What can I do with stale bread?

There are many ways to use stale bread in recipes, including French onion soup or grinding stale bread into savory breadcrumbs for venison meatballs or stuffed bell peppers . Satisfy a sweet tooth with French toast with apples and pecan or a dessert like bread pudding and Apple Brown Betty.

Does stale bread go bad?

When bread goes stale, it's undergoing a chemical reaction. Technically, staleness is the first sign that bread is going bad or rotten . Though slightly stale bread is safe to eat, you can't sell it at the grocery store.

Should I throw stale bread?

Any bread not affected by mold, but is simply getting dry or stale, can be eaten in any of a number of ways . You can make it into crumbs, which can be used as breading for fried food or binding for meat loaf. The crumbs can be completely dried and stored until needed.

Can I eat 2 week old expired bread?

According to “sell by” dates, bread is good for three to five days after opening, but it can actually be consumed much longer after that as long as there is no mold growth . You can usually see fuzzy, green spots on the surface of bread, so it's easy to tell when it's time to toss.

How old can you eat expired bread?

It is okay to eat bread that doesn't have visible mold on it . If it has lasted 5 days past the expiration date, and doesn't have any mold on it, and isn't stale or unpalatable (to your taste) then you should be fine.

What bread takes the longest to expire?

Aside from the very dry flatbreads like hardtack or matzo or other crackers, sourdough breads, especially rye , last a long time. The organic acids in sourdough (acetic and lactic) really inhibit the growth of microorganisms.

How do you eat hard stale bread?

Homemade Croutons: Cut the bread into bite-sized cubes, toss them with olive oil, garlic, herbs, salt, and pepper, and then bake them in the oven until they become crispy. Homemade croutons are perfect for salads and soups. Breadcrumbs: Grind or crush the stale bread into breadcrumbs using a food processor or by hand.

What do bakeries do with leftover bread?

Some will be made into breadcrumbs . Some will be sold the next day, as 'Day Old” bread at a discount. Some pastries are sold that way too. Some may be donated to local food banks or shelters, etc.

What savoury dish can be made from bread?

Savoury recipes made with leftover bread Ham, Cheese and Chutney French Toast Bake. 4.46154. 4.5. Cheesy Bacon and Mushroom Bread Bake. 4.333335. ... Fun Brekky Eggs in Toast. 3.933335. 3.9. Caramelised onion, tomato and thyme pie maker tarts. 4.52174. ... Baked Egg and Cheese Toasts. 4.5. 4.5. Crispy Rolled Pork with Easy Herb Stuffing.

How long can you leave bread out to stale?

Commercially baked breads and rolls can be stored at room temperature for 2 to 4 days or 7 to 14 days in the refrigerator. Bread products retain their quality when stored in the freezer for 3 months. Any breads containing meat or hard cooked eggs must be refrigerated within 2 hours.

Does microwaving stale bread help?

All you need to do is place your bread inside a damp paper towel, and microwave it on a plate for 10 seconds. The water will revive the starch molecules in the bread's flour, the reaction between the two will occur again, and you'll have your soft bread back .

Can I freeze stale bread?

There's nothing sadder than a stale, unusable loaf of bread. Keep your bread fresh well past its best-by date by freezing it for later use .

15 Stale Bread Recipes to Use It Up (2024)

These stale bread recipes will change your opinion about using day-old bread forever!

Stale bread is not at all appetizing, and I’m not ashamed to say I’ve thrown it out a time or two.

But with these amazing recipes, I’m making a point to never let it go to waste again!

You’ll be surprised at the number of different dishes you can make using stale bread.

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There’s enough variety on this list that you shouldn’t ever have to trash your bread again, even if it is hard enough to break glass.

Okay, if you can break glass with it, maybe it’s time to throw it out, but catch it before it gets that hard and use it to make these delightful dishes instead.

1. Leftover Bread Croutons

Croutons are the one thing everyone knows you can make with stale bread, so let’s go ahead and get them out of the way.

You’ll have a little leeway on how you season these croutons, but I prefer to follow the recipe on this one and go all the way – garlic, thyme, oregano, seasoning salt, basil, salt, and pepper.

Bake them in olive oil for 15 minutes, then enjoy them in your favorite soup or salad.

2. Italian Breadcrumbs

If you’re looking for something a little smaller than croutons, stale bread is also perfect for making Italian breadcrumbs.

All you’ll need are the right seasonings and a food processor; you’ll be done in 5 minutes.

