Learn how to make homemade breadcrumbs in this easy tutorial! Never buy breadcrumbs again at the grocery store. Use your food processor to make them yourself.

Ever find yourself in the kitchen making a meal and you realize that you’re out of a key ingredient? Yikes! Do you really have to go to the store? Now? In the middle of the recipe?

Maybe.

Maybe not.

Turns out that there are lots of commercial ingredients that you can make yourself. True story.

Whipped cream? Yep.

Cream of chicken soup? You betcha.

Breadcrumbs? You know it!

Breadcrumbs are an essential ingredient to meatloaves, meatballs, breaded chicken, and other great dishes, like Cheesy Potatoes. Breadcrumbs add crunch to pasta dishes. They add body to Apple Strudel and a crispy lid to casseroles.

My husband’s even used toasted breadcrumbs to make faux fried fish. Just toast them lightly with butter and sprinkle generously over a grilled fillet.

Clearly, breadcrumbs are necessary to life, so you don’t want to run out!

Good thing is you don’t ever have to run out of breadcrumbs when you know how to make them homemade. Bonus: they taste better than the commercial ones anyway.

Packaged breadcrumbs are quite costly to buy and usually full of sodium and preservatives.

The amazing thing is that they’re actually quite inexpensive and easy to make yourself. After all, it’s just dried bread!

How do I make homemade breadcrumbs in the food processor?

Making your own bread crumbs is as easy as using your food processor. Tear bread into chunks (about 1 inch to 2 inch pieces) and place in the bowl of food processor fitted with a metal blade.

Pulse until you have the consistency you’d like. Store in the freezer in an airtight container or ziptop bag.

You can also make homemade breadcrumbs in a blender.

Can I make homemade breadcrumbs by hand?

What if you don’t have a food processor or a blender? Well, you can make homemade breadcrumbs by hand.

Toast the bread until very very dry. In this way it will crumble more easily. Place the toasted bread in a sealable plastic bag and then use a rolling pin to roll/smash them into crumbs.

How long do homemade breadcrumbs last?

You can store homemade breadcrumbs in a covered container in your refrigerator for up to 1 week or store in the freezer for up to 6 months.

How do I make panko-style breadcrumbs?

To make panko-style bread crumbs, be sure not to process too finely. Toast the crumbs on a lined baking sheet for 7 minutes at 300 degrees. Cool completely before packaging and storing in the freezer.

How to make breadcrumbs inexpensively

All of my recipes are affordable to begin with, but there are some steps you can take to make sure you’re spending your grocery money well. Making homemade breadcrumbs is one of those things you can do to save! When you do so, you’re choosing a more affordable option over an expensive convenience food item.

Using bread that is already too dry for sandwiches to make homemade breadcrumbs is a great way to stretch your dollar further and to avoid waste.

Take your savings to another level by purchasing your bread on sale or on clearance. Often grocery store bakeries will sell the day-old bread for up to 75% off. Take advantage of this! It may or may not be soft enough for fresh eating, but it will be perfect for breadcrumbs and croutons.

Tools I use to make breadcrumbs easily:

Pyrex bowl with lid– This set is great for storing breadcrumbs in the freezer. Since you want to refrigerate or freeze the crumbs, the 1- and 2-cup bowls with lids are perfect storage vessels.

Food processor – An ideal tool for making breadcrumbs at home!

If you prepare this recipe, be sure to take a picture and hashtag it #GOODCHEAPEATS. I can't wait to see what you cook up! If you prepare this recipe, be sure to take a picture and hashtag it. I can't wait to see what you cook up!