What Is Bread and How Can I Use It?
Bread rewards a little know-how: how to choose it, cook it, store it, and substitute in a pinch. Browse 571 recipes to cook with it.
Key Points
- Bread is a foundational ingredient in cooking: a dough that bakes into something you can spread, dip, crumble, or eat by itself.
- It stores at room temperature for 2 to 3 days in a bread box or wrapped in cloth, or freeze for months with no quality loss.
- You can substitute flatbreads, crackers, or stale crusts in almost every recipe that calls for bread.
What is bread?
Bread is a foundational ingredient in cooking. You can turn it into almost any meal. Toast for breakfast, sandwiches for lunch, stuffing for dinner. It is the one food that works every single day. The simple truth is that any loaf fits on the counter without taking up much space.
Most people think of sandwich loaves first. Flatbreads like naan, pita, and tortillas cook on a griddle. Quick breads use baking powder or baking soda instead of yeast, so they come together without any rising time.
Every culture has its own version of bread, from flatbreads to loaves to breads baked in stone ovens.
Sandwich loaves are for daily use, rustic boules slice nicely for dinner, and crusty baguettes are great for dipping with soup or cheese.
How to Use It
Slice fresh bread and toast it. Buttered toast with a fried egg makes a quick breakfast.
Layer deli meat, cheese, and lettuce between two slices, and you have lunch in five minutes. Bread is the carrier that makes sandwiches work.
Crumble day-old bread and toss it with olive oil, garlic, and herbs. Roast at 400°F (200°C) for 10 minutes and you have homemade croutons for salads or soups. The result beats anything from a bag.
Tearing stale bread into chunks and stirring it into soup gives it body. Panade is bread soaked in milk, and it keeps meatloaf tender. Crumbs on top of a casserole add crunch.
Use torn bread as a thickener for chowders. A handful of torn sandwich bread thickens potato chowder in minutes. The bread breaks down and gives the soup a creamy texture without any heavy cream.
Cooking & Pairing
Bread is the foundation of countless dishes. Grilled cheese uses sourdough for its tangy bite. French toast soaks bread in egg and milk, then you fry it golden. Brioche makes an especially rich French toast that pairs perfectly with maple syrup.
Breadcrumbs coat chicken cutlets before frying and give a crisp shell without breading powder or flour. They also work as a binding agent in meatballs, keeping them tender.
Pair hearty loaves with rich foods, like a dense rye bread cutting through smoked fish. Crusty baguette soaks up olive oil and balsamic vinegar as a simple starter.
Warm pita with hummus and vegetables, or fill tortillas with beans and cheese and fry them into a quesadilla.
Naan carries curry sauce perfectly when torn by hand. Toast a slice of focaccia and serve it with a bowl of minestrone. The buttery crumb soaks up sauce better than plain bread.
Substitutes
When a recipe calls for sliced bread, try crackers. Oyster crackers work in soup as a bread substitute. Flatbreads like lavash make thin sandwich wraps and give you something lighter than a loaf.
Breadcrumbs can stand in for cornflake crumbs on chicken. Panko gives a lighter crunch than traditional breadcrumbs. Crushed pretzels on fish cakes add salt where plain breadcrumbs would not.
Stale bread is never waste. Dry it out and pulse it in a food processor for breadcrumbs. Tear it into chunks and bake it for croutons. Soak it in egg mixture and fry it as bread pudding.
Dry stale bread on frozen meat. The bread draws out moisture and thaws the surface faster than waiting. It works as a natural de-icer on any frozen protein.
Buying & Storage
Buy bread from the bakery section when possible. Bakery bread has a firmer crust and stays fresh longer. Check the ingredient list closely. Bread that lists sugar high on the label tastes sweeter but does not slice as well.
Store fresh bread at room temperature in a bread box or wrapped in a clean kitchen towel.
This keeps the crust from hardening while the crumb stays soft. Plastic bags trap moisture and make the crust soft too fast, which speeds up mold.
Bread keeps at room temperature for two to three days. After that, it starts to dry out. Slice it and freeze it in a zipper bag. Pull out what you need and toast it straight from the freezer.
Freezing bread is one of the most reliable preservation methods for any home cook. You simply wrap it tight and keep it in the freezer.
You can store it for three to four months with no noticeable quality loss. Slicing before freezing lets you pull out only what you need. Thaw slices at room temperature or go straight to the toaster.
Nutrition
Nutrition Facts
Serving Size 1 cup, crumbs (45g)Where found
Bread is usually found in the asian section or aisle of the grocery store or supermarket.
Food group
Bread is a member of the Baked Products US Department of Agriculture nutritional food group.
How much does bread weigh?
| Amount | Weight |
|---|---|
| 1 cup, crumbs | 45 grams |
| 1 cup, cubes | 35 grams |
| 1 ounce | 28 grams |
| 1 slice, large | 30 grams |
| 1 slice | 25 grams |
| 1 slice crust not eaten | 12 grams |
| 1 slice, thin | 20 grams |
| 1 slice thin, crust not eaten | 9 grams |
| 1 slice, very thin | 15 grams |
Related
Baked Products
- In Chinese:
- 面包
- British (UK) term:
- Bread
- en français:
- du pain
- en español:
- el pan
Recipes using bread
There are 571 recipes that contain this ingredient.
