How to Toast Bread Crumbs

Fresh, homemade toasted bread crumbs can add extra flavor and texture to a wide range of dishes. You can sprinkle them over pasta and casseroles, for example, use them to batter foods for deep-frying or even toss a handful over a finished pizza to give it extra crunch. Toasting your bread crumbs may sound difficult or like a waste of time, but it is a simple process that you can complete in under 10 minutes.

Things You'll Need

• 1 tbsp. extra virgin olive oil per 1/2 cup bread crumbs
• Skillet

Instructions

1. Pour the oil into a skillet large enough to hold all of the bread crumbs you wish to toast. Turn the heat on to medium and allow the oil to warm slightly.

2. Add the bread crumbs to the skillet. Mix thoroughly with a wooden spoon to evenly coat the bread crumbs in oil.

3. Stir the oiled bread crumbs constantly, keeping the skillet over medium heat, until the bread crumbs turn golden brown. This will probably take approximately 2 to 5 minutes. Do not leave the bread crumbs alone during this time; if you do not stir them constantly, you run the risk of burning some of them, which will affect the flavor of the whole batch.

Tips & Warnings

• Use a strongly flavored oil, such as peanut or sesame oil, if you want your finished bread crumbs to have that flavor.

References

• MyRecipes: Toasted Fresh Bread Crumbs
• CDKitchen: Toasted Breadcrumbs Recipe
• Sur la Table: Making Fresh, Dried Toasted Bread Crumbs

Resources

• StarTribune.com: Don't Waste Your Breadcrumbs. Here's How to Use Them