How to Make Bread Crumbs with Stale Bread

Last Updated: October 15, 2021 Tested

For those of you who can't tolerate kitchen waste, good news! Stale bread doesn't have to be thrown away! You can use the bread to make bread crumbs. It is so easy! The crumbs can keep in the freezer for several months. You can also season the crumbs and use them right away.

Ingredients

Stale bread loaf (any size)
Olive oil (optional)
Italian herb seasoning (optional)
Salt and pepper (optional)

Method 1

Method 1 of 3:

Make Bread Crumbs with a Food Processor or Blender

1
Slice the loaf of stale bread into 1/2 inch (1.3 cm) sections. Cut the slices into 1/2 inch (1.3 cm) cubes.
2
Place the cubes on a baking sheet. Slide the sheet into an oven set at 300° F (150° C). Only do this if you think the cubes are dry or stale enough. Bread that is too fresh will produce gummy bread crumbs. Let the cubes cook in the oven until dry and crispy.

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3
Fill the bowl of the food processor or jar of the blender. 1/3 of the way full with the cubes of stale bread.
4
Turn on the machine. Make sure the cubes are cut into smaller bread crumbs.
- The crumbs do not need to be the same size. Some will be very tiny while others will be around 1/4 inch (.6 cm) in size.
5
Empty the crumbs in a bowl. Fill the processor bowl or blender jar again, 1/3 of the way full with more stale bread cubes. Process again. Continue until you've gone through the entire loaf of bread.

Method 2

Method 2 of 3:

Make Bread Crumbs with a Box Grater

1
Use a box grater to make bread crumbs. If you do not own a food processor or blender.
2
Cut the loaf of bread into 1/2 inch (1.3 cm) slices.
3
Run a slice of bread over the large holes on the box grater. Crumbs will collect inside the grater.
4
Continue grating the bread slices until you've gone through the entire loaf.

Method 3

Method 3 of 3:

Bread Crumb Seasoning and Storage

1
Transfer the crumbs to a baking sheet. Slide it into an oven set at 350°F (180°C). Toast the bread crumbs for 15 minutes if you plan to serve them immediately.
2
Pour the crumbs back into the bowl.
3
Drizzle about 1 tablespoon (15 ml) of olive oil per 1 cup (500 ml) of bread crumbs. Add Italian seasoning, salt, and pepper to taste. You can use any type of seasoning you wish on the crumbs, or you can omit the seasoning entirely. Sprinkle on pasta or use the crumbs as directed in your recipes.
4
Scoop the crumbs into zip-top plastic bags. Squeeze out the air.
- Label the bags, and add the date.
5
Store bread crumbs in the freezer for up to 1 year.