Panko substitutes

Tear crustless white bread, pulse to coarse flakes, then dry in a low oven for about 10 min without letting it colour

Keeps the texture and binding roles.

Essentially how panko is made. Do not let it take on colour in the oven, or it will burn during frying.

1:1, crushed coarsely

Keeps the texture and binding roles.

Very crisp and it holds up well, with more browning and a faintly sweet edge. Crush them coarsely, since powder defeats the whole point.

1:1

Keeps the texture and binding roles.

Finer and denser, so they soak up more oil and the coating turns soft and heavy much sooner. Perfectly usable, just not as crisp.

1:1, coarsely crushed

Keeps the texture and binding roles.

Crisp and well flavoured, but most crackers carry salt and fat, so pull back on seasoning. They go soft faster than panko.

1:1

Keeps the texture and binding roles.

Light and airy with a similar large-flake structure. Blander than panko, and it softens faster once it meets a sauce.

1:1

Keeps the texture and binding roles.

Extremely crisp and it stays crisp, but it is savoury and salty and it browns fast, so drop the frying temperature slightly. Not vegetarian.

1:1

Keeps the texture role; loses binding.

Very crunchy and naturally gluten-free, but gritty rather than flaky, and it clings less well, so press it on firmly and expect some to fall off.