Italian-Style Sourdough Breadcrumbs Recipe
My kids refuse to eat the heels of a sourdough loaf. Instead of throwing them away, I started tossing them into a freezer bag — and when the bag got full, I turned them into breadcrumbs. These homemade Italian-style sourdough breadcrumbs are one of the best ways to use up stale sourdough bread.
I reach for them constantly for things like meatloaf, baked mac and cheese, and chicken tenders. Because the pieces are so small, they don’t even need to thaw first. I just grab and go straight from the freezer.
And to be honest, my name is That Sourdough Gal. I can’t exactly buy breadcrumbs from the grocery store, now can I? 😂
Besides, have you ever looked at the shelf life on that canister? It irks me that those breadcrumbs can sit in your pantry for months without molding. Making my own means I know exactly what’s in them — and they taste significantly better, too.
It’s the reduced waste, the money savings, and the fact that they’re a genuinely healthier alternative to store-bought breadcrumbs that make this a no-brainer for me. Once you have a bag in your freezer, you’ll wonder why you ever bought a canister.
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Why You’ll Love These Sourdough Breadcrumbs
- Zero waste: Those heels and stale slices that nobody wants to eat? They have a purpose now. Stale bread is actually ideal for this recipe — it dries out faster in the oven, which means less baking time.
- Ready straight from the freezer: The crumbs are so fine, you don’t need to thaw them before using. Pull the bag out, scoop what you need, and toss them directly into your recipe. It doesn’t get easier than that!
- No mystery ingredients: That store-bought canister can sit on a shelf for months — thanks in part to calcium propionate. In 2019, Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health published research suggesting it may act as a metabolic disruptor, raising concerns about its potential links to insulin resistance and obesity. These sourdough breadcrumbs are made from things you already know: sourdough bread, olive oil, real parmesan, and spices from your cabinet.
- Done in 35 minutes: Prep is 5 minutes, baking is about 30. That’s it.
- Incredibly versatile: The Italian-style seasoning blend works with just about everything, but it’s completely customizable. More on that in the substitutions section.
Equipment You’ll Need
- Scale: Use a kitchen scale to measure the bread in grams for more consistent results. A basic kitchen scale works great.
- Measuring spoons: Measure the seasonings with spoons, since some scales struggle to register very small amounts accurately. For example, a half teaspoon of smoked paprika doesn’t even register on my scale.
- Food processor: Let a food processor do the heavy lifting — it turns your bread cubes into crumbs and distributes the seasonings evenly with just a few pulses. I’ve had my Cuisinart since 2022, and I love it!
- Parchment paper: Line the tray with parchment paper to keep the crumbs from sticking and make cleanup easy.
- Half sheet pan: Spread the crumbs in a single, even layer on a half sheet pan so they dry out uniformly in the oven.
Ingredients for Italian-Style Sourdough Breadcrumbs
- Sourdough bread: Any sourdough works here — plain artisan loaves, sandwich bread, whole wheat, flavored breads like tomato-basil, focaccia, even dinner rolls. Stale bread is ideal. If you’re in the habit of saving your heels in a freezer bag, this is exactly what to do with them once the bag is full.
- Italian seasoning blend: The backbone of the flavor. Most store-bought Italian seasoning blends contain a mix of oregano, basil, rosemary, thyme, and marjoram — all the classic herbs that make these breadcrumbs taste like something you’d get at a great Italian restaurant.
- Garlic powder: Adds savory depth without any of the moisture issues that come with fresh garlic.
- Onion powder: Rounds out the garlic and adds a subtle sweetness.
- Sea salt: Brings everything together. I use Redmond’s Real Salt (15% off with code TSG15), but any sea salt works fine.
- Smoked paprika: Just a half teaspoon adds a gentle warmth and a little complexity. Regular paprika works too.
- Black pepper: Adds a touch of heat and sharpness to balance the other flavors.
- Freshly grated Parmesan cheese: This secret weapon adds a salty, nutty, umami-rich quality that you just don’t get from plain breadcrumbs. Pecorino Romano is a great swap if that’s what you have on hand.
