When you think outside of their everyday uses—as a breading for chicken cutlets or binder in meatloaf—simple prepared breadcrumbs take on a new life and make simple ingredients extra delicious.
When cooked quickly in a fat, like olive oil or butter, breadcrumbs not only become more intensely savory and flavorful, but they also lose the sandy, gritty texture of those right out of the container. They clump together slightly (in a good way), and with very little special effort, you have made a savory crumble you can sprinkle over literally anything.
And when we say anything, we mean anything—making this a great little tip for last-minute dinner parties, picky eaters, or fridge clean-out meals that are otherwise underwhelming. 
If you’re not inspired by a particular recipe (or don’t have the time or ingredients on-hand to make something unique), you would be surprised by what a little toasted breadcrumb sprinkle can do. For example, sautéed salmon is good, but sautéed salmon with a little buttery crunch? That’s chef-inspired.
Roasted cabbage? Simple, but delicious. Roasted cabbage topped with buttery, savory breadcrumbs? Chef-inspired.
Here’s how you do it:
- Heat about 2 tablespoons of fat in a skillet over medium heat. Non-stick is helpful, but not essential. Any kind of fat will do: olive oil, avocado oil, butter, schmaltz, chile oil. Let any solid fats melt fully.
- Add about 1 cup of dry breadcrumbs. Plain is a more neutral base, but seasoned is fine. You can use panko, if you like, but it’s not really the texture we’re going for. If it’s the texture, you’re going for, though, panko is great.
- Mix to combine and cook, stirring gently, until the breadcrumbs are golden brown and fully moistened, about 5 minutes. If there are still bits of dry, powdery crumbs, add a bit more fat to coat; if the mixture is greasy, sprinkle in some more breadcrumbs to absorb the remaining fat.
- Set aside until you’re ready to use and use the breadcrumbs at room temperature. You can make your toasted breadcrumbs a few days ahead. Leave them out to come to room temperature before using. Depending on the fat used, you may need to reheat them slightly.
(Alternately, you can mix the breadcrumbs and fat (melted, if solid) until well-coated. Spread them on a baking sheet and bake at 350°F, stirring regularly, until browned and toasted all over.)
It really is just that easy and just that quick. But wait, there’s more.
Don’t stop at fat and breadcrumbs. Adding flavoring ingredients, like grated cheese, minced garlic, red pepper flakes, or herbs and spices can give your simple dish even more dimension and help it to relate to whatever you may be serving alongside it.
For ingredients that benefit from a little heat, like anchovies, minced garlic, chopped nuts, and dried spices, add before with or with the breadcrumbs. For cheese, herbs, and other temperature-sensitive ingredients, add them to the breadcrumbs after cooking.
