Out of Bread crumbs, one case

Bread crumb substitute for meatloaf

6 options, ranked, with the exact amount

Use thisBest of 6 options

Use Rolled oats

1 cup for every cup of bread crumbs

In meatloaf, replace bread crumbs with the same volume of rolled oats or finely crushed crackers. Oats soak up more liquid, so add 1 to 2 tablespoons of milk per cup of oats and let the mix stand 10 minutes before shaping. Fresh bread also works: 1 slice, torn small, for each ¼ cup of dried crumbs. All three give a loaf that holds a slice.

Verdict —: Tweak it
The tweak —: Add 1 to 2 tbsp of milk per cup of oats, mix, and let the mixture stand 10 minutes before shaping.
Best for —: classic beef meatloaf
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	Rolled oatsclassic beef meatloaf	1 cupTweak it	Tweak it
2	Crushed crackersclassic beef meatloaf	1 cupTweak it	Tweak it
3	Fresh breadtender, soft-textured meatloaf	1 slice per ¼ cupTweak it	Tweak it
4	Pankoany meatloaf recipe that calls for plain crumbs	1 cupWorks	Works
5	Dry stuffing mixturkey meatloaf	1 cupTweak it	Tweak it
6	Almond flourlow-carb and keto meatloaf	1 cupYou'll taste it	You'll taste it

What changesWhat changes, option by option6 options

Rolled oats

mild; slightly firmer and heartier

Quick or old-fashioned oats are a long-standing meatloaf binder. They hold a lot of moisture, keep the loaf from crumbling and are hard to see in the slice.

Best for: classic beef meatloaf, turkey meatloaf, a loaf that has to slice cleanly for sandwiches
Prep: Add 1 to 2 tbsp of milk per cup of oats, mix, and let the mixture stand 10 minutes before shaping.
Where it fails: Steel-cut oats stay hard in the loaf. Flavored instant oatmeal packets are sweetened.

Regular oats are not reliably gluten-free. Buy oats labeled gluten-free if that matters.

Crushed crackers

slightly saltier and richer

Saltines or butter crackers crushed fine. They absorb and bind as dried crumbs do and add a little richness.

Best for: classic beef meatloaf, ham loaf and mixed-meat loaves
Prep: Crush to fine crumbs and cut the recipe's salt by about half. About 28 saltines make 1 cup of crumbs.
Contains: gluten
Where it fails: A loaf seasoned with onion soup mix, soy sauce or Worcestershire can end up too salty unless you leave the added salt out.

Fresh bread

no change; softer

Sandwich bread torn into small pieces. Soaked in the recipe's milk it makes the softest, moistest loaf of any option here.

Best for: tender, soft-textured meatloaf, lean beef or turkey loaves
Prep: Tear the bread small or pulse it to crumbs, soak it in the milk the recipe already calls for, and mash before adding the meat.
Contains: gluten
Where it fails: With extra liquid on top of what the recipe lists, the loaf is too soft to slice. Do not add more milk.

Panko

no change

Coarser, lighter bread crumbs. Crushed, they behave as ordinary crumbs in a loaf.

Best for: any meatloaf recipe that calls for plain crumbs
Prep: Crush the flakes before measuring, and add 1 tsp Italian seasoning per cup if the recipe wanted seasoned crumbs.
Contains: gluten
Where it fails: Measured whole, a cup of panko binds less than a cup of fine crumbs.

Dry stuffing mix

sage, onion and more salt

Boxed stuffing is seasoned dried bread. It binds the loaf and brings its own herbs, onion and salt.

Best for: turkey meatloaf, beef meatloaf with a savory, herbed flavor
Prep: Crush the cubes to coarse crumbs. Leave out the recipe's salt and dried herbs, since the mix has both.
Contains: gluten
Where it fails: Recipes with a distinct flavor of their own, such as barbecue or Italian meatloaf, where the stuffing herbs clash.

Almond flour

faintly nutty; a softer slice

The low-carb and gluten-free choice. It binds with the egg but holds less moisture than crumbs.

Best for: low-carb and keto meatloaf, gluten-free meatloaf
Prep: Keep the eggs, leave out the milk, and rest the baked loaf 15 minutes before slicing.
Suits: gluten-free, low-carb
Contains: tree nuts
Where it fails: Thin slices for sandwiches, which break more easily. Not for anyone with a tree-nut allergy.

How it behaves in this recipe

In this recipeBread crumbs

In meatloaf the bread crumbs soak up the milk, egg and meat juices and hold them in the loaf. Without something absorbent the juices run out into the pan and the loaf bakes up dense and crumbly. Any dry, starchy crumb does the job; what changes is how much liquid it wants and how salty it is.

Tips for substituting bread crumbs

5 tips

A usual amount is about ½ cup of dried crumbs per pound of meat. Use the same volume of oats, crushed crackers or crushed panko.
With oats, add 1 to 2 tbsp of milk per cup and rest the mix 10 minutes so they soften before the loaf goes in the oven.
With saltines or stuffing mix, cut the added salt by half or leave it out, and taste a small fried piece of the mix first.
Bake ground beef or pork meatloaf to 160°F in the center, and turkey or chicken meatloaf to 165°F.
Rest the loaf 10 to 15 minutes before slicing, whichever binder you used. It firms up as it cools.

Questions

5 questions

Can I use oatmeal in place of bread crumbs in meatloaf?

Yes. Use the same volume of quick or old-fashioned rolled oats, add 1 to 2 tablespoons of milk per cup of oats and let the mixture stand 10 minutes. Use plain dry oats, not cooked oatmeal and not flavored instant packets.

How many crackers replace 1 cup of bread crumbs in meatloaf?

About 28 saltine crackers, crushed fine, make 1 cup of crumbs. For the ½ cup that a one-pound loaf usually takes, use about 14. Cut the recipe's salt by about half.

Can I make meatloaf without bread crumbs or a substitute?

You can, but it bakes into a firmer, denser loaf and loses more juice into the pan. If you have nothing absorbent at all, keep the egg, leave out the milk and bake it in a loaf pan so it holds its shape.

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

Not cup for cup. Flour turns gummy in a meatloaf. A few tablespoons can tighten a loose mix, but oats, crackers or bread are far better binders.

What can I use in place of bread crumbs in meatloaf for low-carb or gluten-free?

Almond flour or finely crushed pork rinds, at the same volume, cover both. For gluten-free only, oats labeled gluten-free or crushed gluten-free crackers work as ordinary crumbs do.