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How to Make Homemade Gluten Free Crispy Breadcrumbs

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Start with leftover scraps of gluten free bread, sizzle them up in butter, add a salty tang with parmesan and herbs, and a nod to nutrition with flaxseed meal and nutritional yeast. These golden breadcrumbs are the crowning glory to casseroles, salads, and pasta.

crispy breadcrumb topping in jar

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Why You Should Make Crispy Breadcrumb Topping

If you’re a gluten free baker/eater you always end up with bits and pieces of leftover bread  - like the heels and broken crumbly edges of bread that no one is going to eat. But those bits of bread were not cheap! It pains you to throw them away, knowing that you spent MORE THAN DOUBLE the cost of a loaf of wheat bread.

They don’t have to go to waste! Make this crunchy, golden, buttery  breadcrumb topping out of them and prove that you are one smart cookie (who knows how to make delicious gluten free food).

GF tuna casserole

What to Use it For

  • Need a buttery, crispy texture to add a crowning touch to a casserole? Keeping a stash of these gf breadcrumbs on hand is a great way to get that. Like this tuna casserole (above)
  • These easy gluten-free breadcrumbs are a great way to add some crunch to your salad without getting the roof of your mouth scraped with big croutons. Add it to your Salad Bar
  •  With that salty tang from the parmesan and nutritional yeast, this is SO good on top of pasta. Try it on Creamy Butternut Pasta Sauce
  • Use them as part of the crispy coating for chicken tenders, pork chops, shrimp, or fish
  • I’m excited to try them on any recipe that comes in a bowl that’s topped with a fried egg (doesn’t that sound amazing?)
  • Eat these golden brown, nutty flavored nuggets in a bowl like cereal - haha, just kidding! (or am I?)

Ingredients Breakdown 👇

  • Gluten free breadcrumbs  - I’ll show you how easy it is to make homemade breadcrumbs, and I’ll provide some links to pre-made bread crumbs you can buy 
  • Ground flax seeds - don’t use whole flax seeds, use ground flaxseed meal. I buy mine in bulk at a local grocery store. Flaxseed meal is bursting with nutrition, and I add it to all kinds of foods, even gluten free soft gingersnaps
  • Nutritional yeast flakes - another ingredient I like to sneak into as many foods as I can. This contains some important trace minerals and vitamins that you might not be eating otherwise, like phosphorus, niacin, B vitamins, and zinc.
  • Parmesan cheese - perfect compliment to the nutritional yeast. Both have a cheesy, salty, nutty flavor.
  • Seasoning of choice - there are so many options for seasoning these crispy breadcrumbs that it has its own little section down below, Season it Your Favorite Way. 
  • Butter - real butter is ideal, but you can make this gluten free and dairy free ⤵️
crispy breadcrumb topping ingredients

How to Make it Gluten-free and Dairy-free

If you can’t have gluten or dairy, don’t despair. Buttery, crispy breadcrumb topping can still be yours!

  • Replace butter with Earth Balance buttery spread, or Country Crock plant butter
  • Replace the parmesan cheese with double the amount of nutritional yeast flakes

Make Homemade Gluten-free Breadcrumbs - it’s Easy!

drying bread

The gluten-free version of making breadcrumbs is exactly like making traditional bread crumbs.

  1. Save scraps in the freezer until you have enough of your own breadcrumbs to make this recipe - this is what the ends of the loaf of bread were born to do!  Roughly 4 slices of leftover bread make 1 cup of fine crumbs.
  2. Spread out on a cookie sheet (parchment paper is optional) to dry out at room temperature. This will take some time - we’re talking many hours or overnight. Cover it with a towel if you don’t like leaving it out in the open.
  3. You can also use the oven at a very low temperature, like 300℉ or lower.  It's the perfect way to dry out your bread quickly. Depending on the oven temperature, this could be done in 30 minutes to an hour.
  4. Once the bread is bone dry (there should be no soft areas or springy texture to the bread at all), it’s ready to make into crumbs. 
  5. Add the dried bread to a food processor or blender in small batches and pulse until they become fine crumbs. You can also go with the very traditional breadcrumbs method by using a sturdy zip top plastic bag and a rolling pin to roll and crush them.
  6. Store breadcrumbs in an airtight container like a glass jar or bag until you’re ready to make this recipe. Hopefully your handwriting will be better than mine 😂
saving bread scraps

Store-bought Breadcrumbs (that are gluten free)

If you don’t have leftover gluten-free bread on hand, here’s some store-bought breadcrumbs you can try. I’ve included Amazon links to each, but you may be able to find some of these at your local grocery store or health food store.

  1. Schaar gluten free breadcrumbs
  2. 4C Premium gluten free breadcrumbs
  3. Kikkoman gluten-free panko breadcrumbs
  4. Kinnikinnick gluten free breadcrumbs
  5. Aleia’s gluten free breadcrumbs

How to Make GF Crispy Breadcrumb Topping

Let’s talk about how this only takes 10 minutes from start to finish to make, once you have your breadcrumbs. Or not - let’s just get right to the recipe steps so you can get this crispy, crunchy topping on EVERYTHING. Be sure to read the recipe card for the full info.

step 1. combine crumbs and seasonings

Step 1. Combine ingredients (except butter) in a bowl and mix well.

step 2. melt butter

Step 2. Melt butter in a skillet over medium-low heat.

step 3 add crumbs, stir until toasted.

Step 3. Add breadcrumb mixture, stirring constantly until lightly golden brown. 

step 4. cool and store

Step 4. Store in an airtight container or zip top bag in the fridge.

