Nearly any meal can be made better with the addition of freshly-baked bread, but it can be hard to use an entire loaf before it gets stale. Nobody wants to throw out perfectly good bread, and luckily there are various easy and delicious ways to jazz up your leftover loaf. Whether you’re looking to make fresh desserts, a delectable breakfast, or a stunning garnish, you’ll never have to wonder what to do with leftover bread again.
Homemade Breadcrumbs
Homemade breadcrumbs are one of the easiest leftover bread recipes They make a delicious garnish, are perfect for breading meats, and can be used in everything from meatballs to pies.
The steps to make breadcrumbs are simple:
- Pulse the bread in a blender or food processor until crumbly
- Bake the crumbs in a thin layer until they are dry and lightly toasted
- If desired, season your breadcrumbs with olive oil, butter, or garlic oil
Homemade breadcrumbs will last about a month in an airtight container.
Croutons
Croutons are another quick and easy recipe for leftover bread. Traditionally, croutons are used as a topping for salads, but they can also be eaten on their own as snack or mixed into soups.
- Cut leftover bread into cubes
- Drizzle the cubes with oil and seasonings
- Bake until the cubes are lightly toasted and golden brown
Croutons can be eaten immediately after they’ve been made, or they can be stored in an airtight container, where they will keep for up to a week.
Bruschetta
If you have a few leftover baguettes or French bread laying around, consider making tomato bruschetta. Bruschetta consists mainly of toasted bread topped with chopped tomatoes, garlic, and basil, dressed with olive oil and balsamic vinegar.
Bruschetta makes a great snack, appetizer, or party food, especially for classy Italian dinners. Consider serving your bruschetta with olive oil, salt and pepper, and parmesan cheese for a more traditional take on the dish.
French Toast
Making French toast is a great way to turn leftover bread into a sweet and savory breakfast. French toast is an old dish that involves soaking bread in egg, milk, or cream before pan frying it.
The type of bread you use impacts the quality of your French toast. Ideally, you want to cook with a spongy, sturdy bread that can easily absorb ingredients during cooking and hold those ingredients until the dish is served. Brioche and French bread are both great options for French toast recipes.
French toast can be made for everyday breakfast, or you can make your toast more luxurious. Try vanilla French toast if you’re looking for a casual breakfast. Simply coat the bread with a basic custard, then cook each piece until golden brown on each side. For a more extravegant take on French toast, try making s’more-stuffed French toast, which involves stuffing marshmallows and chocolate into perfectly seared pieces of French toast.
If you’re feeding a crowd, try preparing baked French toast topped with fresh berries or other seasonal fruit. You can prepare this recipe the day before and store it overnight in the fridge for easy preparation in the morning.
Bread Pudding
Put your leftover bread to good use and make a savory bread pudding—perfect for family dinner. Prepare your pudding with bacon, cheese, and veggies for delicious side dish, or prepare a sweet bread pudding with fresh fruit and warm spices for a tasty dessert.
You can make bread pudding with almost any kind of bread, including French, sourdough, wheat, and rye. To keep things interesting, consider making your pudding with a flavored bread such as cheddar garlic or molasses rye.
Enhance Your Recipes with Backwards Bread Co.
Even artisan bread can get stale if it sits on the counter for a few days. Fortunately, you can repurpose yesterday’s loaf into today’s dinner, side dish, or dessert, so you’ll never have to throw away a good loaf of bread!
Check out Backwards Bread’s online menu for the best local bread to use in your next recipe. You can also find us at various local farmer’s markets or other events near you!