Blueberry French Toast Sandwiches
Golden French toast stuffed with warm blueberry-maple compote and dusted with powdered sugar. Make weekend brunch feel special with this sweet sandwich.
Cheddar Bacon Treat
Sharp cheddar whipped with sour cream, Worcestershire, and crispy crumbled bacon makes a rich, tangy spread for this loaded cheddar bacon sandwich. Ready in 10 minutes flat.
Goey Crispy Grilled Cheeser Sandwiches
Yummy Delicious Cheesy Golden brown bread YUM YUM YUMMY (LIKE JOSH HUNTER) YUM YUM YUMMY YUM YUM YUM UHMM YUM YUM UHM BLOOOOOP
Breakfast Fruit Focaccia
Breakfast fruit focaccia uses thawed frozen bread dough as a shortcut base, topped with sliced plums, butter, and cinnamon sugar. Tastes like a Tuscan breakfast pastry without the dough work.
Prairiehare's French Onion Soup
A very simple recipe for a classic, which helps you to get warm in the winter (ok, I mean when it is getting 4° Celsius in the night in Southern California). The number of servings is accurate when you have it as a meal - as a starter it should serve way more people. I did not list any spices, as I usually have self made chicken broth which is already pretty tasty and spicy, sweetness comes from the onions and the white wine balances it. For bread and cheese - don't think about any fancy, old dry bread is good and any cheese which melts. The onions are king when it comes to taste. Ovenproof crock bowls are very nice for final preparation and serving the soup.
Salad Platter
Creamy avocados, juicy-sweet tomatoes, crunchy cucumbers, meaty chickpeas and salty olives are on top of a bed of lettuce or any your favorite greens. Drizzle some freshly homemade vinaigrette and serve with a few slices of good bread.
The Mr. Turkey Sandwich
Quick, easy and delicious. I only had salami, and that's what I used in the sandwich. Of course a slice of ham and smoked turkey would double the yumminess. I shredded the lettuce, and seasoned it with a bit extra-virgin olive oil, wine vinegar, salt and black pepper. The tomato slices were also seasoned with a pinch of sea salt. The sandwich was so good!
Capsicum (Bell Pepper) Toast
Capsicum toast recipe with semolina. Fresh bell pepper, tomato and onion mixed into a spread, pan-toasted on bread for a crispy open-faced snack or healthy kids lunch. Ready in 25 minutes with simple steps.
Basic Red Gazpacho
Basic red gazpacho is the classic Andalusian chilled tomato soup: ripe tomatoes, red bell pepper, cucumber, garlic, and stale bread blended with sherry vinegar and olive oil. No cooking required.
Spinach-Miso Pesto Crostini
Spinach-miso pesto crostini, toasted country bread spread with a vibrant umami-rich spinach-miso pesto and topped with sweet roasted red pepper. A light, quick, dairy-free appetizer ready in minutes.
Soy Mozzarella & Broccoli Rabe Panni
This Delicious Hot Sandwich Is Great To Eat On A Chilly Afternoon! Hot Off The Grill...Steamy Hot!! ...Or On Any Day For Me!! Melted Soy Mozzarella With Broccoli Rabe All Grilled And Served Up Hot And Steamy!!
Homemade Fried Bread
Sri Lankan savory fried bread snack made by dipping spiced bread triangles in a chickpea flour batter and frying until crispy. Best served hot with tomato chutney tucked inside for a street food experience.
Eggs with Peppers & Tomato Cream
The flavor, texture and nutrients were all well balanced. Made these for breakfast today, it was very tasty, and certainly gave us enough good energies to start the day.
Vegan Sour Cream-Eggplant Meatballs
Moist and Delicious These Vegan Sour Cream-Eggplant Meatballs Are Great Tasting In My Homemade Sauce!! ..Topped Over A Bed Of Spaghetti Pasta!
Bev's Meatballs
Try something new when it comes to meatballs with this tasty recipe that uses mushrooms, cheese and oregano.
Turkey Meatballs
If you're tired of meat, then try these scrumptious turkey meatballs that are bound to be gobbled up in seconds!
Special Club Sandwich
I substituted deli roasted turkey breast for the chicken and used whole grain oatmeal bread. Outstanding.
Italian Grilled Cheese Sandwiches
Made this Italian grilled cheese with 15-minute tomato soup (see the linked recipe below) for lunch, and what more can I say other than delicious. Grilled cheese and tomato soup are a classic pair, so it always a winner.
Leftover Turkey Club Sandwich
Too much leftover turkey from your Thanksgiving dinner, make these delicious sandwiches, and they are so quick and easy to put together.
Autumn Squash & Apple Soup
Butternut squash and apple soup blends Granny Smith with rosemary and marjoram, thickened naturally with bread cubes and finished with an egg yolk and cream liaison. Pure autumn in a bowl.