Season it Your Favorite Way

There are so many yummy ways to season crispy breadcrumb topping! Just sway the 2 teaspoons of seasoning called for in the recipe for one of these:

  1. Smoked paprika, black pepper, sea salt. Simple, versatile, flavorful.
  2. Chopped fresh herbs like rosemary, thyme, chives, oregano, basil + fresh minced garlic. The chopping is so worth it!
  3. Ranch dressing powdered seasoning - start with 2 teaspoons of seasoning recommended in the recipe, add more if you want to. Save the rest of the packet for another recipe!
  4. Make Italian breadcrumbs simply by adding Italian seasoning along with the garlic powder. Fresh garlic is even better.

Kinder’s Buttery Garlic Salt - if I’m not using fresh herbs and garlic, this is typically what I use. It’s delicious.

homemade gluten free bread

Learn How to Make Gluten Free Bread

Let’s say you’ve made the Gluten Free Crispy Breadcrumb Topping, you loved it, and now you’re wondering if you can DIY the ENTIRE operation and make homemade gluten free bread from scratch. Here’s how I can help you even more - my homemade gluten free bread is one of my best gluten-free recipes! 

Learning to make gluten free bread is so much more than a recipe, it’s a set of skills that are best learned from an experienced teacher.

And I have a video workshop over on Teachable so you can learn how to make really amazing gluten free bread too:

get the workshop
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crispy breadcrumb topping in jar

How to Make Homemade Gluten Free Crispy Breadcrumbs

Print Recipe

Start with leftover scraps of gluten free bread, sizzle them up in butter, add a salty tang with parmesan and herbs, and a nod to nutrition with flaxseed meal and nutritional yeast. These golden breadcrumbs are the crowning glory to casseroles, salads, and ALL The Things.

  • Total Time: 0 hours
  • Yield: 2 cups 1x

Ingredients

Scale
  • 2 cups gluten free breadcrumbs
  • 2 tablespoons ground flax seed meal
  • 2 tablespoons nutritional yeast flakes
  • 2 tablespoons parmesan cheese
  • ½ teaspoon garlic powder, or fresh minced garlic
  • 4 tablespoons butter
  • Salt, to taste
  • 2 teaspoons dry seasoning, or to taste (see recommendations in Notes)

Instructions

  1. In a medium bowl, combine breadcrumbs, flax, nutritional yeast, parmesan cheese, and seasoning. Stir to mix well. Salt will be added later.
  2. In a large skillet over medium-low heat, melt the butter.
  3. Add breadcrumb mixture. Stir constantly until crumbs are well coated and are light golden brown. Now taste the mixture and add salt if needed.
  4. Remove the pan from heat. Continue to stir as it cools, or pour the crumbs onto a plate. The  breadcrumbs can continue to brown if they are left to sit in the hot pan.
  5. After they are completely cool, add to an airtight container and store in the refrigerator or freezer.

Notes

Seasoning Ideas:

I like to use a seasoning blend by Kinder called "Buttery Garlic Salt" in this recipe. Other good ideas:

  • salt, pepper, and smoked paprika
  • dry ranch seasoning mix
  • everything bagel seasoning
  • Italian seasoning
  • finely chopped fresh herbs, such as thyme, rosemary, basil, oregano
  • Author: beneficialbento
  • Prep Time: 5 minutes
  • Cook Time: 5-10 minutes
  • Category: sauces, dressings, seasonings
  • Method: stove top
  • Diet: Gluten Free

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Thank you so much 🥰

crispy breadcrumbs close up

 FAQs about Bread Crumbs

What is a good gluten-free substitute for breadcrumbs?

Almond flour has a coarse texture and a nutty flavor, which makes it a good substitute for breadcrumbs in many recipes. Crushed corn flakes cereal can often stand in for breadcrumbs, as long as it does not contain gluten in the form of wheat, barley, or malt.

Can celiacs eat panko breadcrumbs?

Panko breadcrumbs typically are made from bread that contains gluten. It is a Japanese technique where bread is steamed, dried, and ground into flakes. There are brands  that make panko breadcrumbs from gluten free bread, like Kikkoman and 4c.

Can I freeze homemade breadcrumbs?

Homemade bread crumbs can be frozen for up to 4 months if they are stored in an airtight container like a freezer bag or storage container with a tight fitting lid. It is a great use for old bread that could turn moldy if it wasn’t frozen.

Can bread be too stale for breadcrumbs?

Bread that is beginning to turn hard, dry, and crumbly is stale bread. Stale gluten free bread is a great ingredient in homemade breadcrumbs or stuffing recipes. But if the bread shows signs of spoilage like mold, throw it out.

Can you use frozen bread to make breadcrumbs?

You can grind up frozen bread to make breadcrumbs, it just may take a little longer once it's frozen. Cut it into bread cubes or small chunks before freezing to make it easy to grind up later. If you only have a little bit of bread, store the leftover pieces in the freezer until you have enough to make some great gluten-free breadcrumbs.

How long do dried breadcrumbs last?

Plain, unseasoned  bread crumbs can be stored in a cool, dry place like a pantry for about a month. Gluten Free Crispy Breadcrumb Topping recipe can keep for about a month in the refrigerator, or about 4 months in the freezer.

Recipes Begging for Crispy Breadcrumb Topping

recipe creator Kristie Winget

Recipe creator: Kristie Winget, who is a mom to 4, and a grandmother to the 3 best grandkids in the world 🥰