Find out if panko is gluten-free and safe for a gluten-free diet, plus get a recipe for homemade gluten-free panko breadcrumbs to use for all your favorite recipes.
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Do you love the crispy crunchy texture of panko breaded chicken, fish, shrimp or veggies? If so, you might be wondering if delicious panko breadcrumbs are safe for your gluten-free diet.
Panko can be used as a breading for fried or baked foods, or as a topping for some of your favorite dishes that need that extra bit of texture. Whatever you use it for, I hope to answer your questions about panko as it relates to your gluten-free diet in this post.
We’ll cover some common questions about panko, like what panko is, how it’s used in cooking, and if it’s gluten free and safe for a gluten-free diet.
We’ll also talk about some gluten-free alternatives for panko, where to buy them, and I’ll finish the post up with a recipe for a quick and easy homemade gluten-free panko you can use on all your favorite recipes.
What is panko?
Panko is a type of breadcrumb that originates in Japanese cooking. It’s a light and airy breadcrumb that’s great for holding on to the crispy texture of fried or baked foods, because it absorbs less grease when cooking.
Panko is made with a special type of bread without any crust. Without the crust, the resulting texture of the breadcrumbs is lighter than that of what you’d normally find in most breadcrumbs made at home or bought from the store.
How is panko used in cooking?
Panko is generally used as a breading for fried foods, like chicken, fish, shrimp, and even vegetables, like zucchini or tomates.
You can use panko for frying to create a lighter breading, or you can use it to top a dish to add some extra crunch. You can even put it on top of a casserole before broiling to add a little extra texture to an otherwise one-texture dish.
Read on: 10 Gluten and Dairy-free Tuna Casserole Recipes
What is gluten?
Gluten is a protein found in most wheat products, and acts as the “glue” that helps to hold wheat, barley, kamut, spelt, farro, durum, bulgur, rye, and semolina together to maintain their shape.
Gluten is naturally occurring, and therefore is impossible to strip away from the grain. If a grain naturally has gluten in it, there’s no way to make that food gluten-free.
Gluten can be found in most bread products, unless they are made intentionally with gluten-free ingredients.
Is panko gluten-free?
Since panko is traditionally made with white bread, it contains gluten and isn’t a good choice for those following a gluten-free diet.
Gluten-free substitute for panko
Now that you know that panko isn’t gluten-free, what can you use in your recipes instead? There are a few options for a gluten-free panko.
You can make your own gluten-free panko using Rice Chex. Yes, you read that right. Put some Rice Chex in your food processor and blend them up into fine pieces.
This is a super quick and easy substitute for panko breadcrumbs that offer the same lightness and crispy texture.
Another option is to buy gluten-free panko from the store or find an option online. Two options I was able to find are Kikkoman gluten-free panko and 4C gluten-free panko. You can find both of these on Amazon.
Read on: Is Chex cereal gluten-free?
Panko vs regular breadcrumbs
You might be wondering what’s the difference between panko and regular breadcrumbs or gluten-free breadcrumbs.
Panko is lighter and crispier, and if you’re following a gluten-free diet, the quickest, easiest, and closest to the real thing would be using the Rice Chex cereal method.
Breadcrumbs are made using bread that’s been toasted and processed into a fine meal. It can be used in the same way as panko, as a breading or topping. It can be used for frying foods or baking a crispy crust in a dish.
Get my gluten-free breadcrumb recipe.
What does panko taste like?
Panko doesn’t have much of a taste on its own. It can be flavored with salt, pepper, herbs, or other seasonings to give flavor to the dish you’re using it in.
Where to buy gluten-free panko
You can look for gluten-free panko breadcrumbs locally at your grocery store or health food store.
If you don’t have luck locally, you can get them on Amazon. Here are the gluten-free panko options from Amazon’s website.
How to make gluten-free panko
To get that light airy texture added to your favorite breaded foods, you can try this homemade gluten-free panko that’s made with just one ingredient!
- Place the Rice Chex in a food processor and secure the lid.
- Process for a few seconds until the cereal is in a fine meal.
- Use with all your favorite panko breaded recipes.
If you don’t have a food processor, you can put the Rice Chex in a ziptop bag and crush it with a rolling pin until it forms a fine meal.
How to store gluten-free panko
Store gluten-free panko in an airtight container for about two weeks in the pantry.
Gluten-free Panko Breadcrumbs
Try this quick and easy one-ingredient gluten-free panko breadcrumb recipe for all your favorite breaded, fried or panko topped recipes.
Ingredients
- 2 cups Rice Chex
- Herbs and seasonings of choice, optional
Instructions
- Place the Rice Chex in a food processor and secure the lid.
- Process for a few seconds until the cereal is in a fine meal.
- Use with all your favorite panko breaded recipes.
Notes
If you don't have a food processor, you can put the Rice Chex in a ziptop bag and crush it with a rolling pin until it forms a fine meal.
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What other Japanese food and ingredients are gluten-free?
Sake is just one Japanese ingredient and drink. Find out if some of your favorite Japanese foods and popular ingredients are safe for your gluten-free diet in these posts:
- Is sushi gluten-free?
- Is teriyaki sauce gluten-free?
- Is tamari gluten-free?
- Is panko gluten-free?
- Is tempura gluten-free?
- Are udon noodles gluten-free?
- Is mirin gluten-free?
- Are soba noodles gluten-free?
- Is eel sauce gluten-free?
- Is wasabi gluten-free?
If you love the crunchy crispy texture of panko breaded or topped dishes, enjoy this gluten-free alternative to panko in all your favorite recipes. Make your own at home, buy it at the store or online, and get cooking!
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