July 28, 2018 by Stephanie, Last Updated September 13, 2019 19 Comments

Panko Bread Crumbs Recipe

Name: Panko Bread Crumbs
Prep time: 5 min
Cook time: 10 min
Total time: 15 min
Yield: 8 cups
Ingredients: 22 ounces white bread (you can use a different sized loaf of bread)

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Panko Bread Crumbs are a key ingredient to many dishes, they make a crispy coating to many of our favorite dishes. Did you know you can make them at home?

Table of Contents

What are Panko Breadcrumbs?

If you’ve never heard of panko before, you’ll be happy to know that it’s not anything weird or complicated. Panko is a type of breadcrumbs, but keep reading to find out that panko is a little bit different from regular breadcrumbs. Genuine panko breadcrumbs are made from a particular kind of white bread without crusts. They are never made from whole wheat bread. The word panko comes from Japanese, and panko is used a lot for light breading in Japanese cuisine.

Why are Panko Breadcrumbs Different?

If you already knew about panko, you’re probably wondering why panko is different from regular breadcrumbs. Panko is lighter, crispier and flakier than ordinary breadcrumbs. Because panko is lighter, it absorbs less oil and grease making breaded fried foods less heavy.

Other Uses of Panko bread crumbs

As a topping for casseroles – Panko adds a little bit of texture to just about any kind of casserole – main dish casseroles, baked pasta casseroles, veggie side-dish casseroles, and bean casseroles. For example, use panko instead of French fried onions or regular breadcrumbs on your favorite green bean casserole. Combine panko with Parmesan cheese and some Italian seasonings and sprinkle generously over any savory casserole heading into the oven.
To thicken soups and sauces – Panko can thicken a soup or sauce by absorbing the extra liquid and adding a bit of interesting texture in the process.
As a binder – Some cooks use panko as a binder instead of eggs. This is good for vegans and anyone with an egg allergy.

What is in Panko?

Typical store-bought panko ingredients are wheat flour, yeast, oil, and salt. Most brands of panko are vegan, but, as you can see, panko is not gluten-free.

Can you make gluten-free panko bread crumbs? Yes, you will either use gluten-free bread or rice/corn Chex.
What are Some Other Substitutes for Panko breadcrumbs?
You can certainly substitute regular breadcrumbs for panko in most recipes – it won’t be quite the same though. Other substitution ideas are cracker crumbs, matzo meal, crushed cornflakes, crushed dry stuffing mix, crushed melba toast, crushed pretzels, crushed tortilla chips, or crushed potato chips.

Panko Crumb recipes for you to try

Longhorn Steakhouse Parmesan Crusted Chicken
Homemade Chicken Nuggets
Olive Garden Chicken & Shrimp Carbonara
Best Ever Greek Meatballs
Swiss Asparagus Casserole
Longhorn Steakhouse Mac & Cheese
Smoked Mozzarella Sticks