Pangrattato (Crispy Italian Breadcrumbs)
Get ready to transform your favorite Italian dishes with this easy-to-make Pangrattato. With a subtle garlicky flavor and a buttery, crispy texture, these crispy Italian breadcrumbs are a must-have if you love cooking pastas and Italian sides.
This condiment can instantly jazz up pretty much any dish and add an extra bit of flavor and texture- just like my Air Fryer crispy noodles and my tobacco onions.
Also known as poor man's Parmesan, Pangrattato is incredibly versatile. You can sprinkle it over your pasta dishes, use it as a topping over your soups and stews and is even great on a risotto!
Everytime I'm planning an Italian menu, I always make sure this one's on the list- along with my cherry tomato confit and my oven roasted Italian peppers.
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What's So Great About the Recipe?
You'll need just 10 minutes and a few pantry staples to make this ridiculously easy condiment that can instantly level up your favorite dishes.
Plus, you'll have all the opportunity to experiment and play around with the flavors by adding new mix-ins. I love making a slightly citrusy version using my citrus salt.
Recipe Ingredients
Bread: Any bread will do- try to use stale bread for best results. Ciabatta, sliced sandwich bread and even sourdough works well.
Parmesan: Grated, for that salty, cheesy kick.
Garlic: For that brilliant savory flavor.
Seasonings: I used a mix of Italian seasoning and garlic powder. You can also use an infused salt like my homemade herb salt or garlic parsley salt if you want.
Butter + oil: For that crispy texture and that rich, buttery flavor. Sometimes, I use my Pesto butter for some extra flavor.
Parsley: Just a little, for that pop of color and freshness.
See recipe card for quantities.
Substitutions & Variations
- To lend extra flavor to these crispy Italian breadcrumbs, use an infused oil like garlic rosemary infused oil or lemon infused olive oil instead of your regular olive oil to sauté the breadcrumbs.
- To make a gluten-free version of the recipe, simply swap your regular bread with any gluten-free bread of your choice.
- Don't have Italian seasoning? Whip up my quick homemade garlic bread seasoning and use it instead!
How to Make Pangrattato
Step 1: Add the bread cubes, garlic and parsley to a food processor and blitz until you get a slightly coarse mixture.
Step 2: Transfer to a nonstick pan and add the seasonings.
Step 3: Add the butter and oil and cook this over low heat for about 10, stirring every few seconds.
Step 4: Once the breadcrumbs start to get a light brown color, take the pan off heat and allow the mixture to cool down before storing.
💭Top Tip
To make things quicker, just use ready-made breadcrumbs instead of cubed bread.
How to Store the Leftover Crispy Italian Breadcrumbs
Store the leftover Pangrattato in an airtight jar at room temperature, ideally in a cool and dry place. It can stay fresh for 3-4 weeks.
If you feel it has absorbed a bit of moisture and doesn't have that crispiness, add it back to a pan and cook over low heat for a few more minutes, or pop it in the microwave for a few minutes to get it crispy again.
Tips & Tricks to Nail the Recipe
- To lend the Pangrattato a nice spicy kick, you can add some red pepper flakes or jalapeno flakes into the mix. I love using my jalapeno infused salt sometimes when I want the breadcrumb mixture to have a bit of spice.
- Make sure you keep stirring the breadcrumb mixture continuously or you'll end up burning the bread. Also remember- no high heat!
- Avoid overprocessing the bread. Leave it a little coarse and chunky- the contrast between the larger and fine crumbs is amazing!
- To lend these a nice tangy flavor, I use some of my leftover oil from my homemade oven dried tomatoes to sauté the breadcrumbs.
How to Use Pangrattato
There are lots of ways to put Pangrattato to use. Sprinkle it over your pasta (like a nice marry me chicken pasta) and baked dishes or use it as a topping over your simple bowl of salad.
I also love using it over my grilled veggie sides like Air Fryer zucchini and squash and Brabant potatoes. Every time I make my garlic butter baked shrimp or garlic butter baked Brie, I always sprinkle a generous amount of these crispy breadcrumbs over the top before I serve, and it's an absolute delight.
Recipe FAQs
Yes, of course. To make vegan Pangrattato, simply skip adding the butter and use only olive oil to cook the breadcrumbs, and use nutritional yeast instead of Parmesan for that cheesy, nutty flavor.
You can! Simply line your baking sheet with parchment paper, spread the breadcrumbs all over the sheet and bake at the lowest temperature for about 15 minutes or until they are light golden brown and crispy.
More Essential Recipes
Looking for other recipes like this? Try these:
If you tried this Pangrattato recipe or any other recipe on my website, please leave a 🌟 star rating and let me know how it went in the 📝 comments below. Thanks for visiting!
Pangrattato (Crispy Italian Breadcrumbs)
Ingredients
- 3 cups bread cut into cubes
- 1 tablespoon butter
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 2-3 garlic
- ½ teaspoon Italian seasoning
- ¼ teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 tablespoon Parmesan grated
- 1 tablespoon parsley
Instructions
- Add the bread cubes, garlic and parsley to a food processor and blitz until you get a slightly coarse mixture.
- Transfer to a nonstick pan and add the seasonings.
- Add the butter and oil and cook this over low heat for about 10, stirring every few seconds.
- Once the breadcrumbs start to get a light brown color, take the pan off heat and allow the mixture to cool down before storing.
Notes
- To lend the Pangrattato a nice spicy kick, you can add some red pepper flakes or jalapeno flakes into the mix. I love using my jalapeno infused salt sometimes when I want the breadcrumb mixture to have a bit of spice.
- Make sure you keep stirring the breadcrumb mixture continuously or you'll end up burning the bread. Also remember- no high heat!
- Avoid overprocessing the bread. Leave it a little coarse and chunky- the contrast between the larger and fine crumbs is amazing!
- To lend these a nice tangy flavor, I use some of my leftover oil from my homemade oven dried tomatoes to sauté the breadcrumbs.