Store them in the fridge if you’ll be using them soon, or pop them in the freezer for several months.

3. Italian Sweet Bread Pudding

Full of brown and white sugar, whipped cream, whole milk, cinnamon, and butter, this bread pudding is basically a baking dish full of warm, sweet, sticky goodness.

It takes about 15 minutes to pull together and a little less than an hour to bake. You can also prep parts of it ahead of time.

4. Panzanella (Italian Bread Salad)

As a total carb junkie, the phrase “bread salad” is like angels singing.

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5. French Onion Soup

I don’t really know how to describe this amazing dish other than to say it’s kind of like a reverse bread bowl from Panera. It features caramelized onions and cheese in a base of beef broth.

The top is a fluffy yet slightly crispy crown of toasted bread.

Toss some scallions on top for an extra kick, and you’ll have a warm, filling, feel-good dinner that’s both soup and bread in one.

6. French Bread French Toast

Stale bread has never tasted so good as it does in this French toast recipe.

It’s a unique twist on the classic French toast recipe that uses French bread and throws in a “generous dollop of rum.”

And yes, it’s as deliciously decadent as it sounds.

7. Italian Bread Soup Recipe (Pappa al Pomodoro)

This recipe is perfect for those of us who can’t enjoy a hot bowl of soup unless we fill it with saltines, oyster crackers, or croutons first.

With Italian bread soup, the bread’s already been taken care of for you.

If you like onions, herbs, and bread in your soup, this is 100% the soup for you. It’s tomatoey, herby, garlicky, and yummy.

8. Ribollita

This white bean soup has a lot going on, and you can add even more to it if you like.

Be sure you season and toast your bread; getting that part right is key to making this soup perfect.

After that, it’s just a matter of adding in all your herbs and veggies, and there are plenty of herbs and veggies, including onions, celery, carrots, tomatoes, beans, kale, red pepper, oregano, and more.

Add in some white wine, Parmesan, salt, cloves, and a kitchen sink or two.

Seriously though, the ingredients list seems long, but they’re all easy to find, and most of them are healthy and good for you.

Soup doesn’t get much heartier than this.

9. Baked French Toast Casserole

The only thing better than French toast for breakfast is French toast casserole for breakfast. The inside of the casserole stays warm, gooey, and soft.

The outside crisps up, thanks to the caramelized cinnamon-sugar topping.

Drizzle it with extra maple syrup or even a dollop of whipped cream and strawberries for an extra-special, dessert-like breakfast.

10. Bread Pudding Muffins with Cinnamon Custard

Have a bunch of leftover croissants going stale on the counter?

Mix them with some milk, cinnamon, dried cranberries, brandy, and a few other things to make these spectacular bread pudding muffins.

One batch makes a dozen muffins, and they’re ready in less than an hour. They work well as desserts or as a sweet way to start the day.

11. Stuffing Muffins

I feel like someone missed an opportunity here by not dropping the ‘g’ and calling these stuffin’ muffins, but that’s neither here nor there.

12. Herb Stuffing

I’m a huge fan of Stove Top stuffing, but this recipe for homemade herb stuffing is too incredible to pass up. The edges are super crispy, and it turns a beautiful golden brown.

The seasoning is just right, and the whole thing is buttery and herby. It’s a truly unbeatable stuffing recipe.

13. Apple Brown Betty

This dessert is sweet, slightly spicy, and will put you in mind of an apple crisp, apple crumble, or apple cobbler.

The difference is in the bread. Whereas other desserts use biscuit dough or streusel, this one uses day-old bread cubes.

The result is a fantastic dessert with apple cobbler’s sweet taste and bread pudding’s hearty consistency.

14. Breakfast Savory Bread Pudding (Strata)

I love traditional bread pudding for its perfect texture and sweetness, but savory bread pudding is just as good if you’re looking for something that’s a little more breakfast than dessert.

This recipe calls for ham, sun-dried tomatoes, various cheeses, onion, and a few other things, but you can tweak and change it however you’d like.

There are even a few additional suggestions on ways to tailor it to your tastes, such as with bacon and leeks, ham and spinach, or mushrooms, green onions, and dill.

15. Ham and Cheese Savory Bread Pudding

This is another recipe for a savory bread pudding featuring ham, cheese, shallots, thyme, and lots of spices.

It’s herby and cheesy, and it’s a great way to start the morning on a filling, hearty note.

15 Ways to Use Up Stale Bread

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