Toasted Panko Breadcrumbs

Simple additions to recipes can make the world of difference. Just adding a bit of seasoning, or a nice garnish can completely transform a dishes flavor, appearance, and texture. One of our favorite toppings to finish off dishes with is Toasted Panko Breadcrumbs. This wonderful finishing ingredient adds a deliciously crunchy texture to Sides, Salads, Mac and Cheese, and just about everything in between! In this recipe we’ll show you how to make these simple Breadcrumbs that can elevate and transform your home cooking

What is it about Panko Breadcrumbs?

There are many different types of Breadcrumbs you can use as a garnish, however I think Panko is the best. They have a beautifully rough texture but are still fine enough to sprinkle over dishes. Perhaps best of all, they lend themselves exceptionally well to toasting. Taking on a beautiful, slightly caramelized flavor with a touch of sweetness

Their texture is perhaps the best of all Breadcrumbs too. Unlike the super-fine breadcrumbs that you may consider when coating dishes like Schnitzels or Croquettes, Panko has a beautifully rough and uneven texture. Every breadcrumb is slightly different, and they’re a lot larger than the fine breadcrumbs. So, instead of achieving a super-fine, smooth texture to your fried dishes, they’ll add a wonderful layer of gnarly, crunchy coating

Perhaps the best pairing of all for Panko Breadcrumbs is Butter, and lots of it!

In our Toasted Panko Breadcrumbs, we use beautiful, melted Butter to help toast the Breadcrumbs. Butter and Bread are such a great combination. I mean, who doesn’t love sitting down to a nice meal and getting served a beautiful piece of toasty, crusty bread with some good quality Butter? It’s one of the culinary worlds simplest, yet most enjoyed food pairings. Naturally, this pairing is going to translate perfectly to Breadcrumbs

You can use any kind of Butter you like for this recipe. Usually with cooking I prefer to use unsalted Butter, as this way you can manage the amount of Salt that goes into a dish by simply adding it yourself. But it doesn’t really matter, and you can just season (or not season) the Breadcrumbs once they’re done based on the flavor you’ve been able to create

How to make Toasted Panko Breadcrumbs

Surprisingly, the Breadcrumbs can take on quite a bit of Butter, so don’t be shy when adding it to the dish. The ratio we like to use is ½ cup parts Breadcrumbs to 20g of Butter. ½ cup of Breadcrumbs is going to yield more than enough for topping every dish you’ll need, likely with some leftovers. If you want less, just adjust the scale accordingly. So, ¼ cup of Breadcrumbs needs 10g of Butter, 1 cup of Breadcrumbs needs 40g of Butter etc.

It’s a very simple dish to make. Add the Butter to a medium size saucepan over medium low heat. You don’t want the pan to be too hot to avoid anything getting burnt. Once the Butter has melted add the Breadcrumbs and immediately mix them well. This will ensure that the Butter will evenly incorporate into the Breadcrumbs

Stir constantly while the Breadcrumbs begin to toast, and you’ll start to notice the color changing from a bright yellow color to a rich, golden-brown color. Once you reach that beautiful golden-brown color the Breadcrumbs are done. This should take about 3 – 4 minutes

Once you reach this point, immediately remove the Breadcrumbs from the pan and place them into a bowl. If you keep them in the pan, even when removed from the heat they will continue to cook and there is a risk of burning

Once cooked they are good to go! I love serving them right away if you can. They’ll be warm and toasty and taste absolutely amazing. They will also store for a few days so you can prepare them in advance. To store them, place them in a sealable container or Ziploc bag until ready to use

Try topping this amazing Cauliflower Mac and Cheese with these Breadcrumbs. It tastes so good!

Here are a few of our favorite dishes to top with Toasted Panko Breadcrumbs

While these Breadcrumbs are so versatile I really can’t think of a dish that won’t be improved with them, we’ve got 3 amazing recipes that are just perfect for them. You can prepare the Breadcrumbs in advance and then make these dishes whenever you feel. The breadcrumbs will store for a few days, giving you plenty of time to enjoy some amazing dishes

The first amazing recipe is the classic pairing for Toasted Breadcrumbs. That is, of course, Mac and Cheese! Now, we don’t mean to boast or anything, but our Mac and Cheese Recipe is in our opinion the best tasting Mac we’ve ever eaten, restaurant or otherwise! We consider ourselves somewhat of Mac and Cheese experts and have eaten thousands of versions of this awesome side over the years. This version is so good, luxurious, creamy, and perfect with the crunch of Toasted Panko Breadcrumbs

For a little twist, you can also try our Cauliflower Mac and Cheese. This recipe uses roasted Cauliflower to make a beautiful Mac and Cheese. It is, of course, topped with Toasted Breadcrumbs as well!

A Green Bean Casserole is another great dish to enjoy topping with Toasted Panko Breadcrumbs

Vegetable Sides Dishes are great to top with Toasted Breadcrumbs

Adding some buttery crunch to Veggies works so well. You can try making our classic Southern Style Green Bean Casserole, which is perfect for the holidays. They are topped with beautiful Caramelized Onions. Adding Breadcrumbs gives it a wonderful crunchy and beautiful flavor

For an Asian-inspired Vegetable Side you can also try out our Broccolini with Oyster Sauce. We make homemade Oyster Sauce which tastes so good. Topping the Broccolini with the Breadcrumbs is a great finish to this delicious dish

Toasted Panko Breadcrumbs Recipe

Ingredients

• ½ cup Panko Breadcrumbs
• 20g Unsalted Butter
• Pinch of Salt
  
  

Instructions

1. Melt the Butter in a medium sized saucepan over medium low heat until it has melted and started to slightly brown
2. Add the Breadcrumbs and immediately stir well to ensure even coverage of the Butter
3. Continue to stir the Breadcrumbs until they turn a golden-brown color (about 3 – 4 minutes). Remove from heat and add a pinch of Salt for seasoning
   
   

Recipe Notes

• You can use Salted Butter and omit seasoning at the end
• Scale the ingredients based on how much you need. Eg: for ¼ cup of Breadcrumbs you will need 10g of Butter. 1 cup of Breadcrumbs needs 40g. Cooking times may alter slightly if using more or less quantity
• The Breadcrumbs can keep for about 2 days once made. We recommend storing them in a sealed container
  
  

These delicious Toasted Panko Breadcrumbs are such a versatile topping that you’ll find that work on almost every dish you make. Give them a try! For more amazing recipes to ramp up your home cooking, check out these favorites of ours:

• Easy Demi-Glace
• Mustard Veloute Sauce
• Caramelized Onions
• Simple Mushroom Stock
  
  

Happy Cooking!