The Best Bread To Use For Breadcrumbs Is Also The Most Basic

There are some pantry staples that it'd be hard to live without and breadcrumbs are high on the list. They're one of the most essential ingredients to seriously upgrade your mac and cheese and you can't satisfy a craving for chicken parm, crispy air fryer meatballs, or schnitzel without them. And while you can easily pick up a canister at the store, a from-scratch version is simple to whip up in a food processor, with an immersion blender, or even in a zip-top bag with a rolling pin.

Making homemade breadcrumbs also gives you an edge over store-bought for a couple of reasons. For one thing, it optimizes your grocery investment by avoiding food that might be otherwise wasted. In fact, of the many clever ways to use stale bread, this might be the most useful. Most importantly on the flavor front, though, it means you can personalize your breadcrumbs for your specific culinary needs.

Having pre-seasoned breadcrumbs may seem like a shortcut, but given the versatility of this ingredient, you're actually locking yourself into a particular flavor profile that might not pair with all your applications. Instead, it's best to opt for a basic option like neutral-flavored white bread.

Different breads can have distinctive flavor profiles, whether that's a tangy sourdough, a seed-studded rye, or an earthy pumpernickel. Those qualities might be delicious when simply slathered with butter or used for a specific purpose, but once converted into breadcrumbs, may clash with your dish's design. For example, if you're making meatballs for an Italian-style meal, you might want garlic and basil in your mix, while Thai-inspired meatballs may call for coriander, cilantro, and lemongrass paste. 

By using white bread or a similarly neutral option, you can adapt your breadcrumbs to suit your recipe. Experiment with spices like cayenne or cumin, herbs like sage or basil, and aromatics like garlic and onion powders. You can even go for sweet breadcrumbs that feature cinnamon and sugar, which you can dust over ice cream for a unique alternative to sprinkles.

So instead of viewing this suggestion as a move toward blandness, consider that it makes for a blank canvas you can easily customize. But no matter if or how you opt to enhance your breadcrumbs, your finished dishes will be flavorful, focused, and full of character.