23 Leftover Bread Recipes
From sandwich loaves to French baguettes, put leftover bread to good use with these creative and delicious recipes.
Leftover bread on your hands? Lucky you. Not only does bread freeze well, it can be used in so many sweet and savory ways. Obviously bread pudding, French toast, and dressing come to mind—and we have plenty of recipes for those—but there are other things you can make that you might not think of, like skillet stratas, panzanella salads, and grilled cheese croutons. Or, make a batch of basic breadcrumbs to use in everyday recipes like breaded chicken or meatballs, or in special occasion dishes like Broiled Oysters with Tasso Breadcrumbs.
The secret to storing extra bread in the freezer is to prevent ice crystals from forming, which can make the bread mushy when it defrosts. To freeze extra bread, wrap it tightly in aluminum foil and then place inside a ziplock freezer bag. Squeeze as much air as you can out of the bag then seal it and place in the freezer. Defrost at room temperature, or in the oven on low (250?F) heat.
Even if your bread is a little stale, you should never throw it away—instead, try one of these recipes and pat yourself on the back for your thriftiness and kitchen skills.
Kentucky Hot Brown Sandwiches
The Bluegrass State's signature sandwich starts with a base of toasted white bread. Choose bread slices that are thick, rather than thin, to better absorb the juicy tomatoes and rich Mornay sauce that gets drizzled on top.
Blueberry Bread Pudding
Make this berry-studded bread pudding for an extra special breakfast or brunch, or top it with vanilla ice cream and serve it for dessert. Either way, everyone will want the recipe. You'll need bread cubes that are semi-stale, so they can absorb the custard without falling apart.
French Toast
Jessica Furniss
Sometimes classic recipes are the best. If you're looking for a basic French toast recipe, look no further. One great thing about French toast is that you can use several different types of bread to make it, from sourdough to brioche to challah. Make sure the slices aren't too thin so they can stand up to the eggy custard.
Cornbread Croutons
Leftover cornbread freezes well and is more versatile than you might think. Gently toss cubed cornbread with olive oil, salt, and pepper then spread it out on a baking sheet and cook at 375?F until golden brown and toasted. Add to your favorite salad for a Southern take on croutons.
Sausage Stuffing
Caitlin Bensel; Food Styling: Torie Cox
Stuffing (or dressing) doesn't have to be reserved for Thanksgiving. Enjoy it whenever you get a craving—it tastes just as good when served alongside roasted chicken or pork. Our recipe gets a flavor boost from smoked sausage and calls for soft French bread cubes, although any loaf with a tender crumb (like Cuban bread or sourdough) will work well.
Field Pea Fattoush Salad
Fattoush is a Middle Eastern salad made with fresh vegetables and crisp toasted pita bread. It's a great way to use up extra pita bread rounds. We toast the bread in a mixture of oil, lemon juice, salt, sumac, and pepper to give it extra flavor. Field peas add a Southern touch and protein to this main dish salad.
Baked Almond French Toast with Maple-Blackberry Syrup
Put this aromatic breakfast casserole on the table and you'll attract your whole family in minutes. The recipe calls for tender, slightly sweet brioche, but you could easily substitute challah, as long as the bread isn't thinly sliced. Added bonus: baked French toast is much easier than standing at the stovetop flipping bread slices!
Spinach-and-Broccoli Breakfast Bread Pudding
Bread pudding doesn't have to be sweet. This veggie-packed recipe topped with Cheddar cheese is perfect for breakfast or brunch. Light and airy Cuban bread is best for this recipe, but you could also use a soft Italian bread as well.
Pecan Pie Bread Pudding
In case you are seeking a sweet bread pudding for dessert, look no further. Enjoy all the flavors of the classic Southern pie (plus a decadent praline sauce) without having to fuss with pie dough. Made with a day-old French loaf, this bread pudding is truly over the top.
Egg In A Hole
Caitlin Bensel; Food Stylist: Torie Cox
Elevate your everyday breakfast by using the same ingredients—toast and eggs—in a new way. Any type of bread (as long as the slices are thick) will work well in this recipe. Use a biscuit cutter to punch a hole in the center of the bread, so that you can fry up an egg right inside.
Cucumber Tea Sandwiches
Caitlin Bensel; Food Stylist: Torie Cox
These tea sandwiches look fancy, but they couldn't be easier to make. And they're a great way to use up leftover bread. If the bread is on the stale side, toast it before you spread the herbed cream cheese mixture. The toasted bread will add a nice crunch to contrast with the creamy filling.
Broiled Oysters With Tasso Breadcrumbs
It's always a good idea to have a stash of homemade breadcrumbs in the freezer. Not only because it's a great way to repurpose stale bread, but because you can use it to make all sorts of dishes, like these amazing broiled oysters. Each one is topped with a mixture of breadcrumbs, pork tasso, scallions, garlic, salt, pepper, and beer. Appetizers don't get more memorable than that.
Creamy Egg Strata
Sour cream is the secret ingredient in this wonderfully rich strata, which is surprisingly not made with milk or cream. Instead, the sour cream adds richness to a mixture of white wine, eggs, and chicken broth that's absorbed by French bread cubes.
Deviled Crab Melts
Serve these crostinis as an appetizer at your next party, but just know that they might upstage the rest of the meal. Sourdough bread provides a sturdy base for creamy crab meat (kicked up with chili and cayenne and powders), fresh tomatoes, and melted cheese.
Broccoli-Parmesan Soup With Grilled Cheese Croutons
Buttery grilled cheese croutons take this creamy broccoli soup from good to gLoreat. The mini sandwiches are made with hearty white bread slices, so anything from a sourdough to a country white loaf will do. Not a fan of broccoli? The croutons are excellent atop tomato soup too.
Savory Sweet Potato Casserole
Love sweet potato casserole but hate marshmallows? This is the recipe for you. Instead of a layer of fluffy, gooey sweetness, this version is topped with a mixture of sourdough breadcrumbs, pecans, and Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese. It's so good, you'll want to make it year-round.
French Toast Casserole
Victor Protasio, Food Stylist: Margaret Dickey
This casserole features all of the flavors you love about french toast like cinnamon, maple, and sweet custard. The cornflake topping stays crispy after baking, adding texture and dimension.
Peanut Butter-Stuffed French Toast
Caitlin Bensel; Food Stylist: Torie Cox
We added a little twist to this classic treat. Old-school sandwich bread like Sunbeam is the perfect bread for this French toast. It absorbs the custard mixture well and cooks up fluffy and light.
Bread Pudding
Caitlin Bensel; Food Stylist: Torie Cox
You can use almost any type of bread to make bread pudding—buns, rolls, even cake. This recipe uses challah bread but use anything you have on hand.
Cuban Sandwich
Victor Protasio, Food Stylist: Margaret Dickey, Prop Stylist: Christina Daley
This is a simple sandwich, and all of the ingredients work together. Serve with a side of your favorite potato chips.
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Read the original article on Southern Living.