What to Do with Leftover Bread

Got some baguette left over from Saturday dinner? Or maybe a few slices of a loaf that are too dry to eat? Don’t throw them away! Stale bread is great to use in many recipes; below are a few ways to use them.

1. Use as a binder for soup

To avoid wasting leftover bread, make a Spanish-style garlic soup, in which pieces of stale bread are added to create a thicker broth. This recipe requires minimal effort for maximum comfort.

Zero-Waste Recipes

Spanish Garlic and Bread Soup (Sopa de Ajo)

2. Use for breadcrumbs

This is a popular way to use stale bread. If your bread isn’t completely dry, you can dry it out by baking it in a 350°F (180°C) oven for 20 minutes and then blending it into breadcrumbs in the food processor.

3. Use to make salad croutons

You can add them to a panzanella, an Italian salad that consists of bread, tomato and other vegetables, or to a Caesar salad. For perfectly golden croutons in a skillet, watch this video:

How to Make Croutons

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4. Use in a bread pudding

Bread pudding is a classic! All you need is cubed bread, eggs, sugar and milk to make it. There are many versions of bread pudding, including a Louisiana-style bread pudding soufflé, with a golden meringue crust and served with a rum sauce.

Pudding and tapioca

Date and Almond Butter-Swirled Bread Pudding

Looking for more ways to use leftover ingredients? Be sure to consult our articles: