Pangrattato Recipe

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If you are the type of person who loves adding condiments, toppings, and sauces to everything for extra flavor, then do not skip this Pangrattato recipe. It’s an amazing way to add tons of flavor to many different types of dishes, and there are lots of ways to make it.

What Is Pangrattato?

Pangrattato is a delicious, crispy, breadcrumb topping that adds flavor and some crunchy texture to dishes like pasta, soups, salads, and roasted vegetables. It’s often called “poor man’s Parmesan” and it’s a great way to add flavor to just about anything without a drop of dairy.

What Bread To Use For Pangrattato

If you can find a whole wheat sourdough, that is one of the best options. After that, any whole grain bread you feel like using will work here. And for those who don’t eat clean, yes, you can also use white bread. Just back off on the amount of seasoning a tiny bit because they will have a much stronger flavor with white bread.

Pangrattato Flavor Variations

Pangrattato is incredibly versatile. You can make a more general flavor that works for many dishes, or you can customize the flavors to go with a specific dish you want to make. The combinations are only limited by your imagination. I’ll give you some ideas here though.

Classic Pangrattato – Bread, olive oil, garlic, salt

Herb Pangrattato – Add fresh or dried thyme, rosemary, oregano, or basil. It’s great for Mediterranean-style dishes.

Spicy Pangrattato – Add red pepper flakes or chili powder. It’s perfect for pasta dishes like aglio e olio.

Citrus Pangrattato – Mix in lemon or orange zest after baking. Great for seafood, salads, and light pasta.

Nutty Pangrattato – Add toasted almonds, walnuts, or pine nuts for extra crunch. Amazing on roasted veggies or grain bowls.

Umami Pangrattato – Stir in grated Parmesan, nutritional yeast, or anchovy paste. It adds umami to pasta and soups.

Mushroom Pangrattato – Finely chop and sauté mushrooms before mixing with breadcrumbs, It’s earthy and perfect for risotto or creamy pasta.

Anchovy Pangrattato – Sauté chopped anchovies in olive oil before adding breadcrumbs. It adds a salty, umami flavor which is great for Italian pasta dishes.

Pangrattato Vs. Seasoned Breadcrumbs

You might be wondering what the heck the difference is between Pangrattato and seasoned bread crumbs. I’ll admit, the differences are small, but definitely there.

Pangrattato

• Means “grated bread” in Italian.
• Typically coarser and more irregular and made from fresh or stale bread.
• Made by toasting torn or coarsely ground stale bread in olive oil (sometimes with garlic, herbs, or chili flakes) until golden and crunchy
• Used as a crunchy topping for pasta, soups, and vegetables.

Seasoned Breadcrumbs

• Finely ground, store-bought or homemade.
• Made from pre-dried, finely ground bread mixed with herbs, salt, and sometimes cheese.
• Used as a coating for fried foods (like chicken cutlets) or in meatballs and meatloaf.

How To Use Pangrattato

If you need ideas for how to use Pangrattato, here’s a full list to get you inspired.

🍝 On Pasta

• Sprinkle it over pasta dishes like aglio e olio, carbonara, or creamy Alfredo for a crunchy contrast.
• Use it instead of grated cheese on tomato-based or pesto pasta.
• Mix it into pasta with sautéed greens (like kale or spinach) for extra texture.

🥦 On Vegetables

• Toss it over roasted veggies, like Brussels sprouts, asparagus, or roasted squash.
• Sprinkle on sautéed greens like Swiss chard or spinach.

🍲 In Soups

• Use it as a crunchy topping for creamy soups.
• Add it to minestrone or white bean soup as a replacement for croutons.

🥗 In Salads

• Use it instead of croutons over Caesar salad or any leafy green salad for a garlicky crunch.
• Add to grain-based salads like quinoa or farro bowls.

🥑 On Toast

• Scatter over avocado toast for extra crunch.
• Use it as a finishing touch on ricotta or hummus toast.

🍳 With Eggs

• Add it to scrambled eggs or omelets for texture and flavor.
• Sprinkle on top of poached or fried eggs over toast.

Optional Additions

If you want to add to the recipe below, I highly recommend one of the following:

• Zest of 1 lemon
• 2 tbsp. finely chopped fresh parsley
• 1 tbsp. grated Parmesan

Pro Recipe Tips

If you don’t have stale bread, you can absolutely toast a few slices. Just don’t overdo it because they will bake in the oven as well.

What You’ll Need To Make Pangrattato

Fresh or stale whole grain breadcrumbs – Opt for bread with no added sugar. This is not a sweet condiment. If the bread is fresh, lightly toast it before grating it in a food processor.

Extra virgin olive oil – Or any light-flavored oil you prefer.

Garlic – Pick the biggest clove you have or use 2 smaller cloves.

Salt – Any type you normally cook with.

Black pepper

Dried oregano – Or thyme, rosemary, or Italian seasoning.

How To Make Pangrattato

Preheat oven to 350°F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.

In a bowl, toss the breadcrumbs with olive oil, garlic, salt, pepper, and dried herbs until evenly coated.

Evenly spread the mixture onto the baking sheet. Bake for 10–15 minutes, stirring every 5 minutes to ensure even crisping.

Once golden brown and crispy, remove from the oven and mix in any zests or additions you want to add.

Let it cool completely before storing in an airtight container for up to a week.

Storing Pangrattato

Keep this in an airtight container, in the fridge, for up a full week. It may last longer, but you’ll need to check it carefully before each use. Note that if you use any animal-based additions, this will only keep safely for up to 3 days. Freezing is recommended in this case. This isn’t really something you need to thaw before use.

Freezing Pangrattato

This keeps super well in the freezer and is the best storage option if you can’t use this in a week or less. Just make sure it’s in an airtight container to avoid freezer burn. It will keep for about 6 months in the freezer.

More Condiment Recipes

• Thai Sweet Chili Sauce
• Homemade Ketchup
• Homemade Mayo

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