If you’re looking for an easy way to add a tasty crunch and texture to all your favorite dishes, homemade panko breadcrumbs are the perfect solution. Take your cooking to the next level.
For anyone who loves to cook at home, using restaurant secret ingredients like panko bread crumbs can be a great addition to any recipe. It’s a great way to give food an extra crunch and helps dishes maintain their shape during cooking. If you’re like me, you enjoy that crispy crust that you get from breadcrumbs.
Not only that, but with just a few ingredients from your kitchen pantry, you’ll be able to make delicious panko without having to buy it from the store.
Get ready for light, crispy delight every night of the week: here is how you can make restaurant-worthy homemade panko at home.
What are Panko Breadcrumbs?
You might be wondering, just what are panko breadcrumbs and why are they so special. Panko is a Japanese word meaning “bread crumbs.” Panko breadcrumbs are made from a particular kind of milk bread for a Japanese-style of breadcrumb, and it is slightly different than regular or American-style breadcrumbs. It is used to coat food for deep frying and oven baking to add an extra crunchy layer.
In Japanese cuisine, it has been used to make Chicken Katsu, Panko Parmesan Cheese Chicken, Chinese Chicken Fingers, Crispy Shrimp, or Tonkatsu – Asian-Style Pork Chop
This has become so popular in Western culture; it is now available in most grocery stores. It is quickly becoming a pantry staple in many homes.
How are Panko Breadcrumbs Different from Regular Breadcrumbs?
Both styles of breadcrumbs have a crispy texture and are used for breading foods for frying or baking. However, Panko has a flakier, crispier, and lighter texture than traditional bread crumbs.
Because the flakes are largerif provides a more defined texture to your dish.
The Panko crumb is airier, fluffier and soaks up less oil and grease resulting in a lighter, less greasy fried food. The light flakes become crunchy after frying.
What are Panko Breadcrumbs used for?
Until more recently, Panko breadcrumbs were only found in Asian cuisine. However, they can be used interchangeably with traditional breadcrumbs as a coating for meat, such as a pork chop, chicken, veal cutlet, pork cutlet, fish, or even vegetables. However, as its use continues to increase in American culture, it is used to top casseroles such as homemade macaroni and cheese for that crunchy finish.
How Are Panko Breadcrumbs Made?
Panko is made from crustless white bread. It is bread that is actually baked without a crust. Then it is ground into a light fine crumb texture.
It’s hard to believe that something so delicious is actually super easy and affordable to make at home. If you’re looking for a way to add some extra flavor, texture, and nutrition to your favorite dishes, homemade bread crumbs are the perfect solution.
All you need is a loaf of bread, and you can turn ordinary items like stale bread into light and crispy crumbs in no time at all. Read on for our foolproof guide on how to make panko breadcrumbs at home.
You can use any white bread, whole wheat bread, brown bread, or even a gluten-free bread for this recipe. And day-old bread that is stale is a perfect choice for this. However, if you only have fresh bread on hand, go ahead and use that.
Begin by removing the crusts from the loaf of bread.
Crumble it into coarse crumbs using a food processor or your hands. It is important not to squish it too much; therefore, I do not recommend using a knife as it has a tendency to squish the bread as you slice through.
Prepare a baking sheet lined with parchment paper and add the breadcrumbs in a single layer.
Bake at 300 degrees Fahrenheit. This will assure that the bread dries out without browning. Bake for 7-10 minutes to dry out the crumbs, stirring after the first 5 minutes.
They can be used right away in recipes, or you can store them.
To store, let them cool completely, then store in an airtight container at room temperature.
Substitutes for Panko Bread Crumbs
If you find that you ran out of your breadcrumbs, here are a few alternative ideas to use in place of the Panko breadcrumbs.
The best substitute is regular bread crumbs. They can both be used interchangeably as a crispy coating for topping fried foods, as a crispy topping for baked casseroles, or a binding agent for meatloaf and burgers.
All of these ingredients can be used as a breading in a pinch. Two easy ways to make these into a crumb are to crush in a food processor or in a plastic bag with a rolling pin.
- Rice Chex Cereal
- Corn Chex Cereal
- Gluten-Free Bread
- Crackers
- Corn Flakes
- Pretzels
- Tortilla Chips
- Potato Chips
- Matzo Meal
How Long do Panko Breadcrumbs Last?
Panko Breadcrumbs can last up to 3 months at room temperature or up to 6 months in the freezer.
Once cooled, store in an airtight container. Place in a cool dry place or place in the freezer for later use.
Easy Family Meals
Make a delicious recipe today using Japanese bread crumbs, they add a crunchy topping with lots of flavor, yet the meat is tender and juicy.
Air Fryer Shake and Bake Chicken
Shake and Bake Pork Chops Recipe
How to Make Homemade Panko Breadcrumbs
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Kitchen Essentials
Ingredients
- 1 Loaf White Bread
- Herbs optional
Instructions
- You can use any white bread, wheat bread, brown bread, or even a gluten-free bread for this recipe. The amount of crumbs you end up with will depend on the size of your loaf of bread.
- Begin by removing the crusts from the loaf of bread.
- Crumble it into coarse crumbs using a food processor or your hands. It is important not to squish it too much; therefore, I do not recommend using a knife as it has a tendency to squish the bread as you slice through.
- Prepare a baking sheet lined with parchment paper and add the breadcrumbs in a single layer.
- Bake at 300 degrees Fahrenheit. This will assure that the bread dries out without browning. Bake for 7-10 minutes to dry out the crumbs, stirring after the first 5 minutes.
- They can be used right away in recipes, or you can store them.
- To store, let them cool completely, then store in an airtight container at room temperature.
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Nutrition
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