What should you do when you have stale bread that’s just days away from going bad? To prevent wastage, here are 25 leftover bread recipes that you can try with the stale bread you have in your breadbox.
Do you have leftover bread that’s a few days away from going bad?
If you do, and you don’t like wasting food, you need to think of ways to salvage them.
What most people do is turn these into bread crumbs or croutons but are these two the only options?
As it turns out, stale bread can be used in a lot of tasty and inventive recipes!
This list of leftover bread recipes includes soups, puddings, casseroles, and even a salad!
Some are sweet and great for desserts, like the Apple Cinnamon Brown Betty and the White Chocolate Bread Pudding.
Some are savory and filling, like the Cheesy Italian Strata and Pappa Al Pomodoro.
There are also a few classics, like #2 and #5, and quite a few unique recipes that repurpose already repurposed leftover bread!
So, if you don’t want to waste any bread you may have in your bread box, these recipes should help.
Here’s our list of 25 recipes that help you avoid throwing out bread that’s going stale.
Let’s start off this list with an Italian dish that puts old bread to good use.
This salad dish can be made using any type of stale bread, but ciabatta and baguettes are great choices.
For the best Panzanella, aside from choosing the freshest vegetables for this, let the flavors develop before digging in.
When it comes to using stale bread or leftover bread, bread pudding is always the first thing on people’s minds.
Far be it for us to exclude such a classic on this list, so here it is!
This Old-Fashioned Bread Pudding recipe calls for challah bread, but you can use any day-old bread you have in your pantry for this.
If you’re a fan of frittatas, then you’re sure to love strata!
This dish is one of the savory ways to use leftover bread and is a dish that’s kinda like a casserole.
To get the right texture for this strata, soaking the cut-up bread in the egg mixture overnight is a must!
Here’s another classic recipe that puts old or stale bread to good use!
If you have leftover baguettes or any other crusty bread, this soup would be a great dish to make with them.
Just remember that this dish takes a bit of time and patience to make, so reserve this dish for when you’re not pressed for time.
Did you know that French Toast is better when you use stale bread?
This is because day-old (or even older) bread can absorb the egg mixture better and won’t fall apart that easily, unlike fresh bread.
Also worth remembering is, that to ensure your French Toast holds up well, use thick slices of bread for it (about an inch and a half thick).
This dish is a perfect example of Tuscan cuisine that makes use of leftovers.
Called “cucina povera,” this tradition of using leftovers in dishes came from a time of scarcity, and no food was wasted.
This gave birth to recipes like this, which use fresh ripe tomatoes and stale bread.
What do you do with stale sourdough bread?
You make wonderful bites of goodness like this roasted bell pepper topped appetizer!
The use of red and yellow bell peppers in this recipe gives you two levels of sweetness, with the red being sweeter than the yellow pepper.
This is the perfect breakfast to put together the day after Christmas!
Use up any leftover ham from the night before and partner this with stale bread, some eggs, and a whole lotta cheese.
Mix, mix, mix, then let soak, pour into a casserole dish, and bake!
The perfect easy breakfast after a night of slaving away in the kitchen, don’t you think?
Another Tuscan dish that you can make using stale bread is this soup!
Still following the tradition of “cucina povera,” this hearty stew uses bread to thicken the soup.
This dish is chock-full of veggies and topped with grated parmesan cheese.
This is a great recipe to try on cold winter nights!
Craving for apple pie but don’t have the time to bake one?
Here’s a recipe that replicates the flavors of apple pie, but uses pantry staples like stale bread, butter, sugar, and cinnamon!
You get the taste of apple pie without all the hassle!
This recipe doesn’t use ordinary leftover bread but instead uses stale banana nut bread as its base.
Just like with most bread puddings, you need to cut the bread into bite-sized chunks and soak it in the liquids for a good amount of time.
Top each slice of this dessert with a dusting of powdered sugar or, better yet, a scoop of vanilla ice cream!
Another dessert pudding you can make with stale or leftover bread is this souffle-inspired treat!
Made in individual bowls, this recipe uses stale French bread, but you can use any crusty bread you have in your home.
Topped with a rich dark chocolate sauce, this dessert is as decadent as they come!
Here’s a breakfast casserole that you can make the night before and bake in the morning.
The recipe calls for breakfast sausage, but you can switch this out for any sausage you like!
If you want this to be spicier, andouille, chorizo, or spicy Italian links can be used.
Unlike other bread pudding recipes that use stale, crusty bread, this recipe uses a soft brioche (albeit still stale) loaf!
You can use other kinds of leftover bread for this, but the softness of brioche gives it a cake-like consistency.
