find it needs it.

After baking at 400F they should be brown and toasty but not burnt. You should have crunchy croutons that look something similar to this:

To get breadcrumbs, use the parchment paper to lift up the croutons and slowly pour into a food processor. Blend until you reach a texture you prefer. I usually like mine to be more fine than coarse, so I blend on high for about 3 minutes.

sourdough croutons inside of a food processor

sourdough breadcrumbs inside of a food processor

Put the breadcrumbs back on the parchment to help you cleanly transfer to a mason jar. Seal tightly and store in the pantry for up to 3 months.

1 quart size Mason jar

Sourdough Breadcrumbs

Prep Time: 5 minutes

Cook Time: 40 minutes

Total Time: 45 minutes

These toasted, seasoned breadcrumbs are super easy to make and are a wonderful complement to any dish both in texture and flavor. They are great for dredging and frying, sprinkling over pastas and casseroles, or leaving as croutons and putting in your favorite salad.

Ingredients

About 1 loaf's worth of any kind of leftover sourdough bread
3 tbsp olive oil
2 tbsp garlic powder
2 tbsp salt
2 tbsp pepper
2 tbsp oregano
2 tbsp rosemary
1 tbsp white balsamic vinegar

Instructions

Preheat the oven to 325F or 165C.
Cut your leftover sourdough bread into roughly 1 inch cubes. Any kind of leftover bread will do, but I like to use either sandwich bread or a rustic loaf. Any kind of bread you prefer will work in this application. However, I do like to use loaves that aren't too sweet or seasoned with any competitive flavors as to not overpower the seasonings you use in your breadcrumbs.
Line a 13x18 sheet pan with parchment paper.
Evenly spread your bread cubes out on the parchment paper.
Pour oil and sprinkle seasonings over bread.
Mix evenly with your hands, and taste to check for proper and preferred seasoning levels.
Bake for 40 minutes or until croutons are browned but not burnt. They should be fully dehydrated and have a strong crunch.
Using the parchment paper, transfer to a food processor and pulse on high for about 3 minutes or until you have achieved your desired texture.
Pour the breadcrumbs out of the food processor back onto the parchment to easily transfer to a clean, dry quart sized Mason jar.
Seal tightly and store in a cool, dry place for up to 3 months.

Notes

Don't have enough leftover bread each week but don't want those few extra slices to go bad before you can make breadcrumbs out of them? Keep a freezer safe bag, and cut up any scrap bread pieces. Continue to fill it up until you have enough to make a batch. Pull out of the freezer and bake as normal.

Experiment with different seasonings and acids such as a squeeze of lemon juice or different kinds of vinegars.

Don't have a food processor? Place your croutons in a large Ziploc bag and, leaving the bag slightly unsealed, smash vigorously with a rolling pin or something similar.

Nutrition Information:

Serving Size:

.25 cups
Amount Per Serving: Calories: 90

Nutrition information is estimated.