These 7 genius panko recipes show you just how adaptable (and necessary) Japanese breadcrumbs are in cooking.
Because guys, real talk, these do magic to your cooking. For the unfamiliar, these are really light and crispy breadcrumbs that are bigger and flakier than traditional breadcrumbs. They make for crispy breading when frying (without having to use as much oil), the perfect “glue” for holding together veggie burgers, and (my recent favorite) crunchy/salty bits for topping soups.
But I haven’t always been a panko breadcrumb enthusiast. Over the course of two or three years I’ve gone from not understanding the difference between panko and Italian to yelling at MasterChef Australia, “USE THE PANKO!” Is this what entering into adulthood feels like?
Anyways, before we take on panko breadcrumbs, our newest featured ingredient, I’m sharing a few of my favorite panko recipes from the blog archives for your panko-spiration!
1. General Tso’s Baked Cauliflower
We’ve got a whole series of saucy Asian-style cauliflower on the blog, but these are the O.C. y’all (original cauliflower). Panko gives the perfect crispy texture for the gooey sauce to clean to, meaning you don’t have to fry them for the perfect texture (they’re baked!)
2. Spinach Mashed Potato Croquettes
Panko is light and flaky, making it great for breading things before frying. You end up using less oil while getting an awesome texture. Got leftover mashed potatoes? Use them in this recipe!
3. Healthy Cauliflower Soup
Panko breadcrumbs also make a darn tasty topping for salads and soups. Just pan fry them with a dash of oil, salt, and whatever spices you fancy until golden brown and crispy.
4. Coconut Tempura Tofu Sushi
There’s nothing worse than soggy tofu, which you won’t find in this next recipe! Tempura tofu take center stage in this healthy quinoa sushi.
5. Sticky Orange Cauliflower
General Tso’s too spicy for you? This Sticky Orange Cauliflower takes crispy baked panko-coated cauliflower and drizzles it in sticky orange sauce. It’s the stuff of dreams, folks.
6. Vegan Green Bean Casserole
We’re subbing out the store bought fried onions for this homemade version, complete with crispy panko onions!
7. Black Bean Burgers
Last but not least, panko breadcrumbs make a handy “glue” to hold together your veggie burgers. They prevent the burgers from becoming too gooey while giving a light texture that holds together on the grill.
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