- Olive oil: Helps everything bind together and gives the finished crumbs a slightly richer flavor and texture. It also helps with even browning in the oven. My absolute favorite is from California Olive Ranch – it’s in most grocery stores and is also available on Amazon.
Ingredient Substitutions
- Different bread: Any sourdough variety works. Flavored breads like tomato-basil or focaccia can add an extra layer of flavor. Just know that sweeter breads (like sourdough cinnamon raisin) are not ideal for savory applications.
- Pecorino Romano instead of Parmesan: A great 1:1 swap with a slightly sharper, saltier flavor.
- Regular paprika instead of smoked: Totally fine. The smoked version adds a subtle depth, but regular paprika works perfectly well.
- Different seasoning blends: The Italian blend is versatile, but you can absolutely make this your own. Try Herbes de Provence or a simple garlic-herb blend depending on what you plan to use the breadcrumbs for.
How to Store Sourdough Breadcrumbs
Once completely cooled, transfer to a zip-top freezer bag.
They’ll keep well in the freezer for a long time — at least 6 months. When you’re ready to use them, no thawing is needed — just scoop directly into whatever recipe you’re making.
Troubleshooting
FAQs
Yes — any sourdough bread works great for this recipe. Plain artisan loaves, sandwich bread, whole wheat, focaccia, flavored breads, and dinner rolls all produce great results. Stale bread is ideal since it has less moisture and dries out faster in the oven.
Fresh bread works fine — it just needs a longer bake time since it has more moisture. Stale bread dries out faster, so keep an eye on your oven and adjust the bake time as needed.
Yes — sourdough breadcrumbs freeze very well. Once fully cooled, transfer them to a zip-top bag and store them in the freezer. Because the crumbs are so small, they don’t need to be thawed before use. Just scoop straight from the bag.
Very small amounts can be tricky to measure accurately on a home scale — a half teaspoon can easily register as zero or jump to more than you intended. Teaspoons and tablespoons are more reliable for these quantities.
Sourdough breadcrumbs are incredibly versatile. Some of my favorite ways to use them are as a binder in meatloaf, as a crunchy topping for baked mac and cheese, and as a coating for chicken tenders. They also work beautifully as a topping for casseroles, a coating for baked fish, or stirred into meatballs.
Italian-Style Sourdough Breadcrumbs
Ingredients
- 350 g cubed sourdough bread* fresh or stale
- 1 tbsp Italian seasoning blend
- 1 tsp garlic powder
- 1 tsp onion powder
- 1 tsp sea salt
- 1/2 tsp smoked paprika or regular paprika
- 1/2 tsp black pepper
- 30 g freshly grated parmesan cheese or pecorino romano
- 1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 300°F (150°C). Line a half sheet pan with parchment paper.
- Add 350 g cubed sourdough bread* to a food processor. Process until you have fine crumbs.
- Add 1 tbsp Italian seasoning blend, 1 tsp garlic powder, 1 tsp onion powder, 1 tsp sea salt, 1/2 tsp smoked paprika, 1/2 tsp black pepper, 30 g freshly grated parmesan cheese, and 1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil. Pulse about 10 to 15 times, or until all ingredients are evenly distributed.
- Spread the seasoned breadcrumbs onto the parchment-lined sheet pan.
- Bake 15 minutes. Toss the breadcrumbs with a spatula and bake an additional 15-20 minutes, or until crumbs are fully dry. If you used stale bread, they'll dry out faster — if you used fresh bread, your bake time will be longer.
- Let cool completely. If you feel any remaining moisture, put them back in the oven until the breadcrumbs are fully dry. Once cooled, transfer to a zip-top bag and store in the freezer to keep them fresh longer. Because the crumbs are so small, you can scoop straight from the bag anytime you need them — no thawing required.
Notes
Conclusion
Thirty-five minutes, one food processor, and you’ve got homemade Italian-style sourdough breadcrumbs stashed away for whenever you need them.
If you make these, I’d love to hear what you use them in! Drop a comment below or tag me on Instagram @thatsourdoughgal.
Other scratch pantry recipes:
Great idea, thank you.