The butterscotch sauce takes this dessert to the next level, but if you don’t like butterscotch, chocolate sauce can be used instead.
Another dessert bread pudding that uses stale brioche bread is this “berry” delicious treat!
The berries in this pudding give it a fruity freshness that counteracts the heaviness of the pudding.
If you can’t find fresh strawberries, frozen ones can work, or you can use other kinds of fresh berries for this dish!
From sweet, let’s switch to savory, this time with a bread pudding that can be served as a meal!
The bread needed in this recipe is the denser kind, so any stale multigrain or soda bread should work.
The aged gouda in this dish gives it a bolder flavor, but if you can’t find any near you, good parmesan cheese can be used instead.
One thing you can easily make when you have stale bread is croutons.
You can use it in salads and in soups, like this one that’s made with pancetta, peas, and lots of onions.
The toasted croutons in this dish are added to give the soup more body and are spread at the bottom of the bowl before the soup is poured on top.
18. Irish Gur Cake
Ever try a pie with a bread filling?
This traditional Irish dessert is one such recipe that uses stale bread as part of its filling!
Combined with some dry fruit, some tea, and a flaky crust, you have an Irish treat that you can indulge in any time, any day!
This takes the use of leftover bread to a whole other level!
What this recipe does is it uses leftover bread pudding (which is made from leftover bread, to begin with), and turns slices of it into French toast!
Top with a berry compote and you have a new twist to an otherwise common breakfast treat!
Instead of making individual French toast slices for your family, why not prepare an entire casserole of it?
You can do just that with this recipe—combine bread pudding techniques with French toast flavors in a casserole!
Mix, soak, bake, and slice.
Top with maple syrup and serve with a few bacon slices for the perfect breakfast!
Here’s a quick snack you can make for your kids using day-old sandwich bread.
Instead of the usual ham and cheese sandwiches, surprise your kiddies with this fun version!
The panko breadcrumbs on the outside give these rolls a crunchy bite.
You can serve these with an accompanying dip or as is!
Herby and cheesy are what you can get with these bite-sized treats!
Leftover bread in this recipe is crumbled and mixed in with cheese as well as an egg to create patties.
This is great as a snack or can be served as a canape, topped with some salsa or tapenade!
23. Vegetable Strata
Want another one of those leftover bread recipes that can be served for breakfast?
Instead of the usual bacon, eggs, and sausage with stale bread mixture, vegetables are added to this casserole.
A sprinkling of sharp cheddar on top of the ricotta gives it the sharp flavor it needs to contrast with the mild cheese-baked vegetables underneath.
Now, here’s a recipe that you can make the day after Thanksgiving!
If you don’t know how to repurpose leftover turkey and leftover stuffing (which you probably made with leftover bread), this is an idea you should try.
You can serve this with a salad or some soup.
We’ve saved the easiest for last on this list.
This treat can be made using any kind of stale bread, but sandwich bread works best with it.
You can make a sizable batch of this and store them in an airtight container.
Now, anyone can grab a few sticks to snack on when they want!
The bottom line
With the list above, you don’t have to worry about loaves of bread being thrown in the trash because they weren’t eaten before their expiration date.
You can make a note of when your bread will no longer be good to eat and use them in any of these recipes before then.
All these leftover bread recipes will help you save money and give you tempting new dishes to try!
Itching to give these recipes a try?
Go check your bread box to see if you have a loaf (or two) of stale bread and start cooking!
25 BEST Leftover Bread Recipe Assortment 🍞
These 25 easy leftover bread recipes will help you save money and give you tempting new dishes to try!
Ingredients
- Classic Panzanella Salad
- Old-Fashioned Bread Pudding
- Cheesy Italian Strata
- French Onion Soup
- Classic French Toast
- Pappa Al Pomodoro
- Pepperonata Bruschetta
- Ham, Egg, & Cheese Breakfast Casserole
- Tuscan Ribollita
- Apple Cinnamon Brown Betty
- Banana Nut Bread Pudding
- White Chocolate Bread Pudding
- Sausage, Egg, & Bread Casserole
- Butterscotch Bread Pudding
- Strawberry Brioche Bread Pudding
- Cheesy Savory Bread Pudding
- Onion & Pea Soup With Croutons
- Irish Gur Cake
- Berry French Toast Pudding
- French Toast Casserole
- Ham & Cheese Roll Ups
- Bread & Cheese Patties
- Vegetable Strata
- Leftover Turkey & Stuffing Croquettes
- Cinnamon Sugar Toast Sticks
Instructions
- Take a look at our Leftover Bread Recipes list!
- Bring the ingredients to create a new favorite dish.
- Woohoo! You created a home-cooked meal!
- Comment your thoughts on our Facebook page!