Out of Bread crumbs, one case

Bread crumb substitute for burgers

6 options, ranked, with the exact amount

Use thisBest of 6 options

Use Crushed crackers

1 cup for every cup of bread crumbs

In burgers, replace bread crumbs with the same volume of finely crushed crackers or quick oats. Both soak up moisture and hold the patty together the way crumbs do. A plain beef burger does not need a binder at all: leave the crumbs out. Turkey, chicken, salmon, bean and veggie burgers do need one, or they fall apart on the heat.

Verdict —: Tweak it
The tweak —: Crush them to fine crumbs in a bag with a rolling pin, and cut the recipe's salt by about half, since crackers are salted.
Best for —: turkey and chicken burgers
Pantry —: Likely in your cupboard

One casethe full bread crumbs card

Every option, one card

Ranked

Bread crumbs substitutes compared
#	Substitute	Instead of 1 cup bread crumbs	Verdict
1	Crushed crackersturkey and chicken burgers	1 cupTweak it	Tweak it
2	Quick or rolled oatsbean and veggie burgers	1 cupTweak it	Tweak it
3	Pankoany burger that calls for bread crumbs	1 cupWorks	Works
4	Fresh breadturkey and chicken burgers	1 slice per ¼ cupTweak it	Tweak it
5	Almond flourlow-carb and gluten-free burgers	1 cupYou'll taste it	You'll taste it
6	Crushed tortilla chipsblack bean burgers	1 cupYou'll taste it	You'll taste it

What changesWhat changes, option by option6 options

Crushed crackers

slightly richer and saltier

Saltines, butter crackers or any plain cracker, crushed fine. They absorb and bind as dried bread crumbs do.

Best for: turkey and chicken burgers, salmon and tuna burgers, beef burgers stretched with onion and egg
Prep: Crush them to fine crumbs in a bag with a rolling pin, and cut the recipe's salt by about half, since crackers are salted.
Contains: gluten
Where it fails: Coarse pieces leave dry pockets in the patty; crush them fine.

Quick or rolled oats

mild; a slightly chewier patty

Oats absorb more liquid than bread crumbs and disappear into the patty once cooked. Quick oats go in as they are; old-fashioned oats are better pulsed a few times first.

Best for: bean and veggie burgers, turkey burgers, lean beef burgers
Prep: Mix them in, add 1 to 2 tbsp of milk or water per cup of oats if the mix seems stiff, and rest it 10 minutes before shaping so the oats soften.
Where it fails: Steel-cut oats stay hard. Whole rolled oats shaped and cooked at once can be seen and felt in the burger.

Panko

no change

Coarser, lighter bread crumbs. They bind the same way once crushed and are unseasoned.

Best for: any burger that calls for bread crumbs, crab cakes and fish burgers
Prep: Crush the flakes between your fingers before measuring, and add your own seasoning if the recipe wanted Italian-style crumbs.
Contains: gluten
Where it fails: Left whole, a cup of panko holds less than a cup of fine crumbs, and the patty can be loose.

Fresh bread

no change; a softer, juicier patty

A slice of sandwich bread, crusts on or off, torn into small pieces. Mashed with a little milk it makes a paste that keeps a lean burger moist.

Best for: turkey and chicken burgers, lean beef burgers, burgers cooked well done
Prep: Tear the bread fine or pulse it in a food processor. Mash it with 1 to 2 tbsp of milk per slice, then mix it into the meat.
Contains: gluten
Where it fails: Wet mixtures such as bean burgers, which need something dry to take up moisture.

Almond flour

faintly nutty; a softer patty

Finely ground almonds. It binds with the help of an egg and adds very little carbohydrate, but it does not soak up liquid as crumbs do.

Best for: low-carb and gluten-free burgers, turkey and salmon burgers
Prep: Keep the egg in the recipe, and chill the shaped patties 20 minutes so they firm up before cooking.
Suits: gluten-free, low-carb
Contains: tree nuts
Where it fails: Very wet mixes, where it cannot absorb enough, and tables with a tree-nut allergy.

Crushed tortilla chips

toasted corn and salt

Corn chips crushed to fine crumbs. They bind and add a toasted corn flavor that suits spiced burgers.

Best for: black bean burgers, taco-seasoned beef or turkey burgers
Prep: Crush them fine and leave out most of the recipe's salt.
Where it fails: Plain or delicately seasoned burgers, where the corn flavor stands out.

How it behaves in this recipe

In this recipeBread crumbs

Bread crumbs in a burger are a binder: they take up juices and egg and hold the patty together. Ground beef with enough fat binds itself, which is why a classic beef burger is only meat and salt. Leaner meats, fish and beans have less to hold them, so the binder matters there.

Tips for substituting bread crumbs

5 tips

A usual amount is ¼ to ½ cup of crumbs per pound of meat. Use the same volume of crushed crackers, oats or crushed panko.
Beef burgers: if the recipe is only beef, salt and crumbs, skip the crumbs. Handle the meat as little as possible and it holds.
Bean and veggie burgers: use oats or crushed chips, mash about half the beans, and chill the shaped patties 20 to 30 minutes before cooking.
Rest any mix made with oats for 10 minutes before shaping, so the oats take up moisture.
Cook ground beef burgers to 160°F and turkey or chicken burgers to 165°F in the center.

Questions

5 questions

Do burgers need bread crumbs?

Beef burgers do not. Ground beef with around 20% fat holds together on its own, and crumbs make the texture closer to meatloaf. Turkey, chicken, fish, bean and veggie burgers usually do need a binder, because they are leaner or wetter.

Can I use oats in place of bread crumbs in burgers?

Yes, at the same volume. Quick oats work as they are; pulse old-fashioned oats a few times first. Let the mix rest 10 minutes before shaping, and add a tablespoon or two of milk or water per cup of oats if it feels stiff.

What can I use in place of bread crumbs in bean burgers?

Rolled or quick oats are the usual choice, at the same volume. Crushed tortilla chips or crushed crackers also work. Bean mixtures are wet, so use a dry binder, not fresh bread, and chill the patties before cooking.

Can I use flour in place of bread crumbs in burgers?

Only in a small amount. Flour binds but turns pasty, so use 1 to 2 tablespoons per pound to firm up a loose mix. It does not replace crumbs cup for cup.

What is a low-carb substitute for bread crumbs in burgers?

Almond flour at the same volume, with the egg kept in the recipe, or finely crushed pork rinds at the same volume. For a beef burger, the simplest low-carb choice is to leave the crumbs out.