Herbed Whole Wheat Bread Crumbs

Herbed whole wheat bread crumbs are the way to use up the heel of the loaf and the slices that have gone slightly stale. Pulse a couple slices of whole wheat bread into crumbs, mix with dried basil, thyme, fresh chervil, minced garlic, and shallot, and you’ve got a homemade pantry staple that beats every can of seasoned breadcrumbs on the grocery shelf.

Whole wheat brings a nuttier, deeper crumb than white bread, and the herb blend is balanced enough to work in nearly any savory application. Coat chicken before pan-frying, sprinkle over baked pasta, fold into meatballs, top a casserole, or stretch out meatloaf without anyone noticing.

Freeze in a zip-top bag and use straight from frozen. The crumbs don’t clump and you can scoop out exactly what you need.

Kitchen Tips

• Use bread that’s slightly stale (a day or two old). Fresh bread turns gummy in the food processor instead of crumbing cleanly.
• For drier, longer-keeping crumbs, toast the bread lightly first. The dried crumbs store at room temperature for weeks instead of needing the freezer.
• Don’t over-process. Pulse in short bursts to keep some texture variation. Uniformly fine crumbs give you a sandy, lifeless coating.
• Store in the freezer for up to three months. The herbs lose their bright flavor faster at room temperature.

Variations

• Sub fresh parsley or chives for the chervil if you can’t find any (chervil is genuinely uncommon in most groceries).
• Add a teaspoon of grated Parmesan for extra umami and savory depth.
• Toast the seasoned crumbs in a dry skillet for a few minutes before using as a topping for roasted vegetables or pasta.